He remembered I was scared of heights. He knows how I feel about my body and what foods I enjoy, right down to my favorite cookies.
Unlike the man who broke my heart,thisReed is oozing compassion. It makes me wonder how he was able to do what he did to me. The two versions of him don’t align.
Maybe I’ll find the nerve to ask him one day. Not today. I’m enjoying myself too much to kill the vibe.
Ignoring the looming inevitability of falling for Reed—again—I study the other items in the bag. Sunscreen, bug spray, a notebook with an attached pencil, and an audio recording device.
I’m in Heaven.
Twenty minutes later, we arrive at Lettuce Lake Conservation Park.
Correction.NowI’m officially in Heaven. Before it was like...?Heaven’s gate. Wait. No, that was a cult.
Whatever.
Reed did his homework. This park is a birding hotspot according to recenteBirdreports.
I shove all the items into the bag. As soon as he shifts into park, I bound from the car like my seat is spring-loaded.
Reed’s deep laugh sends sparks of lust straight to my nipples. “Excited, Lila?”
“Not at all,” I tease, sputtering my lips. “Seriously, this is perfect. How did you know?”
Striding toward me, he lowers his face to my level and utterly destroys me with those rich chocolate eyes. “How did I know that you like birds? Lucky guess,” he hedges, his words overflowing with sarcasm.
Planting myself in front of him, I prompt him for an explanation. “I mean, sure, I told you about the peacocks. But caring for neighborhood wildlife is a far cry from actual birding.”
“Lila, I’ve known you since you were ten.”
“Eight, actually.”
His face brightens, clearly tickled I knew that fact off the top of my head. “I stand corrected.”
Reed’s so proud of himself for selecting this date that he’s practically peacocking. And I gotta admit, his showy feathers and butt shuffle are doing it for me. Metaphorically.
He takes the bag of supplies, freeing up my hands. Instinctively, I slip them into my pockets. If I don’t restrain my hands, I’ll have them on some part of Reed any second now. Be that his face, hair, dick, balls, thighs, ears. All his parts are on the table.
Sadly, groping Reed isn’t why I’m on this fakedate.
This is my last shot to obtain intel to trade with Silas before I’m forced to surrender to Agent Dad Andrews. My meeting with Silas is set for tomorrow.
There isn’t time forfeelingson this date.
If I can prove his knowledge of me is somehow nefarious, it’ll be easier to avoid jumping his bones, so I press for an answer. “Knowing me since we were kids doesn’t answer my question, Reed. We’ve never been birdwatching. And Kenzie never went with me either. So how?—”
With a voice that could melt the Arctic, he orders, “Don’t worry about how I know and just say thank you.”
My traitorous smile reappears. “Thank you. This is the perfect date.” I throw a funny face, whispering, “Please don’t let that get back to the other members of the Reed Hayes Hate Club.”
“I make no promises. It’s my new life’s mission to take that club down.” He winks. “Now, are we seeing some birds or standing around to talk about it all day?”
I clap twice, brimming over with excitement. “Let’s do it.”
He cricks his head to one side, his eyes heating. “Poor word choice, cookie.”
“Not everything is about sex,” I chide.
“Pity,” he deadpans.
