CHAPTER TWELVE
LORI DID HER BEST to slow her breathing. It was kind of embarrassing to still be panting ten minutes after the fact. But considering all her body had been through in the past half hour, maybe it was to be expected.
She still felt boneless and incapable of actual movement. Every part of her groaned with satisfaction.
Reid shifted so that she lay next to him. He wrapped an arm around her and ran his hand down her side.
“Amazing,” she breathed. “Seriously, that cult thing? I’m totally there.”
Instead of answering, he kissed her. There was tenderness in the gesture and without warning, she felt tears in her eyes.
Tears? After sex?
That got her attention. She sat up and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly five—a full hour after her shift ended.
“I should be going,” she said, mostly because of the unexpected emotion, but also because she rarely arrived home much later than this. “Madeline will wonder what happened to me.”
“Let her get her own guy,” Reid said, pulling her back into his arms. “Call and let her know you’re not going to be home for dinner, then stay with me.”
Several thoughts filled her brain at once. In no particular order they were the fact that Reid seemed to want her to stay. Didn’t guys want to do the deed, then cut and run? She would have bet a lot of money on the fact that he was one of them. A guy who was only in it for the sex shouldn’t want company after. So was he just an anomaly or was this a different situation?
She knew which she wanted it to be but it wasn’t like she was going to be asking the question.
Second was the “let her get her own guy” comment. As in he was her, Lori’s, guy? On what planet?
Finally the fact that she wanted to stay but was afraid. Afraid of caring, afraid of feeling, afraid of him crushing her like a delicate girl bug overwhelmed by feelings.
A strong, self-actualized woman would face her fears. A smart woman interested in survival would disappear into the night.
He handed her his cell phone and then he smiled.
The smile got her. They were naked, in his bed and she’d just had the most incredible sexual experience of this or any other life. Why would she want to walk away from that?
“Hi, it’s me,” Lori said when her sister picked up.
“How interesting,” Madeline said, a smile in her voice. “According to the caller ID, I should be talking to Reid Buchanan.”
“I’m, ah, using his cell phone.”
“Are you going to tell me why?”
Lori knew she would confess everything later, but right now she didn’t want to get into the details. “I wanted to let you know that I’ll be a little late tonight.”
Reid pushed her onto her back and began licking her br**sts. Despite the liquid fire pouring through her, Lori did her best to keep her breathing totally normal.
Madeline laughed. “Who would have thought my totally straightlaced sister would fall for a bad boy baseball player? Have a good time.”
Reid grabbed the phone, said, “Don’t wait up,” into it, then disconnected the call and slipped his hands between her legs. “Where were we?”
Thirty minutes and two orgasms later, Lori resurfaced. She lay on her side, facing Reid and lightly traced his features.
“You’re very good-looking,” she said.
He frowned. “Don’t say that.”
“Because it’s a bad thing?”
“Because it’s one of the things you don’t like about me.”
“That’s not true. I like that you’re pretty.”
He winced. “No guy wants to be called pretty. I’m not pretty.”
“You’re close.”
He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “You think I’m shallow and that I’ve skated by on my talent and good looks.”
“A little. Do you want to tell me that you’ve done any differently?”
“I want to, but I’d be lying.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Now this is pretty.”
“Gloria wants me to cut it.”
“What do you want?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always hated my hair. When I was younger, it was a hideous color of red. I was teased all through school. It’s gotten better in the past few years, but with the waves and everything, I don’t know what to do with it. So I ignore it.”
“Ignoring something doesn’t make it go away,” he told her.
“If you’re going to get all deep and sensitive, a lot of women are going to be disappointed.”
“What about you?”
This was the second time he implied that she mattered in some way. Lori hated how much she wanted that to be true.
“I’m open to change.”
“Except when it comes to your hair.”
He had her there. “Maybe I should get it cut.”
“You should do what makes you happy.”
Being with him made her happy, she thought as she pressed her hand against his bare chest. She liked the feel of warm skin and the way the hair there tickled. She still couldn’t believe that she was here, naked, able to touch him however she wanted.
He stroked her cheek, then rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “Why nursing?”
“I wanted to help people and I wanted to be needed.” She drew back slightly, startled by her own honesty.
“Good reasons,” he said.