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“Alright, moment of honesty, Ihatethis song,” he mutters, and I throw my head back and laugh.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone approaching us, and when I look up, I see Reed. He’s standing right next to me, looking ridiculously handsome in the low club lighting.
Wait, why is he here?
“Reed?” I ask, my jaw hanging down. “What are you doing here?”
He clenches his jaw, then forces a fake smile on his face. “Texted Em and she said you guys were here, and Evan’s with Ma for the night, so I figured I would come out.”
Aaron looks at him in confusion. “Okay… uh, we’re dancing, do you mind?”
Reed looks at him then back at me. “Actually, I do. Why don’t you take a fucking hi-”
“Annnnnnd, I will be right back. Sorry,” I apologize to Aaron, removing my arms from around his neck. I grab Reed by the arm and drag him off the dance floor. He’s like steel beneath my touch, all amped up, and I have no idea what the hell is happening right now.
I take him down the dark hallway, past the bathrooms, until we’re at the back door and then I push it open, stepping outside. Once it shuts behind us, and it’s just the two of us, I let him have it.
“What the hell was that, Reed Davidson?” I screech.
My heart is pounding in my chest. I’m embarrassed by how he just acted, but also a little turned on, because Reed was jealous. He was so jealous of Aaron that he couldn’t stand it.
“What do you mean, what was that, Holl? He had his fucking hands on you, almost touching your ass.”
Reed throws his hands in the air then runs them frustratedly through his mess of brown curls. He paces back and forth in front of me.
“You can’t just bust in somewhere and demand someone not touch me. That’s not how things work, Reed.”
He stops pacing and looks at me; there’s fire in his eyes as he steps closer. “You think I don't know that? You think I don’t know that I have no right to be jealous? No right to feel so fucking possessive over you like you’re mine.”
“You’re right. Because we made rules. Rules to protect both of our hearts, and this doesn’t fit in them, Reed.”
Stepping closer, he slides his hands up my jaw, cradling it, tenderly. Gently. “I’m sorry, Holl. I just… I lost my fucking head in there. I’m sorry.”
I nod and hold his hands at my jaw. “You can’t do that again. No one can know. Remember?” I say our second rule out loud, and it feels bitter against my tongue.”
Reed sighs heavily, then drops his forehead to mine. “Can you do me a favor and not touch him while I’m here? It guts me, Holland.”
“Yes. It was innocent, Reed, he’s a good guy. We were just talking and he asked me to dance, so I said sure.”
“I just… I lost my head, Holland. I couldn’t stand to see his hands on you. Even if it was innocent, my damn blood is boiling.”
“I think I’m going to go home. I’m exhausted, and Em has been with Landon all night, so it’s not like she’s going to miss me.”
His brow furrows. “Does that mean you’ll come home with me?”
I bite my bottom lip, debating on whether or not I should. “After that caveman act you pulled inside? I don’t know, Reed. Maybe I should just go home alone.”
Cutting my eyes at him, playfully, I pull his hands from my face and take a step back. My heels click against the pavement as I put some much-needed space between us.
Reed’s gaze darkens. “Are you… playing hard to get, Holland Parker?”
I give him the most sultry, pouty look I can then shrug.
“I will throw your ass over my shoulder and carry you all the way back to my house, don’t bite off more than you can chew, babe.”
Babe.
I never realized how much I loved that word until it came from Reed’s lips.
