Page 89 of The Chances We Take

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted too,” I whispered before he pulled me into his arms and held me there as I rested my head against the warmth of his chest.

“Everything all packed up?” I asked as I walked out into the living room where Reid was leaning against the counter.

“Yep. I think we should be all good to go.” He lightly grabbed my wrist to pull me toward him and moved me so my back was against the counter. “We definitely have time if…” he started to whisper in my ear when his phone buzzed, the vibration echoing in the kitchen.

I looked at the phone, the screen lit up with a text message.

“As I was saying.” He rolled his eyes and lifted me to place me on the countertop, stepping between my legs. “We could break in this counter before we leave.”

“Mmm tempting,” I craned my neck back as he started kissing it, lightly nipping and sucking at the tender flesh. “I’ve never had sex on a counter before.” I added a wink.

The noise rising from Reid’s throat sounded almost animalistic as he kissed up my neck to my jaw and then my lips. “I think we?—”

Reid’s phone buzzed again, likeit had been the past week. One time; two times; three times, but he ignored it with each one.

“Are you not going to answer those?” I asked as I hopped off the counter.

“No.” He shook his head, moving to click the power button on his phone to turn it off.

“Who is it?”

“My mother.”

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

isabelle

THREE MONTHS AGO

Ellison and the boys had been here a month ago for the Houston Rodeo, and Ellison was coming back to Texas in May for a couple weeks to work on wedding things here with me and her mom.

Reid’s birthday was coming up too. I remembered last year, after Colter proposed to Ellison, I gave him a lot of shit for not telling me when his birthday was. All he’d told me was he didn’t like his birthday—didn’t care for it. But he didn’t tell me why.

I’d found out when his birthday was because Ellison and I had been talking on the phone during one of our weekly catch up calls and she’d mentioned Reid’s birthday had been a few weeks prior.

“Yeah, so, not much has been going on here. Reid and Colter went back on the road pretty shortly after we got back from Glacier. I wanted to throw him a small party for his birthday since it was a few weeks ago and he was on the road, but he didn’t want to have one. And oh my goodness, you will not believe?—”

I’d cut her off. “Wait, hold on. Go back.”

“The boys went back on the road?”

“No. Reid’s birthday?” I had asked.

“Oh, yeah. His birthday is April twenty-first.” She’d continued updating me on her life, but all I could think about was why he hadn’t told me about his birthday. Ilovedthrowing people birthday parties and celebrating with them.

A couple days later, I’d texted him about it.

i’m mad at you

Reid

Why?

why didn’t you tell me your birthday was in April?

Reid

It didn’t seem important

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