Fireflies From Heaven by Rebecca Julia Lauren Page A

Hi, Ellie.   I didn’t mean to
interrupt, I just wanted to visit.”
    “You’re not
interrupting anything,” I said quickly.   Catching the amusement shining in Reed’s
eyes, I realized that I sounded guilty like she was interrupting something.
    “Ellie just
finished checking me out,” Reed told his sister grinning, my heart flipping
inside my chest at the double meaning.
    “She’s the
best.” Isabelle smiled.
    “What’s that?”
Reed asked Isabelle, nodding at the large plastic shopping bag in one arm and a
brown paper bag in the other.
    Isabelle
beamed.   “You’re favorite Chinese food.”
She held up the brown paper bag.   “I
know you haven’t had time to get out and shop, so I figured I would get you a
few things.” She indicated the other bag.
      “You didn’t have to go to the trouble,
but thanks.   I appreciate it. I hope
you’re going to help us eat all that.”
    He’d used the
word ‘us’ so casually that I don’t think Isabelle thought anything of it, but I
suddenly regretted not telling her about us.   Unaware of my upset, Reed got up and
reached to take the bags from Isabelle.
    “Sit back
down!” she ordered. “I’ve got this.   You need to rest.”
    “Isabelle, I’m
fine.”
    “The doctor
said you shouldn’t overdo it,” she insisted, holding the bags away from him.
    “He also said I
should use my leg.   It won’t get any
stronger if I sit on my ass all day.” His soft tone took the sting out of the
words.
    “Just sit back
down, and let Ellie do her job while I put these things away.   Then we’ll eat.”
    I could tell
there was going to be no arguing with Isabelle and apparently Reed realized the
same thing because he reluctantly sat back down, humoring his sister.
    “Be right
back,” she said before turning in the direction of the kitchen.   Suddenly she stopped.   “Hey Ellie, you’ll have to tell us about
your date with Doctor Hot Kiss over dinner,” she laughed. “Reed, did she tell
you that she’s dating the sexiest doctor at the hospital?” Isabelle walked
away, not expecting an answer but she didn’t expect the look of her brother’s
face either.
    “No.” He turned
his attention to me. “You didn’t tell me about your date.”
    I understood
Reed’s scowl, but the hurt in his eyes made me want to beg his forgiveness even
though I hadn’t really done anything wrong.
    “It’s not what
you think,” I assured him.
    “You didn’t go
on a date some guy called Doctor Hot Kiss?”
    I heard the
hopeful tone in his voice and wished that I could tell him no.   “Yes, but I can explain.”
    He cocked a
brow. “You can explain that you’re dating the sexiest guy at the hospital?” he practically
growled.   “Cause I’m not real sure I
want to hear about that, Ellie.”
    “Reed, I made
the date before we were together, and I tried to call him to cancel, but he was
in surgery and I didn’t want to break it off in a voicemail.”
    “So you went
out with him?” he asked dryly.
    “Yes.
    “Did you sleep
with him?”
    “No!” I cried.
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that.”
    “I can’t
believe I’m asking you if you’re dating someone. I can’t believe I’m referring
to a guy as Doctor Hot Kiss .”
    The situation
might have been funny if Reed wasn’t so upset. My lips tugged at the corners,
but I fought the smile.
    Reed stared at
me with a guarded expression, as if he wasn’t sure what to expect from me.
    “I only went
out with him to break it off.   We
met at Luciano’s and over dinner I told him I’d met someone.”
    He shot me an
uncertain look. “You told him about us?”
    “I’d never do
anything to hurt you, Reed.”
    “Why does Isabelle
think you’re dating him?”
    “I haven’t
talked to her. I haven’t even told her about us yet.”
    Surprise flashed
across his face a second before Isabelle stormed back into the living room
carrying the handcuffs and riding crop I’d left at Reed’s house last week.