Love Beyond the Curve (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (17 page)

“Okay, but you shouldn’t have kissed me like that. It’s even harder to let you go.” Reed popped her on her bottom as she pulled away and ran up the stairs and into her apartment to change.

* * * *

“There. All full. You’ll just have to put our wineglasses in, and you can start it.” Charlotte closed the dishwasher door and picked up her glass to take a sip.

“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that. I would have done it in the morning.” Reed came up behind her and caged her between his arms as he nuzzled her neck and ear.

“I know, but it didn’t take but a minute. You put the meal together, so I did the dishes. Now, we can think about other things.” Charlotte leaned back against him, reaching to wrap her hand around his muscular neck.

“What other things do you have in mind, Ms. Hamilton?” Reed turned her around to face his questioning gaze as he lightly ran his hands over her shoulders and down the length of her arms.

“Things that show how thankful I am this year.” Charlotte set her glass on the counter and placed her hands on his chest, smiling up at him.

“And what might you be thankful for this year?” Reed took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips to kiss each fingertip as he continued to look intently into her eyes.

“I have a job working exactly where I’ve always dreamed of working. I work with people that I like, who like what they’re doing. I’m thankful for that.” Charlotte nodded as Reed took her other hand in his and began kissing those fingertips with the same featherlike kisses as the other.

“Is that all you’re thankful for, Charlotte?”

“Oh, yes…I also have a fabulous place to live that is just right for me. It isn’t too far away from work. Oh, I almost forgot. I’m thankful for having a really nice landlord.”

“How nice is this landlord?” Reed turned her palms up and kissed the center of both of them, still focused on Charlotte’s face as she continued.

“He has invited me over to play poker, watch football games, and even taken me to dinner at a really fine restaurant. I also think he keeps an eye out for me to make sure I’m okay, since I have a schedule that keeps me out late.”

“He does sound like a decent fellow. How do you think you might let him know you think he’s an okay kind of guy?” Reed kissed the pulse points of her wrists and held her hands to his chest.

“Well, I thought I might start with something like this. Tell me if you think he’d like it.” Charlotte pulled her hands free of his and began to unzip the side zipper of the royal-blue dress she was wearing.

Reed’s expression changed to a serious one, and he placed a hand over Charlotte’s to stop her. “Charlotte, don’t. You don’t have to do that for me. I am happy just being together. I mean it.”

“I believe you, Reed. I’m just going to make good on something I agreed to, but didn’t deliver. I’m not saying we’re going to end up in bed, and if that is okay with you, then I want to proceed with sliding this zipper on down.”

“I can live with that. It may require a cold shower, but I can live with that.” Reed smiled at her and dropped his hand. He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked backward until he bumped against the countertop across from her. He gave her a wink and took a deep, calming breath, as his heart rate had tripled in the last sixty seconds.

Charlotte continued to ease down the zipper until it stopped. She reached for the neckline and gathered it in her hands, biting her lower lip for a moment before slowly pulling the dress up and over her head. She tossed it aside to land on a chair at the table. When she returned her gaze to Reed, she placed her hands on her hips and said, “Here you have it. Me, in girlie lingerie.”

* * * *

Reed’s heart felt as though it was pounding louder than a bass drum. She was going to do it. He thought they had let it go, but she wanted to do it. He wanted to follow her lead and not scare her. He wanted to convince her he was in this for all the right reasons. He could make her see he was crazy about her, no matter what the package looked like. But that was the issue. He had to make her believe he found her attractive and desirable and was willing to stick by her until she felt certain of his intentions. Hell, right now he knew what he
wanted
his intentions to be, but he had to rein those thoughts in and let her take the lead. Tricky, but doable.

As the hem of her dress was lifted higher, more and more of her shapely legs were revealed to him. Her calves were toned, and the muscles along her outer thighs were well defined. Her thighs were tapered, yet full. She was wearing a pair of high-heeled black stilettos with pointed toes, which only accented the beauty of her legs.

Reed caught his breath at the first glimpse of black lace as the dress went higher still. He was completely caught off guard when another few inches revealed a short, royal-blue satin skirt edged in black lace with a tiny black satin ribbon at the center of the waistband. It was so feminine, and yet mysterious, as he still wondered what was hidden beneath it. He clenched his fists inside his pockets, fighting the urge to close the gap and take her in his arms to show her the effect this inch-by-inch reveal was doing to him.

He felt the stirring in his groin as she continued to pull the dress up higher, revealing an hourglass waistline. Curves tucked deeply into her waist gave her a voluptuous figure. As the dress rose over her chest, he found that she was wearing a matching royal-blue bra with black lace accents along the underside of the plunging cups. A tiny black satin ribbon was situated in the center between her generously proportioned breasts. Finally, the dress was off, and there she stood in her “girlie lingerie,” for his eyes only. And now, all he could do was drink it in. He had to remind himself to breathe. He was speechless. He realized she had spoken and replied with the first thing that came to mind as he swaggered over to where she stood, her skin bathed in the golden light of the lamp.

“Baby, there is
nothing
girlie about you. You are all woman. And completely breathtaking. Come here, beautiful.” Reed took her in his arms and instead of kissing her, held her close with one hand entangled in the hair at the base of her neck and the other wrapped tightly around her waist. There was something about this moment of her giving him an intimate glimpse of herself that made him want to cherish her more than ravish her. He knew it had taken a certain amount of courage and trust for her to do it. He wanted her to be sure he understood the sacrifice she had made for him. He also realized it probably meant she thought he was worth it. Which gave him hope that they were both on the same path to building a real relationship beyond friendship.

* * * *

Relief swept over Charlotte as Reed took her in his arms. He couldn’t have reacted any better to her surprise than if she had spelled it out for him in detail. Taking her in his arms to hold her so closely had felt like acceptance of her. She didn’t feel she was required to give anymore to please him.

Reed scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the den, where he sat her down across his lap in the recliner. He ran his fingers through her hair and brought her head to his lips, where he began to kiss her gently at the corner of her mouth, on across her lower lip. He let his other hand roam over the length of her leg and back up to her hip. His hand traveled underneath her satin skirt where he made the discovery that her hips were bare due to a thong being attached beneath the skirt. Reed lifted his head and looked down at her with surprise and said, “Well, well, what do we have here?”

“I think it is more like what do we
not
have here. Surprise.”

“You have skin that feels like velvet. One of the first things I noticed about you is how soft your skin feels underneath my hands. Maybe it’s because I have tough skin from working on building projects all the time.” Reed looked down at his own hands and turned them over to inspect.

Charlotte took his hands in hers and kissed them before entwining her fingers with his. “I love your hands. They are long and strong. Your fingers are beautiful, and I love the way they feel on my skin when you touch me. I notice hands, and yours are good. You’ve got sexy feet, too.”

“Really? Well, I find you to be sexy from your brown hair to the tips of your polished toes, and everywhere in between.”

Charlotte leaned over and kissed him softly, cupping his cheek in her palm. “You have no idea how good you make me feel when I’m with you, Reed. I’m really thankful to have met you and have you in my life.”

Reed pulled her closer to his chest, letting his hand return to her bare bottom. “Baby, I haven’t even started to make you feel good. We have a lot more to discover about each other, and I can hardly wait to begin.”

“I think I am beginning to feel ready to find out more, Reed.” Charlotte covered the hand that held her neck, stroking it with her thumb.

“I want to show you more, Charlotte, but only when you are ready. That’s very important to me.”

“I can see that, Reed, and that’s why I’m ready to begin to explore the next level.” Charlotte relaxed in Reed’s kiss, reveling in his exploration, and sensing he was leaving his brand everywhere he touched.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“What are you doing? Here, let me help you.” Reed dashed over to help Charlotte pull a live Douglas fir Christmas tree upstairs to her place. He had been on his way to work when he saw her struggling to get a tree up the stairs. He stepped over the tree and took over lugging the tree while Charlotte unlocked the door.

“Thank you so much. I had to work a double shift and saw a tree lot on the way home. I decided to choose one before they were all picked over. Now I’ll have all weekend to decorate it.” Charlotte was beaming as she watched Reed drag it into the house and stand it upright in the middle of the living area.

“Where do you want it? Isn’t it a bit early to put up a Christmas tree?” Reed held the tree while Charlotte moved a chair out of the corner beside the French doors.

“No. In fact, I’m behind schedule. I usually put it up Thanksgiving weekend, but I had to work. It is the first week of December, Reed. I like to enjoy it the whole month long. I’ll have to let it stand a while to let the branches fall out. I’ll dig out the stand and my ornaments later and set it up. Thanks so much for helping me get it inside.” Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with a loud smacking sound.

“Listen, why don’t you wait until I get home tonight and let me help you get it in the stand. I’ll watch you decorate and supervise from the sofa. That way I can watch you reach, and stretch, and bend and get an early Christmas show.” Reed pulled her close enough her breasts were squarely crushed against his chest. He cupped her bottom and pressed her against his hardening erection, waggling his eyebrows at her.

“You are so crazy.” Charlotte grinned, shaking her head.

“About you, my dear. Is it a date?” Reed leaned down to kiss the side of her neck, feeling a tremor go through her body.

“How can I resist when you are kissing me and rubbing against me?”

“That’s the point, my love. I’ll see you after work.” He kissed her thoroughly and led her by the hand to the door to head on to the office.

“I’ll fix a simple supper, so don’t stop on the way home. I’m excited. It’s going to be so much fun.” Charlotte grinned again as she looked up into Reed’s smiling eyes.

“You’ll be fun to watch for sure. I’ll see you tonight. Get some sleep so you’ll feel good.” He kissed her lightly and began his descent down the stairs.

“Oh, I’ll feel great. You will have fun, too. Just wait and see.”

Reed paused and turned to face her. “I can’t wait to see you. I miss you already.”

Charlotte ran down the stairs to throw her arms around his neck. She kissed him deeply and lifted her head to say, “I miss you, too. Hurry home.”

Reed kissed her again and hugged her tightly. When he let go of her, he cupped her cheek and said, “You can count on it.”

Charlotte stood on the stairs and watched until he drove out of sight. She hadn’t stopped smiling when she entered the apartment to go to sleep for a few hours and dream of Reed loving her.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“Reed, move it a little to the left. There. That’s the spot. You have officially participated in the Hamilton tree decorating celebration. That is my favorite ornament. It has to be up high and in front, so I can see it from anywhere in the room.” Charlotte admired the gold and crystal bell that hung from a branch near the top of the tree, sparkling in the glow of the lights.

Reed stepped back and walked over to stand beside Charlotte, placing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close under his arm. “It is a beautiful ornament. I have to admit it was fun decorating your tree together. I didn’t even put a tree up last year. We were so busy, and I am hardly here. I decided the tree in my office reception area would be enough.”

Charlotte turned under his arm and stared at him with her jaw dropped in shock at the thought of him not having a tree at his house. “Reed, you have to have a tree, even if you don’t have any other decorations. It’s just not right. I will get a tree and decorate it for you myself. It’s too sad to think of you not having a tree to put presents under.”