“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” There was no judgement there. If anything, he sounded…amused? “Don’t worry, Reid, I’ve got plenty of hoodies you can wear. Trousers, on the other hand…”
The tension left me as I giggled. “Yeah, I think they’d come up to my neck.”
“Exactly.” He stood up. “So you need those, at the very least. We may as well pick up your Switch and some other things too. I want you to be comfortable here, Reid.”
There were words I should probably have been saying to that. Unfortunately, my ability to speak had vanished the instant I’d spotted the soft bulge now directly level with my face. Suddenly I was unable to think about anything except that. About how easily I could reach out and tug his joggers down. Watch it harden and lengthen under my fingers. Lean forward, mouth open as I?—
A husky voice interrupted my imaginings. “And we can grab your toys if you like. Or you can just use the real thing. Whichever you’d prefer.”
I blushed, pulling my gaze away from the bulge that definitely couldn’t be described assoftnow. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be, sweetheart.” He shot me a wink before holding out his hand to help me up. “Trust me, if you could see inside my mind right now, I’d be the one apologising.”
Chapter 22
Evan
Ineeded someone to pinch me, because there was no way this was my real life. I had to be dreaming.
That was the most logical explanation for the fact that Reid was sitting beside me in my car right now, as we drove through the clan lands towards his house. So he could pick up supplies to stay with me. For an undetermined period of time.
In my home.
Seriously, how was this happening?
“Do you think it’s going to snow?” Reid said, face practically pressed to the window. “Those clouds look snowy.”
I was thankful for my fast reflexes. It meant I could keep stealing glances at his handsome profile without putting him at risk. “Do ye know what kind of clouds cause snow?”
“Nimbostratus, mostly. Those are the ones we have right now. See up there? Above the tree line? It looks almost like a grey blanket. Definitely nimbostratus.”
“I see them.” A lie. I didn’t. I hadn’t looked away from Reid. There was something about him when he was sharinghis knowledge. Like he was lit up from within, unable to keep still.
It was fascinating. Beautiful.
He tapped his fingers on the dash thoughtfully, still watching the sky. “Cumulonimbus can too, but you see them more often during thunderstorms. Have you heard of thundersnow?”
“I can’t say I have.” I waved at Brodie as we drove past the final checkpoint before leaving clan lands. He gave an exaggerated wriggle of his eyebrows, probably in reference to Reid being beside me.
No doubt both he and Hamish would have a lot to say about this latest development. I had that joy to look forward to. “What happens with thundersnow?”
As Reid launched into an explicit description of what thundersnow was and the perfect conditions needed for it to occur, I gave him my full attention. I asked follow-up questions, delighting in how engaged he was. How enthusiastic.
In the back of my mind, I had to wonder how often Reid had this. I knew without a doubt that he would’ve had to hide this side of himself as a child. His father had even reprimanded him for ‘talking my ears off.’
God, I was glad he was dead.
I knew he wouldn’t have been able to be himself as a kid, but could he now as an adult? I suspected Chester wouldn’t mind him going off on these tangents, but what about his friends? Was he this comfortable with them?
I desperately hoped so.
“Sorry,” Reid said as I pulled into the space next to his car. “I talked the whole way here. You should’ve told me to shut up.”
“Don’t be daft.” I turned the key before facing him. Ididn’t like the flush on his cheeks. I’d rather it was there because he was flustered or turned on, not because of embarrassment. “I like hearing you talk, Reid. I learn more from you than anyone else.”
He studied me for a few seconds before a small smile appeared. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
“Aye, sweetheart, I do.” I opened my door before dashing around to his side. Thanks to my supe speed, I was there before he even touched the handle. “Here, let me help you.”
