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My words trail of and Reed cocks his head in question "Iron on?"

I shake my head "My purse on the counter"

"You don't need it," he says as he opens the door andanywhere"

I s hard as I turn to face hiives a short, sterile sweep of his eyes down ht flare of shock in them It's the first time he's seen me in a dress

Reed doesn't say anything but just waits expectantly foroff to the guillotine or sohtly as I realize he's wearing cologne I've never sood I want to lean toward him and sniff harder

But I don't Iroom, surreptitiously wipe my hands on the bottom ofroom table Because his condo, likeroo room and kitchen It's laid out with for tapered candles in theot plates set out formally, and by formal I mean he put little folded paper towels beside them with a fork, knife, and spoon on top There's a bottle of wine in the center of the table and tineglasses half filled with ruby red liquid Perhaps it's fro the table set so nicely, but I involuntarily inhale to check out the scent in the air I'd vaguely noticed when I came in

Tomato sauce and cheese

I turn to look at Reed, who is watching me closely

"What is this?" I ask softly as I gesture to the table

He shrugs "Just thought I'd cook you dinner"

I noticed he said you and not us

"You don't cook," I reply stupidly

One corner of Reed's mouth lifts, then twitches "How do you know I don't cook? You've only seen me order pizza or meals from a restaurant, but that doesn't mean I can't cook"

"You said you hate to cook," I remind him

"Well maybe I make exceptions sometime," he counters

I sniff again and realize there is a subtle hint of so's burning"

For a brief moment I can tell that statement doesn't penetrate Reed's es pastof curses when he opens the oven door and black smoke slithers out Reed slaps at the temperature controls to turn the oven off and let's five F-bombs slide out of his na from the oven My hand slaps to my mouth to cover the snicker that wants to pop out when I notice that the lasagna is actually the frozen kind in a foil pan

"Goddahs as he stares at the charred cheese on top

"Maybe we can pick the burned stuff off," I suggest with a little chuckle "Or we can drink the wine first, get really drunk, and then ouldn't notice how it tastes"

Reed slowly tilts his face to look at ives me a frustrated look and asks, "How do you feel about frozen pizza?"

I grin back at hi as you let me cook it"

"I can cook a darumbles

"I'ry, Reed So let's not risk it and let me cook the pizza"

This is all hysterically funny to hing it off However, he looks

I take a step closer to hi on here?"

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it, but Reed's face actually flushes and red tinges his cheeks He shrugs and ht I'd make you a nice meal"

I reach a hand out and lay it on his ar him a slow squeeze "That's very sweet But you know I'irl Pizza would have been fine"

Reed's face is like a blank ine the wheels turning inside of his head before he even says so It's like he's at a complete loss as to what to say towith this, because it's just me I'm just Josie, his friend

I can't tearso I' Just staring atfor an answer to come to him

Long moments pass and we enter into the realht of the et Reed to snap out of it I open ue to set things straight, but I'm utterly shocked down to rab me by my shoulders He pulls ht, then I actually gasp when his mouth crushes down on mine

My first thought is that Reed has lost his ever-loving mind

That slithers away and is i me

Oh good God

Reed Is Kissing Me

And itI've ever experienced indown into his muscles as Reed's hands roans when the tip of his tongue toucheshis body closer to mine