She smiled, loving the feeling of waking up with Garrett. “Better than I have in years. I like being in your arms. Being with you.” Her gaze naturally fell to his mouth, but it was getting harder and harder to avert her eyes from his. She wanted to see them, to know their true color, to feel connected with him in a way that could only happen when two people looked into each other’s eyes.
“Me too,” he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.
She traced the lines of the tribal tattoo on his shoulder, then moved up his neck to his cheek. He leaned into her touch and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder, right over the center of the tattoo. “I think I’m ready to look into your eyes.”
Garrett stiffened. “Are you sure?”
Reese nodded. “Yes. I probably should’ve already done it, but I’ve just been taking it slow, and protecting myself. The truth is that looking into strangers’ eyes is much easier than looking into the eyes of someone I care about and seeing something awful. It honestly terrifies me. But I can’t be with you and continue to hide away from the things that scare me.”
“What if you see something bad?” Garrett asked.
Reese’s stomach tightened into knots at the thought of anything happening to Garrett. “I’ve seen bad things before. It’s not that I can’t handle it.”
He brushed a hand across her face and kissed her temple. “I know. I just don’t want you to do anything that’s going to make you uncomfortable or cause you more distress.”
Reese sighed, wishing there was another way. “Garrett, I can’t be with someone and never look into their eyes. It might be hard the first time, especially if I see that you die of some illness or something equally awful, but hopefully you die of old age, surrounded by children and grandchildren. Then every time Ilook into your eyes, I’ll smile, knowing you live a good and happy life.”
Garrett tightened his hold on her. “You never stop amazing me, Reese.”
She had the feeling he wanted to say more, but she didn’t push him when he didn’t. There was a lot more she could’ve said too, like how she hoped those children and grandchildren would be theirs, but it was probably too soon for that. So instead, she just snuggled into him, content to spend the early morning hours wrapped in his arms.
A cell phone buzzed and Garrett groaned. “Doesn’t anyone sleep in anymore?”
Reese giggled as he reached for his bedside table and snatched the phone. He stared at the screen for a moment then smiled and put it down at his side. “Caden is inviting everyone over to his place tomorrow for a barbeque.”
Reese nodded but didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure if everyone included her, and if it did, if she even wanted to go. Hanging out with the women in the dark, or even in a dimly lit bar was one thing, but being with them in broad daylight would be completely different. They would absolutely notice how she averted her eyes and it would undoubtedly make them uncomfortable. She’d have to brave looking into their eyes eventually, she just wasn’t quite ready to do it yet.
“And before you get any ideas, you’re coming,” Garrett said, as if reading her mind. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. “I could practically hear your thoughts rumbling around in that beautiful head of yours.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, hanging out in your dark backyard or at a bar with soft lighting is one thing, but being out in broad daylight with everyone - they’re bound to notice how awkward I am when I’m always averting my gaze.”
Garrett sighed. “If you think they’re going to judge you or think less of you, then you don’t really know them. Besides, aren’t you and the women in like constant text message contact these days?”
She smiled. “Yes, but that’s different.”
“Stop,” Garrett chided gently. “If you can face a room full of teenagers five days a week, dealing with a few women who think the world of you and the guys who adore them should be a drop in the bucket.”
“It’s not the same. The kids - I’m their teacher. I don’t care what they think of me as long as they do their work. And they’re teenagers, so they’re too wrapped up in themselves to give me a second thought. But these people, your friends -”
“Ourfriends, but go ahead,” Garrett interrupted her.
“I want them to like me -”
“Which they do,” Garrett said, once again interrupting her with a grin on his face. “But go on.” He waved a hand, gesturing for her to continue.
“And -” She stopped and sighed.
“And?” He nudged her. “Go on. Get it all out.”
She laughed. “I ran out of things to say. That was it. I just want them to like me.”
Garrett flipped them over until she was astride him. “If they liked you any more, I think I’d be jealous. It’s not like I haven’t noticed how often you talk to the women, and maybe I haven’t told you, but the guys ask about you all the time.”
That last part surprised her. “They do?”
Garrett nodded. “You made quite an impression on them, and I think they also sense how much I care about you. So, yeah. They ask how you’re doing, and if you’ve heard from Russell.” He paused for a second. “You’d tell me if you had, right?”
