I deserve to live with it. This is on me.
Yeah, coming to Reed when Riley didn’t want me to tell him probably would’ve stirred up some shit, but like I told her before she walked out, she’d never have to choose between me and her family. I’d do anything. I’ll do anything.
I’m not leaving here until he accepts this. I’m even prepared to camp out on this fucker’s lawn. I tossed my tent in the truck before I left the house.
Whatever it takes.
My head lifts when the door swings open. Reed furrows his brow. He isn’t expecting me.
“What’s up?” He lifts his chin in greeting before glancing behind me. Probably looking to see if Riley is here too. “What are you doing here?”
“You got some time? I want to talk to you.”
Reed stares at me for a breath. His eyes are suspicious as he leans his shoulder against the frame. “About . . .”
“Your sister.”
“What about her?”
“Can you just step outside so we can talk?”
His brows lift. “Is there a reason we aren’t going to have this talk inside where I got my AC going? It’s hot as shit out.”
“There’s a reason,” I tell him. “One you’ll understand in a minute. Come on.”
I get out into the yard a few feet off the sidewalk. When I turn around, Reed is grumbling in annoyance and hopping down off the step. He stops in front of me.
“Well?” he probes. “You got me out here sweating my nuts off. What is it?” He crosses his arms over his chest.
I stuff my hands into my pockets again and think about what I want to say to Reed.
Riley and I are together. She’s not just living with me. We’ve been together for a while. I love her.
I love her.
I’ve known. I’ve known it for a while, but I never said it. Not out loud. Not to anyone. But that’s about to change. And the fact that it isn’t Riley hearing these words from me the first time I say them fucking sucks. I should’ve told her.
Another mistake I’m going to have to live with. I’m really racking them up today.
“Christ,” Reed mumbles, jarring my attention. He rubs at his mouth. “How long?”
I blink. “What?”
“How long have you been sleeping with my sister?”
My eyes narrow. His tone is cavalier. I feel a muscle in my jaw twitch. “We’re together. It’s not like that.”
“Fine. You’re together. How long?”
I breathe deep. I’m here to be honest with Reed. And that means not leaving anything out. If I do, that shit is just going to hang between him and Riley, and I don’t want that.
“A few months, but this started back at your wedding,” I share, watching disbelief widen his eyes. “Nothing else happened again until after Riley moved in with me. She was still with that asshole so we stayed friends. I didn’t push anything with her. I wouldn’t do that. We happened when she was ready.”
“Dude.” He gives me a hard look. “You hooked up with my sister at my wedding?”
“Hey, you’re the one who paired us up,” I remind him. “And don’t fucking say it like that. I was never looking at getting with Riley as a one-time thing.”
“Aren’t you a little old for her?” he asks.
I stare at him for a breath.
“What?” he probes.
“Is that really a problem for you, or are you just fishing?”
“The fact that you both thought it would be better if you lied to me about it is a problem for me,” he says, irritation flashing in his gaze. “I’m just pointing out the other thing.”
“I wanted to tell you. Riley wanted to give it some time. She didn’t want you hating on me like you did with her ex. She was worried. As for the other thing, there’s eight years between us. We’re both adults. It’s been a few years since she became one so no, I don’t think I’m a little old for her.”
He grips the back of his neck, looking exasperated.
“I love her,” I tell him, watching his brows tick. “I’m in love with her, man. I’m not playing around.”
Reed drops his arm and blinks through a jerk of his head. He wasn’t expecting me to say that. I watch his chest rise with a breath. “Well, shit,” he mumbles. “It’s like that? You’re that deep?”
“I’m fucking buried.”
“And she really thought I would hate you if I found out?”
“Yeah.”
Reed thinks for a second. “If you hurt her, I will. I’ll do worse than that,” he informs me.
My mouth ticks. “Threatening a cop, Reed? Are you sure you wanna go there?”
“Fuck you. I’m threatening a good friend of mine,” he counters, wearing a smirk and standing taller. “I don’t give a damn that you’re a cop, CJ. This is my sister. I will beat your ass if you make her cry.” He looks me over, lingering on my biceps. “Or at least throw shit at you from a distance,” he mumbles.
A laugh crackles inside my chest. I lift my chin in appreciation. “So, you’re good with this then? With us being together? It doesn’t bother you?”
“You really love her?”
I smile. Just thinking about Riley, thinking about how I’ll answer this question makes my blood run warmer. I’ve never felt that shit. Not until her.
“Yeah, man. I do,” I answer. “This is it. She’s it for me.”
It—I’m asking permission to date Reed’s sister, but we both know, I’m talking about down the road and where I know this is headed.
The girl who can’t handle tequila and who looks sexiest in hoodies three sizes too big for her. She’s mine. There will never be anyone else.
Reed studies my seriousness, taking a second to do that. Then he nods his head, stepping forward and holding out his hand to me. “All right, Tully,” he says.
All right. Simple as that.
Why . . . the . . . fuck didn’t I do this sooner?
I shake his hand, laughing when he grips on tighter. I get it. I’d do the same thing.
“Right.” We separate, and I roll my neck from side to side. “You get one punch. That’s it.”
His brow furrows in confusion. “Say what?”