Page 30 of Securing His Family

“I do.” She placed her hand on his thigh, the muscle jumping beneath her fingers.

“From the second you walked out of your room I’ve been fighting the need to rip that dress off you. I’ve been fighting the need to kiss you. I’ve been fighting to keep my hands to myself.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond. He closed the gap between them and kissed her. The kiss started off gentle but in a matter of seconds, his hands left her face and curled around her shoulders bringing her closer to him. Her fingers dug into his thigh, and she wished that the center console wasn’t between them. She wanted to crawl into his lap. No, she wanted to lie over him. Feel his body beneath hers. Trace the ridges she’d seen earlier that morning.

Reed groaned and broke the kiss. “I’m not going to be able to get out of the car now.”

For so long, she’d pushed the part of her that was a woman aside. Her needs and desires ignored. Her focus had been on her daughter and ensuring that Charlee got what she needed emotionally, financially and physically. Anything that Lauren wanted had been way down on the list.

Now for the first time she wanted to put it to the top. Wanted to have her needs met. “Where were you taking me?” she asked.

Reed looked at her as if trying to decipher where she was heading with this line of questioning. “I thought we could take a walk along the beach and then after that, head to one of the restaurants nearby to have lunch. I know you’ll want to be back in time to pick up Charlee, even though Andy would be more than happy to do that and take her to my place until we get back.”

Everything he said sounded like a perfect date. Something she’d never had and had always wanted. But she yearned for more now. Desire burned in Reed’s eyes as he looked at her and she wanted to let that heat consume her.

“As wonderful as that sounds. There’s only one thing I want.”

“What’s that?”

“You. I want you Reed. For once I want to be Lauren. Not Charlee’s mum. Not Tabitha’s assistant. I want to be me.”

Reed’s eyes flashed with understanding. “I know what you’re saying, but I need to hear the words. Just like when you agreed to move in with me. I need to know that this is what you really want. That this is the step you wish to take.”

“Take me home, Reed. I want you to kiss your way down my body. Possess me. Make feel like a woman.”

His lips crashed onto hers, and she gasped in surprise. Reed took advantage of that by sliding his tongue inside. They made out as if they would never see each other again. As if the world was about to end and they had one last chance to be united with another person.

When they broke apart, the sounds of their ragged breaths filled the car. “I take that as you want this too?” she asked.

Reed turned serious, which was difficult considering his lips were puffy from their kisses and his hair was sticking up from where she’d run her fingers through it. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

Warmth stole through her. There wasn’t any doubt that he was telling her the truth. “Let’s go home.”

ChapterThirteen

Reed managed to get them home without breaking any traffic laws. He may have gone a little over the speed limit, but he hadn’t run any red lights which he’d wanted to do when it seemed like he’d been stuck there for hours when it had only been seconds.

As he pulled into his driveway anticipation fired through him knowing that when he turned the car off, the relationship between him and Lauren would be changing. Changing in a way he was ecstatic about.

Living with her had been blissful along with being a task of self-control. Every night he’d gone to bed hard knowing that she was only a couple of doors away from him. And every night he’d taken matters into his own hands wishing it was Lauren’s body giving him pleasure.

She was in his bloodstream and he was more than happy with her occupying that space.

“Wait here,” he murmured, stalling her attempt to get out of the car. He adjusted his jeans as he closed his door. He was sure he would have an outline of his zipper pressed into his cock.

He rounded the front of his car, coming to a halt when he saw who was standing in his driveway, not five feet away from him—Patrick Stringer with a gun in his hand.

Thank fuck Lauren is still in the car.

Reed scanned the area to see if anyone was lurking in the shadows. It was all clear.

How the fuck did Patrick get past the motion sensors?

He couldn’t pull his phone out to check if he’d received notifications while driving. His attention was on the man with the gun as he worked through scenarios to disarm him without harming Lauren. He may not have a weapon on him, but he’d been trained to use his hands as effectively as a gun.

“What do you want?” he asked, while resting his hand on the passenger door. He could see Lauren out of the corner of his eye, and he gave an imperceptible shake of his head and hoped she’d got the message to stay still.

“What I’ve always wanted. Lauren.”

---