Chapter 15 - Birthday Surprise

Day 15 - cute baby contest - Win 150.

December brought Christmas, snow days, Kaitlin's 35th birthday and marked the 6 month anniversary of their escape to nowhere - or now that they know where - their escape to Twinbrook. Looking back over the last 6 months, Kaitlin was glad they left in the summer right after school let out. If they had come in the winter, things may not have gone so well.

Leroy had been true to his word and gave Kaitlin her space after their tumultuous one night stand. He even let her work with Doug some evenings the first few days. Kaitlin was glad. It helped her ease back into the friendly relationship she had with her boss/landlord.

As the weeks went on she began to encourage Leroy to hit on some of the single ladies that came into the bar. He would just say, 'Sorry sweetheart, I am spoiled for everyone else' and wink at her making her face turn red. Then he would laugh while she would glare at him pretending to be mad. But she could never be mad at him, she allowed it to happen. Hell, she begged him to kiss her knowing exactly what would happen.

* * *

Kaitlin’s mind was racing as she looked at her reflection in the good part of the cracked and peeling mirror trying to calm he nerves. She was getting ready for her first official date with Reid and she wanted to look extra nice. 

Today was her birthday. Reid had called saying he wanted to take her dancing and had a surprise for her. Dang Ben, she thought, he must have told him. Ben had bonded with Reid and they were as thick as thieves. He had to be the culprit.
  

His relationship with her son aside, Reid was always sweet to her which made her guilt about her one-nighter with Leroy that much worse, as if she didn't deserve his affection. She found her thoughts straying to that night and then she quickly reminded herself she was seeing Reid, not Leroy.

Reid had never asked her to have dinner in a restaurant or see a movie. He usually just stopped by on his days off after the kids went to school and stayed until they got home so he could see Ben. Occasionally, if she had to do something in town, he would take her and then they would stop at his place for lunch and a quickie before he brought her home. She liked it that way. Friends with benefits. She told herself he was there to see Ben and she was icing on the cake. This made her nervous. Now it was really about her - and him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzzer. He was here. She could hear Ben running to him and talking 90 miles an hour about the latest level on his video game and challenging Reid, "Betcha can't beat THAT score!"

“Game on,” came his deep baritone and she melted a little. Reid was cocky for sure. He was very handsome, almost beautiful if a man can be described that way and he knew it. She had no doubt he had women throwing themselves at him.  Why he latched onto a woman with 3 kids she had no idea. 

While Kaitlin was delaying the inevitable in the bathroom, Reese wanted to show Reid some of the pictures he had taken of Maddy for entrance into Twinbrook's Christmas Baby photo contest. “She took second - again! I can't seem to get a good enough picture to get first!” whined Reese. 

Reid just laughed and continued trying to knock Ben's race car off the track, “You should look into some photography lessons. That will help you understand how to frame your subject and use lighting to enhance your pictures.”

"You think Mom will let me?" asked Reese enthusiastically, "I would like that."

"I'll ask her! HAH! Got you Ben!"

Kaitlin checked her lipstick one last time and walked out of the little bathroom. Her heart melted a little more when she saw the scene before her. All three guys were sitting on the couch encouraging Ben’s progress with the video game while little Maddy clapped and cheered for them, parroting everything they said.

Then Reese looked up, “Wow Mom!” he exclaimed when he saw her. 

Reid looked up too. He immediately got up to greet Kaitlin as she walked around to where he was sitting, stunned at how pretty she was. She was always so cute, but he could tell she had tried hard to look extra nice for him. 

“Wow is right Katie. Happy Birthday beautiful.” Then he pulled her into a hug and kissed her while Ben looked on with approval. Ben was forever asking if Mr. Reid could live with them. Maybe if their mommy liked him she would let him move in. Ever the matchmaker - that one. 

When Reid kissed Katie, Reese immediately said, “Geez Mom! Really?” 

Ignoring her oldest son, she noticed Reid was dressed a little nicer and he really smelled good, “Mmmm," whispered Kate, "you look and smell scrumptious,” he would look scrumptious in or out of anything, she thought and then said louder, “So where are we going?”  He still hadn’t told her he owned a nightclub not that it was a big deal to her, but she wondered if that’s where he was taking her. 

“I told you. Dancing,” he said simply.

The couple broke apart laughing and left the younger kids in Reese’s capable hands.

* * *

20 minutes later they arrived at what she now knew was Reid’s club - but Reid didn't know she knew. He parked and they went inside. “I have it on good authority the dance floor will be ours tonight," he said matter of factly.

The ‘Red Rendezvous’ lived up to it's name as everything was bathed in soft red lights. Reid guided her to the small dance floor, several people saying hi or nodding a greeting to him as they made their way over. 

The music was already playing so he pulled her to him and they began to dance. Reid was a good dancer and expertly guided her around the small space. She was in heaven. The last time she danced brought back painful memories. She was happy to have these new ones to replace them. It was so romantic. They didn't talk much, mostly just danced enjoying being so close to each other. 

After the last song was over, instead of releasing her, Reid pulled her to him and kissed her - deeply. Kaitlin was embarrassed. Everyone was watching. But Reid obviously didn't care. 

When she tried to pull away, he held her tighter. It was if he were making a statement, 'She's mine. We are a couple.'  And then he flashed her a real smile, not one of his sexy smirks. It took her breath away.

When he finally released her, he guided her over to a small table in a secluded corner away from the bar and prying eyes. Once they sat down he gave her a look filled with desire and said, “Katie, I have another surprise for you. But we have to go upstairs. But before we do I wanted to ask you something. Do you like this place?"

"Yes, it's very, um, intimate with the lighting and the small tables tucked in corners and I loved our dance."

"Then you will have to come here with me more. You see, this is my place, so we can come here whenever you want. I didn't tell you before because, well, it didn't seem to matter and then things, my feelings, changed and I was afraid to tell you. You are stealing my heart. You and your adorable kids. I am hopelessly..."

“Reid,” she said to stop him from saying more about his feelings, but not really knowing what to say so she directed the conversation away from her to Ben, “You mean so much to Ben. I can't thank you enough for what you have done for him. He is like a different child. You have been a wonderful friend.”

Reid was not to be put off so easily. “Uh - thank you - but Katie, darlin’, what I am trying to say is, I am telling you this because I want you to know about me. I have a - reputation. But I haven't seen anyone but you for the last four months. Haven't wanted to. I am addicted to you. And it's weird for me. You aren't going after me for money. You are sweet and unassuming and work hard to provide for your family and you have really good kids. Look, I know you came from a really bad situation and….”

Kaitlin froze and sucked in her breath, “How, what...no, I am not a charity ca...” she stammered, her eyes filling.

“God, Katie, I’m sorry. No don't cry. We don't have to talk about it. I promise my feelings have nothing to do with anything but you - not your past - you. Come on,” he said pointing to the ceiling, “Let’s go upstairs. I have a room there where we can have some privacy and I can give you your birthday present.”

Reid helped her up and Kaitlin followed him up the stairs. As the ascended, she had flashbacks of Leroy carrying her to the tiny room behind his bar kissing her passionately followed by images of Newt hitting Reese. She had to forget that. She was with Reid, who just said he adored her kids and practically saved Ben. Addicted or not though, he was a friend - a friend with benefits - nothing more. She couldn't lead him on. She had to tell him, just not tonight.

When they reached he landing she was in surprised. She expected something dingy like Leroy had. But this bar made money. The entire upstairs was huge and in one corner was big screen TV with a nice sectional surrounding it and a neatly kept office in another. Then there were a set of double doors that no doubt led into his suite. 

He opened the doors and ushered her in. The room, obviously masculine, had a huge bed, a wet bar complete with a stocked wine rack, no doubt filled with quality wine, a seating area and a full en-suite bathroom. Music was already playing softly in the background.

Reid, very comfortable in this space, walked over to the bar and began to open a bottle of wine. So wine will be my downfall tonight instead of a ‘KSR’, she thought. 

Once he got the bottle opened and the wine poured, Reid turned to her to offer a toast but stopped when he saw the look on her face, “Katie, are you okay?” 

Kaitlin quickly smiled and tried to relax. She walked over to Reid and picked up her glass, “Of course Reid, I was just surprised is all. Um, you own this place and I had no idea this was up here. It's very nice. You are full of surprises tonight Mr. Nielson.”

He smiled another of those real smiles that seemed to be reserved just for her, “Let's have a drink to your birthday. May we spend many, many more together.”

Kaitlin almost spit out her wine at the many, many more together part and started to cough, “I’m so sorry, it went down wrong!”

“You okay?" he asked for the second time in as many minutes.

"Yes," she said as she sat her glass down.

"Good," he said as he produced a box wrapped in a red ribbon and presented it to her, "Something beautiful for an even more beautiful woman."

Kaitlin could feel herself blush at his words, “No Reid. Dancing was wonderful. That was enough,” she protested thinking back to the recent birthdays that were forgotten or ignored.

Reid frowned, “Katie, take it. It's not polite to turn down a gift.”

He looked so hurt like one of her boys when they thought they disappointed her. She had no choice but to take it. “Of course it's not. Thank you,” she said as she took it and just stared at it afraid to open it.

Reid laughed, “It doesn't bite Katie. Open it.”

Kaitlin opened the box with shaky fingers and gasped. It contained a beautiful heart shaped ruby pendant surrounded by what she thought must be diamonds. “It’s beautiful, but it's too much Reid. I - I can't take this.”

“Katie, I meant it when I said I am falling hard for you. When Ben said today was your Birthday, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to show you how much your little family is coming to mean to me. I really want you to have it as a token of my affection. It's beautiful, just like you.  Here, let me put it on you.”

She turned around so he could hook the clasp. “Turn back around gorgeous, let me see.”

Kaitlin turned and he whispered, “Perfect, just like you.” 

Kaitlin’s emotions got the best of her and she began to cry. “Katie? What is it?” 

“Happy….happy tears, hold.. me please...” she said between sobs.

Reid let out a sigh of relief. He thought he had totally screwed up by confessing his feelings. He quickly enveloped her in a tight embrace and and held her until she finally stopped crying, evidence of his desire pressing into her stomach. He didn't try to hide it.

When she finally came up for air, Reid captured her lips and tried his best to put every bit of feeling he had for her into that one kiss. He was pretty sure he was in love with Twinbrook's mystery lady. 

Kaitlin held him tight, she didn't want to let go of him, couldn't let go. He was her lifeline now. She pushed their kiss deeper telling him without words that she was falling for him as she pressed her body into his. 

They kissed their way to the bed and Reid pulled her into his lap. 

He turned her around and laid her back onto the bed and she grabbed for his shirt, clothes had to go - now.

This time when he made love to her she knew. They had moved out of the friend zone. This wasn't casual sex. He was showing her how much he cherished her, a union born of a need to be close to each other, become one with the other.

Afterwards, as they lay exhausted on the bed trying to catch their breath, Reid stroked her hair. That one simple gesture meant more than everything else they had done. This time when the man next to her pulled her close in the afterglow of their lovemaking, she didn't panic or feel regret. She wanted, no needed, to be in his arms. He made her feel safe and loved.

God help me, she thought, as she lay there enjoying his caress, could it be... love.... is he really in love with me? He never said those words, but maybe he was waiting on me. When he tried to tell me how he felt earlier, I tried to friend zone him. No wonder - but it's better this way. 

Kaitlin wasn't sure she trusted her feelings at all. She thought she was in love with Newt at one time, but was she really ever? Is that why their marriage deteriorated? And then she jumped into bed with Leroy. She liked Leroy - a lot. What was that about? And, to make it worse, she was still married. Reid deserved someone so much better than what she could offer him. As Reid continued to stroke her hair, Kaitlin put away her thoughts and snuggled closer to him. She tried to name their relationship, was he her boyfriend? She hoped so, thought so, was pretty sure. Yes, he was. Had to be. It felt right.

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