Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,75

found anyone I wanted to try it out with. I tend to work a lot. Some cases are so consuming I forget to have a life. For you, I want to try to change that.”

“My turn now, huh?” He nods. “My experience with Pete stole my belief in marriage. He buried the little girl who thought fairy tales came true. You’ve somehow managed to get her to poke her head above ground, but I don’t see it as an easy feat. For you, I want to try.”

He smiles at me using the same phrase as him.

“I guess I’m asking you for patience. There’s a big case coming to a head this week and it’s a make or break for my career. I’ve never been with a woman during a time where my focus needs to be solely on work. For you, I want to try.” He picks up his wine glass.

I pull my legs up to my chest and pull his shirt over my legs. “I promised myself after Pete that I would never put someone above myself again. My schooling and Jade come first. A man wasn’t part of that plan, but for you, I want to try.”

His finger tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ve never wanted to win something more than I do your heart.”

“I’ve never wanted a man to hold on to it as much as I want you to.”

“So, it’s done. The terms are laid out. We’re both agreeing to try?”

“Do you ever stop being a lawyer?” I chuckle.

He leans in to place a chaste kiss on my lips. “No.” He slides down from the counter, opens the fridge and grabs a container. “Dessert and a movie?” he asks.

“Definitely.”

His arm circles my waist and he assists me in finding my footing on the floor. Then his strong hand is in mine as we round the counter and sit on his couch. He places a blanket over us and his big screen comes to life with the click of a remote.

“Reserve your energy because I’m not even close to being done with you yet.” He kisses my forehead, hands me a fork and we Netflix and Chill for the rest of the night.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Somehow, Reed swindled me into a four-way date on Saturday. As he dropped me off at home at six in the morning, he used his charm to convince me to go to the zoo with him and Henry, and to bring Jade along of course.

Now, as they run ahead of us to see the dolphins, Reed’s fingers search for mine, brushing against them before pulling away again.

“This is torture,” he says.

I laugh, laying my head on his shoulder, keeping my eye on Jade and Henry. If she looks up, I can straighten fast.

“I need a whole night. How else can I show off my breakfast skills?” His fingers continue playing with mine and my stomach flutters with every touch of his hand.

“Well… Pete is coming in next week and he’ll be taking Jade for the weekend.”

“Pete’s coming?” he asks, and instead of being happy I can sleep over at his house for two nights, instead of one, his voice is clipped.

“Not the reaction I was expecting.”

He leads us to a bench where we sit down while the kids watch the dolphins swim around.

“Sorry, I guess I’m a little insecure when it comes to you.”

I take a chance and kiss his cheek. “I’ve been divorced for two years.”

“Yeah, but he might want you again once he knows you’re taken.”

His arm is swung behind me on the bench, but his expression says he’s not here in the moment, that his mind is far away.

I use my finger to turn his chin my way. “Taken, I am.” I eye him hard and he nods. Not convincingly though. “Reed?”

“I know, I know. I don’t doubt that, trust me.” He reaches out and squeezes my hand. “But I also know Pete. He’s not going to be happy about us.”

Jade and Henry run to the next window, following a dolphin. Jade tells Henry how dolphins can tell a woman when she’s pregnant and how a dolphin told her mommy she was pregnant with her. Pete likes the story much more than I do, but Reed definitely doesn’t need to hear that story right now.

“Maybe we should concentrate on the fact we can be naked in your condo for an entire weekend,” I lean to my side and whisper.

His gaze falls to my lips and I lick