Page 95 of Reckless
“I don’t know if you have anything planned right now, but I wondered if you might come with me.”
Instantly, my walls flew high. It was challenging enough being this close to Gage. I shouldn’t want to dive deeper. “I actually have plans with my mom…”
“I know you aren’t planning to go to the concert. Your mom told me. Please, just give me a few minutes. That’s all I ask.”
Heat filled my cheeks. “I just thought…I’ll donate some money to the hospice anyway, that’s a great cause you picked for the concert.”
Gage stunned me into silence by taking my hand. My body filled with crackling electricity as he looked over at me with the beautiful smile I’d convinced myself was just for me.
“Kelly, I understand why you don’t want to come, this isn’t about that. I have something I want to show you.”
“What?”
“It’s a surprise.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean, surprise?”
He laughed, the sound going straight into my blood. “It means I can’t tell you what it is. Please. I just want you to see it.”
“It what?”
He grinned, and I could tell he was enjoying himself. “If you don’t like it, I promise I’ll bring you right back here.”
This is a bad idea,my brain screamed.
But intrigue got the better of me, and being near him again, I couldn’t help myself. I nodded before I could even really consider what I was doing. “Okay, sure, surprise.”
“I knew you’d agree.”
I gave him a playful shove, and just for a second, our eyes connected and the love we’d shared since day one flowed between us again. I knew if I wanted to, I could’ve pressed myself up against him and we would’ve been kissing like there was no tomorrow. His hands would be all over me, I could almost feel his skin burning hot with passion under my hand. Maybe we would even tumble into the back seat, and he’d be inside me in moments.
I dragged my eyes away and followed the directions he gave me to this surprise.
When I pulled into the drive of the two-story stone house, he got out, coming over to open my door. I puzzled over the giant smile on Gage’s face.
Since he didn’t seem like he was going to explain what the hell we were doing here, I couldn’t hold in my curiosity any longer.
“Gage, what is this?” I turned, frowning at the sweeping flower beds. “I mean, why did you bring me here?”
“This house has been on the market for a while now.”
I turned slowly back to him, watching his lips move. “Okay…”
“I bought it. It’s mine.”
“Oh,” came out in a small puff of air that escaped my lungs. I was afraid to turn and look at the house again because I knew I would instead see visions of us raising our child here. Gage playing baseball in the front yard with our boy. Me and Gage sitting on the porch swing with a baby girl tucked between us. I took a deep breath. It would be good for the baby. Good to have him this close. But how would I get through even one day, knowing he lived mere miles from me?
Oh god, he didn’t even know.
“That’s…” I gulped. “Great. Gage, there’s—”
“Wait,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let me show you.”
I nodded slowly, selfishly glad the moment of truth was being put off. Taking his hand, I let him lead me into the house. “So you have your mom’s place, and you bought this…can I ask why? You live in New York. Isn’t this going to be a bitch of a commute?”
He grinned at me, and his eyes danced in a way I hadn’t seen since we were in high school. “Well, it would be. But now, it doesn’t really matter where I’m based.”
“You’re trying to tell me that you’re moving here?” My head spun, and I couldn’t get air into my lungs.Tell him, Kelly. Tell him now.
