Smiling he straightened up in his seat and placed the laptopon her lap. Watching her brow furrow in confusion he slid his hands underneathher until he had the leverage to lift her easily onto his lap. Now with herback against the rolled armrest of the couch and the laptop on top of her lap,Reid leaned back into the couch keeping her firmly seated on top of him.Enjoying the soft pressure of her ass wiggling on his lap until she found acomfortable spot, Reid continued.
“We can go anywhere you want to go, Everly,” idly he let hishand cup her knee. “We can go into the town near here, although admittedlythere isn’t much to do there in the winter. We can go stay in our condo inToronto, or…”
“Reid,” the exasperated whine of his name cut him off. “Thisisn’t what I necessarily pictured for myself. I always imagined myself having anormal life. I don’t want to live cloistered away in the forgotten parts of theworld,” turning in his lap she faced him directly, one of her hands clutchingat his shirt absently as she tried earnestly to convey herself. “I want whatother people have, freedom to come and go amongst the hustle and bustle ofsociety as they please.”
Those words, those were the same words he used to say tohimself growing up in the isolated wilderness. No one on this earth could understandthose words better than he could. The quick pang of guilt shot through Reiduncomfortably, an errant feeling he made sure to push away. No, he was not liketheir bastard father, he had no intentions of trapping the woman he loved inutter terrifying isolation, forcing her to live by barbaric means. Taking her,as cruel as it may have been, was their only option, convincing her was theirultimate mission.
He had to make her see that she could and would have all herdreams if she gave them a chance. “Everly my love, you can have that,” he triedgently, “with us.”
“Only after I accept the fact that I cannot leave you,right?!”
“Yes, dammit,” he bit back, immediately regretting it. Thebold spark she had in her eyes moment ago shuttered at his rough tone.Squeezing his hand at her hip, Reid gave her a penitent look. Silently, helooked out the window, he needed to calm down, he was only going to scare herway if he kept reacting to her baiting. “On your laptop, I saw a picture youdrew. The picture was of a house by some water with you sitting in the gardenholding a baby.”
Naturally, when he saw the image, Reid assumed it was of herand her baby, a depiction of a future she wanted. He couldn’t hide theconfusion from his tone. Was he wrong in that? The immense joy when he foundthat was indescribable, it was another piece of her that made her so perfectfor them.
For a moment, her eyes widened as if shocked he found thedrawing, before sharpening with accusation. “A picture you snooped to find,” shejabbed a finger into his sweater with each syllable.
Pleased that her spunk returned, Reid grabbed her offendinghand and kissed the accosting finger. The fiery spirit that lit her eyesmollified at his touch, instinctively warming to pools of desire.
“After seeing that, I thought you would love this place asmuch as we do,” he waited expectantly, doing his best to read the emotionsbehind the contrary look she struggled to maintain. Clutching her tighter, hecontinued, “If you want we could live in the city and just board this place up.As long as I have you, my sweet Everly, I don’t care where…”
“No!” She exclaimed, cutting him off. Both fists now,grabbed at his shirt as if to stop him. “No, I don’t mean that I don’t want youto do that. This place is beautiful, I just didn’t…,” Trailing off, Reid couldsee her struggle to find the words that matched her thoughts.
Rubbing his hand up and down her thigh, Reid used the otheraround her waist to pull her closer. “I know you’re worried, I know you don’t wantto be trapped ever again.” Tilting her chin up, he leaned closer until he couldfeel her small puffs of breath against his lips. “And believe me when I say Iunderstand that better than most.” Leaning his forehead against hers, he closedhis eyes as he recalled the painful memories. “I used to beg our dad to take uswith him to wherever he would run off to weeks at a time. I would yell, cry,throw things—just lose it— when I woke up and realize he left us alone to fendfor ourselves again.” Her breath hitched, and he opened his eyes. The sadnesssparkled in her eyes with unshed tears, sympathy, and understanding shiningback at him. Cupping her face, he used one hand to stroke the base of herscalp, just anything to touch her to somehow wordlessly convey he was gratefulshe cared. “Trust me, my love, I swear our lives together will be nothing likethat. I know and love that you want to travel and experience the world. Hell Iwant to be the one that makes that happen!” Holding her tighter he held hergaze. “You have two men that fly and own their own planes, trust me, we will goanywhere you want. Just give this a chance.”
Quietly, she bowed her head and sat back a little in hislap, putting distance between them. The tightening grip that snaked around hisheart compounded with the pain that rushed him. Reid could feel his expressionhardening as his body tensed until it felt like plated metal. Everything insideof him bellowed to pull her to him whether she wanted him or not, to lay herflat on this couch and kiss her until she complied. He wanted to bury himselfinto her wet warmth while he whispered promises of a golden future to herunborn child. But he didn’t, he wouldn’t do any of that. Reid knew he couldmake her respond through carnal means, even make her say she wanted him but itwas no longer enough. Greedily his mind evolved from that once euphoric triumphof her submission, he wanted more now—he wanted it all.
He wanted her to choose him without coercion.
Slowly, like a shy doe, she turned back to face him, hereyes taking in every detail. She watched as his chest expanded with each tensebreath as he waited, she noticed the thick veins in the column of his neckpalpitate in harmony with the hammering of his nervous heart. Did she even knowthat his blood pumped for her alone when she even so much as glanced at him?Could she even comprehend that his soul belonged to her now? This obsession wasunhealthy he knew, it was deep-rooted and overwhelming, but he didn’t give ashit. This was a firestorm, and he was happy to burn.
Her hand settled on his chest, splaying across the hardmuscle beneath, and like rain to a desert, she graced him with her kiss.
Reid had to suppress the animalistic growl that threatenedto escape as he let her lead the soft, timid kiss. So gentle, her shyexplorations of his mouth made him want to die and come alive at the same time.
The tiny moan she emitted shattered his resolve.
Reid ignored the sound of the laptop sliding to the floor ashe pulled her flat against him. Swallowing her cry of surprise, he held theback of her head as he slanted his mouth over hers, drinking her in.Relentlessly he pushed further, needing more. Fisting her hair, he pulled herhead back listening to her surprised gasp. Eyeing the beautiful curve of hervulnerable throat, he traced the arch with his tongue until he was suckling onthe pulse at the base of her neck.
The long need filled moan was all he needed to hear, turningon the couch with her still in his lap, Reid began to lay her down on theexpanse of the couch beside him.
The office door swung open. “I know what else I can cook! Apanini…Oh…” Zane stopped midstep and gave them a wide grin. “Am Iinterrupting?”
The bastard knew damn well he was!
Pulling his hand from beneath her shirt, Reid pulled herback up straight and sat back. Everly averted her gaze in embarrassment as shetried to straighten her rumpled sweater.
“What do you want Zane?” Reid made sure to imbue his tonewith every bit of the frustrated anger he was feeling.
Everly stiffened at his tone. The hand he kept at her waistslid to her stomach in a tender caress, wordlessly letting her know it wasokay. His heart swelled at her instant relaxation, but his eyes stayed focusedon the intruding asshole at the door.
Not bothering to look at him, Zane just grinned lazily atEverly. “I wanted to see if my Everly was hungry and if so, do you want apanini?”
Pausing, Everly looked at Zane before turning to look atReid. “I am a little hungry,” she admitted.
Reluctantly, Reid let his hands fall from her warm body andgave her an encouraging smile. “Go ahead love, go eat. We can continue thislater.”
Reid didn’t miss the flustered heat that bloomed in thedepths of her eyes and was pleased she understood his meaning. Sitting back onthe sofa, Reid watched Zane happily sling a possessive arm over her shouldersand lead her out of the room.
