The Runaway Bride

Chapter 16

Focus, Anna. Focus.

It was a mantra I had to keep repeating.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

The thought of never having to worry about this frustration once before Reid came was what I hated the most.

It's not as if I hadn't slept with anyone before Reid, but he had also been the last person I had slept with.

After leaving him and having my son, I hadn't gotten the chance to do anything, let alone meet someone.

Even with Chris, it was always just a crush. I never did anything with him. I had barely even kissed him yet. But maybe right now would be my chance.

I felt guilty about the idea of using Chris for anything, but we both knew we wanted each other. We just need the time to be able to be with each other.

It just couldn't be Reid. I wanted to be anyone else but Reid.

I remember our shared night. Our drunken mistake. But I was aware of it all. We had just come back from a business party that one of his business partners had held.

I was expected to attend as his wife and I reluctantly agreed for the sake of not having anything better to do for the night and the convincing done by Aria.

I had worn a beautiful long satin emerald green dress that had a low cut back and exposed my cleavage a little more than I was comfortable with, but I had chosen to wear it either way.

When arriving, Reid and I bonded over the fact about how boring this party actually was. He had introduced me to his work colleagues and business partners, but remained at my side, nonetheless.

It hadn't been the first time I had attended one of these parties, but each time I had Aria with me. But she was not with me this time because she had plans with her fiancé.

Reid was cold for the night, barely to me unless I had spoken to him. But we did both agree that the party was boring and drowned ourselves in alcohol to keep ourselves entertained.

But we had become a little drunker than we liked and decided to go back home. He sat in the back with me which he rarely does since he mostly sat in the front with his driver.

But this night he sat in the back.

"You look breathtaking in this dress," he had said.

"I'm surprised you noticed," I said to him with a hiccuping laugh.

"I always notice you," he whispered before he kissed me.

We arrived home, barely being able to keep our hands off of each other, making our way to his bedroom. Our clothes are basically ripped away by each other.

He was rough, but never in the way to hurt me. I was pinned to the mattress, similar to the way he had me last night. I was pooling in passion and he consumed me as a whole.

For that single night, I had forgotten what our lives were before that night. I let him take me over and over until morning came.

And reality struck me and I cursed at him while he did the same and never spoke of that night again. And continued our lives like it once was, ignoring each other and speaking only when mattered.

But it's different now. When Reid came to live with us, he still was the same person I had once lived with, but some things have changed.

Especially the words that he had said to me.

He makes me question what I once beloved was the truth of who I was, but right now it didn't matter because I was wrong.

I needed to get away from him if not forever, at least just for today until this intense feeling passes.

I had thought about Chris again but the idea of being with him for just a night began to settle in my stomach as discomfort.

Chris is someone I wanted more with. I had liked him since I had met him and having it destroy it just like that would ruin everything.

If I was sure I wanted him, I wanted him to want me as well.

I began cooking dinner in the kitchen for all of us.

This was good since cooking all way seemed to keep me distracted for a while as well.

At least it did until Reid walked in.

"Need help with that?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

I hesitate a bit before answering. "You can get the plates for me," I say.

He pushed himself off the door frame and made his way behind me.

When I had asked him to get the place, I hadn't really thought about the fact that the plates were kept on the cupboard above me.

I was creating my own doom at this point.

I gripped the knife that I had used to cut the tomatoes in my hand as his front pressed against my back.

I closed my eyes as his warmth settles on my back and without realizing I lean further into him.

I felt Reid freeze behind me and he stood there longer than he had meant to.

He pressed himself further into me.

His hands made their way to wrap around my waist and I almost moaned at the way his touch felt against my skin.

"What are you doing?" He whispered low in my ear.

I didn't say anything. I didn't even register his words.

I didn't care what I had said before about not wanting it to be Reid. With him pressed against me like this while I was frustrated, for any contact made me just go wild.

I released the knife and brought my hand to touch his just where he had his wrapped around my waist.

I moved his hand under my shirt, wanting to feel his skin on mine without having my shirt in the way.

"You're killing me," he whispered again, like he had last night. "If you don't stop me right now, you know I won't hesitate to rip this shirt off of you right this instance," he growled.

Oh god. I needed to stop this. I needed to at least say something, but my words got lost in my thoughts.

I turned around, my eyes still closed as I breathed him in. "I need to just-"

"Anna?" It's as if a spell was broken when Chris had called my name.

I moved past my trance and I opened my eyes.

I didn't know when his hands moved away from me but were placed on the countertops on either side of me, trapping me against him.

I stared at Chris, who seemed to have been shocked to see us in the position. I saw the gleam of hurt in his eyes, but he covered it away by telling me that Eli wanted to see me.

Reid let me go from his trap and I took a moment to calm myself before I rushed to Eli.

I didn't know what had happened just right now. How I could have lost control and behave in the way I did with Reid.

I had almost let him do unspeakable things to me right there in the kitchen just after I had promised myself I wouldn't.

And Chris. It was meant to be Chris, but this stupid feeling that took a toll on me all day is ruining the evening for me.