The next thing I knew, Reece abandoned his food and walked around the table again. He pulled my chair back and pulled me up on my feet.
My eyes fell onto my mostly full plate, then his. We barely touched our food.
“Reece,” I said, my voice strained as he held me tightly in his embrace. His lips laid on my neck, kissing me. “We barely ate.”
“It’s okay,” he muttered, then looked right at me and cupped my face with his hands. “We can eat later.”
“I’m pretty hungry.” I wasn’t actually since I went out for lunch with Rina and Ming, but I was sure Reece hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.
He leaned down and pressed his lips on mine. “Me too,” he spoke quietly, then kissed me again right after. I could feel him smile into our kiss.
Reece’s hands slid down my body, then he picked me up, my legs automatically wrapping around his hips. His teethgrazed my neck, his hot breath rolling over my skin and leaving goosebumps behind.
He carried me to our sofa, setting me down first before crawling on top of me, settling between my thighs. “But I’d rather eat something else.”
“Reece.” My voice came out like a breathless exhale, thin and ragged.
He looked at me, worry in his eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Of course,” I said, stroking my hands up his back.
“But?”
God, how was I going to say this without hurting his feelings?
“But I… I just think we don’t have to have sex like three times a day, every day,” I said. Perhaps being rather forward with it was going to be the best option.
Reece sat up, looking at the turned-off TV for a moment. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
I pushed myself up to sit, wanting to rest my head on his shoulder but refraining from doing so. “It’s not that I don’t wan?—”
“It’s exhausting,” he interrupted. “Isn’t it?” His head turned toward me, tears in his eyes.
I haven’t seen him cry since his dad’s funeral.
My eyes closed as I inhaled deeply, nodding softly. “So exhausting, Reece.”
“I’m sorry.” He leaned his forehead against my own, taking shallow breaths. “I’m so sorry,mi princesa.”
My arms wrapped around his body, holding him so tight to my own that I wasn’t sure if it was my heartbeat that I felt or his. “It’s okay.”
“I love you, Brooke,” he mumbled, crying. “God, I love you so much. I’m so sorry.”
49
BROOKLYN
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait in the car until he gets here?” Dad asked once more as I stood underneath the roof in front of the restaurant, hiding from the rain.
It was raining so heavily, I could’ve been taking a shower out here.
“Yes, Dad.” I exaggerated an eye-roll, a wide smile plastered on my face. “Reece should be here any minute.”
“Just making sure.” He was worried. I knew that. Reece hadn’t been the most reliable recently, but after yesterday, I was more than confident in him. He was going to show up on time, and we were going to have a super adorable date.
Before Dad picked me up to take Nova and me to the movies, I’d checked with Reece to make sure tonight was still on. He seemed excited about our date, said he couldn’t wait.
“Just go!” I laughed, waving him off. “You’re embarrassing me.”