Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,62

them that way as we make our way to the front door. It’s late, so Jade should be fast asleep.

The porch light above my head reminds me of my high school days when a boy would hesitantly kiss me goodnight and I feared my dad would open the door the entire time.

“Thank you again, I had a great time.”

He steps forward. “So next Saturday then?”

“Can we do Friday?” I always spend Sundays with Jade.

“Friday it is. What’s your preference in cookie dough?” He winks.

I jab him in the chest with my finger. “I’m not joking, Mr. Warner, you cook the meal.”

He nods a few times. “Then get in the mood for pizza because more than likely whatever I come up with will be inedible.”

“Thanks for a great night.” He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer so we’re chest to chest.

I wrap my arms around his neck, enjoying the feeling of my fingers running through his short hair and the press of his hard body to mine.

“Drive home safely,” I whisper.

He dips his head and I close my eyes in anticipation of the taste of peppermint in my mouth. Our lips collide again, and we’re more frantic than we were in the car. Hungrier. Needier. He slides his hands down my back until they close around the globes of my ass. A whimper escapes me, and I press farther into him, fisting his longer strands of hair so he can’t get away.

My back hits the brick of the house and the rigid bulge in his pants pushes into my stomach. I want to lift my legs and wrap them around him so bad it hurts, but I’m outside my mom’s house with a porch light broadcasting everything Reed and I are doing to the neighbors.

My hand falls between us and I push him away lightly. “Neighbors,” I say, breathless and panting.

“Right.” He steps back and grips the back of his neck, his face strained. “I better go before I beg.”

I giggle and his gaze dips to my lips again.

“Good night, Victoria.”

“Night.”

He walks down the cement path to his car, stopping right before he slides in, nodding and signaling for me to go inside.

I wave and dig my keys out, my hands shaking as I try to unlock the door. I step into the house and collapse on the couch in the living room.

“That good, huh?” my mom asks.

Chapter Twenty

Jade and I head out of the house Monday morning to find the Uber waiting. Henry’s face peeks out the window like a Bassett Hound waiting for its owner to appear.

I shake my head as we head down the path. I told Reed last night that we were going to walk.

“We’re walking,” I say to Jade, loud enough for Henry and Reed to hear. “Henry, do you want to join us?”

Henry hops out of the car, all smiles, and Reed follows, stepping out from the other side. His tie clip is gripped between his teeth as his hands mindlessly work on knotting his tie.

I may look put together this morning, like my whole life is put together, but in reality, I’ve already argued with Jade over her hair, didn’t have time to make myself a coffee, and the banana in Jade’s hand is her only breakfast.

“Guess we all walk then,” Reed says, joining us on the sidewalk.

Abe pulls away, no doubt meeting us at the school. Henry and Jade run up ahead of us, lost in conversation about their weekend.

“Looks like someone raced out of the house again this morning,” I joke.

“You just wish you’d seen me before I put on my suit.” He winks.

I pretend to be annoyed while mentally creating a visual of a naked Reed in my head.

“A little early for the ego, no?”

I try not to glance at him as he knots his tie and then slides the clip into place. I fail miserably, but he lets me off with only a smirk.

“One day you’ll find out, I wake up with it.” His arms fall to his sides and he brushes my fingers with every swing of his arm.

I stuff them in the pocket of my jacket because what my daughter doesn’t need is her mother showing up to school all hot and bothered.

“Tsk, tsk, I thought we were over this hard to get stuff?” he leans in and whispers.

My eyes instinctively close and shivers race up my neck.

“Watch it. I haven’t really talked to Jade about us.” I inhale a deep breath when his