Worth Forgiving
Page 16
Forcing my attention away from the vision of perfection, I bring my focus back to Reed. “So what brings you down here? You slumming?” Though you’d never know it by his attitude, Reed is probably the wealthiest person I’ve ever met. Well, maybe not, after seeing the hotel suite that Jax was checked into. His father is the CEO for one of the largest utility companies in the United States. And also an opinionated, card carrying, staunch conservative. Money driven and resistant to change, he’s the antithesis of everything Reed is.
“Ummm…we’re supposed to go to lunch, remember? And what’s with all the people camped out outside?”
“Long story.”
“Give me the short version.”
“They’re trying to get to Jax.”
“Why?” Reed leans his elbows on the front desk, propping his head up on his hands, readying himself for some juicy gossip. The man is a fiend when it comes to gossip. He doesn’t even need to know the person to be interested in someone else’s dirty laundry.
“Father’s a senator. Cheated. Found out he has a brother. Brother is the current Middleweight MMA Champion. Father is running for re-election anyway. They followed him here from D.C.”
“Get. Out.” Reed says each word staccato, total drama queen rearing its prissy head.
Looking back to Jax, Reed sighs again loudly. “Rich boy. Daddy issues? Are you sure he’s not g*y. He’d be perfect for me.”
“He’s definitely not g*y.” My tone gives away more than I intended.
Reed’s eyes go wide as saucers and his mouth hangs open a minute before he speaks. “You didn’t?” He accuses with a smile so wide it leaves no room for doubt that he’d be thrilled if I did.
“No. I didn’t.”
“But you wanted to.”
“I didn’t say that either.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything! You’re putting words in my mouth.”
Looking over at Jax again, Reed smiles and waves enthusiastically. “That man is sin on a stick.” He sighs dramatically.
Glancing in Jax’s direction, he smiles at us again. It’s painfully obvious that we’re talking about him, but Reed’s right, and it’s hard to tear my eyes away even when I should. It’s my turn to sigh loudly. “I can’t argue with you there.”
“He seems like a nice guy too.”
“He is.”
Reed folds his arms over his chest as he speaks to me in a patronizing tone, “So he’s gorgeous, nice, I’m guessing rich and smart too with daddy being a Senator, I can see why you’d keep away.” He wrinkles his nose like he just smelled something foul, “Total loser. You’re much better off with Caden.” He lifts his hand melodramatically and begins ticking off comparable traits with his fingers. “Let’s see, Caden’s not gorgeous, not nice, not rich, and not too smart. Of course you’d pick Caden, and pass on Jax.”
“It’s complicated and you know it.”
“Doesn’t have to be.”
Frustrated, I know there is no winning this conversation, so I change the subject, “I’m sorry…I completely forgot about lunch. I can’t leave, there’s no one here to cover for me. Joe’s still traveling.”
Reed shrugs, he’s the most flexible person I know. “So we’ll order in.” It really is pretty amazing how malleable he is considering he’s the product of two of the most inflexible people in the word. He pulls his cell from his pocket and orders sushi, without needing to ask what I want.
I pull the scarf he draped around my neck and examine it closer. Chanel. I squint, knowing how the generous man works. “The scarf is beautiful.” I pause, fingering it between my hands. “Tell me about the guy you met.”
“What guy?” Reed responds in a guilty voice that confirms my suspicion.
“Barneys and Bergdorf when you meet a new guy. Swap meets and second hand shops when you break up.”
“I do n…,” Reed trails off, his brain going through a mental rolodex of the timing of his last few shopping trips. He goes to finish his sentence twice, each time thinking better of it. Eventually he gives in, rolling his eyes, but his eyes light up as he speaks. “He’s my TA.”
Reed’s working toward his degree in Art History. We decided two years ago we would go back to school together part time to finish the degrees we had started. I’m a business major with a minor in Art. He’s an Art major with a minor in business. We always find a way to take a class together each semester. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“I hope so. That’ll make it hotter.” Grinning at the thought of forbidden lust, Reed turns as the bells sound on the door. Fleeting are the thoughts of his TA, as he’s quickly distracted by a handsome delivery boy who walks in. He’s waif thin and looks like he just woke up from a three day binge, although he is cute if you look past the protruding cheekbones.
“Delivery for Mr. Knight?”
Not taking his eyes off the poor delivery boy, Reed waves in my direction. “Go get whatshisname.”
“Whatshisname?” So fickle. It didn’t take long for him to forget he was drooling over Jax not five minutes ago and about to spill the details of his crush on his TA.
Chin ups done, Jax is hitting the speedball as I make my way to the back of the gym. His arms bulge with each punch and it pains me to have to interrupt him and spoil the view. “You have a delivery here.”
“Thanks.” He grabs a towel and wipes his head and tucks it into the waist of his shorts, making them hang even lower. A scant amount of bare skin shows as he reaches up and runs his fingers through his messy, yet sexy, hair. My eyes linger for a second too long, Jax catches it and grins.
Reed is busy chatting up the waif boy, so Jax and I hang back a few steps and wait. He leans in close to me and whispers so only I can hear him, “You smell incredible.”
I smile, leaning back a little so my head is closer to his, but I keep my face forward as I respond, “You just think that because you probably smell from being all sweaty.”
Jax turns, shifting his body to face me, “I bet you smell good even when you’re sweaty.”
Combatting the looming feeling of fluster creeping up, I attempt to lighten the feeling being so close to this man brings, “Think we should interrupt the lovebirds so you can get your delivery?”
“Ummm…we’re supposed to go to lunch, remember? And what’s with all the people camped out outside?”
“Long story.”
“Give me the short version.”
“They’re trying to get to Jax.”
“Why?” Reed leans his elbows on the front desk, propping his head up on his hands, readying himself for some juicy gossip. The man is a fiend when it comes to gossip. He doesn’t even need to know the person to be interested in someone else’s dirty laundry.
“Father’s a senator. Cheated. Found out he has a brother. Brother is the current Middleweight MMA Champion. Father is running for re-election anyway. They followed him here from D.C.”
“Get. Out.” Reed says each word staccato, total drama queen rearing its prissy head.
Looking back to Jax, Reed sighs again loudly. “Rich boy. Daddy issues? Are you sure he’s not g*y. He’d be perfect for me.”
“He’s definitely not g*y.” My tone gives away more than I intended.
Reed’s eyes go wide as saucers and his mouth hangs open a minute before he speaks. “You didn’t?” He accuses with a smile so wide it leaves no room for doubt that he’d be thrilled if I did.
“No. I didn’t.”
“But you wanted to.”
“I didn’t say that either.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything! You’re putting words in my mouth.”
Looking over at Jax again, Reed smiles and waves enthusiastically. “That man is sin on a stick.” He sighs dramatically.
Glancing in Jax’s direction, he smiles at us again. It’s painfully obvious that we’re talking about him, but Reed’s right, and it’s hard to tear my eyes away even when I should. It’s my turn to sigh loudly. “I can’t argue with you there.”
“He seems like a nice guy too.”
“He is.”
Reed folds his arms over his chest as he speaks to me in a patronizing tone, “So he’s gorgeous, nice, I’m guessing rich and smart too with daddy being a Senator, I can see why you’d keep away.” He wrinkles his nose like he just smelled something foul, “Total loser. You’re much better off with Caden.” He lifts his hand melodramatically and begins ticking off comparable traits with his fingers. “Let’s see, Caden’s not gorgeous, not nice, not rich, and not too smart. Of course you’d pick Caden, and pass on Jax.”
“It’s complicated and you know it.”
“Doesn’t have to be.”
Frustrated, I know there is no winning this conversation, so I change the subject, “I’m sorry…I completely forgot about lunch. I can’t leave, there’s no one here to cover for me. Joe’s still traveling.”
Reed shrugs, he’s the most flexible person I know. “So we’ll order in.” It really is pretty amazing how malleable he is considering he’s the product of two of the most inflexible people in the word. He pulls his cell from his pocket and orders sushi, without needing to ask what I want.
I pull the scarf he draped around my neck and examine it closer. Chanel. I squint, knowing how the generous man works. “The scarf is beautiful.” I pause, fingering it between my hands. “Tell me about the guy you met.”
“What guy?” Reed responds in a guilty voice that confirms my suspicion.
“Barneys and Bergdorf when you meet a new guy. Swap meets and second hand shops when you break up.”
“I do n…,” Reed trails off, his brain going through a mental rolodex of the timing of his last few shopping trips. He goes to finish his sentence twice, each time thinking better of it. Eventually he gives in, rolling his eyes, but his eyes light up as he speaks. “He’s my TA.”
Reed’s working toward his degree in Art History. We decided two years ago we would go back to school together part time to finish the degrees we had started. I’m a business major with a minor in Art. He’s an Art major with a minor in business. We always find a way to take a class together each semester. “Isn’t that against the rules?”
“I hope so. That’ll make it hotter.” Grinning at the thought of forbidden lust, Reed turns as the bells sound on the door. Fleeting are the thoughts of his TA, as he’s quickly distracted by a handsome delivery boy who walks in. He’s waif thin and looks like he just woke up from a three day binge, although he is cute if you look past the protruding cheekbones.
“Delivery for Mr. Knight?”
Not taking his eyes off the poor delivery boy, Reed waves in my direction. “Go get whatshisname.”
“Whatshisname?” So fickle. It didn’t take long for him to forget he was drooling over Jax not five minutes ago and about to spill the details of his crush on his TA.
Chin ups done, Jax is hitting the speedball as I make my way to the back of the gym. His arms bulge with each punch and it pains me to have to interrupt him and spoil the view. “You have a delivery here.”
“Thanks.” He grabs a towel and wipes his head and tucks it into the waist of his shorts, making them hang even lower. A scant amount of bare skin shows as he reaches up and runs his fingers through his messy, yet sexy, hair. My eyes linger for a second too long, Jax catches it and grins.
Reed is busy chatting up the waif boy, so Jax and I hang back a few steps and wait. He leans in close to me and whispers so only I can hear him, “You smell incredible.”
I smile, leaning back a little so my head is closer to his, but I keep my face forward as I respond, “You just think that because you probably smell from being all sweaty.”
Jax turns, shifting his body to face me, “I bet you smell good even when you’re sweaty.”
Combatting the looming feeling of fluster creeping up, I attempt to lighten the feeling being so close to this man brings, “Think we should interrupt the lovebirds so you can get your delivery?”
