Page 44 of Unforgettable

“You’re cute when you don’t get your way.”

I hold my hand out to him and pull him up off the recliner. “Don’t tease me, Reeve. It won’t end well for you.”

“I’ll take my chances, Oswald.”

“No,” I say sternly. “No. No. No.”

Dragging his hand out of mine, he walks away from me with a shit-eating grin spreading wide across his face.

He’s going to pay for that.

The twelve of us inhale dessert, Dixie indulging in some extra servings that we all give her shit about. As promised, Reeve and I move the furniture to the edges of the room, just like I do every time my niece and nephew want to play.

While I should be annoyed that we’re not leaving and haven’t yet made it into my bed, I’m too busy watching Reeve play with Tommy and Summer.

I know he has a niece and is probably comfortable and familiar being around kids, but there’s something about his ease withmyfamily. There’s something about the ease thatIfeel with him being around my family.

“Come on, Uncle Oz,” Summer calls out. “I like that you brought a friend to dinner because now you and I can be on one team and Reeve and Tommy can be on the other.”

Reeve’s gaze darts between Summer and Tommy, and if smitten was a smile, it would be the one he was wearing right now. Like he said, this is dangerous, but it also feels inevitable.

From the first night I met him, he was different. I was different with him. And I know it will be a constant push and pull as I try to convince him that we can still do this with no strings attached, despite the range of emotions I know both he and I are feeling. But right now, as I watch him in my space, enjoying his time with my family, there’s no denying I want this. The whole scene makes me feel weak and warm in all the best ways and I want to ride that feeling all the way into my bed.

“Uncle Oz,” Summer repeats, and I realize I totally spaced out while she was talking rules and specifics.

“Yeah. Sorry.” I clap my hands together and let my voice boom across the room. “Are we ready to show them who’s boss?”

Summer cheers and Tommy boos and I get ready to kick some ass and take my prize home.

* * *

The ride home is quiet, but I let Reeve process in silence, because if the last few weeks have taught me anything, it’s that Reeve is a thinker.

I have no doubt that he’s listing the pros and cons of tonight in his head. And usually I would ask if he was sure, but tonight, I’m feeling needy and selfish, and I don’t want to give him a chance to back out.

I trust that if it was really something he wasn’t comfortable with, he would tell me. And so far, he hasn’t said a single thing. But when I feel his hand curl around the back of my neck while I’m driving, I know we’re both definitely on the same page.

Quickly, I glance over at him and then return my focus back to the road. Even though he’s touching me, his face is all scrunched up in concentration and I can tell he wants to say something.

“What is it?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “It’s stupid.”

“Tell me anyway,” I insist.

“This doesn’t change anything, does it?”

“Change anything how?”

He pulls his hand away and I miss it immediately. He nervously chews on his fingernail as I pull up to a block of apartments.

Turning the ignition off, I reach for his hand and pull it away from his mouth. “Talk to me, Reeve.”

“I can’t do a relationship right now,” he says, and not for the first time. “But it would be foolish of me to deny our chemistry.” When I don’t say anything, he continues. “I just need to make sure there are no expectations. This whole thing with your family and then the sex. I just can’t do more than that.”

None of this is a surprise to me. He’s said all of it before. On more than one occasion. His past experiences mean he doesn’t want to get attached to anyone or anything, and I can respect that.

But now, hearing his reasons, they don’t sit the same. There’s a sinking feeling in my stomach I don’t recognize, because I don’t want attachments either, but I know I’m going to miss him when all this is said and done.

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