He raised an eyebrow, grinning. “You know a lot, then?”
I thought for a moment, embarrassed. “No, but Jane does, and that’s what she said, so…”
Reid had turned back around, but I could tell he was smiling when he spoke next. “Not that you Googled me or anything, right?”
I gasped dramatically. “Of course not!” (I so did. I turned into a freaking overpriced PI before I signed my contract.)
Reid laughed loudly, and I smiled. It was nice to see him like this. It was like getting a glimpse of a different Reid—the one that Finn and Jackson often talked about. I already missed those two, and we just had, like, an hour-long goodbye a few hours ago.
I watched as Reid began cutting up onions and garlic on a wooden cutting board near the sink. My eyes followed his every move. I felt the familiar heat creeping up my neck, along my cheeks, and then traveling to my ears. Reid King made cutting an onion look like a stellar audition for Chippendales. For a brief moment, I pictured Reid in only a tight pair of boxer shorts and a little black bow tie, dancing on a stage. Could you imagine?
“Brooklyn?” Reid muttered before I snapped my head up to him.
“Huh? Who?” I stuttered, my face now matching the red sauce that was simmering on the stovetop.
Reid smirked. “Can you help get the garlic bread ready?”
My mouth opened. “Oh, yes. Of course.” I jumped down off the barstool and rolled my sweater sleeves up to my elbows. I started to rummage around before Reid told me where things were and what he wanted me to do.
I was slathering on a copious amount of butter when I finally asked, “So where did you learn to cook?”
Reid looked up from stirring the red sauce and beamed a gentle smile. “My nana. She always said that I needed to learn how to cook for myself, because I was too cocky to find a wife of my own one day.”
I laughed loudly, throwing my head back. “She was probably right.”
Reid rolled his eyes dramatically. “She would have liked you.”
I had no clue why, but that made my heart blossom like a flower. A jolt of excitement went through me. Why does it matter if his nana would have liked you? Shut up and make the garlic bread, Brooklyn. I lost the battle with myself almost instantly. “Why do you say that?”
He gave me a lazy grin. “Because you don’t put up with my shit, and you don’t try to spare my feelings.”
I started to sprinkle garlic on the giant loaf of buttered bread. “Well, someone has to keep you in line, otherwise your head would be as big as the moon, and…” I looked over at him apprehensively. “I don’t spare your feelings because I’m pretty sure you don’t have feelings.” Then I laughed, going back to sprinkling garlic on the bread.
He pulled back dramatically. “What?! I’m making you dinner. That shows that I have feelings. I don’t want you to starve.”
I paused. “Did Reid King just admit that he cares about something?”
Reid continued to stir the sauce and noodles on the stovetop as I began washing my hands in the sink. “Well, we have to get right down to business tomorrow. I figured we both needed a home-cooked meal for energy.”
I smiled. “So, you’re saying that you’re only cooking for me so that way I can help you tomorrow. Sounds more like you’re making this meal for your benefit, not mine.”
Reid’s head tilted to the side as he squinted his eyes at me. I held back a smile by smashing my lips together, still allowing the warm water to pour over my hands. Reid inched over to the left, and before I knew what he was doing, he threw a glob of butter at my head.
I squealed, “Reid!!” as he threw his head back and cackled, his brown locks bouncing along his head, pure laughter escaping his mouth. I was stunned for a moment. Reid King was… being playful. Reid King was having fun!
Happiness took over my body, and I quickly cupped water in my hands and threw it in his direction as fast as I could. It soaked his heather-gray shirt immediately, outlining the ridges along his chest.
Reid slowly looked down at his shirt and then lazily brought his head back up. A flirty look was all over his sharp features, his pouty mouth cocked up into a sexy grin that made my stomach fill with a giddiness I’d only ever felt on Christmas morning.
“Oh, you’re going to get it now.”
My eyes widened as laughter escaped my mouth. I turned on my heel and began to run around the island, but Reid was much faster than me. I felt water hitting my back, so I turned around quickly and squealed again when I realized Reid was holding the sink sprayer in my direction. He spritzed me again before I could turn and run some more. Warm water coated my chest and bare shoulder as my sweater began to slip down.
I bolted, making a turn around the island and running at full speed down the hallway. I was laughing so hard I could barely see straight, exhilaration sprouting from every pore on my body. That was probably why I tripped over the runner in the hallway and almost fell on my face.
Reid’s strong arm wrapped around my waist at the last minute, and before I hit the floor, he turned our bodies, and I landed right on top of him. I thudded onto his sturdy chest, causing my breast to smash into him. Strands of my damp hair were hanging down past my shoulders, dripping droplets of water onto his soaked shirt.
I was an inch away from his mouth, and my eyes were glued to his light lips. His breath was cool along my face, but everything about the moment was hot. Reid’s arms were wrapped around my back, my legs intertwined with his, our chests rising and falling in sync from the sudden burst of exertion, my heart coming to a complete hal