Page 77 of Point of Contact

She swallowed hard as her heart rate picked up. Not out of fear, Reed would never hurt her. It was excitement, and a little arousal, that had her struggling to pull in a full breath. “That doesn’t sound like me at all.”

Reed’s mouth pulled into a slow smile. “Don’t act like I don’t know you.” He leaned close, the hand at her throat tilting her head to one side as his lips skated along her jawline. “Because I do know you, Princess. Maybe better than you know yourself.” He nipped at her skin, soothing away the sting with a swipe of his tongue. “That’s why I know you’re upset.”

Her head dropped back against the wall as his teasing teeth and tongue continued moving over her skin. One wide palm edged into the front of her pants to tease along the seam of her pussy with a barely there touch that quickly settled against her clit. It wasn’t nearly enough pressure, and she tried to rock against him, looking for more.

But the asshole immediately pulled away with a wicked chuckle. “I don’t think so, Princess. You don’t get what you want, until I get what I want.”

She gritted her teeth, trying desperately to fake indifference. “Fine.” She wiggled her way loose from the pinning press of his body and started to walk away. “Be that way then.”

“Oh, no.” Reed snagged her hand, catching her before she made it two full steps. “You’re not getting out of this.” His grip was firm but careful as he tugged her back, bringing her body to his. “You spent years making sure you were impossible to ignore. Don't pretend like you don't still want all my attention."

That was the problem. Even if she did want it, she couldn't have it. Shouldn't have it. Reed had much more important things to focus on, which was why he'd always been single. His job was demanding. His parents, sweet as they were, were also a demand.

And she was willing to admit that she might be a smidge demanding too.

Reed pushed against her, his wide chest warm and solid and inescapable. She tried to take a step back, but he immediately followed. "Don't try to get away from me." One hand came to grip her hip as the other laced into her hair, fisting tight. "Because I will find you."

She snorted, pretending like she wasn't even more turned on than when he had his hand in her pants. "We’re in the same room. Youbetterbe able to find me or I'm gonna judge Pierce for hiring you."

Reed’s lips worked up at one corner. "There's my girl. Where have you been all night?"

Courtney took a shaky breath, pretending she didn't know exactly what he meant. "I was with your parents. You're the one who took me there, and my feelings are gonna be a little hurt if you forgot where you put me."

Reed leaned in like he was going to kiss her, but instead his mouth slid against the line of her jaw, skating toward her ear. "Is that what you really think? That I would forget you?"

She swallowed hard around the lust and fear wrestling through her insides. "You just have a lot on your plate, so I could see how it would happen."

Reed made a low humming sound like he discovered something. "That's what's wrong."

She had her mouth open, ready to spit out something snarky, when he gripped her thighs, hefting her up against him with ease. She yelped, immediately grabbing onto his neck as her legs hooked around his waist. "What are you doing?"

Reed hauled her onto the bed, keeping her suspended with one arm at her waist as he crawled up the mattress to deposit her in the center. "It seems like we've had a miscommunication." He released her and pushed up on his knees, smoldering gaze holding hers as he yanked at the laces of her boot, loosening it before sliding it free and tossing it over the edge of the king-sized bed. "But I’m not surprised." Her sock went next before he moved to the other boot, removing it like the first then stripping away the thick stock beneath it. "Have you ever been in a real relationship, Princess?"

She pursed her lips, irritated and sad and confused all at the same time. "You know I haven't. No one wanted—" her voice broke a little, giving her time to rethink the rest of her words. "No one wanted me."

She could blame her lack of connection on who she was and where the connection to her father left her. But at the end of the day, if someone had wanted her enough, they wouldn't have cared who she was related to, right?

That meant she simply wasn't enough. Not for her mother. Not for her father. Not for her friends.

And definitely not for a man.

"Then we’re probably going to have this conversation a few times, so you should get used to hearing it." His hands came to the waistband of her joggers, fingers hooking in before peeling everything she wore from the waist down away. "People in relationships talk. When something’s wrong you put it out there, okay?"

Her legs dropped to the mattress as he freed them from her pants and panties, tossing them over the edge. Her lower half was completely bare, but that wasn't why she suddenly felt very naked. Exposed.

"Why would we need to have this conversation more than once?" She was too afraid to hope she understood what he was saying. Over the years, she'd worn blinders more times than she could count. Let herself believe the people around her were there because they wanted to be, not because of what she offered. While she knew Reed wasn't here because she had anything to offer him, that didn't mean he was here to stay.

"Because sometimes it takes a while to see things for what they really are when you've spent years seeing them differently." He snagged her hands, pulling her up to a sitting position before peeling away her shirt. "And I think you're about to start seeing a lot of new things, Princess."

She sat still as his hands gently peeled away the rest of her clothing. It was a moment that was markedly different from any other time she'd ended up naked around him. It wasn't driven by frustration or aggravation. It wasn't bred from their intense and obvious attraction for each other. This was something different. Something more.

And it was overwhelming.

Once he had her stripped down, his hand came to her hair, gently sliding through the long strands as his eyes roamed her body. She'd never been shy about nudity because it was simply more purchasing power in her arsenal. Something to barter with so she could have a taste of what she desperately wanted. Even if it was never real.

But there was more than physical appreciation in Reed’s dark gaze as it swept her skin. More than need. More than desire.

The tips of his fingers slid from her hair to her shoulders, tracing a path down her arms before clasping her hands. He pushed against her, pressing her back against the mattress as he lifted her hands above her head, pinning her in place with his hold and his weight. "You should probably know a few things about me, Princess." His lips barely brushed hers as he spoke, the warmth of his breath fanning across her skin. "I wasn't single because I didn't want someone." His hands slid from hers as he pushed back to his knees, gripping the hem of his Henley and yanking it over his head to reveal the broad and bare expanse of his chest. "I was single because I don't like to waste my time." His fingers moved to the waistband of his pants, unfastening the fly before shoving them past his hips and kicking them away. "Because I don't have time to waste." He dropped back down over her, the heat of his naked body pressing into her skin. "I didn't think there was room for someone else in my life." He ran his nose along her neck, breathing deep. "But then I met you."

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