Page 52 of Rhett

“Me too. I’ll, um…bring the stuff to make baked ziti.”

“All right. Is it just me, or do you feel like a nervous teenager all of a sudden?”

A laugh falls from my lips. “Thank God it’s not just me.”

“It’s not. You got me feeling all kinds of things, Rhett. I don’t know what it means or where it’ll go, but you got me hooked.”

My pulse beats wildly, my thoughts somehow both muddled and clear.

Tripp has me hooked too.

“Tell me about your day,” I say instead, and then relax into the pillows, listening to his deep, kind voice.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Tripp

The moment wearrive at Archer and East’s, Meadow starts hugging and playing with East’s dogs, Pretty Girl and Casanova. They’ve both been through it—abused, with damaged limbs and disabilities that made other people not choose them for their pets. Except East, of course.

“What are you going to do tonight?” Archer asks. East is talking to Meadow and the dogs, so technically I could tell him whom I’m hanging out with, but I haven’t shared anything about Rhett and me since we added a physical element to our relationship. I would never want to share something against his wishes, and I also worry it will complicate things even more than they already are.

“Gonna hang out at home,” I settle on, which isn’t a lie.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe Rhett said yes. I hadn’t expected him to, though I hoped he would. I wasn’t sure if this would feel like pressure on him, and when he said no, I was sure I’d gone a step too far, but when he explained what he meant, I found myself smiling like an idiot, alone in my bedroom.

“You’re grinning,” Archer says.

Damn it. Clearly, I’m doing it again. “Mind your business,” I say in a tone I’m sure Archer recognizes as not me being a dick, but because there’s a reason I can’t share.

He cocks a brow. “Whatever you say.” Then he rests his hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

“All right, Meadow-bug. I’m outta here. Thanks for having her, East.”

“Thanks for letting her stay,” Easton replies, more interested in his pups than me. That’s his way, though. He doesn’t mean anything by it.

“Bye, Dad. I hope you don’t get too bored by yourself.” Meadow comes over and gives me a hug.

I chuckle. “I’m sure I’ll manage.” I kiss the top of her head, then make my way out, more excited than I should be about the night to come. It’s not because I’ll hopefully get to touch him, though obviously, I’m looking forward to that. I just enjoy talking to Rhett. I want to know everything about him, and I miss things like this, someone I’m with or interested in, being in my home, sharing my bed. Christ, I want to share a bed withhim, want to hold him all fucking night.

It’s what I think about the whole drive home, and I’m not surprised to pull up and see Rhett’s truck sitting in my driveway early.

He gets out when I do, the two of us meeting in the middle. He has a grocery bag in one hand and a duffel in the other. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to arrive early.”

“It’s okay. I like that about you, and I was hoping you would.” I press a kiss to his lips. “Here, I’ll take this. Let’s get out of the cold.” He hands me the duffel, and we head to the house.

The heat inside feels nice, but the pleasant tingle against my skin has nothing to do with that. “I’ll put this in my room. You can take that to the kitchen.”

When I get back, Rhett is putting cheese in the fridge. I walk up behind him, and as soon as he closes the door, I wrap my arms around him, pressing my lips to his neck. “This okay?” I like touching him so much. Like the feel of him and the smell of him and how it makes me feel that he trusts me.

He drops his head back against my shoulder. “Yes.”

I kiss his throat, nibble on him just slightly.

“You can do…whatever you want to me tonight.”

I smile against his skin. “Whatever I want? Hmm, then I might not stop touching you until tomorrow…and talking to you. I like talking to you, Rhett. I’ll probably try and make you laugh a few times too.”

He chuckles, and I keep kissing and sucking on him. It’s important to me Rhett knows that tonight, and any time we spend together, isn’t just about sex, but at the same time, I want him to know how much I enjoy his body.

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