Page 168 of Reckless Storm
“Reed?” she questions before I’ve turned to face her, and when I do, her sad expression breaks me. “Please don’t give up on me. Not yet.” Her voice shakes and I drop my clothes, pulling her into my arms, my chest tightening along with my hold, my body deflating as all the frustration and hurt seeps from my pores.
“Hayls.” She’s so strong all the time but it’s these moments that mean the most. When she lets me in.
Wriggling out of my grip, she steps away and a nervous smile tugs at her lips.
Without a word, I pull her back into me, pressing my lips to her forehead, breathing her in. I’m not giving up. I don’t have it in me to leave her. Not yet. “I’ll wait, Hayls. Of course I’ll fucking wait.”
“Thank God.” She curls her hands around my arms and holds on for dear life. “I can’t lose you. I don’t know what I’d do if that ever happened. And that’s what scares me the most.”
“You’re not going to lose me, Hayley. But I can’t kiss her. I won’t.”
“I understand. I’m sorry. It doesn’t matter. I just need time. Please just wait.” Resting her chin on my chest, she glances up at me, hitting me with another rare moment of vulnerability, her expression uncertain as she pleads.
“I promise. I’ll wait. But you have nothing to worry about… I don’t love you anyway,” I lie, speaking into her hair, smiling when her body shakes in amusement.
She doesn’t respond, but she doesn’t have to. We’ve already established I’m a bad liar.
And now she knows the truth.
I love her. And I’m never letting her go.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Hayley
Being the gentleman that he is, Reed offers to sleep on the couch, wanting to give me a moment to myself—his words, not mine—proceeding to tell me to take all the time I need.
I smile in understanding, but the second the bedroom door clicks shut, I fall in a heap, sliding down beside the bed, my knees tucked up to my chest.
I’m not sure how much time passes with me staring at the wall, but when a siren blares just outside the window, I finally snap out of it.
What am I doing?I’m pushing away the only man I’ve ever come close to loving, because of what? Because I’m scared he’ll break me beyond repair? That’s not me. I’m not the girl that thinks about the long-term consequences. I make choices on a whim, I throw caution to the wind, and yet, suddenly I’m running away.
Getting up, I pace the room quietly so I don’t wake Reed, giving myself a pep talk. If I screw this up because I refuse totake a chance on us, I’m only going to hurt myself that much more.
That man out there—that beautiful soul with a dirty mouth—somehow became my world, and I can’t bear the thought of being without him.
He’s the calm to my tornado. The peace to my crazy. The golden retriever to my wildcat. The—Wait.
Wildcat? Reed’s tattoo. He has a new paw print on his chest. With claws… I remember seeing that weeks ago. Months even. But it wasn’t there the first time I saw his bare chest. It wasn’t there at the wake park.
What am I doing?
I rush to open the door but pause when I find Reed’s large frame sprawled out on the couch, one arm covering his eyes. From the outside, you’d think he was peacefully sleeping, but I know him well enough to say that’s not the case. Especially considering his fist is clenched and he still has the towel wrapped around his waist.
He’s awake.
With a soft smile, I tiptoe to the couch and lift his arm, curling myself into his body.
Balancing in the small space beside him, I wrap his arm around me, locking myself against his hard chest.
With my head close to his heart, I both feel and hear his relieved sigh, the warmth of his palm settling on my back, holding me tightly.
“Fuck, Hayls,” he whispers, his raspy voice penetrating my thick skin. “I missed you.”
He presses a kiss to my head and I giggle. “I don’t think it’s been that long.”
“Even so. I’m not sure you understand the crazy that goes through my mind whenever you’re around. All I see isyou, Hayls. And it’s been like that for a while now.”
