Honor

Chapter 48

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

R eid

Her fingers thread through my hair as I deepen the kiss. I don’t give a shit that she’s pressed flush against me and can feel my raging hard-on. It’s all for her. All of this is for her – the intensity of this first kiss, the thundering of my heart, and the need to run a hand over her back toward her perfect ass.

As soon as I reach my destination, I let out a low growl of appreciation.

I’ve thought about touching her for months. Now that I am, I don’t know how the fuck I’m ever going to let her go.

Someone else does that for me when a dull thud sounds through the room.

Evangeline pulls back from our kiss, far enough to look into my eyes.

Jesus, she’s so fucking beautiful that it’s almost painful to look at her. The desire to take her to bed is strong. I’d give every penny of my fortune to watch her come on my cock.

“Someone is at the door,” she whispers, even though it’s obvious.

I take another taste of her mouth. I kiss her again, but this time, I leave her with a nip of my teeth on her bottom lip.

Her fingers bolt to the bruised spot. “Ouch?”

“Ouch?” I repeat the word as the question she posed. “Does it hurt or not?”

She nods slightly just as there’s another dull thump at the door.

“Did you like it?” I ask, following the same path as her fingers with my own.

Nodding again, a languid smile slides over her lips.

“Evie, are you all right?” Randall says from behind the door.

“What the hell does he want?” I ask.

“He can hear you,” she points out.

“She’s right,” Randall adds with a laugh. “Open the door, you two. I want to run an idea by you.”

“Here’s an idea.” I swing open the door. “Scram.”

Randall laughs as if I’m joking. “Good one, buddy.”

He storms past me into Evie’s room, motioning toward the door I just answered. “Shut that, Reid.”

Evie nods in agreement, so I do it. The last thing I want is Randall in this room, but I go ahead and slam the fucking door shut, trapping the two of us with him.

“What?” I bark out in his direction.

The smile he tosses me is unwanted and unwarranted, but it does bring another to Evie’s face, so I soften my stance and turn to him.

“I’m thinking of taking Charlotte to Italy for our honeymoon.”

Evie’s hands jump to the center of her chest. “For real?”

I’ve been there countless times, and never felt the level of excitement that she is.

“For real,” Randall says, obviously charmed by her exuberance. “Unless you can think of another destination she’d like, Evie. Has she mentioned any honeymoon ideas?”

“No.” She shakes her head while stealing a look at me. “We haven’t discussed that.”

As curious as I am about what they have discussed, in particular anything related to Charlotte’s family business, now is not the time to ask questions.

Now is the time to gain a few more moments alone with my assistant.

That dream evaporates almost instantly because there’s more knocking at the door. “Evie? Is Reid still in there? He said Randall was looking for me, but I can’t find him anywhere.”

Before Randall can ask me why the hell I steered his fiancée wrong, I swing open the door and add another unwanted guest to this party.

“There you are,” she croons as soon as she spots Randall. “Did you need me, sweetheart?”

Randall tosses me a look of gratitude as if I’ve just done him a huge favor. I guess sending Charlotte on a mission to look for him wasn’t that bad after all.

“I’ll always need you,” he says. “I was just chatting with our best man and maid of honor about a few wedding details.”

She crosses her arms and feigns anger by tapping her foot on the floor. “Without me? No fair.”

“It’s a secret,” Evie adds her voice to the mix. “You’re going to love it, Lottie.”

Charlotte wraps an arm around Evie’s waist, and I’m instantly envious because I was that close to her just moments ago. “I’m so happy. I don’t know how this is my life, but it’s like a dream.”

Good for her because I feel like I’m in the middle of a nightmare right now.

“You two need to scoot so I can spend time with Evie,” Charlotte directs those words at me. “Whatever work you wanted her to do with you will have to wait.”

I wouldn’t describe what I wanted to do with Evangeline as work. Still, I know Charlotte is referring to my comment to Pete earlier about needing my assistant to help me with a negotiation tonight. That was a blatant lie to keep his greedy hands off of her.

“Go!” That word gets sent in Randall’s direction, along with a wag of Charlotte’s fingers. “Now!”

He motions for me to follow him. “The guys are down by the pool. Let’s go hang out with them.”

“Let’s not,” I retort but add a smile to it so he doesn’t give me shit. “I’m going to turn in. It’s been a long day.”

“Since you’re the best man, you get a room all to yourself.” Randall pats my shoulder.

I didn’t realize there was a chance I’d be doubling up with anyone. During Randall’s walk down memory lane earlier, he pointed out the bedroom we shared when we were kids and then told me to drop my stuff in it.

I was grateful that during the extensive renovations this place has undergone the bunk beds that once were in that room have been replaced with a king-size bed.

“Gee, thanks, buddy.” I grin, knowing the words will feed a part of him seeking assurance that I’m happy to be here.

I am, but not for the reason he thinks.

I kissed Evangeline today, and I’m addicted. I can’t wait to get another taste.