Page 41 of Kiss Me Forever

“No. Don’t.” And right when I felt as if he would lean down and brush his lips along mine, he pulled away and went back to his office, leaving me alone, wondering what the hell I was getting myself into.

“He’s going to be at your house when?” Aly asked over the phone as I paced my bedroom, wondering if I was losing my mind.

“He’s going to be here in fifteen minutes. My hair is done, my makeup is done, and I have to put on my dress. But now I’m afraid I’m not wearing the right underwear.”

“Is there a reason you’re worried about your underwear when it comes to that very sexy, very bearded, very growly man taking you out to a fancy event where there’ll be dinner, dancing, drinks, and a hotel room?”

I froze, wondering what the hell she was saying.

“I have no idea what you mean. I was going to wear cute underwear because I like it, and I like it underneath this dress, but it didn’t matter before because no one was going to see my underwear but me.”

“So you’re saying Reece is going to see your underwear.”

“I’m not saying that. But. Oh, Aly. There’s just this thing between us that we’re not talking about, and I have a feeling that if I have one too many glasses of champagne I’m going to actually talk about it, and then he’s going to see my underwear.”

“Do you want him to see your underwear?”

“Yes!” I practically screamed. “There, I said it. I have always wanted him to see my underwear. And it’s a problem. Because he works with me. He’s older than me, and now he’s a new dad and needs to be focusing on Bella and not the fact that I want him to see my underwear.”

“Well. You better wear the good ones. Though I don’t know your underwear drawer precisely, I assume you have something lacy that will go with the dress?”

“Aly, what am I doing?”

“You’re going to an event where you’re going to be stressed out because you have to see people who haven’t respected you, and remind you of a painful time, and you’re going with a man who you want to climb like a redwood tree, and yet feel that you can’t.”

“I didn’t mean for you to be so precise in your explanation and description.”

I ignored Aly’s snort. “It’s true though, is it not?”

“Maybe. I don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for this event or dealing with Chelsea and the others. But here we are. I have to go and I’m bringing a date, and they’re going to hate me.”

“But they hate you already anyway because they’re not seeing the truth.”

I swallowed hard, rubbing my hand over my chest. And that was the kick of it, wasn’t it? They all hated me.

“Wear something pretty, feel pretty. You are young, beautiful, successful, talented, and a good person, Brooklyn Montgomery. You are allowed to desire someone else. You are allowed to be yourself. If Reece wants you too, and you find a way to make it work, even if only for a night, go for it. It doesn’t have to be forever. And you’re both adult enough to make sure that you can deal with the consequences.”

“I don’t feel adult enough.”

“Trust me, you are. Especially compared to some of the people I know.”

“I’m surprised you’re not going tonight,” I said, broaching the subject that we both were careful about. “I almost asked you to go with me instead.”

Aly was silent long enough I was afraid I had said the wrong thing. “I sent in my regrets. But don’t worry, I know you can handle this.”

I let out a breath and went over my outfit for the evening one more time, before saying my goodbyes and sliding into my dress. I already had on the sexy underwear.

Thankfully I was right on time because the doorbell rang as soon as I walked downstairs. I grabbed my small clutch, and my wrap in case it somehow got chilly in the evening, and opened the door.

Reece stood there in a suit, his shoulders broad, practically straining the fabric, and I nearly fell to my knees.

Dear God.

How was it fair that a man could be this handsome?

It was one of those suits that was narrow in the chest, but not constricting, and he didn’t wear those skinny pants that so many others did. These molded over his thighs, but gave him room to breathe. He’d trimmed his beard, but hadn’t shaved it completely, and he’d styled his hair so it didn’t look as messy as usual.

You could still see his ink, it wasn’t as if he would ever hide it, but that just made him even harder to resist.