Reid - Maddie Wade Page 0,36

the island in his kitchen. The sight gave him a pleasant feeling in his chest, one he couldn’t remember feeling before. She looked at him shyly from under her eyelashes, and it took everything in him not to go to her and kiss her until her lips were bruised from him tasting her.

Fuck, he needed to get a grip, or he was going to have another hard-on before he’d even had coffee.

“I made coffee. I hope you don’t mind.”

Reid took down a cup and poured himself one. “Of course not. I want you to treat this place like home.” He meant it too, he wanted her to relax and the thought of seeing her stuff mixed in with his felt nice—perhaps too nice. He was getting carried away when they hadn’t even started anything properly yet.

“I have a meeting at the office today. We have some things to go over with your case and a few others we’re working on. I’ve asked a couple of friends to come over and stay with you while I’m gone.”

She stood and moved to the sink rinsing her mug before she placed it in the dishwasher. “I’m sure I’ll be okay on my own.”

Reid frowned. She was doing it again, allowing her own needs to take a back seat to his. Setting his mug to the side, he moved to her, sliding his arm around her waist, pulling her back to his front. His big hand splayed over her belly while the other moved up between her breasts and cupped her throat gently. He could feel her pulse beating wildly in her neck.

He used his fingers to turn her head to him. “Callie, they’re coming because I want them too, because you mean something to me, and I would never, not for one-second, leave you unprotected.”

He saw the warmth move into her hazel eyes before she responded. “So damn sweet.”

He grinned at her, lowering his head to hers, feeling her response in the desire that darkened her eyes. “Sweet, huh? I’ll take that for now.”

He lowered the last few inches and kissed her pouty lips. He could taste toothpaste and coffee on her tongue as he took his time kissing her slowly until she was sighing into his mouth, her body melting into his. He broke the kiss and watched as her eyelids fluttered open, the hazy pools meeting his. He dropped a kiss on her nose and released her, knowing if they kept it up neither one of them would be able to stop.

“You’re really good at that,” she mumbled as he released her to finish his coffee.

“So are you,” he replied with a chuckle.

The doorbell rang, saving him from second-guessing all his good intentions and taking her back to bed for the day. He snagged his coffee and walked to the front door, checking the peephole before he did but he already knew who it was. He swung open the door and smiled at his guests. “Good morning.”

“Good morning my ass, where is she?”

He chuckled as Pax, Siren, and Roz pushed past him. Roz looked him up and down slowly before she grinned.

“What?”

“You’re so fucked.” The grin increased as she chuckled at his frown.

He closed the door and followed the three women into his kitchen. Callie was surrounded and looked up at him with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. He pushed past Pax who, as usual, looked like she’d stepped off the catwalk runway and stood behind Callie, his hand on her hip, making it clear to the women who Callie was to him.

“Callie this is Pax, Evelyn, and Roz. They’re going to keep you company while I’m gone.”

Callie had a cute look of confusion her face when she looked at him. “But I thought you’d asked someone over to protect me?”

Roz snorted, and Reid looked at the beautiful but deadly woman in warning. “Be nice,” he warned.

Roz held up her hands. “I am nice.”

He looked back at Callie. “Roz, Evelyn, and Pax are more than capable of handling anything that comes your way.”

“Oh.”

“The clothes I ordered for you will be arriving soon, so once we get them sorted, you can tell us all about yourself and how you know this one?” Pax said with a tilt of her head to him.

Reid smiled, knowing Callie would be fine. “Walk me out.”

He moved to the door, leaving the other three women in the kitchen, raiding his cupboards by the sounds of it, and stopped by the front door.

He faced the woman who