Push the point and try to get him to remember something, or stay in the lightness of the moment? His arms tightening around her made the decision. She snuggled into him and closed her eyes. The clean scent of soap warmed by his skin surrounded her. The melodic hum vibrating from his chest lulled her into silence.
The song ended but they didn’t move apart. Why couldn’t they just stay this way? Reluctantly, she let him go. Before she stepped away, he tipped up her chin. His gaze studied her as if he were taking in every feature on her face. Reid brushed his lips softly against hers. He swirled his tongue into her mouth. Desire rose sharp and quick.
He broke away and rested his forehead against hers. “Why don’t we finish these smaller boxes and call it a day?”
“Sounds good.”
Her fingers shook as she pried open the first box amid sensual images of how they’d spend the rest of the afternoon. A hard rectangle wrapped in tissue sat on top. She unwrapped it. Sun bounced off the glass covering the framed watercolor sketch of the cabin in late fall. Clouds hung in a sunny, blue sky. The first snow of the season capped the mountain in the background. Orange and red leaves lay on the browning lawn like confetti. Smoke curled from the chimney. Shock and pain constricted her chest. It slipped from her hands.
Reid caught it before it fell to the floor. “Got it. This is nice? Who painted it?”
“My dad.” A reminder of the day her father completely shattered her heart.
Reid moved to set it in the keep pile.
“No.” The snap in her voice reverberated.
His head swiveled her direction.
She forced a calm, even tone. “I have one like it. Someone else may enjoy that one.”
“But it won’t have the same sentimental value for them. Are you sure you don’t want to keep it?”
“Very.”
“Huh.” His gaze moved from her to the sketch. He looked as if he wanted to ask a question. “All right.” Reid wrapped it carefully and set it in one of the boxes slated for giveaway.
Unfinished sketches, drawing, and painting supplies filled the box. She hadn’t inherited her father’s talent. Why keep them? They went to the giveaway pile, too.
Relief descended as they dug into the last box of the day. Assorted screwdrivers, wrenches, and other tools were mostly organized in zippered cases. Reid unzipped one and paused. The vibe around him shifted. A sharper edge with a hint of danger. He laid the open case with the gun on top of a stack of boxes. “Glock 22. Accurate, reliable. It’s a good weapon. Did your father like to shoot?”
“Yes. Dad owned a variety of guns.”
In a few precise movements, Reid cleared and sighted the pistol. “Do you own one?”
“Yes.”
“When you found me, did you have it on you?”
“No. I didn’t need it. You were hurt.”
Reid’s jawline hardened. “Like hell you didn’t.” He put the pistol back into the case and jerked the zipper closed. “Your father should have trained you better. You have to be cautious in a place like this. Always keep your guard up and your gun on you with a chambered round.”
The command in his tone hit her like a slap. Irritation streamed through her blood. “My father didn’t need to train me because I wasn’t one of his soldiers. I didn’t take orders from him, and I’m not taking them from you.”
Lauren stormed out of the loft. A guy bossing her around? Double hell no to that. She reached the bottom of the stairs, Reid right behind her.
He spun her around. “Lauren.”
“No.” She wrenched her arm away. “Excuse me for choosing to drag your ass out of the rain instead of holding a gun to your head. And as far as training, my mother taught me how to handle a gun. My father wasn’t around to teach me. He left.” A wave of sorrow caught her off guard. She gulped down a sob. “That sentimental picture upstairs represents one of the best worst days of my life, after my parent’s divorce. It started out with pancakes, lemonade, a beautiful hike in the woods, and ice cream—all of my favorite things—and it ended with him telling me his next duty station was overseas. He kept getting promoted and got busier and busier, and he never came back.”
“Shit.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry, Lauren. I’m an asshole. I shouldn’t have popped off like that, especially about your father. I didn’t know.”
Anger drained with a flood of tears. “I waited too long. We should have connected sooner, but I was so angry at him. When we started talking again, I was afraid to ask. Now I’ll never understand why he left me for all that time.”
He kissed her temple. “I don’t know what to say to make it better for you.”
It relieved her he didn’t try. So many people had told her how she should feel. What she ought to do to get over it. That she should feel grateful for the time they’d had. How she shouldn’t doubt that he’d wanted to be in her life. They talked to her as if her pain and what she felt didn’t have a place.
Reid tensed. “Someone’s pulling into the driveway. Are you expecting anyone?”
“No.” Alarm dried tears. “The Realtor’s not coming until next week.”