Breaking Away (Assassins, #5)(115)

Kissing her nose, he said, “An hour tops.”

“Thank God.”

He couldn’t agree more.





WHEN REESE woke the next morning, the first thing she saw was him. He looked angelic in a way. The sun shining behind his blond hair, giving him a halo, and his sweet lashes lying against his cheeks. His breathing was steady; his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, only a breath away. The night before had been magical. They stayed longer than she wanted, but she didn’t mind it. She liked meeting his friends and spending time with her sisters and friends. Word about Elli’s pregnancy got out and everyone was teasing them while Elli and Shea stood there, both so happy, the picture of a perfect couple. It was nice and Reese found herself feeling at home in Phillip’s arms as they stood around with the rest of the team, discussing the upcoming playoffs. It was fun, and the night was perfect in her eyes.

All because of him.

She reached out, moving her finger down his temple to his jaw. Who would have thought that this guy could take her on her first date in centuries and not give her a panic attack? If anything, she felt great. He wooed her, something she thought no one could ever do. After wooing and dancing with her until her feet hurt, he came home and burned the sheets with her. It was unbelievable, and her body was still humming from his touches and kisses.

Moving her thumb along his lip, she smiled when he flinched, but then he opened his eyes and smiled when his gaze met hers. He cuddled closer, pressing his lips to her collarbone, sending butterflies into a frenzy in her belly.

“Stop staring at me,” he said, his voice thick with sleep.

“Well, excuse me,” she teased as his lips made a trail up her neck. He smiled before taking her mouth with his in slow, deliberate kisses. She was starting to believe that kissing Phillip was as natural as breathing. His kisses were swoon worthy, breathtaking, and something she yearned for. Hugging her closer to him, he released her mouth, placing sweet kisses along her jaw before resting his nose in her hair.

“Shh, go to sleep. I’m not ready to get up.”

She smiled moving her hand up and down his back as he slowly did the figure eights with his fingers at the base of her back. She felt so content, as if she was made to lie in this bed and lazily move her fingers along his back and the nape of his neck. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to call to make sure everything was ready for the recital, or even for Harper’s baby shower. She just wanted to lay here with Phillip and forget about the rest of the world. She wanted to get lost in his kisses, in his body, and maybe they could find a way to transport Claire in until they wanted to get tangled in the sheets and she could transport out again. Pausing, she rolled her eyes at that thought. She needed to lay off the Star Trek because there was no way they could transport her, but Reese wished they could because she wanted both of them all the time.

She loved them…oh f*ck.

Sitting up quickly, Reese grabbed her chest and heaved in a lungful of air. She did not just think that. She did not. It was a figment of her imagination. Yeah, that was it, but when Phillip sat up too, running his hand up Reese’s back before asking, “Baby, what’s wrong?” she looked at him and knew it was true. Hopping out of bed, she grabbed a shirt and then some underwear, inwardly freaking the hell out because what was she thinking? What was she doing?

“Reese?”

“I’m so sorry,” she said, heading for the kitchen.

“Sorry? What the hell, come to bed, no reason to be sorry. I’ll cook us breakfast later, or we can go get Claire, go to IHOP or something.”

She shook her head. God how she wanted that, but she couldn’t. She f*cked up. How did she allow this to happen?

“I think you should go,” she uttered, her heart breaking in her chest as she choked back a sob.

“What?” he asked and when she looked back at him, he was standing up, pulling his boxers up. “What the hell is going on?”

“I fell for you,” she said and it stunned him, his eyes going wide. Her lip trembled as she looked up into his piercing blue eyes. They stood for a very long time—her not knowing what to say, while he just stared at her. His hands at his side, his eyes searching hers as she tried to catch her breath, but she was finding it hard to do. She felt her chest constricting, her heart pounding against her ribs, and she couldn’t think because oh, God, she loved him. A lot.

When his head cocked to the side, she held her breath as he took in a deep breath before resting his hands on his hips. “Okay, and you’re sorry for this because?”

Well, she sure didn’t expect him to say that. Placing her hands on her hips, mimicking his stance, she said, “This is supposed to be fun, and I f*cked it up by falling for you. I’m so sorry. Please, I can’t believe I did such a stupid thing. I know that we said we’d end this when it got boring, but I think we need to end it because I fell and I’m stupid and I—”

“Will you shut the hell up, please?”

She looked up to see him pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m trying to tell you that I am sorry because this can’t happen. I can’t be in love with you because it—”

“Didn’t I ask you to shut up?” he asked, a little more forceful this time. She closed her lips tight as she watched him drop his hand and look at her. His eyes were darker than storm clouds as he held her gaze. “Did it ever occur to you that I fell? That I f*cking love you?”