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"We are not going to a whore house."
She stopped walking and lowered her gaze to the ground.
"It's not too fun having to wait is it," he said, a hint of tease lining his words.
"Is that what this is? Revenge?"
"No," Reed chuckled. "Not revenge."
Forcing her to tip her head back to look at him, he drew his arms around her. Her eyes had lost the
determination from the moment before, but desire still lingered there.
Reed brushed lips over hers. He wiped the kiss away with his thumb and tipped his forehead against hers.
"It won't be much longer," he whispered. "I promise."
"Reed," Luke called from the house.
His brother never was one to have good timing.
"What?" Reed said, not moving to look at him.
"Mariah's ready for bed," Luke said. "Where should we put up our feet?"
"They can have Travis's room," Deli murmured.
Keeping his hand around her back, he guided her toward the house. He wasn't looking forward to another
uncomfortable night on that damn couch.
146
"Little Shyla's waking up," Luke said when they came into the parlor.
Reed nodded and quietly shut the door. Deli moved away from his side, leaving him cold and longing.
"Go ahead and take that room," Reed said, nodding at Travis's bedroom. "Travis will be at Young's place for a
while longer."
Luke lifted the baby and her cradle and stepped carefully into Travis's room. Reed opened the trunk in the
parlor and pulled his blanket out. He tossed it on the sofa, and turned to find Mariah staring strangely at him.
"I won't even ask what you're doing," she said.
Reed smiled.
"Neither will I," Deli said, coming beside her. "Reed, honey, you know Travis isn't here, so why are you
making him a bed?"
Stunned, Reed blinked at her. She may have been inexperienced, but she was a very quick learner.
"I..." Now she had him at a loss for words.
Mariah shifted her gaze between them, then lifted one of her eyebrows in question. "I won't even ask," she
said again. Crossing to Reed, she stood on her toes and pecked him lightly on the cheek. "Behave yourself."
It's not me you have to worry about, Reed wanted to say, but he still couldn't find his voice.
"I'm very pleased to meet you, Deli," Mariah said. "We'll have more of chance to talk in the morning."
Deli flinched at her voice. "In the morning?"
Mariah nodded. "I'm interested in knowing how you managed to catch the one that always got away."
"Go to bed, Mariah," Reed warned.
Mariah giggled and backed toward Travis's room. "I'm sure it's a very interesting story."
"You should talk about stories."
"Mariah," Luke's voice rose above theirs. "Stop picking on Reed."
Mariah stepped inside the room and graced them with another all-knowing grin before she closed the door.
Reed shook his head. One would think his sister-in-law had learned her lesson about match making.
"I think I'll go take a bath," Deli whispered. "Wanna come?"
Reed tensed. "No. No bath."
What kind of trouble was she trying to get them in?
She pulled her hair over one shoulder and disappeared inside her bedroom. "You coming?"
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Reed hesitated outside her door. He tried to keep in mind that a single wall separated her and Travis's rooms.
Deli sat on the edge of the bed and unbuttoned her dress. Reed watched her hands with eager interest.
"This isn't a good idea," he said.
She unhooked the last button at her waist and tipped her head up to see him. "I think it is."
Reed's gaze lingered on the flash of bare flesh peeking out from under her dress. He took a deep breath. His
body demanded that he step forward and take Deli in his arms again, but his legs refused to move.
"The walls are very thin," he said.
"Very thin," Luke echoed from the next room.
Deli's cheeks brightened. Her hands blurred up the front of her dress as she linked the buttons back together.
Her eyes had widened and her throat bulged for a moment as she swallowed with obvious difficulty.
"Geez, I'm thick," she said, slapping her hand over her eyes.
Stepping forward, Reed pulled her hand away from her face and held a single finger up to his own lips.
"Shh..."
"I get it now," she whispered, her cheekbones still tainted with an embarrassed pink. "We'll wait."
Reed nodded and carefully crawled onto the bed. "Come here."
She moved up to the top of the bed and lay beside him. Reed agonized over her body being so close to his.
Somehow, he'd make it through the night.
"Hey, Reed," Luke called out.
"Christ, Luke, what now?"
Silence answered him.
After a beat, Luke quietly added, "Never mind."
Reed slipped his arm under Deli's head. She peered up at him with innocence and a love she hadn't yet voiced.
"Maybe we can put them up at Chestnut's Place," he whispered.
Deli smiled. She yawned again and wiggled closer to him. She nestled her head under his jaw. A quiet sigh
tickled his chest.
Reed tightened his arms around her and prayed that sleep wouldn't elude him. He could only hope that she
wouldn't change her mind by morning.
148
Chapter Fifteen
Deli stretched her arms over her head and yawned. She rolled onto her side and pulled her blanket into her
arms. Last night, Reed had her thinking about a thousand things that she never thought possible.
The remembrance of him sent a familiar buzzing through the pit of her stomach. All night, he'd slept beside
her. The feel of him blanketed her in peaceful dreams. But she hadn't wanted to sleep. She'd wanted to watch
him, to remember what he looked and felt like beside her.
The aroma of mouthwatering ham and greasy eggs opened her eyes. Uncertain, she blinked at Reed's side of
the bed. He had slept beside her, hadn't he?
Sitting up, Deli frowned at the empty room. Voices in the parlor cleared her mind, reminding her that they
were no longer alone in the house. Leaping out of bed, she straightened her loppy dress, the same things she'd
worn the night before. Sure that no one would notice, she patted down her hair and rubbed the sleep from her
eyes.
Laughter erupted from the parlor. Deli stilled at the sound. She glanced at her bed, wishing she could cower
out and go back to sleep.
With a deep breath, she swung her bedroom door open and joined Luke, Mariah, and Reed in the kitchen.
As pristine as she'd been the night before, Mariah brightened. "Good morning, Deli."
"Morning, Deli," Reed and Luke echoed.
A baby's giggle startled her more than their chorus of voices. Sitting at the table, Reed held Shyla long-ways
across his lap. He bounced his knees and cradled her tiny head in his large hands.
Shyla laughed and batted at the air above her face.
"I don't know how you do it," Mariah said, stirring something at the stove. "She never sits still like that."
"This is why I need a house full of children," Reed said, bringing his face down the baby's.
Uncomfortable, Deli cleared her throat. He looked odd pampering such a small creature, but he did it with
ease, as if he'd been doing it all his life.
"Here," Reed said, standing. "Want to hold her?"
Deli's stomach tightened. "For what?"
"Just to hold her."
"Why?"
"Because." He pushed the baby closer. "Here."
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