Page 48 of His Ex's Little Sister
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Epilogue-Reid
One MonthLater
“I can’t believe we salvaged so many things from my place,” Robin says on our third trip from her rental house today. The fire investigators took close to three weeks to examine the evidence, but they finally cleared the scene for re-entryinside.
There are so few items for her to salvage. A handful of clothes, a charred part of one of her guitars and half of her song lyric book, some jewelry, two night tables, and most of her metal kitchen utensils. Geoff did take a look at her charred laptop and felt pretty sure that he could recover her data. What I’ve learned about Robins is that to her, the glass ishalf-full.
Robin had planned to move back to her parents’ house. The fire at Danielle’s apartment caused her to change her plans, as Danielle would also need interim shelter arrangements while the insurance for repairs got sorted out. Instead, Robin is renting a temporary place of her own in a tiny apartment motel just two blocks from the condo building where I live. I would say that’s awin-win.
I can’t say for certain what we are. It’s way too early to speculate. She says we’re dating. We’ve seen each other every day for the past month, and I still can’t get enough of her. To me, we’re way pastdating.
Butwhatever.
I place the last box into the back of my SUV and shut the trunk door. “This should be it forthistrip.”
“Nice. Thanks for letting me leave the big stuff in your storage locker while I’m in transition,” she adds, following me to thepassengerside.
I open the front passenger door for her, and shejumpsin.
“No problem,” I tell her, and get in thedriverseat.
“I reallyoweyou.”
I clasp my hand over hers. “No, youdon’t.”
“You’ve been a big help to me. I can’t thank youenough.”
“If you keep it up, I’ll have no choice but to add to your punishment,” I say with a grin. Who knew that innocent little Robin was into spanking. It’s one of the many things that keep surprising me about how muchwefit.
A playful smile lifts up on her face. “Youpromise?”
“You know I do. In fact…we’re leaving this stuff in the back and taking adetour.”
“Whereto?”
“My place,” I announce. “And that ass of yours will be so raw when I’m donewithyou.”
She’s practically bouncing in her seat beside me for the entire way home. Before Robin, I never met a woman who enjoyed being spanked as much as I loved doling it out—for fun, of course. We both get a hell of a lot of enjoyment outofit.
I park in my underground spot. Robin hangs off my arm as we walk to the elevators, and for the ride up. She all but runs into my condo unit once I unlock thefrontdoor.
Then, she stops short. Her mouthdropsopen.
“Oh, my word!” she drawls when she sees the surprise waiting for her in the foyer. It’s a restored Fender guitar and carrying case, almost identical to the one that was destroyed in the fire. “Reid! When did youdothis?”
I grin. There are perks to running a business with my four closest friends. “Jared took care of it for me. It’s missing all the custom accents on your old one, but it was too close topassup.”
“Thank you…it’sgorgeous.”
“Youlike?”
“Gosh yes! I love it.” She starts to fan her eyes with both hands. I’ve seen her cry a few times now. I won’t ever get used to it, but at least these are happy tears. “What can I say to the man who gave me the other half of mymusicback?”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just enjoy it. Aren’t you going to open the case? For all you know, I just got you anemptycase.”
Robin steps up to the black hardshell case, picks it up by the handle with reverence, and carried it into the living room. Sitting on the sofa, she places it on her lap, and after an intense moment of soaking up the moment, she opens it. It’s more face fanning, and chirps of thanks. She helps me see how enjoyable life can be when we cherish the littlethings.
