Page 29 of Catch Me

The others sense we’re about to have a talk, so they leave us be. After watching them leave, I swallow and try to piece together what I’m feeling in my head. “I thought you were so pissed at him because he tackled you. He hurt you.” I shake my head. “I didn’t know you were as mad about the other thing.”

Reid moves closer. “It wasn’t just another thing,” he says, mocking my words. “What they did to you was terrible.”

“What they did toyouwas terrible. I got out of it okay. Nothing actually happened.”

“Listen,” Reid says, “the fact that they tried to do anything to you pisses me off. The fact that they tried to do that,” he shakes his head, his throat working. “It makes me see red, Briar. No one does that to you.” His hand moves down my body, cupping my bottom before moving up again. “It tears me up inside to know I wasn’t the one who saved you from that.”

I’d argue with him, but it wouldn’t do any good.

“What they did to me was physical, but what they could’ve done to you was much worse. Do you think he would’ve just stopped at taking pictures? Do you think he couldn’t have been talked into anything else? I wouldn’t put anything past her, Briar.” My face must fall because he turns my chin up so I can look into his face. “Nothing like that is going to happen to you while I’m around.”

“I know,” I say, my voice a whisper.

He leans down, sealing my lips to his. He feels so good that I deepen the kiss right here in Sasha’s garage. He moans into my mouth, and his hands wander down to cup my ass before he easily plucks me from the ground, hoisting me up to his hips. I wrap my legs around him, bringing him closer until his erection makes me gasp free of his mouth.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he says.

My ass hits a solid surface, and I look around. I’m sitting on the Pontine family freezer, but I don’t care. I pull Reid toward me again, reaching my hands under his shirt to feel his hard chest while our tongues war with one another.

“I don’t have any resolve around you,” he says, shuddering.

“I think you just like doing it in semi-public areas.”

“As long as no one else gets to see you.” His hand reaches between us, finding my clit through my flimsy leggings. I arch back, a silent cry on my lips. “Mmm,” he murmurs. “I bet you’re already wet, aren’t you?”

I nod, reveling in the sensations his slight touch gives me. His hands move up to the tops of my leggings and tug down. I lift up, and he drags my bottoms and panties away in one pull. He yanks me forward until I’m almost teetering on the edge of the freezer, and then he pushes my knees apart, baring me to him.

“Reid,” I say. My insides clench, and my heart is in my throat. The door to the house is still slightly ajar, and who knows if someone will come back looking for us to see if we’re done talking. I doubt Reid is thinking about any of that though because he swoops down, his tongue on me before I can process the jolt that moves through me. “Oh God.”

His tongue plays over my clit, licking and sucking. My nipples harden under my bra. “I’m so fucking hard. I’m going to make you come then slide inside you,” he says, breathless.

He doesn’t have to wait very long. His expert tongue, the fear of getting caught, his words, everything combined heightens my arousal until I’m panting and diving my hands into his hair, pulling him closer. “Oh God,” I moan again, gasping when my orgasm hits hard and fast.

My muscles tighten and release as Reid steps back. He grabs a condom from his pocket and throws it next to me on the freezer while he unzips his jeans, tugging his pants down until his cock springs free.

A bead of cum glistens at the tip. I take the condom package and rip it open, pulling out the rubber inside. He helps me guide it on him, and I lean back, spreading my legs wide, beckoning him in. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he whispers.

He moves forward, guiding his cock to my entrance until he pushes inside, groaning when he’s fully seated.

“And tight.”

He moves inside me like it pains him. Each time he moves, he curses, then moves faster, harder. All I can do is hold on to him while he pumps in and out in short strokes that drive me higher and higher.

“God, I want to fuck you over and over again, Briar.”

His assaults intensify until he hits a spot inside me that makes me want to crawl up a wall. It’s pain and pleasure at the same time, and once he hits it, it only takes me a few more strokes to climax. As soon as mine hits, he follows me, the height of his excitement a short burst, but his aftershocks are slow and steady rocks into me until we’re wrapped in one another’s arms, breaths sawing in and out of us.

Finally, he kisses my neck. “We should get dressed. I need to take everyone home.” He moans as he pulls out. “Maybe I’ll sneak inside your room again tonight. I want to hold you.”

He helps me pull my leggings back on and sees to it that he’s dressed before he takes my hand, then runs his free hand through my hair, hopefully making it an appropriate amount of mussed up without making it look like we just had sex.

He leans over and kisses my cheek. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll figure this out.”

I want to give in to him, but I can’t. He’s more focused on making sure I’m okay when he really needs to be worrying about himself. And since he won’t do it, I’ll have to.

14

On Monday, Reid picks me up for school again. My parents seem to be getting used to the idea of us being a couple. Mom stops side-eyeing me whenever he’s there, and she hasn’t brought up the idea of shipping me off to her parents’ house again either. Thankfully.

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