: Chapter 15

I KNOCK ON MARIA and Griffin’s door. It’s early, but I know from Griffin’s schedule that he has a breakfast meeting today, so he won’t be home. And I should be in time to catch Maria.

“Hey.” She smiles as she answers the door, her head tilted to the side as she fastens her blue diamond studs in her ears.

“Hey yourself.” I grin as I hold up the garment bag and walk into their apartment. “Thank you so much for the loan of this. It was definitely a head turner.”

“So I’ve heard.” Maria arches a brow at me as she does her other earring and then smoothes down her long, dark hair.

I roll my eyes. “Reed?”

“Him and Griffin were in his office for ages last night talking,” Maria says as she takes the dress from me and drapes it over the back of one of the velvet chairs at the kitchen island.

Maria gives me a knowing smile. After an early dinner with Stuart and Paige last night, we came back to the apartment and Reed said he was going upstairs to see Griffin. He was gone for more than an hour, but I didn’t mind as it gave me, Maria, and Suze plenty of time to have an extended video call about the events of the hotel stay. Reed may have been telling Griffin about the president trying to put his hands on me, but I was talking about how Reed did put his hands all over me.

The two of them weren’t even a little shocked as I told them Reed and I had shared bed, and what went on in that bed. I didn’t go into full details, but enough for them to both be looking at me with these strange I-told-you-so smiles on their faces. Suze was slightly more pressing about his sexual appetite, but I think my blush said it all. And then she caught my minuscule wince as I sat down on the sofa. You’d think she had won the jackpot by the way her eyes lit up. She took delight in reprimanding me, one finger pointed at me accusingly as she told me that’s what happens when I ‘bounce around on giant dicks’. But it was said in the fondest way, like she actually approves.

Maybe she does. Maybe they both do.

“So, what’re the plans for this week?” Maria asks as I wave at Eggbert across her kitchen, who’s still toasty and silent in his incubator.

“Um, Reed has some public interview in the park tomorrow lunchtime. I said I’d go and watch.” I smile, thinking about how he told me about it as he pulled me into bed with him last night after he came back from seeing Griffin.

His bed. Curled up and warm in his arms. Toastier than I’ve ever been at night before. And boy, did I sleep… after he spooned me from behind and made me come twice with him buried deep inside me. But after that, I slept right up until this morning when he was already in the shower. The previous night’s activities took it out of me. But despite that, I’m energized from all the excitement, and I’m glowing when I look in the mirror.

Reed Walker is a force to keep up with.

I swear he would have kept me up all night again last night if he could have. He’s insatiable. I smile goofily. He’s rough and commanding, and so confident in the way he takes control with sex. But when we are hanging out in the apartment, or out at dinner with Stuart and Paige, he is so tender. He kisses me for no reason, looks deep into my eyes, strokes my face whenever he can, wraps his arms around me from behind when I’m brushing my teeth. He’s a sweetheart.

Reed Walker is a romantic at heart. A fact I’m discovering more each minute I spend with him.

I give Maria a goodbye hug and head back downstairs. I have twenty minutes until I need to leave for work myself. I don’t need to get coffee this morning for Griffin as he’ll be out, so I chose to forgo my own in exchange for an extra bit of time in bed this morning. An extra bit of rest for my expertly pounded body.

I walk into our apartment and through to the kitchen, stopping suddenly as my eyes land on Reed, fully dressed in a navy-blue suit with a crisp white shirt and deep red tie. His shoes are the same deep, rich brown as his hair and the fresh and earthy scent of his cologne hangs in the air. He’s leaning back against the kitchen counter, a newspaper in one hand and my sloth mug in the other.

“Hey, Babe.” He looks at me from under dark brows and blows steam from the top of the mug before he takes a sip. “Do you want one?”

I stare at his lips as they wrap themselves around the side of the mug and take another deep pull, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

“Why are you using that mug?” I stare at the offending sloth as Reed’s lips quirk.

“It was at the front of the cupboard. Why? Are you territorial over your mugs and I’ve only just noticed? Should I have looked for a deformed cat one and used that instead?”

I stare at him as he smirks, licking his sinful lips.

“That should have been at the back of the cupboard. Right at the back. Way at the back.” I walk over to him and glance inside the mug. It’s almost empty.

His smirk turns to puzzlement as his brow furrows. “I’m sorry, Harls. I won’t use it again if it’s special to you.” He pushes off the side and places it in the sink, then presses a kiss to my forehead, followed by my lips. “I’ve got to go. See you tonight.”

“Wait.” I grab his hand.

God, this is awkward. But I don’t want him thinking I have some weird attachment to a mug and won’t let him use it. How mean is that? It’s like him saying I can’t use his expensive shaving foam on my armpits. Although technically, I guess he could say no, seeing as I never asked him this morning. But I just liked how it smelled of him so much that I couldn’t help it.

“It’s not a special mug. It’s just a mug.”

“Okay.” He nods slowly, his deep smoky eyes holding mine. “But?”

“But I use it for things that aren’t drink related. And I don’t think you should drink out of it. I mean, it gets sterilized and everything and I put it in the dishwasher, but—”

“So, what’s the problem?” Reed looks at me.

Damn, he’s sexy. Especially in this suit. The color, the tie, it’s working for him.

This look always works for him.

How have I been so blind for so long?

“I use it for… things.” I widen my eyes and tilt my head, urging him to get with the program. I sigh as he looks at me blankly. “I sterilize my menstrual cup in it. After I’ve already washed it, obviously,” I add quickly when he frowns. “It’s clean and everything. But you’re supposed to put them in boiling water as well, and that mug’s the perfect size. I mean, I could use a bowl, but then that would be a waste. And I want to conserve the planet and consider these things. For example, that sloth on the mug is probably losing members of his family daily to deforestation or global warming or something. And I—”

Reed cuts me off with a kiss, his hands holding either side of my face still as he presses into me and delves his tongue inside my mouth, kissing me with meaning until I’m panting and breathless.

“If you think I’m bothered by that, then I haven’t done a good enough job of showing you how much I love everything about your body,” he rasps against my mouth before he drops both hands to the hem of my dress and forces it up around my waist.

I gasp as he rips my panties to the side and sinks two fingers deep inside me, where I’m already soaking from the kiss he gave me. He pumps in and out of me slowly, his eyes on my mouth as the sound of my arousal echoes around the room.

“Your smell. Your taste. It’s all I want.” He lifts his hand up between us and holds my gaze as he sucks his two glistening fingers past his lips, licking them clean before drawing them out. “You think a cup bothers me? I’ve had my tongue inside your body. I’m a man, not a boy who hasn’t grown the fuck up. Nothing you do will ever be gross to me. Do you understand? Your body and all it can do is fucking incredible.”

I nod mutely as he slides his fingers back down between my legs again and groans in appreciation as he slides them inside me.

“I will taste every inch of your body and still beg for more. You hear me? I will fucking beg for it. Whether you’ve got your period or not. I don’t give a fuck as long as everything you have you share with me and only me. Angel, I will eat you out every fucking day until you believe me. You. Are. Perfect. Don’t you ever be ashamed.”

“I… I’m not,” I murmur as his fingers find my G-spot and stroke. “I’m just a little embarrassed.”

Reed hisses in my ear before he sucks on my neck. “You never have to be embarrassed with me. I know shame, baby. In all its forms. Don’t you ever feel like that. And if you do, you tell me, and I will worship you until you believe me when I tell you; you are fucking perfect.”

I sink against his chest, holding myself up with the lapels of his jacket as he swirls his fingers inside me, and his thumb rubs deliberate circles over my clit.

“Reed…”

“I know, Angel. Let it go.”

I shudder and my knees give way as I come on his fingers. His free arm grips me around the waist as he holds me up, his lips lingering over mine, breathing in every gasp I cry out as my body clenches and sucks him in greedily. His other arm continues working me, a low growl in his throat as I come undone for him.

“You’re so beautiful.” His lips are on mine, and he kisses the last of my orgasm out of me as I return to earth slowly. My fingers, my toes, my ears… everywhere tingling.

“Now all I’m going to be able to think of at work today is getting home to you tonight,” he whispers against my lips as he places my panties back in position and smoothes my dress down over my thighs.

He kisses me again before he turns to leave. “I miss you already.”

I watch him go, then sink back against the counter as the door closes, running a hand around the back of my neck. The sloth mug catches the corner of my eye from its place in the sink, and I wash it out and put it back inside the cupboard. At the front.

It’s a bright day and the sun is out in force, along with a lot of people with very strong views on politics, it would seem, judging from the roasting the members of the public are giving the four men on the makeshift stage. They are the four main party candidates running for mayor. Reed, who’s Independent; Harry, who’s Democrat; Graham, who’s Republican; and another man I recognize from the president’s hotel trip who I think is Conservative. I find it hard to keep up. I’ve never learned so much about New York Office since agreeing to this thing with Reed.

I look up at him on stage. He’s a vision of authoritative calm as he listens to Harry talk about care for the elderly and pre-natal maternity care availability for low-income parents. I listen as the topic moves on to education and Graham answers a question about his views on rumored budget cuts.

“It suits him up there, doesn’t it? Being in charge.”

I turn to the voice next to me, struggling to hide my annoyance as Bea comes to stand next to me, dressed all in black. The color suits her and her personality.

“Oh, I wouldn’t count on him being in charge. He’s got stiff competition,” I say as I turn my eyes back to the stage at Graham, who is still speaking.

Bea laughs lightly. “I’m not talking about Graham. I mean Reed.”

I turn to face her as she says his name. Just hearing it leave her lips makes my mouth taste sour.

“Oh, come on. Aren’t I allowed to state the obvious? Reed always was good at being in charge. Although, I’m sure you know that.” She gives me a calculated smile as her eyes assess me.

“For such a large area of open park space, you sure did have to find a close spot to stand.” I assess her back, which only causes her to smile.

“The view’s nicer from this angle. Brings back memories.” She casts her eyes over to the stage.

I follow her gaze. We are perfectly lined up to see Reed’s handsome profile. He smiles at someone in the audience as he answers a question. His soft brown waves catch the sun, and he smiles, showing off his dimples. Cute little ones that are ridiculously sexy when he teams them with his reading glasses.

“Such fun memories,” Bea hums to herself.

“Why are you still talking?” I keep my eyes on the stage, trying to ignore her and put some space between us, but the crowd has grown around us and there’s nowhere to move.

“I can see why he’s with you. He has a thing for blondes,” she says, keeping her eyes on him, drinking him in with a smile on her face as though she’s imagining what they used to do together.

I swallow down the bile rising in my throat. I’m not a jealous person. But the thought of Reed being with her, even if it was years ago, makes me sick to my stomach. Thinking of him with her, kissing her, telling her she’s beautiful, sharing a bed with her, having sex with her.

“They never last, though. It’s one after the other. A never-ending revolving door that leads to that man’s bed.”

I bite my cheek to stop myself from hurling something impulsive at her. She’s trying to get a rise out of me. She wants to sow doubt into my mind, and I have no idea why. Maybe it’s pure old-fashioned jealousy at seeing your gorgeous ex with someone else. Your gorgeous ex who is a front runner in a campaign to become a very influential man in New York. A role that provides exclusive serviced residences and a hefty salary package and privileges. Reed said Bea has always been a social climber.

I join in the applause that breaks out in approval of Reed’s answer to a question. I’ve no idea what was said, and I wish I could snap my fingers and make Bea disappear so I could pay better attention. Either that or throw her in a bush of poison ivy. Anything to get her the hell away from me.

“He’s really something, isn’t he?” She leans closer to me as her eyes stay fixed on Reed. Her musky perfume claws at my throat, and I cough.

Reed looks over in our direction and locks eyes with me. His eyes soften at the corners, and a small smile spreads over his lips. Then he notices Bea, and his face closes off, darkening as quickly as a cloud passing in front of the sun.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Bea whispers.

“Graham’s looking for you,” I say, which causes her to plaster a fake smile on her face and give him a small wave.

My eyes stay on Reed. His jaw is tense. He looks like he’s only just managing not to fly off his chair and storm through the crowd toward us.

“Does he always fuck from behind? Barely kiss you?”

My eyes widen, but I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing, so I keep them firmly trained in Reed’s direction.

“I have no idea what you’re talk—”

“How about using your name in bed? Or letting you go on top.” Bea lets out a small huff of victory as I stiffen next to her. “Reed’s got issues that only people who’ve known him a long time will understand. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“What do you even want?” I snap, tearing my eyes away from Reed’s and to the empty space beside me. I look through the crowd, but Bea is already making her way over to Graham as he exits the stage now that the session is over.

What the hell does she mean, issues? Reed kisses me all the time, and we have had sex in all sorts of positions. He loves being on top of me. It’s not like he has a weird eye contact thing. He gets as close as he possibly can to me. And the way he talks is so arousing and…

Angel.

Has he ever called me Harley during sex? I can’t be sure, but I don’t think he has. But he calls me Harley or Harls all the time during the day when he’s cuddling me and kissing me. He’s attentive and thoughtful. He brought me a latte to work again yesterday morning after the sloth mug incident. And he even bought one of those re-usable eco-friendly cups to put it in from the coffee place. He told me I could enjoy it without the worry of any sloths being harmed from otherwise having to throw it away.

He’s thoughtful, and he’s funny, and he’s sweet with me.

He’s Reed.

Bea doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about.

“Hey, Mrs. Walker.” Arms encircle my waist from behind and I turn inside them and gaze up at him, hugging him back.

Reed pulls me close to him and kisses me in a way that attracts a whistle and the bleep of a camera. We glance to the side as a member of the press gives us a wave. “Another one for tomorrow’s front page?”

Reed smirks and then plants his lips over mine again. My stomach flutters as he cups my face between his hands and lets out a soft groan, only loud enough for me to hear.

“Show pony.” I tut when he pulls back.

He smiles. “Stallion, Angel.”

I laugh as he drops his hand to my lower back and leads me toward where Stuart is waiting.

“What did Bea want?”

“To be Bea.” I shrug.

His voice drops, and there’s an unmistakable edge to it. “What did she say to you, Harley?”

“Just stuff about the past. Stupid stuff that meant nothing.”

“Harley?” There’s an undercurrent of carefully contained fury to his tone. A frisson of unease runs through me as I think about what Bea said.

“She was trying to make me anxious about us, that’s all. Saying it won’t last and insinuating I was just another blonde in a long line of flings. I don’t even know what she thinks she has to gain from saying things like that.”

“Nothing,” Reed states flatly. “She has nothing to gain.”

“I’ve never understood women who aren’t girl’s girls, you know? Ones who lie and cheat to get what they want. Step on other women to get ahead.”

“Women can be sharks, Harley. It’s not just men.” Reed flexes his hand against my back and dips his nose into my hair. “Fuck, I’m going to miss you this afternoon. Will you wait for me naked on the bed when I come home? Get yourself warmed up with your vibrator? Actually, don’t. Do not dare touch yourself until I get there… unless you’re going to film it for me.”

I swat him on the chest, and he laughs quietly, his mood from mentioning Bea lifting.

“Please take him, Stuart. I can’t stand him anymore, he’s all yours,” I announce with a grin as Stuart looks between the two of us with a knowing smirk on his face.

“You told him about us?” I round my eyes on Reed.

“Nope. But you just did.” Stuart laughs as I drop my mouth open in mock outrage. “Come on. I could see that one a mile off. It’s media gold, though.” He lifts his chin to the press, who are packing up. “They love it. You two are the royal couple of the New York political circuit. Just don’t go making any sex tapes. Media management of those is not in my job description.”

Reed smiles at the pout on my face, pulling me to him and pressing another kiss on my lips.

“See you later, Mrs. Walker. Remember where I want you when I get home.”

I shuffle around on the bed trying to get comfortable, then click record on my phone. I only need it for a few seconds for what I have in mind. I turn my phone back and press play. Perfect! Reed is going to go nuts.

“Video yourself with your vibrator.”

I laugh as I open the editing software. I mean, I could do that. God knows he’s seen me from every angle and had his fingers and tongue everywhere in my body now. I bite my lip as arousal warms my core from the memories. He just hasn’t put that there yet. But I know he wants to. And I’m curious to try it. Everything sexual with Reed is like an awakening for my body. He does things to me I’ve never considered before, and he makes me feel things in places I didn’t even know existed. But sometimes it’s nice to be the one giving the surprise, even if it’s not in the way he expects.

I finish editing the video and watch it back. I’ve made a gif of me naked, his guitar propped up between my legs. It moves to one side just enough that you’re about to see something, before the gif starts over and it pops back into place, covering me. I type out a message and attach the gif.

When was the last time you played with me?

I click send and watch as it’s delivered. My phone rings in my hand immediately, and I smile as I answer it.

“Prepare to be strummed to within an inch of your life,” Reed growls.

“Really?” I bite back a grin.

“Angel, I’m getting in the elevator now. Get your legs open wide for me because I’m coming straight in.”

I jump up from the bed, my heart racing as I put the second part of my plan into action. I didn’t expect him to be home early. I had it all planned out. He was supposed to spend at least another hour getting all worked up as I text him dirty messages. I wanted him so worked up that he would barely notice what I’m planning to wear.

I don’t even know what possessed me to do it. It’s just a joke really.

I run into my room and open my drawer, pulling out my pajamas with rainbow caticorns all over them. Reed is going to freak. Maybe he’ll spank me for teasing him. Get me to call him my special name for him. It’s weird, and completely unlike how I’ve been with boyfriends in the past. But what started as a joke of me calling him Daddy has morphed into something else. He doesn’t do it all the time. Just every now and again. But I can’t get enough. It’s like bargain hunters racing to a sale sign on Black Friday. Every aroused feeling and reaction my body can possibly create flocks to my pussy when he says it. His voice is just so deep and commanding. It could make anything sound sinful. But that word… it’s filthy and naughty… and I love it.

I throw the pajamas on and pull my hair into a messy ponytail and then I park myself on the sofa with the TV on.

And wait.

Less than a minute later, the front door crashes open and I hear Reed dump his phone down on the hall table and kick his shoes off. He strides into the living area, throwing his jacket off onto the back of the sofa, yanking his tie loose at the same time.

He’s on a mission.

I stare at the curve of his tight ass in his suit pants as he stalks in the direction of the bedrooms. Then I clear my throat quietly and his eyes snap to mine as he freezes. They drop over my outfit and back to my face.

He pulls the rest of his red tie loose, wrapping it around his hand as he walks over to me. He doesn’t say anything as he sits on the sofa next to me and leans back into the cushions, dropping the coiled tie to one side.

I chance a look over at him. He’s staring at me, his eyes dark, but his expression unreadable. I expected some sort of reaction. Not this.

I swallow as I gaze up at him. Maybe I read it wrong, and he’s really pissed. I mean, I thought he might be, but in a joking way, after he ripped the pajamas off me or something. That’s what I was expecting. Him to maybe laugh and tear them off me, throw a slap on my ass, maybe grab my hair a bit harder when he fucked me after.

Maybe I don’t know Reed as well as I think I do.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what it is you plan on doing while wearing those, Angel.” His eyes have darkened even more as he stretches his arms across the back of the sofa. His shirt is unbuttoned at the neck, and he’s rolled his sleeves up so his veiny forearms are on display.

“I was planning on you taking them off.”

He shakes his head at me. “No.”

“No?”

“You wore them for a reason. Maybe it was to tease me. But now? Now you keep them on.”

I wrinkle up my nose as I look down at them. They are the baggiest, most unsexy thing I could possibly wear.

“You keep them on,” Reed grits out as he glares at me.

I open my mouth to protest, but something in his eyes tells me to close it again.

“Make me like them,” he grunts.

“Pardon?”

“Make me like them.” He smiles at me coolly. “Get on your knees on the floor and make me fall in fucking love with them. Make every time I see them from now on spark one horny as fuck memory that I can’t forget.”

Goosebumps scatter up my spine as I do as he says and slide to the floor and onto my knees. I look up at him and he glances down at me and then leans further back as his eyes fall on the news on the TV screen.

“Good girl. Now suck my cock.”