Love Story (Love Unexpectedly 3)

“I just told you. To get a job.”

“No, I know, but like who do you want to be?” she asked. “What do you dream about? What’s your endgame?”

Reece scratched his head. “Endgame?”

Lucy nodded enthusiastically, excited to share her new vocabulary. “It’s from chess. My grandpa taught it to me. It’s like the final stage of your plan.”

Reece turned and gave her a stare so flat it made her tummy hurt. “I don’t have a plan. I don’t have an endgame.”

Lucy’s tummy hurt harder. “But surely there’s something you want?”

His small shoulders shrugged. “Wouldn’t matter. I never get anything I want.”

Chapter 33

Reece

“Okay, I’ve gotta say, we really should have started the whole sharing-a-room plan earlier,” Lucy says, setting her bag down in the Las Vegas hotel room. “The bathroom in this place is bigger than last night’s motel room.”

I don’t argue as I drop my own bag, going to the wide windows and looking out at the Las Vegas Strip. We’d splurged on a room at the Paris hotel, and Lucy had sweet-talked the front desk into an enormous suite facing the Bellagio fountains.

I’m not much of a gambler, so Vegas has never been on my bucket list or anything, but I have to admit, it’s pretty cool.

Lucy comes up behind me, her arms wrapping around my waist, and my hand finds the top of her hand, and I feel a little stab of panic about how natural the gesture feels.

Don’t get used to it, man.

It’s a refrain I’ve been playing on repeat over the past few days as our routine’s gone from circling each other like wary animals, to, well…screwing like animals.

And that’s not even accurate. Not really. Sure, we kept each other up all night long in both Cheyenne and Salt Lake motel rooms, but the days have been pretty great too.

It feels like we’re getting to know each other again, and it feels good. Or at least it does when she doesn’t start badgering me about plans.

I know I shouldn’t have bitten her head off with her stupid endgame questions, but damn it. Why the hell can’t she just let it be? Let me be?

Why can’t I just be good enough as I am?

My fingers tighten reflexively on her hand, and she eases around so she’s standing in front of me, her gaze wary. “You okay?”

I force a smile. “I’ll be more okay once I get you naked and into the two-person shower.”

She doesn’t smile back. “Look, Reece, I’ve been trying to avoid the topic since you freak out every time I mention it, but we’ve only got a couple nights left on the road.”

My chest tightens in panic. “I’m aware.”

I’m more than aware that I’ve only got a couple days left before your real life starts.

Lucy takes a breath. “Okay, I get that guys aren’t known for talking about their feelings, but you’ve got to give me some indication of where your head’s at.”

“In a few minutes, I’m thinking it’ll be between your thighs,” I say, my hands sliding down to cup her ass, pulling her toward me.

Lucy’s not having it and steps back. “Is that all this is? Sex? I can take it if it is, just…tell me now.”

Despite her brave words, her voice is small, and it tears at me.

I close my eyes and rub my hands over my head. “Shit, I don’t know, Luce. I’m not good at this.”

“Nobody’s good at this, Reece. Relationships are hard, and I can do hard, but I’m just trying to decide if I should even bother with you.” I open my mouth, but she lifts a warning finger. “Do not make some smartass comment about me doing hard. I’m trying to talk to you.”