After the garage door rumbled shut, Reid walked into the kitchen carrying a bag from Oste. His bespoke suit jacket was slung over his other arm, his tie was loosened, and his brown hair looked like he’d run his fingers through it at least a dozen times. He looked exhausted, but the second his dark eyes landed on me, his expression softened.
“Hey, baby.” He set the bag on the island and crossed over to pull me into his arms. Then he bent his head to capture my mouth in a deep kiss that made my toes curl. When he pulled back, he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “You look beautiful but tired. Long day?”
I nodded as I leaned against his chest, and everything felt right again, being surrounded by him.
He kissed my forehead before turning to unpack the food. “I got your favorite mortadella pinsa, extra crispy the way you like it. And two of the tiramisus you’re obsessed with.” He held up the wine bottle with a small grin. “And the Cabernet from Tuscany you liked so much the last time we went there.”
I loved that he noticed the little things and used them to show he was thinking about me. It had always been one of the ways Reid loved me best.
“Thank you,” I whispered, going on my toes to give him another quick kiss as I stroked my hand down his cheek, enjoying the feel of his beard scraping against my palm.
I grabbed glasses and plates, and then we carried everything to the big sectional in the living room. We settled in like we hadso many times before—plates on our laps and bare feet tangled together under the throw blanket.
Between bites, he reached over and squeezed my thigh, his thumb brushing lazy circles against my jeans. “How was your day on set?”
“Good.”
He laughed when I told him about the meltdown over Jade’s dress, a story I wouldn’t share with anyone but him since he was her lawyer. “Guess I should add a line to her next contract that wardrobe shouldn’t put her in emerald green.”
Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “Except the color wasn’t the issue.”
“Fair point,” he conceded with a wink.
Every laugh chipped away at the knot that had been sitting in my stomach all day. I let myself relax into his side, resting my head on his shoulder while he told me a funny story about one of the associates. His arm was around my shoulders, his fingers tracing patterns on my arm. Being here with him like this felt so safe, and I was glad that I’d decided to hold off on bringing my concerns about Kaylee up again tonight.
We finished eating and cleaned up together, moving around each other with the easy rhythm we’d fallen into early in our relationship. Reid loaded the dishwasher while I put the leftovers in the fridge, stealing glances at him the whole time. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, and his muscles flexed every time he reached for something. I’d never thought veins were sexy until I met him, but something about his forearms turned me on.
When we were done, he caught my hand and tugged me back to the couch, pulling me down so I was tucked against his chest. The TV played some mindless comedy in the background, but neither one of us was really watching. His fingers traced slow,absent patterns up and down my arm, and I let myself melt into the solid warmth of him.
“Missed this,” he murmured against my hair.
“Me too,” I whispered, tilting my head to kiss the underside of his bearded jaw.
“Between my hours and your schedule, it feels like we keep missing each other lately.” His arm tightened around me. “I don’t like it.”
I closed my eyes and breathed him in, and the knot in my chest started to loosen. This was who I’d agreed to marry—the man who made time for me even after a long day.
“Mom sent me the link to a vineyard in Temecula.” His chest shook with his deep chuckle. “She’s convinced it’s the perfect spot for a bridal shower.”
I curled my legs under me. “She’s been sending me links too, so I talked to Imogen. I didn’t want her to be upset if the invite list for the shower she’s hosting is smaller because your mom wants to throw one too.”
Reid’s hand slid down to rest on the back of my neck, his thumb stroking gently. “What’d she say?”
“You know Imogen.” I tilted my head back to grin at him. “She was totally fine with it.”
“As long as she gets an invite, right?”
“Yup,” I confirmed with a giggle. My best friend was an extrovert who loved a good party, so she’d been excited by the idea of drinking all the wine in Temecula.
“Good.” His arm tightened around me. “My mom will be thrilled.”
We stayed tangled on the couch like that for a long while, the TV murmuring softly in the background while Reid’s fingers continued their slow path up and down my arm. I was more relaxed than I’d felt in days. His heartbeat was steady under mycheek, and every now and then, he’d press a lazy kiss to the top of my head.
I didn’t think anything of it when his phone lit up on the coffee table, the screen glowing bright in the dim room. High-profile clients didn’t keep normal hours, and emergencies could pop up at any time. I’d never been the type to begrudge him for answering when it mattered.
Reid reached over with his free hand, and I spotted the name on the notification—Kaylee.
It was after nine o’clock. Reid had left the office two hours ago, but she was still texting him. None of his clients would’ve reached out to a paralegal if they needed something. They had his cell number for that. And it didn’t make sense that she’d still be at work when he’d been home for so long.
