Page 30 of Split Screen Scream
“Yeah, she should’ve. But she wasn’t the nice kind of girl, who ends things nicely. She’s more the ‘all about me and too bad for you’ type. But he’s done all right. Dated lots of girls. He just had to get over the initial shock. He was really serious about Becky.”
Christie felt a little sick, hearing all this. “Has he been serious about anyone else?”
“Nope. Just Becky.”
They watched Reed dance with Diesel’s bride. Christie glanced at Diesel’s face and saw not one trace of jealousy, just pride and trust. That said a lot about the kind of man Reed was. Even if he was a chick magnet. It also said a lot about their friendship.
Reed came back over to them. Diesel stood to give him his seat back.
“Telling all my secrets?” Reed asked with a laugh.
Diesel said, “No, way man. I’m saving the juicy ones for later.”
“Heh,” Reed said, and then he sat and turned his full attention to Christie. “Would you like to dance once they open the floor for everyone?”
“I’d love to. Dancing is one of my favorite things.” She smiled. “You looked quite handsome out there.”
“He cleans up well,” Hank joked.
“Well, I’ve seen him with blood on his hands,” Christie said. “And I’ve seen him being patted down by the police, and he looked pretty good both times. Just not as fancy.”
“Fancy?” Reed asked, the tone in his voice saying he didn’t care to be described as fancy.
“Yes. Like you are now.” She ran her hand down his lapel. “You look good dressed fancy. Very handsome.”
By the looks on his buddies’ faces, he wasn’t going to live this “fancy” term down.
Now the floor was open for dancing, and they headed out.
The moment Reed took her hand in his and slid his arm around Christie’s waist, she began to fall farther and harder than she’d already fallen. For this was romance and desire, that double whammy, which was nearly impossible for her to resist. But even if she could have resisted, she didn’t want to. She fell into the moment and relished every second as they began to dance to the tune, “Fly Me to the Moon.” Reed was an excellent dancer. She hardly felt the floor beneath her. It was as if they were flying to that moon, weightless, with eyes only on each other.
This was the most romantic evening of her life.
When Reed took her home, he walked her to the door, waited until she opened it, and then when she turned to him, he kissed her, long and sweet.
When he stepped away, he gave her a smile and simply said, “Good night.”
As if still in a dream, she answered him. “Good night.” Then she stepped inside and closed the door.
Halfway to his car, he turned back to see her watching him through the glass. Making a turning motion with his hand, he said, “Lock it.”
She laughed and nodded, locking the door.
He was always making sure she was safe and secure. Making sure she didn’t forget.
Tonight was a night when she might have. Her lips still tingled from the feel and the taste of his lips. His scent lingered, and she breathed in, knowing it would be fleeting and soon gone, until she was near him again for another kiss. All her senses were alive, and she wondered how she’d ever be able to sleep.
She drifted down the hallway into her bedroom and slipped into her nightgown. The silk one. The one she would wear, feeling it caressing her body, as she dreamed of him.
Maybe she’d sleep tonight. The sooner she slept, the sooner she’d dream of him.
She slipped under the covers and pulled them up, letting the moon’s glow come through her window into the room. Tonight, she wouldn’t close them.
She sighed, remembering each moment of their evening together. Savoring. Soon, she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning,the sun blared through the window blinds into the room, waking her with the sunrise.
Too bright. It’s too bright.
