Let Love Shine (12 page)

Alternate Point of View from Let Love Stay

Thank God, this day is over. I thought office work would be
somewhat easy, but my feet are killing me and my hands are all chapped and cut
up from touching the files all day. Kathy calls out from the front office,
“Come on girls! Let’s get a move on. It’s closing time.”

Nikki comes up behind me as I’m gathering my stuff out of my
small locker in the break room. We’ve hit it off really well this week and I’m
really glad to have such nice co-workers. It makes the day move a lot quicker.

“So what are your plans tonight, Maddy? A few of the girls
and I are heading to the club. Wanna come with us?” I so want to say yes, I
really do. Getting all dolled up and dancing the night away with the girls,
sounds like the perfect way to let go of some of this tension.

“Nikki, I wish I could, but I already have plans.” I refuse
to call it a date. It is
not
a date. Well, it might be if you ask Jay,
but in my mind, it is most certainly not a date.

She’s peering out the window as she says, rather cheerfully,
“Oh yeah? Do your
plans
have anything to do with Mr. Hunkity Hunk in the
parking lot.” I have to laugh. She has this weird creative thing where she
makes every hot guy’s name into some cute Mr. Something-Or-Other. Just the
other day she called the Fed-Ex guy Mr. Schmexy McSexy. Okay, that one wasn’t
all that creative, but I think she was a little flustered.

Walking over to the window, I glance at the freshly dubbed
Mr. Hunkity Hunk and my stomach drops.

It’s Jay.

Just when I think I can walk away unscathed, without having
to explain anything to Nikki, Jay sees me in the window and waves up at us. Yeah,
so much for that.

Nikki drapes her arms over my shoulders and waves back at
him. “So who is he?” she asks, her voice all proud that she’s just discovered
something about my plans.

Huffing at her, I try to defend myself. “It’s not a date. He’s
my ex. We’re just getting dinner.”

Tapping her finger to her bottom lip, she looks up to the
ceiling pretending she’s lost in deep thought. When her eyes return to me,
they’re alight with playfulness. “So let me get this straight. You used to date
Hunkity Hunk down there who,” she peers out the window, “is still smiling and
waving up here like a fool in love. You’re going out to dinner with said
Hunkity Hunk, but it’s not a date.”

“No, it is most definitely not a date!” My attempts at
self-defense are just making me look guiltier. I huff again and try to walk
away.

“Okay. Okay. But Maddy, promise me one thing,” she asks,
serious all of a sudden.

I stand and wait impatiently for what I just know will be a
pointless question.

“Promise you’ll call me the instant you get home from your
non-date to let me know how it went.”

We both share a laugh at her ridiculousness as we make our
way to the front where everyone else is waiting to leave for the day.

Walking out into the frigid winter air, I pull my jacket
around me. Jay catches sight of me right away and walks over to me.

Pulling me into hug, he says, “I’m so glad you agreed to
come out with me. You look beautiful, Maddy.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes at his compliments. I look
anything but good and that was the point. My hair is in a sloppy ponytail and
my make-up hasn’t been touched since early this morning. A disheveled, hot mess
is probably more along the lines of what I look like.

Suddenly, Jay’s eyes widen a bit more and he seems to be
staring off in the distance behind me. Curious to see whatever has caught his
attention, I turn around and my stomach drops again.

It’s Reid.

My pulse skyrockets. My heart careens into my ribcage. My
palms get sweaty. My desire surges.

Before I can say or do anything, Jay pushes me behind him
and eyes Reid up and down. I want to warn him, tell him to just leave Reid
alone, but my brain and my mouth will not function.

Stepping into Reid’s face, Jay says, “Who the fuck are you? What
do you want?” Oh God. Reid is going to punch him. I know it. I can see vivid
images of Reid laying Logan flat on his ass and I want to step in the middle of
them, to protect Jay and embrace Reid, but my goddamn feet are stuck to the
floor.

I can’t believe he’s here.

Locking my eyes with his magnetic blue depths, I try to
convey my love for him, my apologies for this scene that I can only imagine he’s
misreading.

“Me? I’m the boyfriend, asshole.” Reid bites out a few
choice words to Jay, but his eyes are glued to mine.

His voice soothes my tattered soul. It makes my insides
clench and my heart soar. He’s really here.

Jay’s voice breaks through to my distracted state. “I’m
Maddy’s date for tonight. You know? She never mentioned a boyfriend when I
asked her out. Must not be much of a boyfriend if she doesn’t even mention
you.” Oh God, no he didn’t! Just as I’m about to speak up and stop the inevitable
onslaught I know he will bring, I watch Reid effortlessly drop Jay to his ass.

Standing over him and holding him up by his collar, Reid
barks into Jay’s face, “Whether she mentioned me or not, she’s mine, so lay the
fuck off. Got it?”

I’m his? Does that mean that he’s mine?

Reid reaches out his hand to mine and my mind is swirling
with so much confusion that my brain isn’t firing correctly. When I finally put
two-and-two together and reach out for him, I see him visibly relax. Fire and
electricity travel from his hand straight to my heart and I feel like I’m home
again.

In a freezing cold dentist’s office parking lot, I finally
feel like I’m home again.

Deleted Scene from Let Love Stay

I hate Christmas shopping. I was never a fan of giving or receiving
gifts. Aunt Maggie never gave me more than knitting needles and yarn. All she
ever got in return was a gift card to the local craft store. She was happy and
I was miserable, but hell, that was just how life was.

Holding some lame-ass pair of flannel pajama pants up in
front me, I smile all too happily at the thought of these hanging low on Reid’s
hips. Yes, these will do just fine.

Mel chimes in from across the rack at Macy’s. “What’s the
goofy grin for?”

“Huh? Oh me? Nothing?”

“Don’t ‘Oh nothing’ me, Missy! You were so just mentally
drooling all over your boyfriend, weren’t you?”

Guiltily, I place the pants back on the rack and laugh at
her. “Okay, fine I was…daydreaming. But can you blame me?”

“Eww, no. I am so not weighing in on how hot Reid is! He’s
like a brother. Eww. No. Gross.” Melanie is flailing her arms all over the
place and holding her nose in a mock protest of how stinky she thinks this
conversation is.

Walking up next to her and wrapping my arm around her
shoulder, I hug her tightly. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” I quote
and she just smacks my arm playfully.

“Okay, fine. He’s hot, but marginally so.” Melanie arches
her eyebrow at me and I know I’ve won.

We walk out of Macy’s, no purchases in hand and I’m really
struggling with what to get him. As we’re walking down the overly crammed
walkway of the mall, I’m instantly drawn to the pretzel stand at the side.  Buttery,
doughy goodness? Yes, please!

After handing the cashier my money, I lean back on the
counter and wait for my drink and pretzel nuggets. I catch Melanie staring
across the way, and following her persistent gaze, my stomach drops when I see
Reid in the jewelry store.

Grabbing onto her, I nearly rip Melanie’s arm out of the
socket. “Is that…is he…he’s not buying…” I can’t even get a full sentence out.

Melanie’s face is laced with surprise as she turns to face
me. “I don’t know, Maddy. Do you want me to go talk to him?”

“I don’t know! What are you going to say? Don’t tell him I’m
here! Oh God!” Melanie laughs at my overly dramatic reaction.

“Oh, just calm down, would you! I’ll just say I saw him and
thought maybe he could use some help. Okay?” She runs her hands down my arms to
try and calm me down. It doesn’t work.

Slinking down into one of the chairs the pretzel booth has
set up, I prop my bag up in front of me to try and disguise myself. All I
really manage to do is feel like an idiot. I’m sure I look like an idiot too.

Watching from behind my stupid bag like a moron, I watch
Melanie and Reid chatting animatedly. She points at something and Reid points
at another.

When Reid turns away to pay the clerk, Melanie looks over to
me and stifles a laugh. She holds her hands out in front of her and mouths the
words “it’s huge.”

My heart plummets. She didn’t let him buy what I think he
just bought, did she?

Now, I sound like a fool even in my own head.

As Melanie walks back over to me, I see Reid walk the other
way. Standing up from behind my post, I nearly yell at her as she approaches. “What
the hell, Melanie? What did you just do? Please tell me you didn’t—” She cuts
me off before I can continue my frenzy.

“Oh, just shut up.” She quips as she grabs her bag and mine
from the table. Saying nothing else, she just walks away from me.

Chasing after her like the fool that I am, I call out, “What
did he buy me? Where are you going? Melanie!” The last shrill outcry forces her
to turn around. It also garners a few awkward stares from some shoppers.

“Oh.My.God. I am not telling you what he bought you.” She
crosses her arms over her chest and snickers at me. “But, believe me, you’ll
love it.” When her lips curl up into the goofiest grin, I want to slap it off
her face.

Pulling me to her side, she smiles, “I think we’re going to
have to do better than flannel PJs though.”

That thought makes my stomach drop yet again.

Deleted Scene from Let Love Stay

“What about this one?” I hold a random carton of ice cream
in front of me. Picking out an ice cream flavor should not be
this
difficult.

Leave it to Maddy though.

Holding the pint of Ben and Jerry’s, she’s actually reading
the label. “Maddy! Does it really matter? It’s chocolate. It’s peanut butter.
What else could you want? Let’s just get this one.” I wrap my arms around her
waist and nuzzle into her neck. I know what’ll get her ass in gear. “The sooner
we get home,” I lick her neck to emphasize my point, “the sooner we can start
the movie. And the sooner we start the movie, well, then,” one more lick just
to bring the point home, “the sooner we can get distracted by other things.” I
shove certain “other things” into her fine, tight ass just to continue
emphasizing my point.

Damn! Now I want to get out of here for entirely different
reasons.

I feel her melt against me and I know I’ve won.

“Hmmm,” is the only response of which she’s capable.

The superhero fanatic in me fist pumps in the air. I have
been dying to see the new Batman movie since it came out on DVD, but well, even
when you put Batman up against hot sex with your girl, well, sex always wins.

Walking hand in hand to the cashier, Maddy stares up at me
dreamily. “I know what we could do instead of watching one of your silly ‘boy
movies’.” She arches an eyebrow at me and I know exactly what she means. She’s
not getting off that easily. Well, I mean she will, eventually. But, dammit,
I’m watching my movie first.

I pull her to my side as we walk away from the cashier. “Oh,
no you don’t! The last time we rented this DVD, you won.”

She huffs a sigh at me. “What the heck is that supposed to
mean, ‘I won?’” Her words are shocked, but playfully so. She knows exactly what
I mean.

As we walk up to the car, I open the door for her and lean
into her neck once again. “You know exactly what I mean. Now, if you let me
watch my movie
first,
” I lick a seductive path from her neck up to her
jawline and hover above her lips. When I’ve rendered her speechless, I move my
lips to speak at they flutter on top of her. “Well, if you let me watch this
first, then you’ll win over and over and over again.”

Her responding groan is all I need to hear to know I’ve won.
Boy movie night it is. Not to be overshadowed by “the hottest sex of your life”
sex night either.

In true Maddy fashion, she passed out on my lap less than
thirty minutes into the movie. That works out perfectly for me actually. I got
to watch the movie, and now, I get to carry a drowsy Maddy up to her room and,
well, you know.

She barely stirs as I move to pick her up, but by the time
I’m halfway up the stairs, she finally wakes up.

“Did I miss the movie?” she asks sleepily while pressing her
lips against my neck.

“You sure did, sweetheart. But don’t worry, we can watch it
again tomorrow night.” My response is met with a playful swat to the ass.

I didn’t even realize her hand was back there!

As I drop her onto the bed, she looks up at me lustfully.
Oh, hell! Two can play at that game. I feign a yawn and plop down next to her.
“I’m beat, Maddy. Let’s go to sleep.” Trying my best to hide my smile, I turn
on my side and curl away from her.

I can hear her harrumph and fidget on the bed. Before I can
say or do anything, she’s pinching me on the side, tickling the shit out of me.
Oh it’s on now!

With lightning quick reflexes, I turn over to her and wrap
my legs around hers, essentially pinning her in place. “So that’s how you want
to play it, huh?” I pull her arms above her head and encircle both of her tiny
wrists in one of my hands.

Her eyes dilate and I can see how hard she has to work to
swallow past her desire. Just when I have her where I want her, I reach for her
breast with my other hand.

Hovering above her supple flesh, I wink at her and then
change tactics quickly. Pinching and tickling at her sides and underarms has
her squirming beneath me in seconds.

“Reid…stop…please… that tickles…” Her words trail off into a
fit of hysterical laughter.

When she’s out of breath, I press my lips softly to hers and
stare into her deep green eyes. “Love you, babe.”

“I love you, too, Reid. Now, can we finally go to sleep?”
She arches her hips up into mine on the word “sleep” and I know “sleep” is the
last thing either one of us have planned.