SWNOVELS Miss Belief: Chapter 26
What the hell was happening? Had Reid just asked me how many times I’d come? My eyes were as wide as saucers, my face heated. Was he drunk? Was he joking?
Let’s go with honesty for two hundred. “I didn’t finish.”
He leaned in again, the heat of his body seeping into mine with the contact. “What a shame.”
Holy fuck. I was about to hyperventilate. But first, I was about to kiss Reid. For real, it seemed. Knowing this was our first real kiss was doing something to me. Heightening my senses, making my entire body shake with desire. When he pulled away, I felt dizzy. Drunk on whatever fantasy this was and hoping like hell it didn’t stop.
My trance was abruptly ruined, however, once I looked over his shoulder, and spotted Vanessa standing there, rage reflected in her expression.
Shit. Had he done this for a show? Was this once again about her? But what about his words? There was no way those had been a fake, right?
The groom-to-be walked by, shifting my attention. His face was pinched, the bride seemingly in a rage beside him. Damn. If you weren’t happy during your wedding weekend, was it bound to work out?
“Um, things okay with the groom?”
“Nope. I imagine he just got an earful for showing up late and drunk. We went to the bar after our golf outing, which did not make the bride happy judging by the way she greeted the bus by screaming at him. But the guy deserved a bachelor party.”
Translation. They’d been drinking all day. It suddenly occurred to me Reid might have said what he had under the influence of alcohol. The idea doused my hopes in cold water, yet he wasn’t slurring and didn’t seem intoxicated.
My emotions were completely at war with my brain, which was actively overthinking everything.
Reid tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “How are your nuts?”
Hell if I knew. “Good. Fine.”
“All right, I’ve gotta go do the groomsman thing for this rehearsal. Hopefully, it won’t take long. Then we can eat dinner, listen to the toasts, and get back up to the room to be alone.”
Dammit, there it was again. Him acting like this was no longer fake.
He didn’t seem to notice my internal panic before he joined the other groomsmen to find their places on the promenade overlooking the beach where the wedding ceremony would take place tomorrow.
Forty-five minutes later, he finally rejoined me. He appeared none too happy they’d paired him with Vanessa. But what had he expected when the bride was her cousin?
After the bride and groom were done with more pictures, we all filed into the main restaurant on the other side of the hotel. They had a private room toward the back reserved for the wedding party.
Reid took my hand in his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It had been natural when we’d been faking it, but what about now? After his words? My heart was slamming in my chest. I was afraid to hope, because hope set you up for disappointment. All of this meant I needed a drink. But I also needed to be sober enough to remember which fork to use.
Everyone around me might think this was a typical dinner, but my anxiety over my table manners or lack thereof was causing my leg to bounce under the table.
But Reid put his palm on my bare thigh to halt the movement, the heat of it burning my skin.
At least he grabbed his water first, which made it easy to know which glass was mine. I downed my full glass in one go, the liquid doing nothing to quell my sudden thirst. Where was my vodka?
With the arrival of the salad, I did as Chloe suggested and took my cues from the people beside me. Right. It was the smallest fork on the outside. And what about the roll? Okay, tear off little pieces. Jesus, I felt like a paranoid chipmunk, stuffing bread into my face while trying not to make a fool of myself. Glancing around, I saw the rest of the party was having a good time while I alone was obsessing. Stupid.
Two drinks later, I’d let go of my initial paranoia over table manners and was happily biting into my shrimp scampi.
“Quick question,” I whispered to Reid after noticing the repeated death glares from the bridal party at the other end of the table.
He leaned over, moving his knee so it touched mine. “What is it?”
“Did something more happen with Vanessa?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because she’s murdering me with her glares. Which is nothing new, but it’s extra murdery tonight.”
He chuckled. “Nice word. Let’s just say I’m ready to move on.”
Move on. Meaning what exactly? I wanted to ask, but I was interrupted by the sound of a glass clinking. Evidently, it was time for the toasts, so I’d have to ask him later.
The remainder of the rehearsal dinner went by exceedingly slowly. I blamed Reid’s touch. His palm on my leg, his knee against mine, or his hand holding mine under the table. Since none of them were outwardly affectionate gestures for anyone to see, I was confused as to the meaning of it all.
“Excuse me, I’m off to the ladies’ room.” I made my way to the rear of the spacious Mediterranean restaurant. As I walked into the restroom, I almost laughed out loud at how large it was. In addition to the regular bathroom with floor-to-ceiling stalls and opulent sinks with colorful tiles, there was also a side lounge room with overstuffed sofas. You knew it was fancy when you found a living room in a bathroom. The cotton towels placed by the sink only solidified the impression. This was definitely not a hand dryer kind of joint.
I had to fight the urge to snap a picture and send it to my sister.
After doing my business quickly, I came out of the stall to wash my hands and found Vanessa lying in wait. Frankly, I’d expected the confrontation sooner than this, so I shouldn’t have felt surprised.
She didn’t speak until I turned off the water and dried my hands, all the while effectively ignoring her presence.
“I hope you know Reid always comes back to me. Always.”
I gave her a half shrug. “If that’s the case, then there’s no need to tell me.”
Her beautiful face morphed into a snarl. Huh. Snarling Barbie was not a flattering look.
I took some lip gloss out of my purse and applied it with leisurely strokes, aware the action would demonstrate my indifference to her words. It was a calculated ploy I’d practiced over the years. Never let them see you sweat.
“You’re nothing to him. Just a piece of trash he picked up on the side of the road to try to make me jealous for the weekend.”
“Seems to be working.” My eyes met hers in the mirror and registered the direct shot. If humans could froth at the mouth, I had no doubt she would be doing so now. Frothing Barbie.
“No one wants you here.”
I finally turned around to lean against the granite countertop, popping the cap back on my lip gloss as though I found it more interesting than the conversation. “The man whose bed I sleep in does, and his opinion is all that matters to me.”
I pushed off the edge, intending to walk around her.
But she moved in front of me, crossing her arms across her fake boobs.
This time I didn’t bother to school my voice, letting it reflect my warning. “Move out of the way before I remove you. And believe me when I say you will regret the choice.”
“Only because you’re like an Amazon woman.”
Lame. I’d hoped for something more cutting and creative.
“Middle school called. They want your insult back. By the way, you have red lipstick on your teeth.” I made a motion with my finger toward my front tooth. “Whew, I’ve wanted to tell you all night as I could see it from all the way across the room. You’re welcome.”
“He’ll come back to me. He always does,” were her parting words as I moved past her and let the bathroom door cut them off.
Knowing history had yet to prove her wrong soured my victorious mood.
I pasted on a smile when I returned to the table, but Reid must’ve noticed something was off.
“What’s wrong with the nuts?”
His mixed question combining our code words and what we were trying to avoid dragged a smile from my lips. “Nothing. Nuts are fine.”
Ellen glanced from me to Vanessa, who’d also returned to the table, taking her seat near the bride. “I take it you had a little restroom confrontation?”
I took a sip of my martini. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Reid arched a brow. “Of that I have no doubt.”
After dinner, there were more freaking photographs to be taken of the bridal party. Deciding I wouldn’t spend another minute watching Vanessa gloat as she stood next to Reid, I walked over to the adjacent terrace overlooking the ocean. Although it was dark, the full moon was bright. There was something soothing about the sound of the ocean waves and the warm breeze blowing at the outline of palm trees looming over the beach.
But I wasn’t alone. The sweet smell of cigar hit my nostrils.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re a stalker,” I said recognizing the shadow.
Chance walked over and stood a few feet away to my left side. “I was out here first, so perhaps it’s you who is doing the stalking.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
“I’m surprised my brother didn’t tell you to stay away from me.”
He had, but I wouldn’t give his brother the satisfaction of knowing it. “He doesn’t need to. It’s not as though I feel the urge to hang out with you.”
“Yet here we are.” He moved forward toward the railing to take in the view. “You know what I can’t quite figure out?”
I schooled my tone to sound bored. “How to have a normal brotherly relationship? How not to be a dick? That’s just a start, but I have other items on the list if you’re searching for suggestions.”
He chuckled, seemingly amused. “Perhaps, but the one thing on my mind is how much Reid is paying you to be here with him.”
My fist clenched involuntarily at his audacity. I hated giving him the satisfaction of having even that small effect on me. “You know what I can’t figure out? Why you despise your younger brother. Did he take your favorite toy growing up? Get all of Daddy’s attention? Or is it just that while you’re an asshole, your brother is actually a decent human being?”
He turned toward me, confusion splashed across his face. “I don’t despise Reid. Not even in the slightest. But my job as his big brother is to protect him. Even from himself. If you have an agenda, I will find it out, Teagan, mark my words.”
His cold promise sent a shiver of fear snaking through my body. The worst-case scenario would be for Reid to find out about my stripping. But the odds of anyone discovering my well-guarded secret were slim, especially since the job was in another country. “My agenda, unlike yours, is to see your brother happy.”
He studied my face. “Interesting. You’re in love with him.”
I didn’t bother to confirm or deny it. “As if you could recognize the emotion. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back.”
Once pictures were over, I expected Reid might want to get cocktails in the lobby bar or hang out with his buddies, so I was surprised when instead he took my hand and led me to the elevator. “If you prefer to go out with your friends, I’d understand.”
“I don’t.”
Once we reached our floor, he led me off the elevator and to our door. Nerves hit me. I felt as if the stakes had been raised, and the vibe was rapidly changing between us.
I preceded him into our room and turned with my mouth open to say something, but he caught me off guard, framing my face with his hands and crashing his lips down on mine.
Holy shit. He was kissing me. In the privacy of our own room without witnesses. When he pulled away, I found myself standing there like a deer in the headlights.
His eyes searched mine. “Is this okay?”
“Uh-huh,” came my highly sophisticated answer as I dropped my purse to the floor and met his lips again. Oh, God. This was happening. Why the hell did I have to be so much inside of my head to question what I’d always wanted? But I couldn’t help it. I had to ask.
“Wait, is this real? Are you drunk?”
He moved his kisses to my neck. “Definitely not drunk. Definitely not fake.”
A part of me was tempted to ask if this was a reaction to the scene he’d witnessed this morning. As far as I knew, he’d been without sex for months. We’d been sharing fake kisses and a bed with inadvertent morning wood snuggles—and then he’d walked in on me masturbating—so it seemed plausible we’d find ourselves at this point.
But was it circumstance, or could it be more? More importantly, if I tried to define matters in the moment, would I ruin the natural flow of things? But if I went with the flow, I was taking a risk this would all blow up in my face. In the end, there was no way I could stop. I’d just have to deal with the consequences later.
My tongue tangled with his, and when he gently nipped my bottom lip, the sound of my groan filled the room. His fingers came up to tangle in my hair, pulling out the pins and letting it fall down around my shoulders.
Stepping back from him, I unzipped the side of my dress, all the while watching his eyes track my lowering hand. Could he see I’d started to shake? Could he tell how nervous I was? Once the zipper was down, I peeled off one shoulder and then the other, baring myself in nothing but my bra from the waist up. I didn’t miss the way he inhaled an unsteady breath.
After moving the material down past my waist and over my hips, I let it fall to the floor, leaving myself standing there in nothing but my pink lace bra and matching thong.
“I thought you said pink wasn’t your color.” Reid’s voice was thick, his gaze sliding down my entire body.
Leave it to him to remember. “It’s not my color, but that doesn’t mean I don’t secretly like it.”
He grinned, closing the distance and framing my face with his hands. “You’re stunning.”
“You’re overdressed.”
His chuckle filled the room. Then it was his turn to step back. He began with his tie and then unbuttoned the dress shirt. Jesus, I’d never experienced anything hotter than watching this man undress, his eyes not leaving mine.
The anticipation crackled through the air. I half expected the moment to be interrupted with a knock on the door or an urgent phone call. That would be my luck. But fortunately, nothing spoiled the moment.
Reid stopped stripping once he’d fisted his T-shirt over his head and lost his shoes, choosing to leave his trousers on—much to my disappointment.
I made to lose my high heels too, but he wasn’t having it. “No, leave them. I want to fuck you with them on.”
His command was hot. Not to mention unexpected. I would have expected polite Reid to ask if I minded. But polite Reid wasn’t here. He’d been replaced by alpha Reid. And I loved every second of it. I didn’t hesitate to move onto the bed, watching him remove his belt before he stalked toward me.
He leaned over me, grasping both ankles and pulling me to the edge of the bed and closer to him. I gasped when he knelt down and rubbed his hands along my thighs. His touch was warm, sensual, and unhurried. Once he’d slowly trailed his hands up to my hips, he hooked my thong with both thumbs and peeled it down the length of my legs, afterward tossing it onto the floor. His eyes burned into my skin as he looked up, lust evident on his face.
“Christ. You’re perfection. Take off your bra. Let me get the full vision.”
I undid the front clasp, letting the material fall away to the sides and grinning at his growl.
“Jesus. You’re more than I ever could’ve imagined.”
He widened my legs with the width of his shoulders as he dipped his head, landing kisses on my thighs, then above the place I desired him most.
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to taste you?”
Wait. What? “How long?”
He blew a warm breath over my most intimate place, causing a shiver through my body. “Truth?”
“You’re between my naked thighs and inches from my pussy. I don’t believe a lie will do.”
His sheepish grin made me giggle. “Since the first time we fake kissed in my apartment.”
I sucked in a breath at the admission. “You’re serious?”
He moved forward, running his tongue along my seam. Oh. My. God.
“Would this tongue lie to you?”
“Not if it’s busy doing other things.”
His chuckle was muffled once he dove into my center.
I gripped the sheets, trying to anchor myself for his welcome assault. I’d never been the type of girl to come quickly with oral, and yet here I was, already on edge, rocking my hips against his face, panting like I’d run a race.
“Please,” I begged, needing the release more than my next breath.