Page 14 of Breakaway
"Let me get out first," I tell Reese, lifting her fingers for a second, wanting to press my lips against them. I fight that urge, considering we're not in public yet, and there's no reason for me to be doing that around Mauve or Marr. Unlinking our fingers, I shoot my mother a glare that she misses because she's already back to looking at her comm.
As I step out of the transport, I eye everything around the restaurant. There are quite a few people inside, and their thoughts all become a jumbled mess as they filter into my mind.That's where the shadows come in handy. I push away the thoughts intruding into my mind and let my shadows deal with telling me if there's anything important or anyone threatening Reese. There are enough of them that it's easy work, though I do catch a single thread of a thought from Marr that one of my shadows shares with me, since it's a threat directed at me.
You'd better do right by her. We're fond of her and would hate to have to do something we'd all regret.
The thought comes as I'm rounding the back of the transport to get to the side Reese is on, and I send a quick nod in the man's direction, letting him know I hear him loud and clear. It would be easy to deal with the Lokans, but it's never a good look to fight with the other people helping to keep one's soulbond safe. Plus, it's not like I have any plans except to treat Reese right.
Whether he accepts my acknowledgement of what he's said or not, he doesn't exit the transport to let me know. It's for the best since this is a moment meant for Reese and somewhat for me.
I open the door and hold my hand out to Reese, who's looking a lot more like a skittish animal than someone ready to go on a lunch date. I don't rush her, but instead offer her a small smile of encouragement.
"Give me one second," she says in a breathy whisper. I have my body between her and anyone who might be able to see into the transport, so she can take as long as she needs to prepare herself. She takes a few deep breaths, each one seeming calmer than the last. When she opens her eyes with a look of determination, it's as though she's convinced herself that she can do this. Which she can, easily, but it's clear there's some part of her that still worries. "Okay, I'm ready."
She allows me the honor of helping her out of the transport, and when she's out, our fingers interlock once again. My shadows take their home on her arm as much as they can.They've stopped squabbling over who can touch her and have created some sort of system that allows them all equal time between touching either me or our soulbond.
We make it a few steps from the transport before the first flash of a camera catches in the corner of my eye. This was the whole point of coming out, but now that it's happening, I'm realizing just how much I hate this plan of putting Reese on display like Mauve wants.
I'm not the only one with that issue. My shadows move so fast to create a barrier between Reese and anyone who might want to take pictures of her. I doubt there are more than a few candid shots of us together before they're ruined by the curtain of black surrounding her.
Reese clings to my arm, her fingers squeezing tight where they're interlocked with mine and on my forearm where she's tucked herself close to me. I scowl at the small crowd that's appeared out of their hiding spots, and head for the restaurant entrance. Screw their stupid pictures and screw my mother's plan. If all the ideas mean to expose Reese like this when she's uncomfortable, my shadows and I will just keep ruining all of their stupid shots.
I let my shadows drop once we've entered the restaurant.
"Mauve isn't going to be happy about that," Reese says with a smile and flushed cheeks.
Before I can stop myself, I have her face between my palms, my eyes flicking over every inch of her expression to make sure she's okay. The smile she's wearing seems genuine, so when she places her hand against my chest and gives me a little push, I relent and stop crowding her. My hand and shadows immediately find the small of her back. A few attempt to curve around her backside because they're eager things, but a single warning from me and they're back to flowing in allowed spots.
"If Mauve isn't happy, she can talk to me," I say, more irritated sounding than I mean to be. I can't help it when I could feel Reese's nerves in how she clung to me. I take a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I'll deal with her if she's upset."
"I would hope so," Reese says, biting down on her lower lip, her tone teasing as she steps toward the host stand. "It wasn't me who got all upset at someone taking our picture."
"Any Sombran would be upset at people making his bond uncomfortable," I respond, my fingers flexing on her back slightly, enjoying how she feels against me. "My shadows may have overreacted slightly, though."
"Like you said," Reese turns to me, her hand resting on my chest once again. "You're just being protective of your bond."
My heart lurches in my chest at her words, my mouth going dry at the thought of her knowing how I feel about her. She lets out a soft laugh as she leans in close. "Even if it's fake, I'd prefer you overprotective instead of looking like you were with me just to get your fifteen minutes of fame."
I scowl, the whiplash of going from thinking she knows she's my soulbond to her making it out like I might be seen as someone using her for her fame and money has my emotions flip-flopping too quickly.
"Do you have a reservation?" the hostess asks, her eyes widening when she sees Reese.
For a moment, I expect her to whip out her comm and start taking pictures, but Mauve told me this place was as popular as it was with its clientele because of how discreet they are. Even if the young woman knows who Reese is, she doesn't say anything and leads us to our table without any further reason to think she recognizes Reese.
"Get something expensive," I tell Reese as she looks over the menu. I stare at the big open windows that are tinted so heavily that we couldn't see inside the restaurant when we were parkedoutside. Mauve and Marr have already gone to get their lunch, but it doesn't make me any less upset with my mother's plans. "Mauve is paying."
Reese shakes her head, her smile still light on her lips as she casts me a rueful look. "You agreed to this plan."
"So I did," I mutter, sighing deeply.
I don't tell Reese that I'm already regretting it immensely. I'm sure she can read it on my features, in the tension I'm carrying. There's no reason to voice it because my unhappiness with this plan has never been more apparent. I'm just surprised it took me until we were going along with it to have such an issue.
"Better figure yourself out before the beach," Reese tells me, her blush returning to her cheeks. "We're going to have to kiss, and if your shadows don't let them take pictures, we'll have to do it until they do."
My cock jerks in my pants, the first sign of life it's given since this morning. I clear my throat, my face feeling like flames are licking it. I don't tell Reese that I have no problem kissing her as many times as it takes. And if it's not just my wishful thinking, when I look at her, she doesn't look like she'd mind it all that much either.
CHAPTER 7
REESE
