Page 16 of The Revenge Bride

“Yes.”

We walk silently across the freshly mown grass for a few minutes. I’m trying to process what he told me and what it might mean. “Why would you defend me?”

He stops and sits on the grass, leaning back on his palms. “Because I knew it wasn’t true. Because Peter was always an asshole. Because you didn’t deserve that.”

I’m not sure what to think about this information. It makes the locked space reserved in my brain specifically for hating Rhett crack open.

Taking a seat beside him, I look up at the sky for a second. I used to sit on this field after cheerleading practice and look up at the blue sky then and wonder where life would take me.

I never thought it’d take me toward Rhett and our deal.

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing by marrying?”

He glances at me. “I do. Why? Are you having second thoughts?”

“No…”

“But?”

I shrug and get up, wanting to move away before I blurt out that I regret the no touching statement. That I want to fuck Rhett for the duration of our time together.

Moving to stand in front of him, I say, “If I were a cheerleader today, my cheer would be a lot different than back then.”

“Like what?”

I shake imaginary pom poms. “Give me an O!” I yell out and jump. “Give me an R!” I kick my leg up. “Give me a G!”

I go through each letter until I get to M then lower my arms.

“Orgasm,” Rhett says, then he gets up. He strides across the space between us, stopping before he touches me. He drinks in my body, his eyes lingering. “One word from you, Lucy, and I swear I’ll make you orbit the earth.”

I’m tired of fighting the want to that I’ve battled since running into him at the store.

“Tell me the truth. Do you want me to fit my cock into your tight little pussy?”

“But the bet?—”

“Forget that. We’ll just both agree that we begged each other.”

I sway toward him. “That sounds reasonable.”

“Is that a yes?”

Rhett

When Lucy agrees, I say, “I can’t touch you here because if I do, we’ll get busted for indecent exposure. Let’s go to my place.”

I can’t get her into her car fast enough. The minute she pulls onto the road, I put my hand on her thigh. The muscle tenses under my palm. “Relax, honey. I won’t eat you. Not yet anyway.”

She gives a jerky nod, her hands hanging onto the steering wheel like it’s her lifeline.

I dance my fingers up her leg, then slide them between her legs. “This is one of the reasons why I like shorts like these.” I move my hand up past the hem and stroke the outside of her panties. “Easy access.”

“I want to warn you again that I can get horny and then nothing. So if you get off and I don’t, then?—”

“I won’t leave you unsatisfied. Youwillhave a mind-blowing orgasm.”

Her lips twist. “I never have before.”

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