Concealed Force

Chapter 18

"What the fuck was that?"

After a second beer Reid had made their excuses and dragged her upstairs into their room, not pausing until they were in the bathroom, where he slammed on the shower. Now he was whisper shouting, the veins in his neck bulging with rage.

"What in hell's name did you think you were doing?"

"What's the problem?" she countered. "Am I not talented enough? Didn't it feel good?" Despite everything, his anger and her dizziness, she was struggling to hide her smile. She sat on the side of the bath because her legs were trembling.

"Laura, you know it felt good." He walked two steps to the towel rail and back. "Man. I never felt anything that good in my life. But I've been trying... you know I've been trying to stay away from you, to protect you. And then you go and pull a stunt like that."

"The thing is, Reid, I don't want you to stay away. I told you that. And you kept pushing me away even though I knew you wanted it."

"Of course I wanted it!"

"Good. Then I'm glad I gave it to you."

"Fuck." He swung away from her again.

Laura listened to the spray hitting the bath, watching the muscles in his back move, admiring the way his t-shirt stretched over his shoulder blades.

"What now?" he asked finally, facing her.

She shrugged. "We've done it now. You can stop trying to protect me all the time, from you at least."

"We've done it. You've done it, you mean. What are you hoping for, Laura? That I'll spend the next however-long-you're-stuck-here fucking your brains out?"

"Yes!" She shouted. "Yes. It beats sitting here, avoiding each other and pretending. Burning with frustration."

They stared at each other, both breathing heavily.

"That's how you've felt? Burning?"

"Yeah. Couldn't you tell?" Shyness was creeping in, and she tried to push it away.

He shook his head. "I've been wanting you so bad, been working so hard to crush it, ignore it." He squeezed his eyes shut for a second. "And it was easy at first, but it's been getting harder to untangle what I've been pretending to do from what I want."

She ran her fingers along the side of the bath. "What do you want?"

"I want..." he bit out, and stopped himself, took a breath. "I want you. I want you in every fucking dirty way I've pretended to have you."

"Then do it," Laura said on a shaky breath. "Do anything you want."

"Laura." There was real pain in his voice.

"I mean it, you can have me, you've saved my life, you're still saving my life. I owe you."

"I'm only trying to get you out of the mess I got you into. And anyway that's not how it works. I don't want you to shut your eyes and let me fuck you because you're grateful." His own breathing was ragged. "I want you to want it."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I want it. I want you."

He studied her, coming closer, as if he couldn't help himself. "How can I believe that? How can you want me? Here, like this?"

"I'd take you anywhere, any way."

"Oh man. I don't know how this can be happening. What am I supposed to do?" He rubbed his hands over his face and hair.

"I kind of got the impression you knew what to do, Reid. We've been rehearsing for weeks." Laura didn't know who this new bold version of herself was, but she loved her, loved that she was going after what she wanted, was going after Reid. Time to go all in. She swallowed and stood up. "Kiss me?"