Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(46)

Penny handed us two shirts each and a pair of trunks to Reed and a one-piece suit to me. I went into the ladies locker room to try it on because you never know how those things are going to fit. The center’s colors were dark purple and silver, so all staff members had to wear logo shirts and the right kind of suits. Penny explained that the cost of our uniforms would just come out of our first paycheck.

I stuffed mine into the bag I brought and Reed slung his over his shoulder as we headed out. Always the charmer, Reed winked at Penny and told her he’d be sure to bring her a coffee when we reported for duty tomorrow.

“I take tea in the afternoon, pumpkin,” she sassed right back at him.

We both agreed that Penny was awesome. Walking out to the parking lot, our hands slung dangerously close to one another, almost as if we were both reaching for each other but also both unwilling to give into the urge. I stared straight ahead, sucking on my lip and just trying not to pay attention to the electricity firing off of my fingertips. I had never felt this with Sean, I thought.

Without warning, Reed scooped me up and slung me over his shoulder to join the Tshirts and swimsuit he had put there and took off running. I lost my breath for a second and then the blood rushed to my head as I hung upside down staring at his back and the heels of his shoes. His hands held tight over my upper legs, and I became acutely aware of every place on my body that was touching him. I started giggling uncontrollably, a bit unlike me.

“Reed, no no no, put me down,” I begged, lying through my teeth. “Hey, my bag, my bag. I dropped my bag.”

He just turned around on the balls of his feet and took off in the direction we came from, refusing to let me go. “I’ll get it, not putting you down, nope. Not going to do it!” he said, laughing a bit himself.

He ran back to my bag, stopped and bent forward, telling me to grab the loop on my bag. “I can’t!” I laughed uncontrollably. “I can’t reach it.”

“I’m going to drop you, then,” he threatened, jokingly of course.

I reached down and snagged the end of my bag with my fingertips. “Got it, I got it,” I yelled. He didn’t wait a second longer and just took off running. I couldn’t stop laughing, but I was also in wonder over how strong and fast he was. Not that I was very heavy, but he was running in a full sprint and I was clinging to the sides of his shirt, though it never felt like I slipped at all. He slowed to a jog when we got near the Jeep.

“Throw your bag in the back on the count of three, ready?” he said.

“Ready!” I responded, getting a better grip and swinging my bag back and forth to get it ready.

“One. Two. Three!” he yelled, and I let my bag fly. It hit the back of the seats and slid to the back floor next to some football binders and his secret hat.

“OK, I’m going to turn around, and you need to grab the handle,” he said.

“OK,” I said. “Or, you could just put me down?”

“No, ma’am. I’m afraid that is not an option,” he said in an overly serious voice. This silly side of Reed was new, and I was truly loving it.

“Can you see it?” he asked.

“Yep, got it. Open,” I said, pulling the door out wide enough for me to get in.

“OK, keep your head tucked,” he said, grabbing a hold of my sides tightly and lowering me from his shoulder and into the Jeep so my feet dangled out the side and I sat facing him. I smoothed out the wild hairs from my head, pulled my shorts down a bit and straightened my suit straps, still giggling a bit and squeezing my eyes shut from the rush of blood from my face. I opened them up to see Reed throwing his shirts and suit in the back and then making a dramatic serious face as he stood right in front of me.

“Crisis averted, ma’am,” he said, saluting me just like I had done to him so many times. I just smiled, blushing a little at the sudden close attention. Reed’s cheesy smile slowly slid into a more natural one, a warm one. He stood there between my feet, so close I could smell the gum on his breath and the chlorine still wet on his shorts. He tilted his head to the side the slightest bit and reached up slowly to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I watched his hand come up to my face and then move back down to his side. I was unable to speak. Barely able to breathe. Reed inhaled deeply then looked down my legs. He reached down and scooped up my dangling limbs and slid me the right way in the seat, reaching across my body for the seat belt, stopping when his eyes were right at mine, his mouth inches from mine.

“My duty isn’t over until you’re completely safe,” he said, his right dimple rising with a smirk. He held my gaze for what was probably two seconds but felt like a lifetime. He blinked to look down at the seatbelt holder and clicked my buckle in place, pulling it so it was tight against my skin. “There, we should be able to get you home now.”

He stepped back and then closed the door carefully before walking around the back of the Jeep. I exhaled immediately, letting out all of the anxiety from holding my breath for so long. My heart beat was thumping in my ears. I looked in the side mirror to see Reed walking slowly and rubbing the back of his neck. Seconds later he was opening his door and getting in next to me. Without a word he turned the ignition, buckled his own belt and pulled us out on the main road.

I couldn’t help but stare at him. The last 10 minutes of my life were a dream. The best dream I have ever had, but they seemed so surreal. I didn’t care if Reed caught me staring, and frankly, I could tell he felt my eyes on him. He was being overly cautious about driving, paying attention to everything on the road, looking everywhere but me. Wanting to break the tension, I leaned forward and turned on his stereo. I put on the oldies station just to get his attention a little, and I saw his face light up with a smile when Elvis started cranking from his speakers. Unable to help himself, he turned to look at me, raising his eyebrows up and down.