“Actually, I try not to over-think things. I’m usually better with surface relationships.”
He grimaced at her choice of words.
Fearing she’d hurt his feelings, she exhaled loudly. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you. I usually only get my Dr. Phil on when I talk to my sister.” She shut the front door and he followed her into the kitchen. JC hung her head and rested her palms on the counter. “Words have strong meanings to me, Reed. Once you say them, you can’t take them back. And the last thing I’ve ever wanted to do is put my words out there and have somebody take off and never come back. Love never lasts forever.”
Reed stood behind her, coasting his strong hands over her shoulders. “Maybe you should stop contemplating the consequences,”—his warm mouth wandered over the sensitive spot behind her ear—“and listen to your heart. I promise, you might like it.”
Every hair on her body stood at attention at his words of a promise sounding more like a challenge. JC arched slightly and backed up against him. “If you keep doing that, you’re gonna have some consequences to contemplate.” She turned to face him and tucked her fingers under his shirt, caressing the muscles on his back. “I hate to say this, but you have to leave. I can’t go running with you.”
He frowned with disappointment and concern.
“Reed, it’s your birthday and I have a lot of things to do to get ready.” Her thumbs gently stroked his oblique muscles. “And if you stay here any longer, I might make an ass out of myself by knocking you to the ground out of sheer desperation.”
A quiet laugh escaped his ragged breath. Dragging his soft lips over the side of her face with the ease of a feather, he elucidated, “No presents.”
Her eyes closed and her body ached with desire, old reservations fading with every new tender touch of his skin. She released a tiny moan right before he pulled away from her wearing a smart-ass grin.
“Oh, my God! You are terrible! You’re driving me crazy. Get out of here, Reed,” she giggled. Blistering heat inched up her neck, bringing fire to her cheeks. She pushed him toward the door and planted a fast peck on his cheek. “Go! Come get me at 7:00pm.”
****
The wrought iron table on the balcony was set for two and the aroma of home cooking filled the house. A large white candle flickered within a crystal hurricane lamp and a bottle of wine adorned the table. At 6:50pm JC stepped into her bathroom and reapplied her delicate pink lip-gloss. She glanced at her reflection for a final inspection of her sooty chocolate brown eye shadow and dewy cream blush.
The intercom system buzzed and she trotted down the hallway, entering the code for the gate. JC stopped three feet shy of the front door and anxiously smoothed her hands over her low-cut black wrap dress. She’d spent an hour trying on at least ten dresses before settling on the wrap, ultimately deciding it’d give him something to open for his birthday.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so ridiculously nervous, if ever, to go on a date. Reed was more than a date. Accepting that fact came with its own set of fears, and an excitement she’d never known before. She was determined not to chicken out or let her obsessive qualms over commitment get in the way of her feelings toward him.
Therapy was in full swing for most of the day. However, the session wasn’t about doubts and uncertainties, it was about glimpses into the future and potential some days. Reed could just as easily be her best friend as her lover, a brand new experience for JC.
She finally concluded she didn’t care what rules she broke, or how scared she was. Reed Rider would be her boyfriend. Not a boyfriend she was unsure of what to call, or cringed every time she used the term. A real boyfriend.
JC fretfully flipped a few lose strands of hair over her shoulders and adjusted her boobs for the perfect amount of cleavage. Hearing a faint knock on the door, she closed her eyes, exhaled a big breath of air and reached for the doorknob.
A large, beautiful bouquet of golden sunflowers covered Reed’s face. The clear cellophane swathed around the fiery blooms made a squeaky crackle noise when he jiggled the bouquet.
JC’s heart lurched and her stomach dropped to her toes. The flowers in front of his face triggered a déjà vu from when Tom came to save her at Luca’s apartment. Her ears buzzed as she stood frozen in front of him.
He lowered the flowers, exposing his gorgeous blue eyes, bringing her back to reality.
“Hey,” she whispered in a hoarse voice and cocked her head to the side. “How did you know sunflowers are my favorites?”