When I Fall
Page 43
Mia’s eyes are brimming with questions, her mouth hanging open in shock. I look at Tessa, and immediately wish I hadn’t.
She’s grinning like I’ve just told her I shoved Molly in front of a freight train.
“I knew Reed was a freak!” she squeals, slapping the table. “Damn. I feel like I need a cigarette after hearing that. He tied you up? Like with rope?”
I nod.
“You did it everywhere?” she probes, lifting an eyebrow.
I nod, again. No reason to verbalize this humiliation.
Her smile grows even more. “Hot.”
Mia begins fanning her face, and then downs the rest of her iced tea. “Wow. I had no idea Reed was so creative in the bedroom.”
“He was really creative in the kitchen,” I softly add.
Mia’s eyebrows hit her hairline. Tessa nods appreciatively.
I take a bite out of my pickle, chew it up, and then elaborate when their eyes encourage me.
“There was a lot of honey involved.”
Mia stands with her empty glass in her hand. “I need a refill. I’m having a major hot flash.” She heads for the refrigerator, leaving me alone with a very pleased looking Tessa. It’s as if she’s the one who had the sex of her life two days ago.
She crosses her arms over her chest and settles back in the chair. “No wonder Reed’s ducking us. He’s probably losing his mind knowing he’s been with you and can’t remember any of it. I bet he’s going crazy.”
I lower my eyes. “He regrets it.”
“Says who?”
Looking up at Tessa, I see the harsh frown she’s giving me. I wait for her to explain. She waits for me to inquire. We both open our mouths at the same time, but our words are halted by the sound of the front door opening.
Several deep voices follow. I look to my left as three men step into the kitchen. Three large men. Three very, very attractive men. All in police uniforms.
Good Lord. If I wasn’t already having a difficult time with shit lately, now I get handed the task of not staring at men who look like they could easily be cast in Magic Mike 2? Did I murder a litter of puppies in another life or something?
“Angel.” The biggest out of the three makes a direct line for Mia. “Give me that mouth.”
Mia blushes instantly. “Hey, babe.” She sets her glass on the counter and throws her arms around his neck. They share a brief, but hotter than hell kiss. “Come here. I want you to meet Beth.”
I realize then that I’m the only one left at the table. Tessa is shoving one of the other men against the wall by the refrigerator and assaulting him with her body. The other guy is standing in the middle of the floor, hands in his pockets, unsure of where to look with all the affection surrounding him. He settles his eyes on me and smiles.
I smile back.
He smiles bigger.
I quickly blink away before I give him my Reed smile.
Oh, great. Really? My Reed smile?
Mia walks up to the table with the big cop glued to her back. She drops her head back against his chest, then her eyes notice the man standing in the middle of the kitchen.
“Guys, this is Beth. She just moved here from Kentucky. Beth, this is CJ.” She tips her head in the direction of the man who was smiling at me, is still smiling at me, then wraps her hand around the bicep nearly crushing her. “And this is Ben, my husband, and Tessa’s brother. The one she’s got pinned down is Luke.”
CJ reaches across the table and takes my hand. He squeezes it gently. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
His deep auburn hair is cut short, resembling the hairstyle of the other two men. I assume that’s a job requirement. He has strong features, a square jaw, wide forehead, and sharp, angular cheekbones. His lips are thin, framing perfect teeth. His eyes are a beautiful shade of blue. He’s handsome. Very, very handsome.
Ben offers me his hand, keeping his other arm wrapped around Mia. “Kentucky? What brought you here?”
I bring my hands back to my lap. “My momma passed away. I found out I had family here and moved in with them.”
“We met her through Reed,” Mia whispers, turning her head into Ben’s.
His face tightens, then recollection dawns on him. Two massive dimples dent in his cheeks.
“No shit,” he says, grinning wildly. Turning his head, he looks over at the wall covered in Tessa and Luke. “Hey, asshole. Did you meet Beth? She knows our boy Reed.”
“Hey.” Luke lifts his chin in my direction, but keeps his eyes on Tessa.
Ben straightens. “I said she knows Reed.”
“I heard you. Little busy right now,” Luke says, then groans against Tessa’s mouth, “What’s gotten into you?”
Ben bares his teeth. “The fuck? Stop having sex in my kitchen and get over here. You need to meet Beth, the girl Reed knows.”
I look from Ben, to Luke, to CJ, who hasn’t stopped staring at me, to Mia. She gives me a half a smile, then blushes two shades redder than Tessa’s hair. Oh. Ohhhhh.
Luke grabs Tessa’s face, kisses her hard, and then breaks away from her, leaving her whining behind him like he’s just denied her an orgasm. He steps up next to CJ and runs a hand over his buzzed hair. “Hey. So you’re the girl, huh?”
The girl? What girl? Reed’s girl? Is he calling me his girl?
I pinch my lips together through a shrug. I have no idea how to answer this question.
“Are you doing anything tomorrow night?”
All eyes, including mine, dart to CJ. He’s staring directly at me with a lazy-smile, which gets knocked off his face when Tessa slaps the back of his head.
“What are you doing?” she angrily demands. “Were you not present during the introductions?”
He rubs the back of his head, then glares at Luke. “Reel your woman in, or I’ll toss her outside.”
“No, that’s a great idea.” Mia wiggles free of Ben’s arms. He immediately resumes his hold. She turns her head and stares at Tessa for several seconds. Tessa smiles, as if reading Mia’s unspoken words, then nods enthusiastically. Mia looks over at me. “We’re having game night here tomorrow. You should definitely come.”
“Baby,” Ben says against her cheek, his eyes burning holes into the side of her face.
CJ wraps his hands around the back of the chair he’s standing behind. “Yeah, you should,” he adds, nodding. “You should come.”
Mia brings her hand behind her and presses it against Ben’s mouth. “Really, Beth. Please come. It’s so much fun. I promise you’ll have the best time.”
I look around the room, gauging the faces staring down at me. Three of them smiling. Two of them looking like they have no idea what’s going on.
Maybe they aren’t in on game night?
“Okay,” I answer, watching as the girls high-five each other. I give CJ a quick smile, then turn back to the girls. “But I’m bringing something. I’m not showing up empty handed again.”
Tessa laughs, leaning her head against Luke’s muscly arm. “Bring whatever you want, Clapton. This is going to be amazing.”
“You two are crazy,” Luke says, grabbing Tessa and heading for the shrimp salad.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ben says into Mia’s neck.
She’s grinning like I’ve just told her I shoved Molly in front of a freight train.
“I knew Reed was a freak!” she squeals, slapping the table. “Damn. I feel like I need a cigarette after hearing that. He tied you up? Like with rope?”
I nod.
“You did it everywhere?” she probes, lifting an eyebrow.
I nod, again. No reason to verbalize this humiliation.
Her smile grows even more. “Hot.”
Mia begins fanning her face, and then downs the rest of her iced tea. “Wow. I had no idea Reed was so creative in the bedroom.”
“He was really creative in the kitchen,” I softly add.
Mia’s eyebrows hit her hairline. Tessa nods appreciatively.
I take a bite out of my pickle, chew it up, and then elaborate when their eyes encourage me.
“There was a lot of honey involved.”
Mia stands with her empty glass in her hand. “I need a refill. I’m having a major hot flash.” She heads for the refrigerator, leaving me alone with a very pleased looking Tessa. It’s as if she’s the one who had the sex of her life two days ago.
She crosses her arms over her chest and settles back in the chair. “No wonder Reed’s ducking us. He’s probably losing his mind knowing he’s been with you and can’t remember any of it. I bet he’s going crazy.”
I lower my eyes. “He regrets it.”
“Says who?”
Looking up at Tessa, I see the harsh frown she’s giving me. I wait for her to explain. She waits for me to inquire. We both open our mouths at the same time, but our words are halted by the sound of the front door opening.
Several deep voices follow. I look to my left as three men step into the kitchen. Three large men. Three very, very attractive men. All in police uniforms.
Good Lord. If I wasn’t already having a difficult time with shit lately, now I get handed the task of not staring at men who look like they could easily be cast in Magic Mike 2? Did I murder a litter of puppies in another life or something?
“Angel.” The biggest out of the three makes a direct line for Mia. “Give me that mouth.”
Mia blushes instantly. “Hey, babe.” She sets her glass on the counter and throws her arms around his neck. They share a brief, but hotter than hell kiss. “Come here. I want you to meet Beth.”
I realize then that I’m the only one left at the table. Tessa is shoving one of the other men against the wall by the refrigerator and assaulting him with her body. The other guy is standing in the middle of the floor, hands in his pockets, unsure of where to look with all the affection surrounding him. He settles his eyes on me and smiles.
I smile back.
He smiles bigger.
I quickly blink away before I give him my Reed smile.
Oh, great. Really? My Reed smile?
Mia walks up to the table with the big cop glued to her back. She drops her head back against his chest, then her eyes notice the man standing in the middle of the kitchen.
“Guys, this is Beth. She just moved here from Kentucky. Beth, this is CJ.” She tips her head in the direction of the man who was smiling at me, is still smiling at me, then wraps her hand around the bicep nearly crushing her. “And this is Ben, my husband, and Tessa’s brother. The one she’s got pinned down is Luke.”
CJ reaches across the table and takes my hand. He squeezes it gently. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
His deep auburn hair is cut short, resembling the hairstyle of the other two men. I assume that’s a job requirement. He has strong features, a square jaw, wide forehead, and sharp, angular cheekbones. His lips are thin, framing perfect teeth. His eyes are a beautiful shade of blue. He’s handsome. Very, very handsome.
Ben offers me his hand, keeping his other arm wrapped around Mia. “Kentucky? What brought you here?”
I bring my hands back to my lap. “My momma passed away. I found out I had family here and moved in with them.”
“We met her through Reed,” Mia whispers, turning her head into Ben’s.
His face tightens, then recollection dawns on him. Two massive dimples dent in his cheeks.
“No shit,” he says, grinning wildly. Turning his head, he looks over at the wall covered in Tessa and Luke. “Hey, asshole. Did you meet Beth? She knows our boy Reed.”
“Hey.” Luke lifts his chin in my direction, but keeps his eyes on Tessa.
Ben straightens. “I said she knows Reed.”
“I heard you. Little busy right now,” Luke says, then groans against Tessa’s mouth, “What’s gotten into you?”
Ben bares his teeth. “The fuck? Stop having sex in my kitchen and get over here. You need to meet Beth, the girl Reed knows.”
I look from Ben, to Luke, to CJ, who hasn’t stopped staring at me, to Mia. She gives me a half a smile, then blushes two shades redder than Tessa’s hair. Oh. Ohhhhh.
Luke grabs Tessa’s face, kisses her hard, and then breaks away from her, leaving her whining behind him like he’s just denied her an orgasm. He steps up next to CJ and runs a hand over his buzzed hair. “Hey. So you’re the girl, huh?”
The girl? What girl? Reed’s girl? Is he calling me his girl?
I pinch my lips together through a shrug. I have no idea how to answer this question.
“Are you doing anything tomorrow night?”
All eyes, including mine, dart to CJ. He’s staring directly at me with a lazy-smile, which gets knocked off his face when Tessa slaps the back of his head.
“What are you doing?” she angrily demands. “Were you not present during the introductions?”
He rubs the back of his head, then glares at Luke. “Reel your woman in, or I’ll toss her outside.”
“No, that’s a great idea.” Mia wiggles free of Ben’s arms. He immediately resumes his hold. She turns her head and stares at Tessa for several seconds. Tessa smiles, as if reading Mia’s unspoken words, then nods enthusiastically. Mia looks over at me. “We’re having game night here tomorrow. You should definitely come.”
“Baby,” Ben says against her cheek, his eyes burning holes into the side of her face.
CJ wraps his hands around the back of the chair he’s standing behind. “Yeah, you should,” he adds, nodding. “You should come.”
Mia brings her hand behind her and presses it against Ben’s mouth. “Really, Beth. Please come. It’s so much fun. I promise you’ll have the best time.”
I look around the room, gauging the faces staring down at me. Three of them smiling. Two of them looking like they have no idea what’s going on.
Maybe they aren’t in on game night?
“Okay,” I answer, watching as the girls high-five each other. I give CJ a quick smile, then turn back to the girls. “But I’m bringing something. I’m not showing up empty handed again.”
Tessa laughs, leaning her head against Luke’s muscly arm. “Bring whatever you want, Clapton. This is going to be amazing.”
“You two are crazy,” Luke says, grabbing Tessa and heading for the shrimp salad.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ben says into Mia’s neck.
