Page 59 of Reckless Storm (San Francisco End Game #3)

Hayley

B eing the gentleman that he is, Reed offers to sleep on the couch, wanting to give me a moment to myself—his words, not mine—proceeding to tell me to take all the time I need.

I smile in understanding, but the second the bedroom door clicks shut, I fall in a heap, sliding down beside the bed, my knees tucked up to my chest.

I’m not sure how much time passes with me staring at the wall, but when a siren blares just outside the window, I finally snap out of it.

What am I doing? I’m pushing away the only man I’ve ever come close to loving, because of what?

Because I’m scared he’ll break me beyond repair?

That’s not me. I’m not the girl that thinks about the long-term consequences.

I make choices on a whim, I throw caution to the wind, and yet, suddenly I’m running away.

Getting up, I pace the room quietly so I don’t wake Reed, giving myself a pep talk. If I screw this up because I refuse to take a chance on us, I’m only going to hurt myself that much more.

That man out there—that beautiful soul with a dirty mouth—somehow became my world, and I can’t bear the thought of being without him.

He’s the calm to my tornado. The peace to my crazy. The golden retriever to my wildcat. The— Wait .

Wildcat? Reed’s tattoo. He has a new paw print on his chest. With claws… I remember seeing that weeks ago. Months even. But it wasn’t there the first time I saw his bare chest. It wasn’t there at the wake park.

What am I doing?

I rush to open the door but pause when I find Reed’s large frame sprawled out on the couch, one arm covering his eyes.

From the outside, you’d think he was peacefully sleeping, but I know him well enough to say that’s not the case.

Especially considering his fist is clenched and he still has the towel wrapped around his waist.

He’s awake.

With a soft smile, I tiptoe to the couch and lift his arm, curling myself into his body.

Balancing in the small space beside him, I wrap his arm around me, locking myself against his hard chest.

With my head close to his heart, I both feel and hear his relieved sigh, the warmth of his palm settling on my back, holding me tightly.

“Fuck, Hayls,” he whispers, his raspy voice penetrating my thick skin. “I missed you.”

He presses a kiss to my head and I giggle. “I don’t think it’s been that long.”

“Even so. I’m not sure you understand the crazy that goes through my mind whenever you’re around. All I see is you , Hayls. And it’s been like that for a while now.”

My eyes focus on his wildcat tattoo and I smile. “How long?”

“What?”

“How long have you wanted me?”

“I think I’ve wanted you since the day we first met.”

I draw in a breath and hate that my mind goes where it shouldn’t. “But Bria—”

“That’s the thing, Hayls.” He wriggles around, effortlessly repositioning me until he can look me in the eyes.

“Bria’s the reason I think that way. From the moment you walked into my life, I felt Bria pull back.

As though she was threatened, or couldn’t stand sharing the attention.

But I’m only now realizing how stupid I’ve been, because it wasn’t Bria at all. It was me . I pulled back. I changed.”

My breath hitches and I want to believe him but… “You loved her once,” I say, glancing away, my heart pounding as the words fall from my lips. We’ve joked about this and he always denied it, always said it was merely attraction. But how can he be so sure?

Reed’s forefinger and thumb curl around my chin before he lifts my head to face him, forcing me to see the emotion in his eyes. “I don’t think I ever loved her. I can’t have. Not considering how much I care for you. But even if I did, I don’t feel that way anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” My voice comes out raspy until I clear my throat. “I’m just so freaking scared.”

“I know, Baby.”

My hands flatten against his chest as he pulls me into his arms, pressing another kiss to my head.

“I know,” he repeats against my hair. “But you’re only scared because you’re making our story about someone else.

And it shouldn’t be. It’s just you and me, Hayls.

” He lifts me as he sits up, perching me on his lap, his hands cupping my face.

“It’s always been you and me. It just took us both far too long to see it. ”

I let his words sink in and wrap around my heart, feeling them down to the very depths of my soul. “Okay,” I whisper, unable to form the right words.

“Okay?” He raises a brow in question.

“Yes, I came out here because I realized something… I may not be ready to say those three little words, but that doesn’t mean I can’t show you how I feel, or listen when you bare your heart.

As I opened that door, I had a question on my lips.

” My eyes drop to his tattoo again and a fresh wave of emotion overwhelms me.

“But the second I saw you, it didn’t matter.

Because I know the answer. You can say it now. I think I’m ready to hear it.”

Reed’s eyes widen before his hands sink into my hair, his hold possessive as his gaze bores into mine. “You think? How about I soften it a little… Hayley, I have never not loved someone the way I don’t love you.” His lips pull into a soft grin and I match it, my heart jolting in my chest.

“You’re the worst liar,” I whisper as his love warms me from inside. “I—”

“Wait.” Reed presses his lips to mine, cutting me off, and when we part again, I gasp at the intensity of his gaze. “I want to tell you the truth. Please.”

“Okay,” I whisper. “I’m ready.”

“Are you sure? It’s going to be deep and probably corny.”

I snort as I laugh. Only Reed would know exactly what to say to calm me. “Hit me with it.”

“You, Hayley Marie Jackman, are the bane of my existence.” My eyes narrow as he laughs, but before I can say anything, he presses a finger to my lips.

“Before you, I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted. I was happy to coast through life, smiling and doing the right thing. But you changed all that. You changed me . I went from being someone that looked for the good in every situation to wanting to burn the world down to protect you, desperate to shield you from anyone that might want to cause you harm. And I’ve never felt more like myself.

I know you’re strong. I know you can look after yourself.

Probably better than I can. But I want to be the man that stands by your side.

I want to be your person. The guy you come home to after a tough day.

The guy you trust to watch you break, while you’re holding it together for the rest of the world.

The guy you laugh with, cry with, the guy you choose to take on all your crazy adventures.

I want to be that man. And I’m willing to wait a lifetime to get there.

You’re my rock, my heart, my oxygen. And I plan to spend all my days showing you exactly how you deserve to be loved. ”

I sniff as my eyes fill with tears and the world around us ceases to exist. “I want all of that too, Reed. But I’m scared.

Our fake relationship is the deepest connection I’ve ever felt to another human, and I know I’m falling in love with you.

I am. I’m just terrified that I’ll mess it all up.

Or you will. That you’ll realize I’ll never compare to Br—”

“Hayley—”

“No, wait. I promise after this I’ll never worry about her again.

But I need to get it off my chest. I told you about my family.

And I wasn’t lying. They loved and supported me, but that love never felt anywhere near as strong as yours does.

And that raises the stakes. If they hurt me, my heart would crack, but if this ends, if I lose you, it’ll obliterate my soul, my very being.

Because I have never felt more vulnerable than I do with you.

I’ve never allowed myself to feel that. Somewhere along the way, my heart became yours.

I became yours, and if I lose you, I lose a piece of myself. I’ll never be the same again.”

Reed shakes as his throat bobs. “I would never let that happen, Hayley.” His voice cracks with the weight of emotion.

“You have all of me. I surrender it all to you. Let me show you that I’m worth taking a risk on.

Let me prove to you that I’m not going anywhere.

” He places his hand on the paw print above his heart and my chest swells.

“Because you’re here,” he whispers, his eyes locked with mine. “Forever etched onto my soul.”

“That tattoo’s for me, isn’t it?”

“It is.” Reed smiles and a moment of pride takes over him. It could be the fact that I figured it out, or it could be something more.

“And the rest?” I grimace as I voice the question I should have kept to myself, and from his frown, he knows what I’m really asking. “It doesn’t matter,” I add before he can respond. “I promised I wouldn’t worry and—”

“There are none, Hayls. Not a single one.”

Though it probably shouldn’t, my heart soars as I’m overcome with emotion, and when it all gets too much, his words from earlier float through my mind. “It’s always been you and me. It’s just you and me.”

And God, I hope it always will be.

A fter spending the weekend together, as a real couple, Reed takes a piece of me with him when he leaves early Monday morning, though it eases my mind knowing I’ll be home before long.

I’m not needed on set Monday, but when I’m due on location Tuesday, I feel confident turning up, safe in the knowledge that the production team has my back.

After speaking to the police, Reed held my hand as I filled in my agent and the Reckless Desire production manager.

And while I know it’s hard for them to completely side with me when Cam’s pleading his innocence—claiming that all he did was send flowers and chocolates to a friend—it was nice to have their support.

It may be because I filed a restraining order, but they’re taking my suspicion seriously. So, now it’s a waiting game until the damn thing gets implemented.

“I can’t believe he was stalking you,” Brooklyn says as she links her arm through mine, walking with me to set.

Despite the fact that security has been advised not to let Cameron on the premises, I’ve had an unofficial bodyguard with me all day. And right now, it’s Brook.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it either.”

“Wait.” Brooklyn shakes her head. “I didn’t mean it like that. The truth is, I can believe it. I’m just shocked.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was always looking at you. Watching. I stupidly thought he was staying in character, but I should have said something.” She grimaces while I rush to reassure her.

“This isn’t on you, Brooklyn. I didn’t see it either. No one did.”

“Well, I’m glad your hot football-star boyfriend was there when it all came out.”

“Me too,” I half lie. I wish he’d never been caught up in it, but I’m thankful he was with me.

Our first day without Cam runs relatively smoothly, and for the next two weeks, life moves at a snail’s pace, my days dragging, my nights lonely, an anxious feeling settling in my chest right until the moment our chartered flight touches down at San Fran International.

Then I’m happy again. I’m home.