“Cool, Sean said they’d be here in 30 minutes with some pizza,” he said, tossing his phone to the side and crawling on the bed and pushing me backwards until I was laying flat and he was positioned right over me.

“I like pizza,” I tried to distract. Always the smooth one, I was.

Reed just smiled and continued to move closer until he was propped up on his elbows and hovering over my face, moving pieces of my hair out of my face and sliding them behind my ear slowly.

Reed had been taking things very slow with me. We usually never made it beyond some rough kissing and making out, despite my every attempt to let him know that it would be okay if he pushed the boundaries a little with me. I think he was still freaked out about Tyler, even though I wasn’t. He didn’t want to be compared (like he ever could).

Not able to take his nearness any more, I tilted my chin up and initiated our kiss. He always kept his hands on my face when he could, and as we rolled to our sides he held my cheeks tenderly now. But I wanted him to give me more, and I was going to bust down the doors a little today on my own if I had to.

After several minutes of kissing, I pushed myself up so I was lying on top of Reed, and this forced him to move his arms and slide his hands around my back. Pushing myself up a little, I scooted on my knees and finally sat so I was straddling him, and the power and intensity of it all was urging me forward. I had never felt like this with Tyler, and I knew it was because it was always supposed to be Reed.

Sliding my hands up his stomach, under his soft T-shirt, I smoothed them over his chest, admiring him and wanting him at the same time. Reed reached up and grabbed my wrists, almost as if he was trying to slow me down. I just shook my head a little and smiled sweetly. “Please? I am ok, I would tell you,” I said, as he slowly loosened his grip, his eyes still questioning me, but relenting a little more.

I lifted the bottom of his shirt and slowly slid it over his head, wanting to feel more of his warm skin. I leaned forward and placed tiny kisses along his stomach and up his chest until he couldn’t take it and pushed his hands demandingly into my hair, pulling my mouth to his for a hungry kiss, more urgent than ever before.

Twisting my legs with his, we both rolled a little more on his bed and when I felt his hands start to push the back of my shirt up and grip at my skin, I reveled a little at my victory. Willing him on, I dug my hands into his back a little. But when he stopped there, I decided I had to give this one more try, and I moved him back under me where he was more helpless. Sitting up, holding his hands to the sides, I stared into his eyes. They were full of want, but he was restraining. Can’t he see I’m not looking for a gentleman right now?

Biting my lower lip a little and grinning, I reached for the bottom of my T-shirt and started to pull it up when he stopped me. I stared at him for a moment, my eyes trying to convey my comfort with him, and then soon he was helping me.

I sat there before him, almost bare, and waited for his reaction. When his eyes slid from mine and followed his hand as it traced the curve of my neck and shoulders, I shivered. Reed stilled for a moment, but I smiled softly, my eyes begging. He slowly slid the straps of my bra over my shoulders, first running his fingers over the tops of my br**sts before reaching behind me to finally unhook my bra.

Whereas with Tyler I felt ashamed and nervous at this point, with Reed I felt adored and appreciated. He kept his eyes on mine mostly, though I did notice when he would look at my bare skin, taking in a deep breath. Finally pulling at my chin to urge me closer, he grabbed the back of my head again and soon we were back to kissing, though this time, the feeling of our warm skin against each other was the main focus, and it was something I was sure I wanted more of.

We heard Becky and Sean pull up outside and managed to finesse ourselves into something presentable in a matter of seconds. After a few hours of games and pizza, I kissed Reed goodbye and headed back home. I could have stayed all night, but I still had a lot of work to do on his gift before his party Friday, though with everything Buck had given me, I was sure it was going to come out well now.

I also had a few assignments to finish, though my junior year so far seemed to be academically easy. My grades were still all A’s, which was all that truly mattered as far as scholarships were concerned. And scholarships were a very important part of the Lennox college plan if I didn’t want to be saddled with loans.

The week at school flew by. I saw Reed after practice often, but we were both pretty busy, so we weren’t able to sneak in much alone time. I dreamt of his touch every night, and a few times we fell asleep with one another on the phone, just listening to each other breathe. I loved these nights, talking until we couldn’t keep our eyes open. Reed would tell me stories about growing up when his parents were still married, his first football games and his grade school girlfriends. The more I learned about his youth the more I wish I’d known him all my life.