The Hazards of Skinny Dipping (Hazards #1)(43)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

He moved off me, keeping an arm around my waist.

“Oh my god. Have I really been missing that this whole time?”

“I’m afraid so.” He grinned. “If it makes you feel any better, I was thinking the same thing.”

“Please tell me we’re going to do that again.” I ran a hand down his chest.

“Trust me, we will. Many, many times. We have months to make up for.”

“That sounds so good.”

He laughed. “My little sex addict.”

I swatted at him. “I am not—maybe a Reed addict.”

“Reed addict? I like that.” He ran his hand down my stomach again.

“That feels good.” I closed my eyes.

“Yeah? How does this feel?” He moved his hand lower.

“And you talk about being lucky…” I gasped.

His lips brushed against my earlobe. “Am I better than that study group?”

“So much better.”

“Good. Let me know if that changes.”

“Oh, I will.”

***

I woke up snuggled in Reed’s arms. Early sun poured into the room, spilling across us.

Reed mumbled something, pulling me close. It didn’t take me long to realize that even though he was sleeping, he was definitely ready for action. I decided that if there was ever a time to wake him up, it was the present. I moved out of his arms, grabbed the package of condoms he’d left on the night stand, and climbed on top of him. I let out a deep breath. This was definitely a first. I adjusted us, and his eyes flew open. “Juliet.”

I didn’t wait for him to fully wake up, but it didn’t take long. He reached up and fondled my br**sts. “I thought you weren’t a morning person.”

“I’m not—but if I get to do this in the morning, I don’t mind so much.”

He moved his hands to my hips. “You can do this any morning—every morning.”

We moved faster, and I was nearly out of breath when I collapsed on top of him.

“I think we should stay in bed all day.” He ran his hands down my back.

“That sounds good, but we’ll need food. All of this has me hungry.”

“I’ll keep you fed.” He smiled.

I rolled off him, glad when he wrapped his arms around me.

“You are even more amazing than I’d imagined.” He kissed my forehead.

“The same goes for you.” And that was putting it mildly.

“It’s good to know you imagined it.”

“Of course I did…” If I was honest with myself, I’d been imagining it since I’d met him. I’d pushed my feelings away because of Dylan, but my attraction to Reed had been there from the beginning.

He laughed. “You had me fooled.”

“I can see that.”

We spent another hour in bed before deciding to find breakfast. He held my hand as we walked to the elevator, and pushed me back against the wall when the door closed. “Just so you know, I’m no longer keeping my hands off you.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“Good.”

I was so distracted I didn’t realize the elevator had stopped on another floor.

“Ahem.” I peered around Reed to find an older couple giving us a look.

“Sorry,” I said quickly before looking down.

We got off in the lobby and went outside. “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

“Something sweet. Maybe a pastry.”

He smiled. “Sweet, huh? The only problem is that won’t really keep you full. You need protein.”

“Reed?”

“Yeah?”

“I want something sweet.”

He laughed. “Fine. I think there’s a café around the corner.”

“Good. I can have protein for lunch.”

He took my hand. “This feels so good.”

“Holding my hand?”

“Yes, but I mean everything. Being together. I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“How long?”

“Since laser tag.” He squeezed my hand.

“Really? You liked me all decked out?”

“You look hot in everything, but it was your attitude that got me. Most girls would have hid from me instead of taking me out.”

“I did shoot you in the back.”

“True… I need to remember that.”

I used my other hand to swat at him. “It was a game.”

“I know. I take it from your reaction that you didn’t like me then?”

“I obviously noticed you were attractive.”

“Obviously? That’s good to know.”

“But you were wearing a hat backwards.” I didn’t actually want to admit it, but I decided to anyway.

“That was enough to write me off?”

“Not write you off… but I kind of assumed you were a jerk.”

“You do realize how superficial that sounds, right?”

“Yeah, just a little.”

“What changed? What made up for the backwards hat?”

“Getting to know you.”

“All right. So when did you figure out you liked me?”

“I don’t know. It kind of snuck up on me. The first time I really knew it was when you wouldn’t go to my Halloween date party with me.”

“I already had plans.”

“I know, but I figured out that I wasn’t just disappointed about not having a date—I was disappointed you didn’t want to be my date.”

“I did want to be your date, but it was too late to cancel.” He dropped my hand to put his arm around my waist. “I didn’t know you even cared until Aaron called me.”

“So he did call you. I figured…”

“He pretty much called me an idiot and told me to get over there before you hooked up with some bartender.”

“What?! I wasn’t going to hook up with the bartender. And why would he tell you that?”

“He knew how into you I was…”

“Oh. I didn’t think you’d told anyone.”

“I think it was pretty obvious. Well, and I threatened to beat the crap out of Dylan on a daily basis.”

I laughed. “I’m glad you showed up, and I’m also glad you’re going to my semi-formal with me.”

“Too bad yours doesn’t involve a hotel.”

“We can still go back to your place after…”

“Of course. You can do that any night.”