Chapter 6:

The next morning Reid was drinking coffee at the kitchen table, when he saw Luke and Lily walk in with bags of groceries. He stood up grabbed the bags from Lily's hands and put them on the kitchen table.

"Thank you, Reid."

"No, thank you, Lily. I know you are going out of your way to make this easier on me and I do appreciate it. "

Reid smiled at Lily, who beamed back at him.

Even though their relationship had started out rocky, they managed to put aside their differences after Luke and Reid moved in together. Lily realized how good Reid was for Luke, and how Luke brought out the best in Reid. She approved of their relationship, and was one of the few people in Oakdale who stood up for him when he and Luke had split up.

If there was one thing that could be said about Lily, was that she was loyal to a fault. If she decided you were good enough for her son, she would never abandon you or turn her back on you. She still had her moments, but Reid came to appreciate her advice and caring nature.

Luke still hated that Lily cared about Reid, and often checked up on him, even though he and Reid had broken up years ago.

He rolled his eyes and put the rest of the groceries on the table.

"Can I ask why you needed a gallon of mayonnaise?"

"I was going to make egg salad."

Luke wrinkled his nose,

"Eww... I hate that stuff."

"I know, that's why I'm making it."

Reid turned his back to Luke then.

Lily just laughed under her breath and said she was off to take Ethan and Natalie swimming at Snyder pond.

Reid dropped a kiss on her cheek and thanked her again.

"I still don't get why my mother loves you. I remember when she hated you."

"What's not to love? I'm hot, I'm a freaking neurosurgeon, and I have the body of a Greek god. Plus I'm funny."

"Not to mention your hair."

"Oh yeah. I really do have awesome hair."

Luke stopped and looked at him in disbelief.

"I was being sarcastic, Reid."

"I wasn't. I really do have good hair."

"Okay."

"Speaking of good hair. I should find out when Mark is working again."

Reid turned to go outside. He could see Luke's jaw clench when Reid mentioned Mark's name and smiled to himself.

He stepped out to see Mark talking to his replacement.

"Hey Mark. Thanks again for last night. When's your next babysitting shift?"

"Whenever you want it to be."

Reid grinned.
"How about tonight?"

"Sounds good to me. I was on the schedule anyway."

The new guard looked extremely awkward.

Reid just patted him on the back, which caused him to flinch,

"Don't worry, buddy. You're not my type."

Mark laughed heartily at this as he walked to his motorcycle that was parked at the edge of the cabin.

"See you tonight, Reid."

Reid trudged back up to the steps of the cabin.

He could see Luke glowering at him from the cabin window.

He walked in and picked his coffee mug back up.

"So, that's your precious Mark?"

"There is hardly anything precious about him, and I do not own him, Mr. Snyder."

Luke nearly did a double take when he heard Reid call him that. He hadn't called him Mr. Snyder in quite some time.

"Well, he seems nice enough."

"Why do you even care?"

"I don't. I'm going to take a shower."

"And I care, because?"

"Just wanted to let you know the bathroom would be occupied for a while."

"I already took my shower, Luke. So I don't care."

Reid knew he was being rude, but he didn't care. Being around Luke put him on edge, and made him so confused. On one hand he'd love to throw Luke up against the wall and beat the shit out of him, but then he also wanted to throw him against the wall and fuck his brains out.

God he hated himself.

Luke stood and watched Reid for a bit, but then Reid heard him turn and go to the bedroom.

Reid headed to the library. He saw the book stacks and tried to find something to help him pass the time.

He finally settled on a book on the history of the United States Navy, and settled into one of the overstuffed chairs.

Before he knew it, it was noon, and he was famished.

He headed to the kitchen.

Luke was standing at the stove stirring something.

"I'm afraid to ask, but when did you learn to cook?"
"When Spencer and I moved in together, he insisted that I know."

Reid started laughing then.

"What the hell is so funny, Reid?"
"I'm sorry, but your boyfriend insisted you learn how to cook? What is this, the 1950s?"

"Shut up, Reid. It's a good skill to have."

"Yeah it is, but you should get that skill because you love to cook, not because your significant other forces you to."
"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Reid."

Reid just shook his head and peered over Luke's shoulder.

"What are you making, anyway?"

"French Onion soup."

"With the cheese and the bread?"

"Yep. The good kind."

"Why are you making my favorite soup?"

"This isn't for you."

"Oh, how mature of you Luke."

Reid just rolled his eyes and went to the refrigerator.

He started pulling out the eggs and mayonnaise. He started one of the burners next to Luke's pot and put a pot with water on to boil. He put the eggs in and started making the sauce.

He purposely bumped into Luke and instead of asking Luke for anything he reached around him to grab items.

Finally, Luke stepped back, turned his burner off and poured the soup into two tureens. He put the cheese on and put it in the preheated oven to finish baking.

Reid finished his eggs and started chopping onions for the salad.

He saw Luke take the soup out of the oven and place croutons on the top.

Reid's mouth was watering. If there was one thing he adored more than sandwiches it was French Onion Soup.

Luke picked up the two tureens. He took one to the kitchen table, and then took the other outside.

Reid could see Luke offer it to the guard who graciously accepted the soup.

Damn him.

Reid watched Luke come back in and threw a smug grin his way.

Reid made sure his face remained stoic.

He started chopping again furiously.

"Damnit."

Reid had cut his thumb on the knife.

Luke jumped up and tried to help him.

"Leave me alone, Luke. I've got it."
"Quit being a baby and let me help you."

Reid held his thumb out and Luke wrapped it gently in a towel, then ran it under cold water.

The proximity of Luke and the pain in his thumb, set Reid on edge.

Luke led Reid to the bathroom then and finished dressing his wound.

By now they were extremely close with Luke's face mere inches from his own.

He wasn't sure who moved first, but he felt Luke's lips on his own then.

For the first time in years, he felt like things were right.

Something shifted into place and he felt like had just come home after being away for years.

Luke's hands were in his hair then pulling him closer.

All Reid could hear was the sound of running water, and his heart pounding in his ears.

Then he remembered Luke's boyfriend, and he stopped still.

He stepped back, and Luke groaned his disapproval.

"I can't do this, Luke."

"I'm sorry, Reid. I should've never done that. I love Spencer."

Reid had never felt more raw or vulnerable, than at that moment.

"I know you do, Luke. Which is why I stopped."

The rest of the day was extremely awkward between the two. Reid stayed in the library, and Luke took the living room.

They were civil to each other if they saw each other, but avoided the other at all costs.

This lasted for three days, until Luke sought Reid out in the library.