Fall for You Read online

  “So, Mom, why do I get blessed with lasagna?”

  She started wiping down his already mostly clean counter top.

  “Mom? Stop cleaning my house and sit down with me. What's going on?”

  Dot sat gracefully and folded her hands primly in her lap. “Can't a mom visit her son? I had an MFLIC meeting this morning so I thought I would stop by for a chat.”

  Reed and his mother never spent much time chatting, but he'd wait to hear what she had on her mind. He dug into his food and between bites, asked her, “So, what are you and the ladies improving now?”

  She tried placing more lasagna on his plate, but he blocked her with his fork. “I'm still working on this piece.” He smiled to soften the temporary rejection. “This is really good, by the way.”

  Dot beamed with pride. “I know it's your favorite. Besides, I never know what you eat besides take out.” After a brief pause, she continued, “Anyway, we decided to put it to a vote on whether to use wood or rubber mulch around the swings in the park. You know how kids tend to fall, trip, or push each other. This way, they'll have a softer landing. I suggested rubber mulch so the little ones don't get splinters. I'm fairly confident my idea will win. I spoke to most of the ladies and they're already seeing things my way.”

  He nodded and chewed while his mom described the goings on of her meeting.

  She nervously began fidgeting with the salt and pepper shakers on his table. Reed had a feeling he wasn't going to like what was coming next.

  Dot gave a nervous laugh. “I heard the most absurd rumor from Elaine Newman after the meeting. She said that you've been spending time with that Sophie Brandon at the Cookie Jar. She told me that you've been seen carrying on in there.”

  She looked at him expectantly.

  He didn't know which part to address first, the fact that his mom called her 'that Sophie' or that some old biddy was cataloging his comings and goings.

  Reed raised his hand to halt any more gossip. “First of all, 'that Sophie' is a nice woman.”

  Dot gasped. “Reed, I don't know if you've heard, but Sophie Brandon isn't as nice as you think. She and that friend of hers called me a…” She stopped as if she couldn't even say the word out loud. Instead, she spelled it. “B-I-T-C-H!”

  Reed had a hard time believing Sophie would do that. “Mom, when was this?”

  Dot looked away, effectively showing that she didn't want to elaborate. “It doesn't matter when! They insulted me!”

  “Why would they do something like that?”

  She glanced up at him seeming embarrassed and insulted all over again.

  “All right, I'll tell you what happened. Elaine and I ran into each other at the gas station and started chatting. We were next to the door when Sophie and that friend of hers barged out of the Gas N Go. I guess we must have been in their way because that Tracy King gave me the most scathing look I ever saw. I didn't know what to say! They got in their car and that's when I saw them say B-I-T-C-H!”

  Reed was trying to process this. “Wait. They spelled it or said it?”

  Dot was indignant. “They said it!”

  “Okay. Now, what do you mean you saw them say it? You mean that you heard them.”

  “I read their lips! They were angry and talking about me!”

  “How do you know they were talking about you?”

  “They were looking right at me! I saw it plain as day.”

  Reed sat back in his chair, knowing there had to be more to the story. “Why would Sophie and Tracy do that?”

  She looked indignant. “I don't have the faintest idea! They simply have no respect for their elders. Do you really want to spend time with someone who would treat your own mother so poorly?”

  “I'll have to ask Sophie about this.”

  Dot stood up swiftly. “You can't do that!”

  Reed was surprised by her reaction. “Why not, Mom?”

  She sat back down and started to fidget with the salt shaker again. “It's so embarrassing. I'd rather you didn't say anything to anyone.”

  Thinking she looked more nervous than embarrassed, he thought his mom might have misread things. “Are you sure? Don't you want to hear Sophie and Tracy's side of this?”

  “I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me; is it true that you're carrying on with Sophie Brandon?”

  Reed set his fork on his plate and wondered why it was anyone's business. “Like I said, Sophie's a nice woman.” Speaking over Dot's squeak of disbelief, he continued. “As for carrying on, Ben and I were there to get an estimate for a construction job.”

  She didn't need to know about his impromptu picnic or the sugar mishap. Reed didn't kiss and tell, especially to his mom, no matter how spectacular it was.

  Dot looked relieved. “So, there's nothing going on between you and…”

  Reed filled in the sentence. “Sophie. Her name is Sophie.”

  His mom tried putting another serving on his plate. “It doesn't matter since you aren't seeing her.”

  He bristled at the satisfaction in her tone. “Now, I didn't say that. I said I was there on business. If I were seeing her, it wouldn't be anyone else's business anyway!”

  Dot took his plate and began scraping it off in the trash with quick, agitated motions.

  He took the plate from his mom and placed it in the sink. Reed put his arm around her. “Look, Mom. I appreciate your concern, but I'm a grown man. My private life is private.”

  She appeared forlorn. “I only want what's best for you.”

  Smiling, he led Dot back to her seat and helped push in her chair. “Now that that's settled. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  She eyed the coffee pot with indecision. “Is it fresh?”

  Reed had no idea how old the coffee was. Yesterday? To be on the safe side, he dumped out the carafe in the sink and started a new pot.

  Chapter 7

  Sophie stood in front of her closet, fruitlessly trying to figure what the heck to wear. She didn't want to dress up (again) because it would look like she was trying too hard. If she went with her normal Sunday evening at home outfit of yoga pants and a tank top, Sophie would look like she hadn't bothered with her appearance at all. Unfortunately, Reed had already seen Hobo Sophie.

  Max wasn't much help in choosing an outfit either. She had sixty-five pounds of puppy dog lounging on her queen-sized bed, contentedly watching her.

  “You know this would be much easier if Tracy were here.” He put his head on his paws and whined in what almost sounded like an apology.

  “It's okay, buddy, you can't help it if you're not fashion forward. I'll just have to find something somewhere between too much and not enough.”

  He perked his ears up in agreement, then yawned.

  Four outfits later, she decided on a pair of white shorts with silver-toned embroidery at the hem and a raspberry colored scoop neck T-shirt. The shorts went right above mid-thigh and the shirt was form fitting without seeming too tight.

  She turned to ask Max what he thought, but he had already fallen asleep.

  The sound of the doorbell chiming startled her. Sophie hadn't realized that she'd taken so long getting dressed. Max woke up with a loud bark and leaped off the bed.

  She did a quick hair and makeup check in her dresser mirror before leaving her room. Sophie was actually wearing makeup and her hair was down and brushed. She called it a win and went for the door. Max managed to walk circles around her while moving down the hallway at the same time. He barked the whole way while she tried not to trip over him.

  Please, Sophie. Don't break your neck before you get to the door.

  Through the frosted, beveled glass on her front door, she saw the outline of Reed highlighted by the setting sun. One hand was on his hip and the other appeared to be holding a clipboard. His face was turned in profile as he waited. The wood casing around the oval of glass framed him almost perfectly.

  As soon as she opened the door, Max stretched up and put his big paws on Reed's che
st. With his tongue lolled to the side, he panted hot and not so fresh dog breath straight into Reed's face. Reed took a step back in surprise, then gave Max a good scratch behind the ear.

  “Hey there, boy. Aren't you friendly?”

  Sophie pulled her dog by the collar in a Herculean effort to get him off her guest. “I'm sorry! He normally isn't this exuberant, but he is a bit of a dog slut. He'll treat you like his best friend for a belly rub or a scrap of food.”

  She finally got the dog to move away long enough for Reed to come in. As soon as he crossed the threshold, Max bumped his head against his hand for some more petting and scratching.

  Sophie sighed and closed the door. “As you can see, he has no shame.”

  Reed grinned and looked content to give Max all the scratching a dog could want. He talked to him as he ran his fingers through his tawny fur. “So you're the man in Sophie's life. I don't think I can compete with a guy this handsome.” Max, canine harlot that he was, closed his eyes in ecstasy and rolled over on his back for some more petting.

  * * * *

  Reed glanced up from where he was crouched and asked, “What kind of dog is he?”

  Sophie looked at her dog affectionately. “Max is what I call a wonder mutt because I wonder how many dog breeds are in him. He was a rescue dog. I decided to get a pet to keep me company when Tracy moved out. Luckily, I adopted him in time before, well, you know.”

  She shook her head as if to dispel the thought of her dog almost being put to sleep. Reed admired Sophie for having such a big heart. He'd wanted a dog since he was a kid, but his Mom was allergic to them.

  Sophie invited him to have a seat on her overstuffed burgundy sofa. “Would you like a drink or do you want to get right to it?”

  He raised his eyebrows and she blushed as pink as her T-shirt. “What I mean is would you care for a drink before we review the papers?”

  Reed decided to let her off the hook for the time being so he took a seat and placed his clipboard on the coffee table. Max plopped down and rested his head on Reed's boots as if claiming ownership.

  “A drink would be great.” He paused. “Then we can get right to it." He didn't think her blush could get any deeper, but he was wrong.

  Rolling her eyes to hide her embarrassment, she asked, “Is iced tea okay?”

  Reed leaned back and rested his arm along the back of the couch. “Iced tea is wonderful.” When Sophie took off for the kitchen, Max gazed up at Reed with big brown puppy dog eyes.

  “Don't give me the sad eyes," Reed whispered, "You're the lucky dog that gets to sleep next to Sophie every night.”

  Max plopped his furry head back on Reed's feet, apparently not in the mood to rub it in. He knew how good he had it.

  Sophie returned with two ice-cold glasses, stepped over Max, and set them down on the table. Her soft blonde hair brushed his arm as she leaned forward to nudge his glass closer to him. She smelled like cookies again. He shifted to get comfortable.

  “I hope you like it sweet.”

  “I love it sweet." He stared at her when he said it, not taking a sip yet. The look Reed gave her said he wasn't talking about tea. She took a big gulp from her glass before setting it to the side. She glanced at the clipboard and said, “So…”

  Reed repeated, “So?”

  Sophie inclined her head toward the estimate papers. “What's the damage? Is it going to cost me an arm and a leg?” He had a fleeting image of Sophie's naked arms and legs wrapped around his body in a hot, sweaty, carnal embrace. He was so tempted to tell her yes.

  “Actually, it's not as high as you would think.” He handed the papers to her so she could skim the columns of figures. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. “I don't see the cost of labor on here.” She flipped through the pages. “You've only listed the cost of materials.”

  Reed leaned forward to look at the paper. “No charge. It's a pretty simple job so labor won't be an issue.” Sophie looked incredulous. “But I have to pay you something. I wouldn't feel right taking advantage of you like that.”

  He gave Max a little pat and sat back. “I like cookies.”

  * * * *

  “What? You want me to pay for labor with cookies?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about Ben?”

  Reed straightened. “Ben can keep his damn hands off your cookies!”

  Sophie wasn't sure if cookies meant cookies. “You're serious?”

  He nodded. “Absolutely. A few dozen of your chocolate chip would put me in heaven.”

  Okay then, so he was talking about cookies. To be sure, she asked, “Cookies?”

  His smile was so wide that she could see his dimples. “Yes, Sophie. Cookies. Do we have a deal?”

  She scanned the numbers one more time, and with the absence of a labor charge, it was all surprisingly within their budget. “As far as I'm concerned, yes. I need to run it by Tracy for a final confirmation, but I believe we have a deal.”

  Reed gathered the papers into a neat stack and pushed them out of the way. He turned toward her and asked, “Are we done talking business?”

  Sophie felt a little disappointed that their evening was coming to an end so soon. “Yes, I suppose we are.”

  With a muttered, “good,” Reed lifted her up and set her on his lap. Before she knew it, he had positioned her so her legs were straddling him. He gazed intently into her eyes and said, “Sophie, bringing over the estimate was just an excuse to see you. You know that.”

  He set his hot lips to the dip where her shoulder met her neck. She caught her breath at the unexpected pleasure of it. After he gave her a lingering kiss there, he moved up her throat an inch. “I want to get to know you again, Sophie.” Feeling the seductive vibrations of his words against her neck, her heartbeat sped up. “I want to know your likes.” He nuzzled her skin before delivering another sensual kiss. Her breathing grew shallow.

  “Your dislikes.” One kiss closer, enticing her with a brief press of his tongue. She grabbed his shoulders and held on.

  “Your hopes.” Another tempting kiss, this time behind her ear. Shivers shimmied up her spine.

  “Your dreams.” He said this while his mouth moved softly along her jaw. Her knees tightened reflexively against his hips.

  Then his lips hovered barely an inch from hers before he breathed, “And what it takes to get you to want me as much as I want you.” The last word was spoken as he pulled her down and closed the distance between them.

  As soon as their lips met, Sophie knew she was in trouble. Reed cradled her head in both of his hands, his palms on her jawline and his fingers buried in her hair. This wasn't a kiss made in the heat of the moment. It was hot, deliberate, and made with the intent of total seduction. If he wanted her to want him, she was already there.

  Her hands strayed from his shoulders to glide down the broad length of his chest. The cotton of his T-shirt was soft, but the muscles underneath were hard. She felt the thumping of his heart under her right hand. Sophie kept it there. She liked to feel the beat quicken against her palm. Her left hand, however, slid lower to slowly glide over the corrugated muscles of his stomach. Reed's abs tightened with a swift intake of his breath. Her fingers rose and dipped, then rose and dipped again. She could feel the definition of each muscle through his shirt and delighted in being able to finally touch him this way.

  His fingers tightened in her hair a fraction before sliding over her shoulders and down her bare arms, ultimately coming to rest on her hips. Reed angled his head to deepen the kiss. Sophie met the pressure of his tongue with the welcoming touch of her own. She put her arms around his neck and held on as he suddenly pulled her lower body up his thighs until she rested fully against him. This time, she gasped when she felt the hard ridge pressed intimately against her.

  Sophie couldn't help it. He was so thick and unyielding that she had to thrust down more firmly. She rocked her hips against his in a slow roll that had them both gasping. He broke the kiss long enough to groan, “Good
God, Sophie. More. Do that again.”

  She did it again, and again, until she became damp with wanting.

  Reed grew even harder and more inflamed underneath her. She wanted to touch him everywhere and feel the heat of his naked skin pulse against hers.

  Sophie never knew a kiss could feel so erotic. She felt like every nerve ending in her body was electrified. He tasted her more deeply and drew her in to claim him the same way. She wanted to claim him. She needed Reed to be hers.

  He pulled away to gaze steadily at her. “Do you want me, Sophie?” He caressed one small breast and rubbed a thumb against her nipple until it tightened to the point of aching. “Am I the one who makes you this damn hot?” She was so hot she felt on fire. He angled his hips up and pressed perfectly against just the right spot until she moaned at the pleasure of it. “Are you wet for me?” His resonant words were like a sexy caress. He pushed up into her again. “Are you?”

  She ground against him and breathed out, “Yes!” She'd never been so turned on and the rasp of his sexy voice was only adding fuel to the fire.

  More commandingly, he asked, “Yes, what, Sophie?” She tried to rock into him again, but he held her still.

  “Yes to all of it!”

  His breathing was becoming more labored. He palmed her butt in both hands and helped her rock faster. Reed's head angled back and his jaw tightened. “Jesus, Sophie, what you do to me.”

  She leaned down and kissed him again. His tongue met hers in a carnal dance.

  Sophie was close to coming undone and he was moving just right. She felt the prickling sensation start in the soles of her feet and move up her thighs. Reed put his mouth to the juncture of her shoulder and throat. She felt the hot slide of his tongue and the pressure of his mouth on her overheated skin. He whispered in her ear. “Sophie, I'm going to be so deep inside you that you'll feel me everywhere. The tight, wet, clutch of your sweet little body is going to take in every last inch of me.”

  The combination of his erotic words and the feel of him rocking into her again and again took her over the edge. Sophie cried out as she came in a series of deep rhythmic pulses. Reed held her and stroked her hair as her body quaked in mini aftershocks.