“Reece,” I whispered.

His eyes searched mine intently. “By the time I figured out what I was feeling for you, we weren’t talking and as always, shit just gets out of hand.”

My heart was pounding as I looked down at him. “What are you saying, Reece?”

That crooked grin appeared again as he curled his arm back. I gasped as he hauled me right into his lap, my hip cradled between his strong thighs. Still holding my hand, he wrapped his other arm around my waist as he leaned back into the chair. Having no choice, I went with him and ended up stretched out across his chest, my free hand landing on his shoulder. My body immediately warmed to being so close to him.

We were face-to-face. “And because of that—all of that, we did this wrong. Not that I regret getting in you. Fuck. No way. Looking back, I’m a hundred percent glad that was our first time.” The arm around my waist shifted, and his hand slipped over my hip, to the edge of my shorts and then splayed across my bare leg. A wave of goose bumps traveled across my flesh. “But I should’ve done more for you. The dinner. The movie. All of that. You deserved that. I think after all this time, we deserve that.”

“We do?” My voice squeaked. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Yeah, we do.” His eyes drifted over my face, settling on my mouth. “How about we start over? You want that?”

I still had no idea what to say.

He arched a brow. “The way you’re rubbing my neck tells me you do, but babe, I want to hear it from that pretty mouth.”

My hand? I glanced at it. Hell, I was rubbing his neck. “I didn’t expect this,” I admitted. “I thought you’d tell me that we’d be friends . . . or something like that.”

“Roxy, I already told you I was looking for more than that.”

“But—”

He tipped his chin forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I was pissed, but that hasn’t changed.” A heartbeat passed. “But has it changed for you?”

Part of me wished it had, because this with Reece was dangerous to my heart and common sense. I could really fall for him, but I . . . I wanted him and—and I wasn’t going to finish that train of thought. “I would like that.”

“Figured.”

My heart flipped. “So damn cocky.”

“Just truthful,” he teased, plucking up the purple streak in my hair and twisting it around his finger.

I drew in a deep breath as his warm breath danced over my lips. My mind was literally blown. So was my heart, but in a way that was both good and concerning. This really was the last thing I’d expected. I suddenly had my present and future with him altered.

“Wait,” I said, drawing back. “If we’re starting over, does that mean, like, no sex until the third date or something?”

“Seriously?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “It’s a valid question.”

“Come on, babe.” His hand slid up my leg and curved around my rear, and everything in me turned to liquid heat. “I think you know the answer to that.”

“I think I’m getting the picture, but maybe I need—”

His mouth silenced me. Kissing me softly, he sent my senses spinning. Just a kiss, and my breasts already felt heavy and an ache spasmed between my thighs. Well, the hand on my rear probably also had something to do with it, especially when a finger unerringly found the center seam in my shorts. He traced that seam, sending an illicit shiver through me.

“I bet you got the picture now, right?” he said, voice rough.

Running the tip of my tongue along my tingling lower lip, I wanted to wrap my legs around his hips, press against where I really wanted him when he groaned. “Are you sure this is smart?” I asked.

The hand left the seam of my shorts and slipped under the sweater and tank top, gliding over the bare skin of my back. “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”

I drew back, cupping his cheeks. I liked the way the bristle along his jaw tickled my palms. There was really only one good reason I could come up with. “I’m not going to fall in love with you.”

Reece’s grin spread into a full-fledged smile that wrapped around my heart. “Sure you’re not.”

Chapter 19

Colton showed up shortly after I showered and dried my hair. Dressed in jeans and a shirt that said THIS GIRL NEEDS A NAP, I dragged myself out to the living room. Seemed fitting as I plopped down on the comfy couch and watched Colton who watched his brother sit next to me.

Like sit waaay close to me.

Reece’s leg was touching mine and his arm was draped along the back of my couch. If we were any closer, we’d be joined at the hip.

Colton’s shrewd stare missed nothing as he sat in the chair opposite the couch, near the French doors. “What’s going on, little brother?”

“What’s it look like?” Reece replied.

Truth be told, I had no idea how to answer what was going on between us. Even though we’d cleared the air and we were “starting over” or something like that, I wasn’t sure if we were at the stage where we were willing to announce whatever it was we were doing.

“Looks like my hand is about to do a meet and greet with the back of your head,” Colton retorted.

Reece chuckled deeply, and I couldn’t repress the shiver in response to the deep, rolling sound.

“Is he doing good by you?” Colton directed that question at me.