Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,57

scares him a little.

“Thank you.”

“Here.” Jade holds up the flowers to him. “He brought flowers.” She stands between us, smiling back and forth.

Reed takes the bouquet of tulips and holds them out for me.

“Thank you.” Our fingers brush when we exchange them and a current blasts down to my toes and back up. “I’ll put them in water.”

I turn to head to the kitchen, but my mom is there. “I got it. You two go.” She takes the flowers from my hands and I smile down at her since my heels have me towering over her.

“Thanks for watching Jade.”

“Yes, Ms. Clarke, thank you for watching her so I can take out your daughter.” Reed pokes his head into the kitchen.

My mom puts the flowers into the vase she already prepared. “I’m happy to do it. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Reed. Maybe you can come by for dinner sometime.”

I crinkle my forehead at my mom who effectively ignores me.

“I’d love to.” Reed side glances me and I shift my stance.

“Great, I’ll talk with Vic and we’ll let you know. Now, you two, go. Jade and I have a night of movies and popcorn.”

Jade runs in, hugging my mom around her waist.

Reed holds out his fist to her. “Henry said this is unfair, so next time you guys come.” He winks. Jade fist bumps him and then stops in front of me.

I bend down so I’m at her eye level. “Be good for Grandma. Go to bed on time. Don’t fuss, okay?”

She peeks up at Reed and I shift her face back to me with a nudge of my finger on her chin.

“Promise.”

I kiss her cheek and squeeze her to me. Once we’re apart, she pushes me lightly, but since I’m mid crouch, I lose my footing and fall right into Reed’s arms. I eye Reed like he planned it, but he shakes his head.

“Not my doing, but you smell amazing,” he whispers, and I straighten, pretending he doesn’t affect me.

“Sorry, Mommy.” Jade has her am-I-in-trouble expression on.

“Let’s go.” I wave over to my mom who’s leaning over the counter in front of a bowl of popcorn with a kernel between her fingers.

“After you.” Reed steps back, allowing me to go first.

The chill of the spring night air settles around me. Reed shuts the door, walking in line with me down the walkway until we reach the sidewalk. I had expected to see Abe’s blue sedan, but there’s a sleek sports car parked along the curb. Its lights flash and it beeps when we approach.

I stop. “Is this yours?”

He opens the passenger door. “I hope so, or this date is going to get interesting when the police chase starts.”

“Oh.” I slide in as demurely as I can considering I have to bend so far down I’m practically sitting on the potholed street of Chicago.

He shuts the door, rounds the back of the car and before I can take in all the fancy controls and figure out what the wing trademark logo on the steering wheel stands for, the scent of his cologne surrounds me and blocks all working brain function.

“Is it okay if we head out of the city?” he asks.

“Sure.”

“So, your mom’s good if I fly you to Paris for the weekend?” His face is serious. No raised eyebrows or sarcastic tone.

“No, and you aren’t.”

He reaches over and squeezes my knee. “I’m kidding. I want to impress you, but I’m not that guy from Pretty Woman.”

Embarrassment hits me hard and I immediately lose all my spunk. Of course, he wouldn’t want to go to the trouble of doing anything like that for me. What a ridiculous thought.

“He only took her from L.A. to San Fran and operas aren’t my thing.”

He chuckles, shifting the stick around and then slowly eases away from the curb.

“Damn him. Who did he think he was going to impress with that?” Reed laughs as I fixate on his strong hand shifting the gears while his knee rocks back and forth with the clutch.

It’s sexy as fuck.

“What kind of car is this?” I ask.

“Aston Martin. I keep it in the garage of my condo. Only take it out on special occasions.” He glances over with a smile that says I’m special and embarrassment washes over me.

“I forget where you grew up sometimes.”

“Good. I’m not what that upbringing usually implies.” He signals and turns left.

“Do your parents still live there?”

We pull onto the highway, the engine purring away as he shifts and presses down the gas