Dating the Boss (Blue Harbor #2) - Jaclyn Osborn Page 0,34

it back on the table. “For warmth, of course.”

My cock twitched, and it was a little hard to breathe for a second. I cleared my throat and looked anywhere but at him.

“I used to be intimidated by you,” Reed said, drawing my attention again.

“Really?”

He nodded. “You’re always so serious and distant. Cold, even. You never said please or thank you, and you made it clear that you had no desire to get to know me. For the first three months working for you, I felt like I was walking on eggshells whenever you were around. I was terrified of saying something wrong or screwing up.”

Had I really been that awful to him?

“I’m sorry, Reed. I never meant to—”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, flicking his hand dismissively. “I eventually learned that’s how you are. To everyone, not just me. You kinda remind me of Quinn. He has a hard time opening up to people, and he can seem like an ass sometimes. When really, he just expresses himself differently. Once I learned that, it got easier. Now, because of this trip, I feel like I’ve gotten to see another side of you, one you might not show to many people.”

“You’re observant.” I was surprised by the steadiness of my voice. Reed had hit the nail on the head. “I wasn’t always like this, you know. When I was younger, I was spirited, outgoing, and always laughing. I was even the first-string quarterback on our football team and kind of a class clown.”

“No way,” Reed said, leaning forward on the table, hands wrapped around his steaming mug. His silver ring caught the light. “I can’t imagine you as a class clown. Or a quarterback for that matter.”

His eyes said something else, though: What happened to change you?

“Everything changed when my dad got sick,” I said, answering his unspoken question. “A brain tumor. We found out about it when he was rushed to the ER because of a bad seizure, and not even six months later, he was gone. I was sixteen.”

Reed’s eyes glistened. “Oh my god. I’m sorry. What did you do after he died?”

“Quit the football team and got a job,” I answered. “We never had much money growing up, and with the medical bills stacked up on top of losing my dad’s income, it hit us hard. Really hard. So, I stepped up and helped, giving my mom every penny of my paycheck. I guess I changed around that time. Grew up.” I expelled a sigh. “Regina talked me into going to college after graduation. I didn’t think I should go, but she pushed me, saying I was too smart not to.”

“We have a lot in common.” Reed dropped his gaze to his ring, and he slowly twisted it on his finger. “My dad wasn’t in the picture much. He was constantly in and out of jail for dealing drugs, and my mom was a junkie, shooting up whatever she could get her hands on. She overdosed when I was five. I guess I was forced to grow up fast too. There were so many days and nights when I was alone because Dad was crashing at a drug house or too strung out to take care of me.”

Jesus Christ.

“That brought the mood down, didn’t it?” Reed asked before releasing a shaky laugh.

“That’s what you meant when you said you didn’t have an easy childhood either,” I said as everything clicked together.

“Yeah.” Though grief lingered in his eyes, he smiled at me. “You and me are like the Lost Boys, Daniel. We’ve been through a lot, maybe gotten lost along the way, but one day we’ll find our way home.”

His words caused a lump in my throat, and I swallowed it back down.

“Do not tell me you don’t know who the Lost Boys are,” Reed said, pointing a finger at me. “Peter Pan is my favorite fairy tale, and I swear to god I will—”

“Chill,” I interrupted with a light laugh. “I know Peter Pan. I’ve read the book several times.”

Reed’s eyes narrowed. “I guess that works. But you have to watch the cartoon one day too.”

“I don’t watch much TV,” I said, fighting a smile when he shot me a wide-eyed look. “It doesn’t hold my attention.”

“What does hold your attention, Mr. Sawyer?” he asked with a little smirk.

You.

Instead, I tore my gaze from his and drank more coffee. He softly sighed and ate more of his lemon muffin. Minutes later, my phone vibrated at the edge of