“What happened before the wedding?” I asked.
“What? What do you me
an?”
I put my hand on his chest to keep him from coming any closer to me. If he stood any closer, I was afraid I’d walk right into his arms.
“When I went upstairs and saw you. Why did Mitch hit you?”
Reed took a step back. “It doesn’t matter, Court. It’s over and done with. ”
“It matters to me. Please don’t lie to me. Please not tonight, Reed. I need the truth. ”
He shook his head and turned away before looking back into my eyes. “Mitch started talking all this shit about you to Kevin. I’d never heard him talk about you at all, let alone the shit he was saying. He was only doing it to rile me up. I really tried to just ignore him since it was Layton’s wedding day, but Mitch had already been drinking. Then, he said…he said—”
“He said, what?”
“He said you were the best fuck he’s ever had, and he looked right into my eyes as he said it. I lost it, Courtney. I’m so sorry. I went up, pushed him, and told him to shut the fuck up. That was when he jumped on me and started punching the shit out of me. Layton jumped in and tried to pull Mitch off of me, and Mitch hit Layton. He says it was a mistake, but I’m pretty damn sure it was done on purpose. Things haven’t been the same between them since Layton found out Mitch had been in contact with Layton’s dad all those years. ”
I stood there, stunned. Everything was slowly starting to make sense.
Was Mitch trying to get Reed to tell me what he’d said? Was he hoping I’d leave him, so he could be with Karen?
I looked back at Reed. His green eyes caught mine, and they were filled with so much hurt that it actually made my heart ache. Then, it hit me.
Why did Reed get so upset? I need to hear it from him, not Whitley or Layton.
“Why would he want to rile you up? And how did he know talking about me would upset you, Reed?”
He stood there, staring at me. A part of me wanted him to touch me so badly. His eyes traveled up and down my body, and I instantly felt the wetness between my legs.
I’m so confused. I’m so upset and so hurt about Mitch, but I want Reed so badly. But…I can’t be hurt again. All men ever do is hurt me.
“You looked beautiful tonight, Courtney. ” Reed looked back into my eyes.
I felt my whole body shaking.
If I hadn’t heard that message and Reed walked in, would I be standing here like this with him? Or would I have made him leave?
He took a step closer to me, and I sucked in a breath of air. I willed him to move closer, and when he did, I closed my eyes. I could feel the heat coming from his body.
When he started to talk again, I jumped and opened my eyes, startled by the gentleness in his voice.
“Do you really want to know why he was egging me on, Court?”
I slowly nodded and whispered, “Yes. ”
I could see my chest heaving up and down as he looked deeper into my eyes.
“Because he knows I love you and that I’ve loved you since the moment I first saw you. ”
I sucked in a breath of air as he leaned in closer and put his lips up to my neck.
I closed my eyes and whispered, “Yes,”
“As much as I want to make love to you right now…I’d never let you be unfaithful to Mitch. I love you too much, Courtney, to let you do something you’d ever regret. Besides, you made your choice long ago. ”
With that, he took a step back before turning and walking into Layton’s closet. I stood there, leaning up against the wall. I could barely stand.