Page 29 of Love From the Ashes

A Night Together

Reid opened hiseyes and stared at the ceiling. Something had awakened him. He turned on his side and propped his head on his arm to listen. It was crying.Sofie was crying. He threw the covers back and sprang from the bed, rushing into the hall. Worried, Reid reached for the doorknob, only to realize the crying had stopped. He waited and listened, but the room beyond stayed silent. Reid quietly backed away and returned to bed, knowing he’d have to check on her if he heard the crying again.

He’d only been back in bed for a minute or so when there was a soft knock on his bedroom door. Reid turned on the bedside lamp and went to answer it, finding Sofie standing in the hall with red-rimmed eyes, dressed in his tee shirt.

“I had a bad dream. Your house is big, and it creaks. I don’t want to be alone. Can I please stay with you?”

Reid stared at her for a moment, instantly feeling stuck. She looked scared and upset, and he wanted to comfort her. On the other hand, with the way he cared about her and had for a long time, letting her share his bed was a bad idea.

“Please,” she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.

That was it. Reid couldn’t turn her down. He motioned toward his bed, shutting the door while Sofie crawled under his bedcovers. Reid joined her, making sure to keep some distance between them. He reached over and turned off the lamp. Suddenly curious, he asked, “What was your bad dream about?”

“I was trapped in a house fire. There was smoke and flames, and I couldn’t find my way out.” Sofie sniffled and buried her head in the pillow.

Reid couldn’t take it anymore. He reached for her, surprised by the coolness of her skin. “Come here and get warm.” He held her as she curled against his chest, aloe vera and mango drifting to his nose. It wasn’t long before he could hear her soft, gentle breaths as she slept.

Sofie uttered a little sound. What it was, Reid couldn’t tell. He must have dozed because her head was buried in the crook of his neck, her hand sliding across his chest while her fingers stretched and retracted as they played with his hair. She made the sound again, and he could swear it was a soft purr. Reid silently cursed himself for getting into this predicament. He could feel himself getting hard, his body reacting to her touch.

She made another sound, causing Reid to look down. She’d moved her head, her eyes now open and watching him.

Reid placed his hand over hers, stopping her fingers from moving. “You have to stop.”

“Why?” Sofie whispered.

“Because I like it.”

She stared at Reid, her eyes unblinking. Then she lifted her head and kissed him.

Reid tasted her lips as his mouth searched hers. They were soft and luscious, and he wanted more. But Reid knew he had to stop, somehow pull himself away from her and go to another room. Sofie was scared and vulnerable, and he’d never be able to forgive himself if he took advantage of her situation and let their intimacy continue. Tossing the covers back, Reid sat on the edge of the bed, his head resting in his hands. What he wanted to do and what he needed to do were at complete odds with one another.

“Reid?”

“I need to go to the other bedroom. I’ll let you sleep.” His back facing Sofie, he got up from the bed and walked toward the door.

“Why?”

He stopped and slowly turned to face her. “I’ve wanted you ever since that night we worked together on the presentation. I can’t stay here with you. Your presence, and your touch, are driving me crazy. I have to go.”

“Stay, please.”

“You don’t understand,” Reid said, his voice strained. “If I get back in bed with you, I won’t be able to stop myself. And I don’t want you for a single night. I want more than that. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Do you still want me to stay?”

“Yes.”

Reid climbed back in the bed, slowly sliding his body next to Sofie. He ran his hand across her stomach, her skin warm and bare since the tee shirt had ridden up to her chest. “I want to kiss you, and I don’t want to stop.”

Sofie nodded, her eyes moving to his lips, hers slightly parting.

Reid leaned in, his hand caressing her hip as he tenderly kissed her. Then his tongue ardently searched and teased, his passion unleashed as he pressed against her flesh. His cock was hard, and he wanted her. Taking her nipple in his mouth, he rolled it with his tongue and sucked on it while his fingers teased the other. He could hear Sofie’s moans in his ear, her legs suddenly spreading. “Do you want me?” He had to make sure.

“Yes,” she said, her body straining forward.

Reid slid his hand under her buttocks, pulling her against his groin.

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