Chapter Twelve

Keely

I stir awake to the sound of Reeve groaning softly in his room coming through the baby monitor.

Intently I listen to the monitor as the pained sounds continue.

"Reeve..." I say softly, but I don't receive a reply.

My heart aches hearing him suffer as the groaning continues.

"Reeve, are you awake?" I ask a little louder this time.

After a few moments of internal debate, I decide I can't just listen to this anymore. I need to check on him.

I get up out of bed, head for the island where I dropped both of the keys for his apartment and mine and then I unlock my apartment door and head straight for his. I already know he's asleep and since I don't want to wake the neighbors with my loud knocking, I use my key to enter his apartment.

I knew I should have slept on the couch tonight, but after what happened yesterday morning in the shower, I knew it would be easy to have an encore if I had.

I walk up to Reeve's closed bedroom door. Knocking softly, I call out, "Reeve? Are you okay?"

There's a pause, then his groggy voice responds, "Keely?"

"Yeah, it's me. I heard you on the monitor."

"You can come in," he says.

I push the door open gently. In the dim light, I can see Reeve lying in bed, his face tight with discomfort.

"I'm fine. I forgot to get a new ice pack before I fell asleep after talking to you and the pain woke me up."

"You don't seem fine," I say gently. "But let me get you a fresh ice pack before I assess you."

I head to the kitchen and grab a new ice pack from the freezer. When I return, Reeve has managed to sit up slightly in bed.

"Here," I say, carefully placing the ice pack on his knee. "This should help numb things a bit."

Reeve winces slightly but then relaxes as the cold takes effect. "Thanks," he murmurs, the tension in his shoulders easing.

I hover over him for a moment. "Do you need anything else? Water? More pillows?"

He shakes his head. "No, I'm okay. You can go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"It's fine. I want you to wake me when you're in pain so that I can help," I say. "I'm going to sleep on the couch tonight so that I'm close. Just call out if you need me for anything."

But as I turn to leave, his hand reaches out and gently grasps my wrist. "Actually...would you mind staying? Just until I fall asleep again?"

The vulnerability in his voice tugs at my heart. Against my better judgment, I nod. "Of course."

I sit on the edge of the bed and then lay down beside him. We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound his gradually steadying breathing.

Just as I think he's drifted off, Reeve speaks softly. "My mom died when I was fourteen."

His admission takes me by surprise. "You were so young," I say.

I look over to find Reeve staring up at the ceiling--his eyes deary and sad--his lips pressed into a thin line.

"She and I were in a car accident when I was five," he continues quietly. "I only broke my arm but she sustained more injuries and needed multiple surgeries after that. Some of the surgeries were successful, but others weren't and only caused her more pain."

I listen intently, sensing this is something he doesn't share often. My heart aches for the young boy who went through such trauma.

"The doctors kept prescribing her pain medication. No one knew how bad it was getting, not even me," Reeve says. "At first it helped, but then it became something else entirely. She tried rehab a couple of times but it never stuck. Then years after the accident, I got my first bad hockey injury and my doctor prescribed me pain meds. I thought I was being forgetful about taking them when I noticed that the bottle seemed to dwindle faster than it should have, but I was just a kid. The next summer, I broke my collarbone on a rope swing, and the same thing happened. I still didn't put it all together."

"How could you have? You were just a kid."

He shakes his head as if he's still trying to think of what he missed with her like the signs were there.

"After that, she started seeing a therapist and within a few weeks she had checked into rehab. hat was the first time. After she got out, I denied pain meds whenever a doctor prescribed them."

I hold my breath, already sensing what's coming next. I already want to wrap my arms around the eight-year-old Reeve, who had to handle such a difficult situation.

He takes a shaky breath. "She died of liver failure when I was fourteen. That's why I stopped taking pain meds."

"What about your dad? Was he in the picture?"

He nods. "My parents divorced when I was four after my dad got a promotion that required a move to Texas, but my mom never warmed up to the place-- she missed the mountains and her family. Six months later, she packed me up and took me back. I spent the school year with her and a month in the Texas summer with my dad."

"That must have been an adjustment?"

"I spent every minute I could at the local ice rink practicing with the Zamboni driver until his wife made him come home for dinner."

I laugh--that sounds like Reeve.

"So the obsession with hockey isn't new?"

"It's more like an addiction; I've just learned how to channel it."

"Reeve..." I start.

He turns his head against the pillow, and those warm eyes that I'm finding harder and harder to say no to settle on me.

"I'm sorry I dumped all of that on you. This surgery has brought up stuff that I haven't thought about in a really long time. It's not something I usually fixate on."

I nod, understanding that having to manage the pain has brought some other hurt to the surface.

"You can tell me anything you want."

"I know. You can tell me anything you want, too."

I lick my lips and then give a polite smile, which he accepts and then turns his eyes back up to the ceiling.

But the truth is, I can't tell him anything I want. Not if I want to avoid him seeing me as a virus to his long-desired career.

Hockey is what kept him sane all those years. The moment the sponsors start backing out and teams don't want to take a chance with him on the roster because of his girlfriend's father, he'll resent me, and I'll resent myself.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," I say softly. "I understand now. We'll find other ways to manage your pain, I promise."

Reeve turns his head to look at me, a small smile on his lips despite the sadness in his eyes. "You said earlier that there are other options?"

Remembering my earlier conversation with Paula, I debate how many of the options I should give him. "Yes, there are some alternative methods we could try. Things like acupuncture, meditation, aromatherapy..."

I trail off, debating whether to mention the last option Paula suggested. Reeve raises an eyebrow, noticing my hesitation.

"There's more?" he says.

I feel my cheeks warm slightly. "Well, um, there's also...sex."

His eyes widen in surprise. "Sex?"

"Yeah," I say, trying to keep my voice casual. "Some studies have shown that orgasms can help with pain management. The endorphin release acts as a natural painkiller."

Reeve is quiet for a moment, and I worry I've made things awkward. But then a small smirk tugs at his lips.

"So you're saying doctor's orders are for me to have more orgasms?" he teases. "I like that option... how do we explore it?" His eyes twinkle with amusement.

"Do you actually think that sex would work?" he asks.

"I'm not sure, but I have to admit that I'm curious."

"Just come out with it, Doc. Are you asking me to be your sexy little science experiment?"

I turn my body toward him, laying on my side to face him, my hands curling up under the pillow below my head.

"There's nothing little about you, Reeve."

"Good point. So true." He grins back at me.

His hand slips between my waist and the mattress as he hooks his arm around my back, pulling me flush against his side. My hand settles on his chest, and my leg instinctively curls over the top of his uninjured knee, maybe because being close to him comes more naturally than I'm willing to admit.

"So, we'll call it a science experiment. A one-time thing to test out the theory."

"Is that code for "no-strings-attached"? Because we both know that an experiment takes more than one time to test thoroughly, and I hypothesize that one time won't be enough." Reeve's hand slips further down my lower back until his fingertips skim teasingly at the skin above my pajama bottoms. "I'm very thorough when it comes to my research."

He pulls me closer--A shiver rolls through me as his eyes dip down to my lips.

"It shouldn't be too hard to prove. All you have to do is tell me if you're still in pain after you come inside me."

Reeve's eyes go hooded with desire instantly.

"Jesus, Keely," he says, his eyes dilating just before his lips crash against mine--the taste of need so sweet on his tongue as he gains access to my mouth--his hand dips beneath my waistband, squeezing my ass cheek and pulling me tighter against his thigh.

I moan at the feeling of pressure against my needy clit.

My body begins to grind against his leg like the desperate, sex-deprived woman that I am. A deep growl rumbles through his chest--his hand encouraging me to grind faster, harder. "That's it. Just like that."

He pulls his hand from my ass cheek--both hands gripping around my waist, pulling me up until I'm straddling his leg. My hands flatten against his chest as if to anchor me in place as I pick up my pace. I feel the wetness between my thighs soak my panties, and I wonder if he can feel the moisture through my pajama bottoms.

"This isn't what we agreed to--me coming like this," I say because there's no hiding the fact from either of us. He has me on the edge and I won't last much longer before I come with both of us still fully clothed.

"I need you dripping wet first before you take me. I don't want to hurt you."

More liquid arousal spills into my panties at the thought of how far Reeve's cock will stretch me open.

His hand dips under the front of my shorts--his thumb rolling and presses against my already throbbing clit, pulling a whimper from my lips.

"Reeve... I'm--" I choke out in a warning, my fingernails digging into his chest as my center begins to squeeze while he plays with my tender nub.

And then I scream out my orgasm, bracing myself against his chest to keep myself from crashing against his chest.

My eyes find his--he's been watching me.

We're not done.

Not even close.

"You're gorgeous when you come, did you know that?" he asks, his honest eyes searching mine.

I shake my head.

I've never been told that after sex, but it's no surprise that with Reeve, everything is different.

And now more than anything, I want to know what he feels like inside of me.

"I want you, Reeve," I tell him.

It's the first time I've ever said those words out loud to him.

"Finally," he says and reaches up for me.

Before I know it, we're in a mad rush, stripping each other bare of every inch of clothing.

Gym shorts, pajama bottoms, panties, and then my shirt--all tossed onto the wood floors of his bedroom until there's nothing between us but skin

His eyes roam over my bare breasts and down my torso and then to my bare pussy,his gaze appreciative.

His hands come up, gliding over my hard nipples before he cups my breasts--I hum in approval that I like the way his hands feel.

I watch as he reaches for a condom on the nightstand by his head. Pulling one out, he rips the foil and rolls it on.

I lift my leg to straddle him, and he guides me slowly until he lines me up with his tip.

"You'll tell me if I'm going too fast or if I'm hurting your knee, right?"

He chuckles as if the idea is preposterous. "Hurt me Keely. Do your best."

I line myself up with him, rubbing the head of his cock through my slick folds. Then, with one swift movement, I sink down onto him, taking him slowly at first, letting my body adapt to his girth--my body stroking his length as groans of pleasure pass through his lips, until I take one last thrust, taking all of him until he bottoms out inside of me.

"Oh fuck," Reeve groans, his head falling back against the pillow. "You feel incredible."

I start to move again, but Reeve takes control, gripping my hips and guiding my movement until I'm riding him hard and fast. The pleasure is so intense, it's bordering on too much, but I refuse to hold back.

"You ride my cock so well," he mutters.

His hand reaches up behind my neck and pulls me down against his lips, my breasts pressing against his chest as he sets our pace--his cock stroking over and over against the hot button inside of me that he knows just how to press. Reeve releases my lips and pulls me higher until his lips find my puckered nipple.

His lips suction around me while his tongue playfully flicks and licks my needy nub until I'm melting into him.

"I'm so close," I pant, begging him with my hips to increase the tempo. "Faster, Reeve, please don't stop."

Reeve doubles his efforts, thrusting his hips up to meet my strokes. But then I hear his grunts of pain. "Reeve, stop! Your knee," I beg, but he doesn't stop; he only increases his rhythm. The coil of pleasure in my belly snaps and I come careening back to earth, my walls fluttering and pulsating around Reeve's cock.

"That's it, Keely," Reeve praises, continuing to stroke me through my orgasm. "You're so perfect."

A few more hard thrusts and Reeve is coming too, spilling himself deep inside me with a guttural moan. I collapse against his chest, both of us gasping for breath.

"That was..." Reeve starts but can't find the words.

"Pain relieving?" I tease.

"The results were inconclusive. Looks like we'll have to try again."

"Too bad we already agreed to one time," I say, though I wish there was a chance for more.

I push up off his chest and move to the edge of the bed, reaching down to grab my shirt and pull it on.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To set up the couch for tonight."

"You said that you would stay with me until I fell asleep."

"That's true, I did.

He holds open his arms and I lay back down

Hours after we both fall asleep, I wake and realize that I'm getting too comfortable with Reeve. It's time for a little distance, even if it's the last thing I want.