I make my way downstairs and out the front door, to find Bella waiting for me on the front steps.
“I thought I told you to wait in the car.”Will this woman ever listen to me?
“Please,” she huffs, “I needed to be on standby in case an ambulance needed to be called.” I pull her into my arms and place a gentle kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her scent and feeling myself calm immediately.
“Is everything okay?” she queries.
Not even close.
“For tonight it is,” I say instead. “Let’s go home, baby.”
Bella
Well, that went to shit fast. We went from the high of saying ‘I love you’ for the first time, to getting caught making out by my father. Definitely not how I planned the evening going or how we wanted to break the news.
We’ve just walked through the door of Reed’s house, he didn’t say a single word during the drive from my parents house. His jaw — which is already starting to show signs of a bruise — was clenched the whole way.
I know he said he was okay, but he most definitely isn’t and I’m starting to worry that this has become too much for him. That he’s regretting it… regretting us.
I kick off my shoes just inside the entrance hall and make my way to Reed’s room, needing a shower to rid myself of tonight.
By the time I’ve stripped, allowed the water to warm and stepped into the shower, Reed still hasn’t appeared. I hold my face under the steady flow of water and feel the first tears fall.
Suddenly, Reed’s arms wrap around me from behind, shocking me as I hadn’t heard him come in, too absorbed in my own thoughts.
“I’m sorry, baby. I should let you go, I should stop this and let you fix things with your father. But I’m a selfish bastard and I can’t lose you, Bella. I can’t give you up, not for anything. You’re my fucking life, I don’t ever want to do this without you.” I spin myself in his arms, wrapping my own around him.
“I don’t want that, Reed. I don’t want you to give up on us, I don’t care who does or doesn’t approve of us. I just want you — I always have. And maybe that makes me selfish too, because it’s risking your relationship with my father, but I don’t care, Reed. I just need you, you’re all I want.”
“I love you so much, baby girl.” His lips lower to mine, slowly rubbing against them, his tongue gently runs along my bottom lip and I open for him. His tongue glides along mine, his lips sipping from me, the kiss is sweet and gentle. He pulls back and presses his forehead to mine.
“I have no idea what we’ll be walking into tomorrow, but I need you to know that no matter what is said, I will not give you up. You’re my everything.”
“Same,” I whisper.
He reaches for one of the bottles along the side of the shower and gently begins to wash my hair. It’s soothing, loving and exactly the kind of comfort I need right now.
A while later, after I’ve dried my hair and Reed has locked up the house, we’re lying in each other’s arms, talking about things we haven’t discussed before — things like the future, our future.
“Do you want children?” I ask him.
I’ve always wanted a big family. I can’t imagine not having that one day, but I also can’t imagine that it’s something Reed would want. Otherwise, surely he would have had them by now.
I know he made that comment when he was fucking my tits, but that was in the moment, so I’m not taking it as gospel.
“I only wantyourchildren. No one has ever made me think of being a father, but with you? Fuck, baby it’s something I want now.” I release a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding. “Were you worried about my answer?” he chuckles, having felt my body’s response.
He rolls us so I’m on my back and he’s hovering over me.
“You have to know I’d do anything for you, give you anything you want. You want five children? Fine, five is what we’ll have. You don’t want any? Then you’ll be enough for me. Baby, nothing is too much for me when it comes to you. I will spend the rest of my life giving you anything and everything you want.”
My heart flips at his words. For someone that hasn’t ever had a real relationship before, he’s nailed it first time round.
“That’s not how this is going to work, Reed,” I smile up at him. “We’re both in this relationship and I want to give back to you just as much as you do for me. I want a life with you, a life we both love.”
“Fine,” he huffs. “I want to fuck you at least twice a day for the rest of my life.” He smirks down at me and I can’t help the laugh that bursts from me.
“You’re something else, Reed Burke.”
