Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(86)

So this was going to be my first full day as a non-virgin.

Weird.

My time with Brandt last night began to feel like a dream. So I grabbed my phone and sent him a text.

Okay, I’m finally awake. Did last night really happen?

He didn’t immediately respond, so I did a mental calculation in my head before I realized he was probably showering now and getting ready for school.

I did the same.

I took my phone into the bathroom with me and when I climbed out of my perch in the shower, I saw he’d written back. Joy bloomed in my chest until I read what he’d said.

What happened last night?

With a growl and roll of my eyes, I shot back with: Jerk!

This time, he answered immediately: LOL! Yes, it happened. I’m still in a daze too. Best. Night. Ever!

With a smug little smirk, I set my phone down, feeling better. I was halfway finished getting ready for my first class when I realized...yesterday could’ve very well ended up being one of the worst nights ever for Brandt. I’d completely forgotten his mom had shown up. I began to worry about him until he texted me again, asking when my lunch break was today.

But I had classes straight through until four and had been planning on snacking on granola bars during lectures.

So Brandt asked what I was doing the next day for my noon meal. I scowled, remembering I’d planned on meeting with my advisor during my lunch break.

Damn, he answered. I need to see you SOMETIME before Friday. I’m feeling very introspective. Really need some time with Aristotle.

WE ARE NOT NAMING IT ARISTOTLE, I told him in no uncertain terms, laughing the entire time I typed.

Socrates? he asked.

Oh my God, I loved this guy.

Instead of rejecting the idea completely, I typed, Maybe, to which he immediately said, Really? Cool!

I laughed. I said MAYBE. Now get to class already, weirdo. You’re going to be late.

Shit. Ur right. Gotta go. Luv u.

His last two words made me blink. Brandt had told me he loved me numerous times over the years. I think he’d even said it since we’d had sex, But...I don’t know, today it felt different. Everything felt so different. Bigger. Better.

I turned all pensive and very Socrates-like for the rest of the day myself.

When I made it home, Reese and Mason had returned from Pick and Eva’s. The house was full of sound, the twins yelling as they played, and their parents yelling above them so they could have a conversation with each other from opposite ends of the house.

I smiled and shook my head as I rolled toward the kitchen where most of the commotion was coming from. The family was definitely back. It made me think about what Brandt had said about how quiet things would be if we moved in together, just the two of us.

I let myself envision and dream about that possibility another second before I pushed it away. As tempting as it sounded, it was completely and utterly not going to happen.

Inside the kitchen, Gracen and Isabella were arguing over who would get the last piece of apple while Mason called from his room, asking where his red and black tie was.

“It’s still in the dryer,” Reese yelled before ripping the apple slice in two and handing a half to each child. Then her face lit up when she saw me. “Sarah! Hey, we’re home.”

With a laugh, I rolled toward the refrigerator to get some milk. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“You totally need to see the new baby. He’s just so adorable,” she told me as she pulled a cup from the cupboard for me. “Makes me miss those days and almost want another one.”

“Good God, no!” Mason said as he strolled into the kitchen, wrestling his tie into place over his collar. “Not until these two are old enough to babysit, anyway.”

“Genius idea,” Reese said, going to him after she handed me my cup so she could help him with his tie, and then kiss his jaw as she patted it neatly into place.

“You look nice,” I told him as I put the rest of the milk carton away and neared the table to be close to Gracen and Isabella. “Where are you going?”

“We have a new potential investor for the plant, so all us suits are taking him out to dinner tonight. Everything here go okay while we were gone?”

I couldn’t help it. I immediately blushed. But oh yeah, things had gone way better than okay while they’d been gone. “Uh, yeah...” I mumbled, unable to keep eye contact. “Everything went fine.”

As both my niece and nephew begged for a drink from my glass, I let them polish off the last half of my milk, only to realize Reese was staring at me with the biggest smile.

“Good,” Mason said, bending down to kiss me on the cheek before he did the same for his kids. While his back was to his wife, she sent me a meaningful look before mouthing the words, Oh my God!

Realizing she’d just figured me out, I blushed harder and widened my eyes at her to keep her quiet. So she cleared her throat and smoothed out her expression just in time for Mason to see none of her excitement when he turned to her for the last kiss goodbye.

He’d just exited the kitchen and wasn’t even completely gone from the house when Reese clapped her hands to gain the twins’ attention. “How about some TV in the front room? Sound fun?”

As they cheered and raced from the kitchen, Reese caught the arm of my wheelchair before I could escape too. “Oh, no you don’t, woman.” Whipping me around until I was forced to face her, she pressed her lips together and lifted her eyebrows as if waiting for me to explain myself. But she didn’t give me a chance to say a single word before she blew.