Fighting For You

(Tasha's POV)

"We all accomplished a phenomenal thing today. With Sandstorm finally wiped out our streets are a lot safer. You all deserve to take personal time, I'm giving you one month of leave and it is mandatory.."
Kurt is making his first announcement since we got back from finally taking down Sandstorm. He is still talking, but I can't focus on his words anymore. I haven't been sleeping since I was shot. Every time I close my eyes I see the blood splatter, I hear the shot but I don't see the shooter, and I feel it all over again. Everyone started clapping and cheering, but I just stood here. I have no energy to do anything. People are grabbing their things to leave, I don't want to go back to my place. At least not alone. I saw Reade walk into the locker room and decided to follow him.
"Hey.." I leaned against the locker next to his.
"You look like hell. What's going on with you?" He teased.
I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed.
"Drinks at my place?" I ignored his comment, hopefully he takes a hint.
"Okay, yeah." He hesitated and looked confused.
I didn't bother explaining myself, I'm just too tired. He closed his locker and we headed out.
"Do you need anything?" He asked, as we climbed into his car.
I shook my head, "No, thanks." I spoke softly, almost mumbling.
He looked at me for a minute and sighed before starting his car. It was silent as we drove through the streets. I watched all the street lights blur together as we drove past them. We passed people dancing on the sidewalks, couples holding hands, and people sleeping on benches. I try to take in as much as I can now, in case I miss something important; like someone trying to shoot me. This whole thing has me shaken up and paranoid. I'd never admit it to Kurt or during work even. I don't know what's wrong with me, we get shot at all the time. Reade pulled into the parking lot of my apartment and parked as close to the door as he could get. We didn't talk on the way in or on the way up to my place. I unlocked the door and let out a sigh of relief when we got inside. I went into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine. I went into the living room and sat down next to Reade. I poured our glasses as full as I could without them spilling over and took a drink of mine.
"What's going on? Don't ignore me this time." Reade said, tired of the silence.
I thought about what I should say. Should I just come out and say it? I don't want him to think I'm weak or anything. I don't want to lie to him either. There's a lump in my throat and my heart started racing.
"I.. Um-" I cleared my throat. "Ever since I was shot, I've been having these...These nightmares." I tried to hold eye contact, but I kept looking away.
"Every night?" Reade asked, clearly concerned.
"Yeah, I can't really sleep at all." I mumbled, looking down at my hands.
"Do you need me to stay here with you? I will, it's not a problem."
I can tell he is going to do everything in his power to make me feel better. Who knows, maybe having him here will make them go away.
"Please?" I looked up at him, meeting his gaze.
"As long as you need."
He put his arm around me and I scooted closer to him. We finished off the bottle of wine and Reade stood up to take our dishes and the bottle back to the kitchen.
"You need anything else? Water, tea, food? Have you eaten today?"
I smiled softly at him. "I'm okay. If I need it can get it. You don't have to do everything for me, but I appreciate it."
He sighed, "Okay."
I stood up and went into my bedroom to change my clothes. I normally sleep in a sports bra and spandex, hopefully Reade doesn't mind. I straightened out my bed a little bit, it's a mess from me tossing and turning. I pulled my hair down out of my pony tail and walked to the door to see what is taking Reade so long. Just as I leaned out he came out of the kitchen carrying two glasses of water.
"I know you get thirsty in the middle of night sometimes, so I brought you a glass just in case." He smiled.
I laughed, "Okay, thank you. You have a couple t-shirts and shorts in my closet if you want to change.
He set the glasses down, one on each nightstand and went to my closet. I climbed into bed and got comfortable while he changed. It felt so good to lay down, it's been a long day. It felt even better to know I don't have to wake up to an alarm the next morning. Reade turned off the light and laid down next to me.
"If you need to, wake me up. I don't care what time it is, okay?" He turned to face me.
"Okay." I mumbled.
I probably won't wake him up in the middle of the night. I don't want him to lose sleep too.
"Promise?" He persisted.
He got me there. I've never broken a promise to him and he knows that. We always promise things to make sure we do them. I've never not promised him something he's wanted me to promise.
I sighed, "Promise."
I'm nervous about falling asleep. I don't want to replay that incident anymore. I'm so sick of reliving it. My eyes feel so heavy, I just don't want to close them. I felt Reade's hand brush against mine. At first, I hesitated about grabbing and holding it until I fall asleep, but I'm so exhausted. Maybe just feeling him here with me will make it easier to sleep. I moved my hand out a little bit and slid it onto his. My fingers are over top of his and he rubbed the top of my hand with his thumb. I closed my eyes and focused on the movement of his thumb and the sound of his breathing.
~Nightmare~
Reade and I just finished building our cover in the hallway. We looked at each other and took a deep breath before we began shooting.
"Quantico is starting to sound like a really good idea." I said in between shots.
"I'd write you one hell of a recommendation." Reade joked.
I don't think he knows how bothered I am that he's leaving. He's my best friend and he's just up and leaving. The guys stopped firing, so we checked to see if we got them all. It's all clear and we sigh in relief. I looked up at him and smiled. We did it, we make one hell of a team. I held eye contact with him, not wanting to look away. I want to remember his smile after a moment like this. I heard a gun go off and flinched at the sound. Blood is everywhere and I staggered backwards. I fell into the wall and slid down. Pain shot through my arm and more shots are fired. I keep seeing blood, why is there so much? I heard Reade's voice, but I can't make out what he's saying. There was a loud noise and I couldn't see Reade anymore-"
~
I jolted awake and instantly reached for Reade. My heart his racing and there are tears streaming down my face. I sat up and set my hand on top of his. He woke up as soon as I touched him.
"Are you okay?" He mumbled.
"N-No.." I let out a shaky breath.
"Come here." He laid out his arm.
I laid down with my head on his chest and wrapped my arm around him. I gripped the back of his shirt with my hand.
"It's okay, I'm here." He whispered, rubbing my back.
I can't stop crying. I don't know why I can't see him at the end of my nightmares and I don't know what the last loud noise is. My heart is still racing and I can't catch my breath.
"Hey.." Reade set me back and lifted my head up towards his.
He wiped the tears from my eyes and pushed my hair out of my face.
"Everything is okay. I promise, it's okay. Here, drink some water." He handed me my cup.
I sat up and took a drink. He held my free hand with his and patiently waited until I finished.
"Thanks." I said, with my voice cracking.
"Yeah, now lay back down, come on."
We laid on our sides and I'm as close to him as I can possibly get. His arms are wrapped all the way around me, holding me tightly but gently. My arm is around him, holding him against me. The bottom of his chin is resting on top of my head. I tried to steady my breathing by matching his, but I'm so scared of falling asleep.
"I'm scared.." I whispered.
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He said, placing his hand on the back of my head.
I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath. I can hear his heartbeat if I'm quiet enough. My breathing slowed and I finally stopped crying. Reade is running his fingers through my hair, he always does it to calm me down and it always works. I started to doze off to sleep and Reade mumbled something, but I can't hear what. I don't have the energy to ask what he said either.
~
I woke up to the sun shining through my curtains. Reade isn't in here anymore and I started to panic a little. I started to get out of bed, but I heard dishes clang together and the anxiety went away. I laid back down and pulled the blanket over my head. I don't want to get up yet, I'm still exhausted. I don't know what time it was when I woke up last night. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and checked the time, It's 9:00am. I texted Reade to see what he's doing and waited for a response. Groaning I rolled over, now taking up most of the bed. It feels so early, but this is sleeping in compared to when I normally get up. I waited a few more minutes for Reade to answer, but he isn't. I rolled out of bed and stood there for a little bit. I should get dressed to start the day, but I really don't feel like it. Without brushing my hair or getting dressed I walked out of my room to find Reade. The TV is on, but it's on silent. He has the news playing, I don't know why when that's the last thing he should want to watch. Anything work related shouldn't even be on his mind. I can smell food cooking in the kitchen and it smells delicious. Following the amazing smell, I found Reade in the kitchen.
"Hey." I said standing in the doorway.
He jumped clean out of his skin and I burst out laughing.
"Jesus, Tasha!" Reade started to laugh at himself.
"Whatcha cooking?" I smiled, choosing not tease him.
"Omelettes and vegetables, I hope you're hungry." He turned back towards the stove.
"I hope you know what you're doing." I joked and walked over to the stove.
"This is basic stuff." He laughed.
"Basic for you is takeout." I smiled.
"Prepare to be surprised." He turned towards me, tapped me on the nose, and walked to the fridge.
"Yeah, right. Do you need me to do anything?" I offered.
"No, go sit down and relax. I'll bring it to you when it's done."
He doesn't have to tell me twice. I walked back into the living room and flipped through the channels. The Sopranos reruns are on and who could pass that up? I turned the volume up and set the remote down. It's chilly in here so I went into my bedroom to find something warmer to put on. I went to my closet and pulled out a sweatshirt. I'm pretty sure it's Reade's, but it looks comfortable. I pulled it over my head, it comes down to the middle of my thighs. Without putting any pants on, I walked into the living room and laid on the couch. My head is throbbing and my eyes feel heavy. I can't wait for this to be over. Reade came in with two cups of coffee and set them on the table. He went back into the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. I always drink water after I drink coffee. Something with the aftertaste that I don't like. One last time, he went into the kitchen and came back with two plates.
"Do you need anything else?" Reade asked softly.
"No, thanks." I winced at the pain in my head as I sat home.
"What's wrong?" He sat down next to me.
"Nothing, just a headache. I'm okay." I smiled.
"You probably just need to eat. If it's not better afterwards then take something for it." He said.
I nodded in agreement and began to eat. I wanted to prove him wrong by saying it was gross, but this is the best omelette I have ever eaten. Reade smiled at me and watched me take another bite.
"Mhm, it's good isn't it?"
"Shut up." I laughed.
As I ate, the pain in my head lessened. I took a drink of my coffee and it's perfect. I sighed and leaned back on the couch.
"Thank you." I said looking over at Reade.
"You don't have to thank me." He said shaking his head.
I smiled up at him and went to take my plate into the kitchen. Reade put his hand on my leg,
"I got it." he said, picking up our plates.
I can't believe how much he's doing for me, I feel bad. I heard him in the kitchen washing the plates and it made me want to cry. He's so good to me. I got up and went into the kitchen. I stood next to him at the sink and he looked over at me.
"Everything okay?" He asked, starting the next plate.
"Yeah, everything's great." I sighed.
I watched him continue to clean the dishes. When he finished he dried them off and put them away. Before he walked out I grabbed his arm and pulled him in front of me. I looked up at him and met his gaze for a moment. I reached up and hugged him. He pulled me closer and we stood there for a while. I closed my eyes and held on to this feeling, this feeling of safety. I leaned back, still in his arms, and looked at him again.
"Come sit down, it's your turn to relax." I smiled softly at him.
"Okay, let's go." He said.
As I turned away, his hand lingered on mine. It sent chills down my spine, but I quickly pushed the feeling away. We went into the living room and sat back on the couch. My eyes are still heavy from exhaustion. I looked at the clock, it's 12:00pm now. I feel like I've been up for hours.
"Got a date?" Reade teased me for checking the time.
"I'm tired." I laughed.
"Take a nap." He smiled.
"I just woke up." I gestured at the clock.
"So, you're not going anywhere today." He set a pillow on his lap. "Lay down."
He has a very good point. I stretched my legs out on the couch and laid my head on the pillow, facing the TV. I yawned and closed my eyes. Reade played with my hair as he watched TV.
~Nightmare~
Reade and I just finished building our cover and we waited for people to come through. I'm trying not to let the fact that he's transferring to Quantico upset me. I need to stay focused. Two guys rounded the corner and we sprung into action. They just kept coming and coming, I started to get tired. After it was all clear Reade and I turned to each other and sighed on relief. I looked into his eyes and smiled. I love his eyes, they're dark, but kind. I never want to forget him or his face or anything about him. I don't want to forget how great we are together, at work and at home. Just as suddenly as I heard the gunshot, I saw the blood. I fell back, but I don't know whose blood it is. I heard multiple more shots. I can't stop thinking about Reade, where is he? Is he okay? I put my hand up to my shoulder, I'm bleeding.
"Tasha, you're hit." Reade ran over and sat next to me.
I looked up at him, he's here.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"I'm fine. We gotta stop this bleeding."
I watched Reade try and figure out what to do. He let Weller know I'm hit. I don't care about me. I hope Reade's as okay as he's saying he is. I started drifting in and out of consciousness. There was another shot and when I looked up Reade was gone. I tried to get up, but I can't move.
"Reade!" I yelled.
He didn't answer me, I started to panic.
"Reade!" I yelled again.
"Reade, where are you?!"
~
"Tasha." Reade is standing next to the couch,  shaking me. "Wake up."
I sat up and put my hand up to my head. I always lose him at the end of my nightmares.
"You were yelling for me." He said quietly.
I squeezed my eyes shut, "I'm sorry..I just..You were there and then you weren't. There was so much blood and I-I couldn't find you-"
My voice cracked when I spoke and tears started spilling out of my eyes. My hands were shaking when I tried to wipe them away.
"Hey, I'm right here. I'm always going to be here. Okay? Come here." He sat down and pulled me into his lap.
I laid my head on his shoulder and looked up at him. He started rubbing my back.
"It's going to be okay." He said.
My heart started beating faster, but not because I'm scared; because I love the way he holds me. I love how he treats me. I love the way he laughs, talks, and smiles. I love the way he worries about me. I had convinced myself that being friends is what I want, but I can't shake these feelings anymore. He makes me feel things I locked away. Things I didn't think I could ever feel again. I can't help that when he laughs it's all I want to hear and when he smiles it's all I want to look at. I'm not afraid of love, that's not what scares me. I'm afraid of the illusion of love, what if it's not really there? 
"Do you want some more water?" Reade looked down at me.
"No, thanks. What time is it?" I don't feel like I've been asleep all that long.
"A little after 4:00pm." He wrapped his arms around me again and held me close.
I groaned and laid my head back down on his shoulder. He laid his head on top of mine and sighed.
"What can I do to make you feel better?" He asked, like he hadn't done hardly anything at all.
I smiled into the small of his neck.
"Whatever you've been doing is working great, I promise."
I want to be closer to him, but I don't think it's possible. Being here in his arms makes me forget all my worries. I grabbed one of his hands and started to fiddle with in. I traced his fingers and the palm of his hand. I intertwined our fingers and put my other hand over top of his. I love his hands, they're firm, but soft and gentle.
"Are you hungry?" Reade asked.
"Kind of. What should we do for dinner?" I don't want to make him cook again, he has to be tired.
"Do you feel like going anywhere?" His eyes sparkled when he spoke.
We are looking at each other now, our faces only inches apart.
"That would be lovely." I smiled, not breaking eye contact.
"Let's get ready, I've got somewhere in mind." He said, smiling back.
He slid one of his arms under my knees and put the other one behind my back. He stood up with me in his arms, spun me around, and stood me next to the couch.
"Wow, couldn't carry me to my room?" I laughed, teasing him.
"You've got legs for a reason." He smiled.
I punched his shoulder as we walked into my room. Reade grabbed some clothes from my closet to change into. I need to shower before we go.
~Reade's POV~
I'm going to take Tasha somewhere nice, she deserves it. There's a place called Per Se about 20 minutes away. They have the best food there. It's a bit pricey, but that's the least of my concerns. I had a suit hanging up in her closet that I put on. I stood in front of her mirror and straightened myself up. I'm nervous, I don't know why. It's not a date, it's just Tasha. I sighed and went to get myself a glass of water. I drank one glass and then another. I started walking back to Tasha's room just as she came out of the bathroom. My heart stopped at the sight of her. Her hair is in loose curls that fall just below her shoulders. She's wearing a fitted black dress, not too fancy and not to dull. It hugs her waist perfectly. She has a pair of black heels on to match. We stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever. 
"Wow." I said, at loss for words. "You look..stunning." I laughed nervously.
"Not nearly as stunning as you." She flashed her beautiful smile at me.
She walked over to me and started to fix my tie. Even with her heels, she still has to stand on her tippy toes. I smirked at her, keeping my comment to myself.
"Better?" I asked.
"Better." She looked up at me.
I could look at her all day. Nothing compares to how beautiful her eyes are, how beautiful she is.
"Where are we going?" She asked, still looking at me. Her hands are on my shoulders.
"It's a surprise. Let's go." I put my hands on her waist to set her back and grab my keys.
She started to grab her wallet, but I held it down on the table.
"You don't need that." I pulled her away by her arm before she could push the issue.
She groaned, but followed me anyway. We made our way to my car and got inside. It's silent the whole way there, besides the faint radio playing. When we pulled up Tasha sat upright in her seat and looked over at me. I couldn't help, but smile. She loves this place, but she never gets to go.
"How are you paying for this?" She looked worried, but also happy that she's here.
"Don't worry about it, just enjoy it." I said, still smiling.
I found a parking spot and we went inside. It's a phenomenal looking restaurant. The lighting is perfect as well as the set up. Their food is unbelievable, definitely worth the price. There's a lot of people here, but it's not too crowded. I put my hand on Tasha's lower back to guide her towards our table. We sat across from each other and ordered our drinks. I ordered a bottle of wine as well. We flipped through our menus to find something to eat.
"Are we on a budget?" Tasha smiled and looked up at me.
"No, we're not. Get whatever you want." I laughed.
She's so cute. I know I shouldn't think about her the way I do, but I gave up on trying not to. I closed my menu and watched her look through hers. She sighed and closed her menu.
"Ready?" I asked.
She looked up to meet my gaze, "Ready."
Her eyes glistened under the light. It kills me not being able to kiss her. I hate pretending like it didn't hurt to be rejected. We fit together so perfectly. I wish she could see it, I wish we could be that perfect couple.
The waitress came back with our drinks and we ordered our food. We sat there looking at each other, not knowing what to talk about. It's not an awkward silence, it's a comfortable one. I want to know what she thinks about when she's quiet and looking at me. I always have this small hope that one day she'll love me the way I love her.
"You are incredible." She said, under her breath.
I smiled and furrowed my brow, "Why is that?"
She put her hands under her chin and rested her elbows on the table, "You go above and beyond to help people."
She smiled making her eyes shine even more. I wanted to tell her I only do it for her, but instead I laugh it off. Someone started playing the piano and people started gathering around. Some people got up to dance, leaving only a few parties seated, including us. Tasha looks mesmerized by the music, watching them play.
"Come on." I said, standing up and holding out my hand.
She hesitated at first, but stood up and took my hand. I took her over to the dance floor and pulled her closer to me. We swayed as I watched her watch everything else. Everything else in the room is a blur to me, just background. I closed my eyes and held on to this moment. I opened them to see Tasha now looking at me. My heart melted as we held eye contact. We danced for two more songs before our waitress told us our food is ready. We pulled away from each other and started to walk towards our table. Tasha held on to my arm as we walked. I didn't want her to let go, ever.
~Tasha's POV - After dinner
We just got back from dinner, it was the best night I've had in a very long time. I went into my bedroom to change out of my dress. I put on spandex and a sports bra, my usual sleeping apparel. I can't stop think about dancing with Reade. I wanted to kiss him, like really kiss him. The more I think about him the more I realize how long I've pushed this away. My feelings are too strong to ignore now. Maybe I should tell him, but what if he doesn't feel that way anymore? I could be too late. Reade came into my room, already in different clothes. He has two glasses of water, one for each of us. He set them on the nightstands and yawned.
"Need anything else?" He asked, before getting into bed.
"I'm good." I smiled.
He nodded and climbed into bed. I brushed my hair, turned off the light, and got into bed as well. I laid closer to him than I normally do and put my arm around him. He set his arm on top of mine and rubbed my hand with his thumb.
"Did you have a good time today?" He asked quietly.
"I had a great time, thank you for taking me there. Did you have fun too?" I hugged him tighter.
"I did." He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me.
I hope I don't have another nightmare tonight. It's been such a great night. I dozed off to sleep to the sound of his breathing.
~Nightmare
I put the last metal box in place for our cover. We don't know how many people are going to try to come through here, but we did our best to prepare ourselves. Reade and I crouched down and had our guns pointed towards the end of the hallway. They came in twos and it seemed like they fired non stop. It's so loud and there's so many. After what seemed like forever, the shots stopped. We stood up and checked for more people, they were all gone. I looked at Reade and smiled. We make a great team. I know he's going to miss this. I can see the excitement in his eyes. I want to hug him and never let go. I heard a gunshot, but I don't know who it hit or what. I saw the blood spray into the air as I fell back into the wall. Multiple more shots went off.
"Tasha!" Reade yelled.
Is he okay? I tried to get up, but there's an excruciating pain in my arm. Reade ran over to me and sat down.
"Tasha, you're hit." He said putting his hand to the gunshot wound.
"Are you okay?" I asked, still worried about him.
"I'm fine, but you're not. There's a lot of blood."
He's talking, but I can't make out his words. Things are getting blurry and the room is spinning. I kept thinking to myself, I have to tell him. I repeated it in my head over and over again.
"I love you.." I mumbled.
"What? I can't hear you. You have to speak up." Reade leaned in closer to me.
"I-" I started choking. The whole room turned into one big blur.
~
I woke up to a sharp pain in my arm. It's still healing, but normally it's okay to sleep on. I went to sit up, but I'm too dizzy. I rolled over to the other side of the bed and grabbed my glass of water. I had to close my eyes to take a drink and fell back into the bed. Reade shuffled a bit, before realizing I wasn't in his arms anymore.
"Are you okay?" His voice is hoarse.
"I'm dizzy." I mumbled putting my hand up to my head.
He scooted over to me and felt my forehead to check for a fever.
"You're burning up, let me go get you some medicine. I'll be right back, okay?" He climbed out of bed and went to go find something to give me. I grabbed my phone off the night stand to check the time, it's 5:00am. I'm exhausted, but I don't think I'll be able to fall back asleep. Not after that one at least. I need to tell him how I feel before it's too late. I just don't know when or how. I groaned and rolled myself up in the blanket. Reade came back into the room and turned on my lamp.
"Here, take this." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
I pulled the blanket off of me and sat up, a little too quickly. I squeezed my eyes shut and threw my hand out to balance myself. Reade turned towards me and put his arm around me. He handed me a bottle of pills.
"Kaopectate? Where did you get these from?" I laughed quietly.
"They're for nausea. I think they gave them to me the last time I was in the hospital." He laughed
I took two pills out and took them with my water.
"Do you want to go back to sleep or stay up?" He asked setting the pills on the nightstand.
"I'm going to stay up, but you don't have to." I fiddled with his hand.
I want him to stay up with me, but I won't make him.
"If you're up, I'm up." He said hugging me.
We got up and went into the living room. He turned on the Tv, then went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. My heart started racing as I thought about different ways to tell him how I feel. Should I be cute about it or just come out and say it? I sighed to myself and flipped through the channels. Nothing good is ever on this early. I muted it on a show I've never heard of. Reade came in with two cups of coffee and a glass of water. He handed me my coffee and set my water on the table. I took a sip of mine as soon as he handed to me and smiled. He always makes it perfectly.
"Nothing good on?" He said, referring to the TV.
I shook my head, "Nope."
"Hmm.." He picked up the remote and started going through the channels. "You're such a liar!" He laughed and turned the volume up, "Star Wars is on."
He sat back with a huge smile on his face.
"You are the biggest nerd on the planet." I said, laughing at him.
I cuddled into his arm and smiled up at him.
"Yeah, whatever." He laid his head on mine.
He watched the TV like he's hanging on to every word. He laughed at certain parts and even looked serious sometimes. I hadn't realized I've been watching him the whole time until he look over me.
He smiled, "More coffee?"
My face got hot when he caught me looking at him.
"Um, yeah. Sure, thanks." I sat up and handed him my cup.
I put my head in my hands and groaned. I feel like I'm in high school all over again. I need to get this over with. I don't know why I'm so scared, it's just Reade. I swallowed the lump in my throat and stood up. I took a deep breath and stretched out my arms. I walked into the kitchen just as Reade picked our cups back up. I went up to him and set our cups on the counter. Standing on my tippy toes, I hugged him as tightly as I could. I cuddled my head into the small of his neck. Without any hesitation, he hugged me back. He ran his fingers through my hair and moved his hand down to my lower back. I lifted my head to look at him and leaned back in his arms with my arms still around his neck. I looked into his eyes, this sounds a lot easier than it is. My eyes traveled down to his lips. I remembered him kissing me and how awful my reaction was. I remember the taste of his lips and I'd give anything for it again. Here I am, with my chance.
"I love you." I said looking back up at his eyes.
"I love you." He said right away.
I don't think he understands. I shook my head and laughed softly.
"No, Reade.." I pulled his head closer to me and kissed him.
He didn't pull away and neither did I. He put his hand up to the back of my head and put his fingers through my hair. I smiled in between kisses. I pulled away for a second, but our face are still touching.
"I love you." I whispered.
He kissed me, "I love you more."