Page 63 of Faking Summer
I returned, finding Reese's shadow leaning against the entryway wall, staring at family photos.
"Come with me," I said, entwining our fingers as I led him up the stairs and inside my room. The door clicked shut behind us.
"Let's see that hand," I whispered. My fingers brushed his, tentative at first, then firm as I cradled his injured knuckle in my palm.
"I told you I'm fine,” he said, watching me tend to the wound.
"Fine or not, I’m taking care of you."
Reese shifted, the floor creaking under his weight as I finished up. "I don't need anyone to take care of me," he said, looking around my room. "Been doing well on my own."
Everyone knew he was physically strong, and a force as an athlete. But it was in my dark, quiet bedroom that I saw his true depths. He had lost his mother at such a young age, and it forced him to toughen up. As I gazed into his troubled eyes, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of compassion for the little boy who never got the chance to be nurtured and cared for by the one person he needed most in life.
"That may be the case, but I’m taking care of you tonight," I declared, putting my hand on my hip. "And don't even try to argue with me. You won't win."
He grinned slowly, and it did strange things to my pulse as I cleaned his wound and covered it with a band-aid. "Why are you the way that you are?"
"Because I'm a Leo," I said, playfully.
"Well that explains everything," he said sarcastically as he made himself comfortable on my bed. His eyes never wavered from mine.
"It's written in the stars, and out of my control," I murmured, closing the distance and climbing onto his lap.
His hands found their way to my thighs, staying below the hem of my shorts. Reese's gaze intensified, deepening somehow. "Remind me to call you Caro-lion instead of Care Bear from now on," he said,the quiet rasp in his voice teasing out goosebumps on my entire body.
"You can call me whatever you want," I murmured, breath brushing over his ear. "But that's all you get to do because I’m still taking care of you tonight."
Reese's expression shifted, the corner of his mouth curving up in that charmingly arrogant way. "I've never played this game before," he said, in a husky whisper. "But I'm intrigued."
"The rules are simple," I said, matching his energy with a sly grin. "I’m in control tonight. Your job is to lie back and enjoy it."
The tension between us was electric, his darkened eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse race. "Is that what you want, baby?" he murmured, his voice a velvety growl that sent a shiver down my spine. "To be in control?"
I could barely breathe as I nodded, my voice trembling with anticipation. "Uh huh."
“Are you sure you want to do this tonight?” he asked, dragging his words out slowly.
“Uh huh,” I repeated. “This is just sex. We don’t need to overthink it. No feelings, nothing more.”
“Uh huh,” he said this time with a wicked grin. He leaned in, his lips brushing my ear as he added, “show me what you got."
My lips found Reese's in a kiss that detonated like fireworks in the quiet of my room. The familiar taste of his mint gum, how soft and tender his lips were, but still somehow so possessive. I was entranced. The way his mouth moved against mine—he was claiming me. It was addictive.
Reluctantly, I drew back, our breaths mingling, foreheads resting together. My voice, a shaky whisper, ured him in the darkness. "Lay back."
He did as he was told. This powerful man was following my directions.
A spark of desire ignited down my spine as my eyes traced over him—his athletic frame sprawled across my bed, the steady rise andfall of his chest. It was mesmerizing. In this moment, I wanted to etch everything into memory: the way Reese Carrington, the most important person on the field, the alpha everyone respected, was willingly surrendering to me. This man, who commanded attention without lifting a finger, was letting me take the lead. I had been drowning in fear earlier, but now, I felt something else entirely—power. Wells tried to take that from me, but this man here, in front of me, was handing it back. He fought for me. Not because he had to. Not because I asked. But because he couldn’t stand the thought of someone hurting me. I was reveling in the delicious power I held over him—even if it would never happen again. It wasn’t just his surrender; it was the way he gave it over, making me feel like I was the only one in the world who could unseat this king.
My lips found his once more, and the kiss deepened, growing bolder. My fingers traced the outline of his jaw, feeling the stubble that grazed my fingertips. Reese's hands hovered just above where my waist dipped inwards, as though he was asking for permission to break the rules already. I gently guided his hands up and above his head, silently reminding him of the rules. Our agreement.
My lips wandered, leaving a trail of fevered kisses along the line of his throat. Every shudder was a victory, every small moan a testament to what this had become—me unraveling Reese Carrington, piece by piece.
twenty-six
Reese
Normally, I preferred being the one in charge. But for once, I didn't mind lying back and letting this woman do whatever she wanted to me. Could she handle me, though, once she saw what I was working with? I had no idea.
