Page 26 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“Well, you’ve done an impressive job, and it brings back memories. It smells like the houses your uncle used to work on,” she said, lacing her fingers with his.
That simple act of claiming him, letting him know she was still right there with him, brought a streak of happiness. “The houses we used to sneak into to make out? I have a faint memory of that smell you’re referring to, but mostly I remember your sweet scent knocking me off my feet.”
“Reed,” she said with a smile.
“I can’t help it, Grace. I remember it all, the way we kissed, lying beneath the stars and never wanting our nights together to end. Texting until three in the morning when you’d fall asleep and leave me hanging more often than not.”
She buried her face in his chest with a groan.
“My girl needed her beauty sleep.”
“Your girl needed to go to the same school as her boyfriend so she could have seen you every day without worrying about what anyone else thought.”
“Rivalries were awful back then, weren’t they?” He remembered too many kids who had gotten into fights to prove their school was the best and girls who had been called horrible names because they dated guys from other schools. He never would have risked that happening to Grace. “It’s not that way now around here. Did you know that? Everyone gets along, regardless of which town they’re from.”
She nodded. “That’s what I hear.”
“I wanted to be with you every second. You had to know that, Grace.” Her gaze was soft and alluring, drawing him deeper into her. “And right now I want to carry you upstairs and make love to you until nothing else exists.”
“I like that plan,” she said softly.
He knew what he had to do next might ruin this moment, but to keep Grace’s trust, he’d take that chance.
Chapter Eight
GRACE’S INSIDES WERE trembling. She couldn’t believe she was really standing in Reed’s house, agreeing to go upstairs and make love to him after all these years. But she felt so good when she was with him, she couldn’t imagine anything stopping her from taking the next step.
Reed touched his lips to hers in a whisper of a kiss that left her wanting more. “Gracie, I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my life. But I can’t look into your trusting eyes and have anything left unsaid between us. You asked about my life, and I want to know about yours. Let’s have a drink and talk.”
She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and realized she was terribly nervous. “A drink is probably a good idea.”
She admired the ornate crown moldings and elegant, antique chandeliers as he led her through the dining room to a large kitchen with gorgeous marble countertops and gaping holes where the stove and dishwasher should be. A table for two sat beside glass doors overlooking the backyard. Even in the darkness she could see moonlight reflecting off the creek.
He pulled a bottle of wine from a cabinet and untied a red ribbon from around the neck. “Compliments of Roy and Ella.”
He grabbed two wineglasses from a cabinet, and poured them each a glass.
“Here you go.” He handed her one and led her through the kitchen to another set of stairs.
She followed him up to the master bedroom, where a single antique dresser sat against the far wall. A king-size mattress lay atop gorgeous hardwood floors by a wall of nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. Grace swallowed hard. Was that their talk? The few seconds in the kitchen? Her nerves kicked up again.
“Come with me.” Reed led her through the bedroom and out a set of glass doors to a veranda. He flicked a switch, illuminating tiny white lights wrapped around iron railings, a U-shaped, deep-cushioned seating area with a few soft-looking blankets. A small round table for two sat in the corner by a fireplace.
The view of the creek took Grace’s breath away. She imagined Reed spending most of his time out there. They’d had no place to go when they were dating, so they had spent a lot of time in secluded outdoor spots, like behind the theater, down by the creek, and in local parks. She realized now how little time she spent outside when she was in the city.
“This is beautiful. I remember you used to say you wished you had a tree fort but you were too old for one. Is this your version of an adult tree fort?”
“Something like that.” He reached for her hand and guided her to the couch.
“Is this where you bring all your dates? To your bachelor pad, with romantic lights and a make-out couch?”
He pulled off his boots, giving her adon’t be ridiculouslook. “Hardly.”
He slipped off the cushion, kneeling in front of her, and began taking off her boots, making her even more nervous.
“I’ll clean these for you, as I promised. But right now let’s just be comfortable.”
“I can clean them tomorrow.”
