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“I can’t, Reed. I...”
“Have to go. I know.” He rolled away and she missed the snug embrace she’d enjoyed all night. “Use my bathroom, and I’ll use the one down the hall. I’ll fix coffee to go and meet you in the kitchen.”
“Thanks.”
Lily watched him stroll out of his master bedroom buck naked, his buttocks just as taut as they’d felt last night, wishing she didn’t have to leave yet. Reed was slowly becoming an addiction she didn’t want to get over. After everything she’d been through with his partner, that should scare her off further involvement. Instead, she found herself looking forward to spending more time with him on his ranch, and in his bed, which she needed to get out of without delay.
Rising, she winced, her muscles unused to such rigorous sexual activity. She smiled, enjoying that telltale reminder of his intensity last night until she noticed her loosened hair. “Oh, damn,” she muttered, looking for the band to tie it back again. When she couldn’t find it, she swore again and grabbed her clothes. Now she would need extra time at home to get the tangles out and re-braid the long thick strands. Sometimes she wondered why she carried on this petty dig at John now that he was gone and no longer nagging her about cutting it. Maybe she should consider making another change, other than indulging in sex again.
She padded into the massive attached bath, the sea-green vanity and marbled shower in a matching shade a direct contrast with the dark wood of his bedroom. The color and sunlight streaming through the window above the large soaking tub soothed her aggravation over her hair. As much as she wanted to, she didn’t have time to linger, washing up and dressing in a few minutes before finding Reed ready to drive her home, holding two coffee cups with lids.
“Thank you.” She sipped the piping-hot brew, creamed and sweetened perfectly, then said, “You may have redeemed yourself from taking my hair down.”
“I’ve never seen it loose.” Reed ran a hand down her hair then continued until he pressed against her butt and gestured with his coffee-holding hand out the door. “You should wear it down more often. It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a pain to keep from getting tangled, which you would know if you’d asked me.”
“I don’t ask when you are in my bed and we’re having sex, as you know. You could have said red,” he returned without an ounce of remorse.
Lily laughed, skipping down the front steps, and turned her head to reply. “You were distracting me with sex. How could I say anything when I didn’t even realize what you did until this morning.”
He shrugged, a grin curling his lips as he opened the truck door for her. “Not my fault you’re distracted easily.”
“There’s no talking sense to you this morning.”
She hopped onto the seat, unable to think of another guy she’d bantered about sex with, or anyone whose company she enjoyed so much the morning after. Not even John, whom she’d loved deeply in the beginning. She remained upbeat until they reached her house, one look at her crushed new flowers along the drive deflating her good mood. Her throat tightened with disappointment, her stomach roiling with anger at the deliberate destruction when he pulled into the drive.
“What the hell? Lily...”
Reed swiveled toward Lily but her hand was already on the door handle, and she didn’t pay attention when he said her name. Jumping out, she stomped over to the flattened spring blossoms, the soil dug up from obvious tire tracks. She used one foot to push dirt off the cement into the garden bed, muttering, “This bad luckhasto stop.”
Clasping her arm, he hauled her against him, his rock-solid strength defusing her anger, forcing her to blink back tears as he asked, “What are you talking about? What bad luck?”
Lily shook her head and stepped away, wishing she could lean on him longer. “Just one mishap after another since coming home. She gestured toward the destroyed plants. “The neighbor kid probably did this. He’s a reckless teenage driver.”
“File a complaint. Give them his license plate number. A visit from highway patrol or the local cops usually works.” Taking her hand, he led the way to the door.
“It’s always been at night, up the street. I can’t identify the car, or even the driver, only where he lives, on the corner.” Lily unlocked the door, and Reed followed her inside. With a sigh, she tossed her purse on the small table and shoved her hair aside. “It’s odd, though, because when I’ve seen him during the day, he’s always been so nice and polite. But I don’t have time to do anything about it now.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is, Lily, bad luck?” Reed drew her forward and she saw the suspicion on his face. “What else has happened other than your electric problem?”
He would think she was nuts if she mentioned the DVD’s were out of place, and she didn’t dare bring up the mugging right now. Instead, she voiced her first thought. “What else could it be? You worry too much.” She smiled to ease the concern in his gaze.
“And you don’t enough. I want you to tell me if you have any other issues, big or small. I mean it, Lily.” He kissed her, long and deep, until she relaxed and let herself enjoy the taste of him again before he left.
An hour later, her morning got even worse when she ran into Pam coming out of Creative Events as she pulled in to park. Lily had never said anything to Trina about her issue with Pam, and was hoping she wouldn’t stop by the office again before her parents’ anniversary dinner and dance. Unable to avoid her, she came around the SUV, intending to be polite, but Pam put an end to that with a snarky greeting.
“I’m leaving, so don’t worry. You don’t have to suffer my presence.”
Without another word, or even a glance, she got into her car and sped off, leaving Lily standing there feeling bad their relationship had come to this. Maybe she should have tried harder to at least get on friendlier speaking terms with her once best friend. From Pam’s glacial expression, she doubted that was possible now.
Lily blew out a breath and went inside, pasting on a smile for Trina who saw right through it. Looking up from behind her desk, she asked, “What’s wrong? Didn’t your weekend go well?”
I’ve got to work on a better poker face.Striding to her desk, Lily replied, “It went great except for returning this morning to see my new flowers smashed.” Trina knew she planned to spend yesterday and last night with Reed. “Someone ran over them, probably the teenager down the street.”
Sunlight from the wide front window splashed across the blue carpet, reaching the blue-and-white striped chairs in front of their desks. The cheery brightness of the space lightened Lily’s mood, even though she still bemoaned the destruction of her hard work and poor timing of running into Pam.
“That sucks. I’m sorry. You’ve endured more than your share of bad luck lately. I would ask who you pissed off, but you never do or say anything that isn’t nice.”
