Her Destiny (Reverie #2)(27)

Second step? Somehow convincing Reverie that we belong together. That might be harder to accomplish but I’m determined to make it happen.

Closing my eyes, I breathe deep and tell my ass to go to sleep. It’s already close to two in the morning and I have no idea what the plan is when the sun comes up. Reverie said she has to work in the afternoon and I know Evan is working too. Where does that leave me? Is she definitely going with me like we discussed? Or is Evan going to take over and handle everything?

I don’t want Evan coming between us. If I can get her alone, get her to come back with me I can make this happen. I can make us happen.

I hear a noise in the hall and I crack open my eyes to see a golden strip of light shining beneath the closed door of the bathroom. I have no idea if it’s Evan or Reverie behind that door but I do know I have my preference. And when the door opens no less than a minute later, a gorgeous leggy blonde stepping out into the hall, I sit up, softly calling out her name. For a moment, I almost fear she didn’t hear me, but then she turns in my direction, a little smile curling her perfect lips. The relief that floods me as I watch her approach is near overwhelming.

I have it so bad for this girl and she doesn’t have a clue.

She walks toward me, her hair mussed, her expression sleepy. “Did you say my name?” she asks.

“Yeah.”

Her eyebrows scrunch up in that way they do when she’s confused. Damn, she’s cute. “You okay?” she whispers.

I sit up more and scoot over, patting the space beside me. “Come here.” I gather the blankets into my lap because I’m only wearing my boxer briefs and I don’t want to scare her. She’s seen me in less but I don’t want to mess around like that with her brother in the next room.

Besides, she’s not ready for that. I’m not going to push too hard. The last thing I want is to send her screaming, running away from me and shutting down my chances with her.

“Reverie?” She doesn’t move, no sound, no answer comes from her and my heart feels like it stops beating for an infinitely long second before she settles on the couch by my side, her warmth seeping into me, she’s so close.

“I shouldn’t do this,” she says into the darkness, facing away from me. “I should go back to my room.”

I touch her hair, flip it over her shoulder so it flows down her back. “Don’t go.” It’s all I say, a simple request that I hope like hell she meets. “Can you sleep, knowing I’m out here?”

“No,” she admits, her voice sounding choked. “But that doesn’t mean anything, right? It’s not like we’re together anymore. Everything’s so different now, including you. Including me.”

“And that’s a bad thing? If you think you changing bothers me, you’re wrong.” I skim my fingers across the length of her shoulder, down along her upper arm, feeling her shiver beneath my touch. I wish I was touching bare skin. “I like who you’ve become.”

“You don’t know me. Not really,” she counters.

“I want to. And I think we got pretty close over the summer, don’t you?”

She looks at me then, her eyes wide in the darkness, her lips parted. “I was such a different person then and you know it. I had…no clue.”

“I know.” Leaning forward, I pull her into me, wrapping my arm around her shoulders, my mouth at her ear. My skin feels electric coming into contact with her, even though she’s almost completely covered. I close my eyes, battling against all the urges I have to throw her down on the couch beneath me and strip her naked. “I taught you a lot.”

She smiles, tilting her head away from mine. “Stop.”

“Stop what?” I press my lips to her cheek, offering her a lingering kiss that I want to take further. Further and further until we’re too far gone to care.

“You’re teasing me.” The smile fades. “Making fun of the inexperienced girl.”

“No way.” I let my lips drift across her cheek, toward her ear, until I’m nibbling on the lobe and making her squirm. “I love that you were so inexperienced. It means that you’re all mine.” Being with her, having her in my arms, the possessive urge that sweeps over me is hard to deny.

This girl is definitely mine, though I’m not sure she realizes it.

A shuddering sigh escapes her and she hangs her head down. “I’ve been with other boys.”

I stiffen and pull away from her, curling my fingers around her chin and forcing her to look at me. “Hell, Reverie. Did you…have sex with them?” Anger bubbles up inside me and I tell it to f**k off. I have no right to be mad. We weren’t together. She was feeling lost, missing her old life. I can’t blame her.

But I want to tear apart every one of those guys who had their hands on her, no matter how brief the interlude was.

She slowly shakes her head, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. “I kissed them, that’s it, I swear. I think…oh my God, this is going to sound so stupid but I think I was trying to kiss you out of my system or something.”

“Did that plan work out for you?” I ask, my voice low, my thoughts turbulent. I’m quietly freaking out inside waiting for her answer and I don’t know how long I can stand it.

“No.” She loops an arm around my neck, pulling herself into me. “I still missed you.”