I think.
He was an expert at the whole ‘ignore-me-all-day’ thing.
The one time he spoke more than a few words to me was to tell me to put sunscreen on, which turned into a slight argument, because obviously I wasn’t about to let him boss me around when everyone else thought we weren’t getting along. Yes, I was blonde. Yes, I had fair skin. Yes, I had a tendency to burn. But no, I didn’t need the reminder. And I was very quick to tell him that. Then again, even if I’d complained, it was nice knowing he was thinking about me and trying to look out for my wellbeing.
After Disney, Ellie, Noah, and Georgina were planning on heading over to Carrie Stone’s house, the elderly women that Ben had been living with for the past nine months, to have dinner. It had been scheduled and Ben knew Ellie and Noah were coming, but he had no idea they were bringing Georgina along too. Which, hopefully, wouldn’t be too much of a shocker for him. Rhett and I had been invited, although neither of us had accepted. There really was no need for Rhett to go. Obviously. As for me…it was still too soon. I couldn’t see him again when Georgina still hadn’t. That didn’t feel right. Plus, after my afternoon with Rhett, I was no longer sure if I even could see him. I’d meant every word I’d said to Rhett, but that didn’t mean seeing Ben again would be easy.
So I couldn’t.
At least for today.
And that meant the others were taking me and Rhett back to the hotel, where who the hell knows what was about to happen between us next? The whole day had felt like a pause of sorts. Like our conversation and all the feelings from earlier, were on hold, waiting for our next moment alone to pick right back up where they’d left off. And judging from the way those moments had ended…I knew whatever was coming next would be intense.
Rhett seemed unaffected by this inevitable fact. Or at least, he was really good at keeping up the charade that we weren’t completely ready to rip each other’s clothes off the second we were alone again. The entire drive across the city he’d been talking about Nate West while Nate was fast asleep in the middle seat. I almost wanted to tell him to stop and to just let the guy sleep in peace, but I think talking was how Rhett distracted himself sometimes, so I let it be.
“He’s totally into you,” Rhett whispered to Ellie. “You do realize that, right Ellie May?”
Without making a sound, she turned around and punched Rhett in the upper arm. I guess she didn’t like his ‘Ellie May’ nickname. I didn’t blame her.
“Ouch, woman,” he groaned. “I just wanted to make sure you told him you like the ladies and that he knows he’s barking up the wrong tree. He’s a nice guy and all, but don’t let him pressure you just because he’s Nate West.”
“I’m still so embarrassed,” Georgina huffed softly from the front seat. “Asking him all those questions earlier about what he did for a job. Why didn’t one of you stop me? I didn’t know who he was and I feel like such an ass.”
It had taken Georgie half the day to figure out who Nate really was. No one had said anything, not even Noah, because it had been pretty hilarious watching her talk to him like he was a regular guy.
“It was cute,” Noah told her. “Too cute to stop.”
She sighed and buried her face in her hands. But then she turned around to say to Ellie, “I hate to say it, but I agree with Rhett…he likes you. What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Ellie quickly said. “He knows I’m a lesbian. And thanks for your concern, you too Rhett, but I’m not someone who can be easily pressured. Don’t you already know that about me?”
“Sure. Sure,” was Rhett’s only response.
We reached the hotel, where the others left us. Stepping out of the SUV, the chilly night air took my breath away. The day had been so warm, the night now such a contrast, and I wasn’t dressed for this type of cold. We said goodbye to the others and then I followed Rhett into the building.
The lobby was bright, empty, and quiet. The elevators weren’t far. We said nothing to one another as we both headed in that direction, the sounds of our shoes echoing through the big, open room. At the elevator doors, I pushed the up button and we waited.
“Did you have fun today?” he asked, breaking our silence.
“Yes. Did you?”
He shot me this sideways look that had my heart speeding up. “Almost. But it was pure torture being a dick to you all day,” he admitted. He pressed the sleeves of the gray thermal shirt he wore up to his elbows and then immediately tugged them back down into place.
He was fidgeting. It was cute.
But…he really hadn’t been a dick to me at all today. He really hadn’t been anything—not mean, not nice, just sort of there. “And I thought you were being your regular self all day,” I joked.
The elevator dinged as the doors slid open.
“Ha-ha-ha,” Rhett deadpanned as he waited for me to step on first and then followed me inside. I pushed the number five for our floor as he moved to stand behind me. The second that door closed, his hands were on me, moving up and down, tracing gently over my body, while his lips kissed in a lazy way along the back of my neck. Much like the chilly air a few minutes ago, he took my breath away.
My hair was up in a pony and the subtle feel of his lips pressing against my bare skin made a chill, one completely unrelated to temperature, run through my body.
“Rhett,” I whispered, wanting to give into his touch but also holding back. “Why did you come on this trip?”
“For you,” he said against my skin, his answer automatic, not something he had to think about.
“Why did you bring Luce?” I asked next.
“To make you jealous,” he said even easier.
“What?” I breathed.
His hands still touched, teasing and exploring above my clothes. “If I was going to have to witness you falling in love with another guy then I felt like I couldn’t be alone on this trip,” he told me. “Luce is just a friend. She’s a good friend. The stuff that happened between us happened a long time ago and even then it didn’t mean anything.”
“Does she know that?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” I said, still feeling slightly insecure. Not a feeling I’d ever experienced with Rhett. But everything had changed in the last twenty-four hours. Everything.
“Okay,” he repeated.
The elevator reached our level and we both stepped off. He grabbed my hand and led me down the hall. Neither of us said it, but I knew we were both going to the same room, to his room. I knew we’d be having sex again in only a matter of minutes, maybe seconds. I knew it would be every bit as intense as the tight, wound-up feeling that currently squeezed at my chest and at my insides.
I wanted him. I wanted this.
And at this point, I was no longer even considering the consequences.
He used his key to unlock his door and then we both went inside his room. It was the mirror image to the room I’d been sharing with the others. Two queen beds, a desk, a TV, two nightstands, and a bathroom. Your basic hotel room. What appeared to be Luce’s suitcase and clothes were spread out all over one side of the room. Why did that bothered me so much? I’m not sure. But it did.
Rhett approached the desk beside the door and emptied his pockets of his belongings. Then he let out a long breath, his hands gripping the desk for a moment before he glanced back in my direction. I hadn’t even moved two feet into the room. My body was straight tingling and my nerves were all over the place. The feeling was so extreme that my throat felt thick, my breathing not quite normal, and my balance a little shaky.
Even if I wanted to choose someone other than Rhett, it seemed like I had no freewill in the matter. My body wanted him. Period. And my mind was quickly starting to catch up to my body’s demands.