The Promise (Neighbor from Hell, #10)(43)

“They left five minutes ago,” Reed said on that familiar long-suffering sigh that she was painfully familiar with as he leaned forward and grabbed her chair.

“Oh,” Joey said, unable to help but frown as he pulled her closer because she’d kind of been counting on them to keep the large man that was pulling her closer from-

“Lost you again,” he said, sounding amused as he leaned in and kissed her.

“It happens,” she admitted, reaching up so that she could cup his freshly shaved jaw in her hands as she kissed him back.

“I sensed that,” he said on a groan as she found herself pulled onto his lap.

Smiling, she shifted on his lap so that she was comfortably straddling him as she wrapped her arms around him. Once she was settled, she felt herself relax. There was just something that had to be said about being in Reed Bradford’s arms, she thought even as she had to admit that she could easily become addicted to this.

“Faking it, huh?” he asked as he ran his hands down her back so that he was cupping her bottom.

“I felt that it was prudent to throw them off my trail,” she said, nodding solemnly only to moan when he used his hold to pull her closer.

“And it didn’t bother you to screw me over like that?” he asked, making her breath catch as she felt him harden beneath her.

“It did. It really did,” she said with a nod as she licked her lips and tried to focus.

“You looked really heartbroken about it,” he said on a groan as he used his hold to move her against him.

“I really was,” she said only to tilt her head to the side on a moan when he kissed his way down to her neck.

“You’re going to make my life a living hell, aren’t you, brat?” Reed asked, not really sounding all that upset about it, which was probably for the best since she had a feeling that he was right.





Chapter 26

“So, I’ve decided to forgive you,” Jen said with a heavy sigh as she sat down in her favorite chair and helped herself to the bowl of candy that was starting to run low.

“That’s really generous of you,” Reed murmured absently as he finished saving the changes that he’d made to next week’s newsletter before he checked his email to make sure that there weren’t any last-minute surprises waiting for him before he finally called it a night.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Jen said with a sad shake of her head as she popped a piece of candy in her mouth.

“And what’s that?” he asked, scrolling through his emails, making sure that there was nothing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow.

“You’re thinking that I’ve made promises in the past, but this time is different,” Jen said with a shrug and a small sigh.

“I’m sure it is,” he said, glancing up in time to see Joey head out the door and realized just how late it was. He should have left a half hour ago, he thought as he quickly glanced at the clock.

“It is,” she said, nodding. “It really is.”

“Really?” Reed drawled as he shifted his attention back to his emails.

“Really,” Jen said with a firm nod. “I’ve changed.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in detention?” he asked when he came across an email that needed a reply today.

“Yes, yes, I am, but I thought that perhaps the two of us could discuss the situation and come to an amicable solution that would benefit everyone involved?” she asked with a hopeful smile.

“Or I could just call your uncle and let him know you’re-”

“So, I’ll just be heading back to detention now,” she said, quickly getting to her feet and heading for the door, leaving him free to head home and focus on something else for a change.

When he looked up again, he found that something else that he was planning on focusing on walking back inside and heading for the front desk. Biting back a smile, he wrote a quick reply, put his laptop in his bag and went to find out what the woman that he’d been thinking about all day needed.

“Do you have AAA?” Mrs. MacArthur, one of the secretaries that ran the front office, was asking Joey when he opened his office door.

“Not anymore,” she said with a hesitant pause that had his eyes narrowing and making him wonder what she did.

“Is everything okay, Dr. Lawson?” he asked as he closed his office door behind him and locked it.

“Her car won’t start,” Mrs. MacArthur said, already reaching for the phone.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Joey said, giving Mrs. MacArthur a reassuring smile.

“Does it happen a lot?” he asked, moving to join them by the front desk.

“No, it’s usually pretty dependable,” Joey said with a soft sigh that had him nodding.

“I’ll call Joe’s. They’re usually pretty quick and if the driver can’t figure out what’s wrong then they’ll tow it to the shop,” Mrs. MacArthur said as she searched her rolodex for the number.

“Don’t bother Joe, Mrs. MacArthur. I’ll have a look, and if I can’t fix it then Matt should be able to,” he said, gesturing for Joey to lead the way.

“Are you sure?” Joey asked, worrying her bottom lip the same way that she had this morning in the kitchen when he’d slid his hand beneath her skirt so that he could slide his finger inside-