𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 ✓

39

My eyes open hesitantly and slowly adjust to the dark room. My breathing is steady and I feel so calm until I look over to the other side of the bed and what I see there makes my heart race. Reece is sleeping peacefully and I turn on my side to get a better view.

The sheets are only draped around half of his body, just barely covering his lean hips and I allow my eyes to trace the thin line of dark hair leading from beneath the sheets up to his navel. I bite my lip and feel a smile tug on my lips as my eyes travel all over him. Reece's body is so gorgeous and I'm thankful for the time I have to admire it right now, although the guy it belongs to is an even better thought.

Reece's face is empty of any emotions, his expression content with sleep and he lies on his side, facing me with a leg draped over mine. His brown hair is even messier than usual, and I itch to run my fingers through the soft waves, but I don't want to disturb him before I get my fill. One dark green eye opens and I bite my lower lip, smiling at him as his eye traces over me slowly. I look down and see that I'm in the same situation as Reece, only covered from the waist down so that everything above is on display. I don't move to cover up.

"Mhmmm," He groans, running both hands over his face as he moves to lie on his back. He turns his head and peeks a look at my chest again before resuming looking at the ceiling; I stifle a giggle. I watch as Reece does a spectacular stretch with his arms above his head, causing his legs to hang off the end. When he's done, he crawls back up and places his elbows on either side of my head, lowering himself onto me beneath the blankets, his warm skin heating mine.

"Good morning," He says, pecking me over and over again on the lips. I couldn't care less about having morning breath and I kiss him back, keeping my lips puckered and waiting for a real kiss. After teasing me, Reece finally locks his lips onto mine, softly kissing me but there's no mistaking the passion, the chemistry between us, and every kiss, is destined to feel the same, I'm sure about it.

As the kiss heats up, Reece pulls away and lays his head down above my chest and I kiss the top of his head, lightly scratching my nails down his muscular back. He shivers whenever my nails brush over certain spots of his skin, but whenever I pull my hand away, without a word, he reaches behind him and puts it back, making me smile.

I feel him humming against my chest, but can't make out a specific song from the soft tune. I can tell how happy Reece is right now, and I wish that I could have made him this way, much sooner. My feelings mirror his own, and I can't believe that we're here. We love each other. And not in a friendly way. Reece and I are in love with each other.

It feels so good to have such strong feelings like this, but also so scary. I don't rely on Reece to be happy, but being around him sure helps, especially now that everything is out in the open.

No more secrets.

Fuck. Lexi.

My chest tightens as I think about my best friend, probably happily oblivious to the secret that I've been keeping from her for so long. I think she's always known that I had a bit of a crush on her brother, but that was harmless compared to what I did with him without telling her about it. I know that I have to do it sooner rather than later because whatever happens, I need to give her time to come to terms with it.

For once in my life, I have no idea how my best friend is going to react to something. This feeling is terrifying.

Reece notices the tension in my body and he pulls up to look at me, reading my face with a surveying look in his eyes. He comes away confused, probably thinking that I'm having second thoughts and I can't let him think that even for a second so I hug him to me tightly.

"I'm worried about telling Lexi everything. Not about us, but about everything before." I say, not even wanting to say his name because it doesn't belong here, in the air between us. He has nothing to do with my life, besides occasionally being there as my best friend's older brother, nothing more.

Reece nods looking relieved. "I can't say I can predict how she will react, but I'll be there whatever happens. We're in this together. You're never getting rid of me again, Faye." Reece says and kisses me through a smile, all over my forehead, cheeks, chin, and my neck. We spend the rest of the morning in our peaceful bubble, kissing and laughing and loving.

Eventually, we decide to head back to Greenville sooner rather than later, and I make a note to talk to Lexi tomorrow, no more putting it off, no more secrets. Reece and I shower together, to save water of course, and pack everything up before driving over to my dad's house to say goodbye.

We sit for a bit and apologize for leaving early last night, smiling at each other knowingly and telling a small lie about going back to the hotel to "sleep". After the wedding, I decided that I like Carissa and I ask her for her phone number before we get back on the road, to which she is pleasantly shocked, and my dad thanks me for it.

The drive back to Greenville is loud with our obnoxious singing, teasing touches and flirting, but it's a good way to pass the time. The sun is setting as we arrive home, and Reece doesn't allow me to get our bags, instead, ushering me up the stairs and telling me to "go get comfortable".

I do as he says, stripping down and climbing into the bed in Reece's designated room. I don't even call it his bed because I sleep in it almost as often as he does, with very few exceptions. I think about the dynamic of the apartment now, wondering if we're going to keep both beds because I don't think that they were necessary before we started dating, much less so now.

We could move his things into my room, because it's bigger, and keep Reece's room as the guest bedroom. I don't bother thinking about it now, feeling too tired to plan anything. I try to empty my mind but it wanders to Lexi and her reaction to my news tomorrow.

I have a bad feeling.