Free Love Beyond the Curve (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Kate Patrick

thinking it was me. You hungry?” She flashed a saucy grin, and had him laughing.
    “Hamilton, I’m about to starve .” He leaned over the casserole dish to kiss her warmly and thoroughly on her ruby-red lipstick-coated mouth.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    “Hello to you, too, Jackson! I brought chicken casserole for your lunch. It’s a peace offering for the way I stormed out of here last night. I wasn’t acting very rational, I’m afraid. I apologize. I seem to do that a lot with you.” She walked ahead of him, leading the way into the kitchen where she promptly began pulling out plates and silverware to set the table.
    Reed was standing just inside the door watching her go about her business as if he had not just had his tongue inside her very luscious mouth, thoroughly exploring every corner. He moved with a smooth, swinging gait on his crutches over to where she was pouring tea into glasses. He caged her in on either side with his crutches and spoke quietly behind her, letting his warm breath bathe over her skin. “Charlotte, stop what you are doing and turn around.”
    Charlotte set the tea pitcher down and turned to face him with her hands braced on the edge of the countertop behind her. She looked down at the floor for a moment, then raised her eyes to look into Reed’s puzzled gaze. She finally smiled and said, “What is it, Reed? What do you need?”
    “You, I think, except that I just kissed you, and you waltzed in here and are busying yourself getting ready for Sunday Dinner like nothing happened. Did it really leave you completely unaffected?” He searched her eyes, trying to get an answer about her feelings.
    “Reed, you weren’t looking for a response from me with that kiss. That was just a response from you toward me after what we’ve been through together these past two days. I was here when you needed me, and I helped lessen your pain and make you more comfortable. That’s all it was. I know better than to read anymore into it than that. Besides, why would I? You’ve got a girlfriend, and I think after last night’s tirade, you are crystal clear about where I stand with guys looking for someone on the side while they already have someone they take out on the town. I refuse to be that person for anyone, even though I think we’d probably have a great time together. Now, let’s just forget it, and sit down and have lunch together. You really nee—”
    Reed threw down his left crutch and pulled her up against him, interrupting her words with his crushing kiss. He ran his hand up her back and into her hair, holding her neck as he slanted his mouth across hers to gain better access. After ravaging her mouth, he pulled back suddenly, breathing in gulps of air as he asked her a question, point blank. “Can you forget that , Charlotte? I can’t. I can’t forget a single time I’ve seen you or talked with you. You are in my thoughts if you aren’t here in person. I’ve imagined that kiss since the morning you opened that door and I introduced myself to you. You were dressed in comfortable clothes, your hair was a wreck, and I thought you were gorgeous because you didn’t seem to care. You always seem comfortable with yourself, and you don’t mind getting messy in front of a man. Dumping that bucket of water over both of us is case in point. You love dancing and having a good time. You think of somebody beside yourself. Staying here with me and getting me back on my feet with this leg speaks volumes to me about that part of you. I’ve never met anyone like you before, Charlotte. Please give me the chance to get to know you, and for you to get to know me better.”
    “Reed, I have a great time with you. I think we’ve had some good laughs, and there was no way I’d let you go through that first night with your injury alone. You couldn’t have been alone,” she argued back.
    “Charlotte, you chose to stay. Candace never even came over or called. She was only concerned about the big party at