Reese grabs me, hauls me into that mouthwatering body, and plants a firm but brief kiss on my lips. "Anything you want, Luscious."
Then he saunters back into his room and shuts the door.
We make breakfast together---which, with this guy, means we spend more time laughing and kissing than actually cooking---and afterward we head out to my favorite art museums. It's the start of a week-long adventure consisting of visits to everywhere we can think of that sounds like fun. On day four, we visit Coney Island and have a total blast there. Bumper cars with Reese makes me laugh so hard my eyes water. On the roller coaster, I shriek and cling to Reese. He grins the entire time, keeping his arm around me.
After that, we play games like Whac-A-Mole and Water Racer---and I win a stuffed giraffe, which I give to Reese. He does a formal, courtly bow when he accepts my gift. And of course, he kisses me---though he keeps it PG rated.
I've never had such a good time. Ever.
We go shopping too, and Reese buys me a Cyclone T-shirt to commemorate the day we rode that roller coaster together. I buy him a shirt with a mermaid on it. He promptly whips off the shirt he's been wearing and pulls on the new one, spreading his arms and grinning. I get that glowy sensation in my chest again, like I had the night we did the deed, the one that feels good and weird at the same time. At the aquarium, we watch the sea lions and the fish and all that stuff, but then Reese pulls me into a dark corner and kisses me. It's slow and sensual and not at all in line with his plan for celibate dating. At least, it seems that way to me. I love it anyway. Not only does he have a magic dick, but he's also got a magic mouth.
Reese insists on buying me dinner at a pizza restaurant, which is delish, then we walk along the boardwalk hand in hand while we watch the sun dip lower and lower in the sky. Once it's dark, we head for the Wonder Wheel. I haven't been on a Ferris wheel in ages and ages. When I told Reese that earlier, he insisted we must ride one today. After we climb into a car, he slips his arm around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. It feels nice and comfortable, like we've known each other for months instead of days.
As soon as the wheel starts moving, Reese nuzzles my cheek and whispers, "I'm not afraid of having a relationship with you."
My breath catches. Dating is one thing, but a relationship would take us to the next level. Is he really prepared for that?
I turn my face toward him, and our eyes meet. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Depends what you think I'm saying." He drags his fingertips down my cheek. "I want to get involved with you, Arden. Seriously involved."
My voice refuses to work. Stunned speechless? Me? Wow, it's hard to believe.
Reese brushes his thumb over my lips. "Do you want that?"
"A relationship? With you?" I smile. "Yes, I'd love that."
He smiles too, but it's no exuberant grin. It's sweet and tender.
"Don't relationships involve sex?" I ask.
"I, uh, guess so." He bows his head, scratches the back of it, then looks at me again. "But we shouldn't. Not yet."
"Okay, fine, we'll stick to celibacy." I slump on the seat and throw him a sideways glance. "It's not fair to be so irresistible when you refuse to have sex with me."
"I'll make it worth the wait, I promise."
Our car reaches the ground, and we climb out of it.
Reese slings an arm around me. "How about ice cream?"
Yeah, that's what I'm hungry for right now. Ice cream. Sheesh. Maybe if I get to lick it off him...
But we stay platonic for the rest of the evening and go to sleep in our separate rooms.
Damn.
Chapter Thirteen
Reese
Spending this much time with Arden has proved a hard test for my willpower. She's so sexy, even when she's shoving huge bites of pizza into her mouth. To survive a week with her, I've had to put up some walls between us. Real walls. The kind that separate my bedroom from hers.
Why can't I shag her again? I know there was a reason, but it's fading from my memory.
Did I actually tell her I want a relationship? Yeah, I did. And I meant it. Dating seemed like a huge step, but a relationship feels like jumping off the Empire State Building. I love that feeling. It's the best high in the world, next to making love to Arden. Which I can't do. Because I said we shouldn't.
Why did I do that?