Page 25 of Unveiled

Chapter Thirteen

The sex had been off the charts both last night and this morning, but something felt different. Rush was different. Even the way he’d touched her in the shower versus before had been like two different people. Distant wasn’t the right word, because Rush wasn’t that, but it felt akin to distance.

He was a regular jokester, even when they hit up the pharmacy to rectify their absent-mindedness. Rush made it seem okay and not a big deal. He even parked farther away and didn’t question her about her need to slink down in the seat.

He was caring and, well, he was checking all the boxes, but it just wasn’t the same. It was like a switch got flipped after they fell asleep and before she joined him in the shower.

They’d driven by Cole. Rush said he needed to check in, but she opted to stay in the car again. Once more, he made her feel okay with that choice, so why was she feeling like there was a wedge between them? One that she couldn’t even really say was a wedge? Rush was waiting on some info from Mark, so maybe he was just preoccupied.

Tatum chalked the whole of yesterday up to work stuff and went about making the sides for lunch.

Rush had volunteered to take some steaks out back and watch them burn as an offering upon the alter of the manliest of gods, whatever the hell that meant. Tatum didn’t care because he did a Hulk Hogan flex as he said it, and all the words were lost at that point. His muscles really did exude some sort of mind goo that weakened knees and wet panties.

Balancing a salad, some Texas toast, and A-1, she slipped out the slider. “Hey, Sweetheart.” Rush called with a smile from the alter. More mind melting goo entered her bloodstream. He stood there in board shorts, flip flops, a Crocodile Dundee hat, and a ridiculous mesh half shirt.

Tatum deposited her burdens on the table before they ended up on the deck, then doubled over laughing.“What in the name of nineteen-eighty-something-high-school-football-player are you wearing?” She continued to laugh until she could hardly breathe.

“What, this?” He looked down to inspect himself as if he had no clue why she was laughing. “Oh, this sexy get up?” His pecs bounced.

“That is about as far away from sexy as you can get.”

“I beg to differ. Besides, you love it because you can see all these hypnotizing muscles.”He waggled his eyebrows comically.

“Oh my God, stop it. I should’ve never told you that.” Rush abandoned the meat sacrifice and gently wrapped his arms around her.

“Sweetheart, you had to tell me. Remember, I’m relentless.” She didn’t need a reminder.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t know you were going to use it against me.”

“I’m not using it against you. You’re just reaping the benefits.” He nibbled her ear lobe and released his hold.

“I can’t even with you.” She turned and fiddled with the dishes she’d set on the table earlier. Rush smacked her on the ass.

“Yeah, you can, you evened with me multiple times last night and I’m thinking you can even at least three tonight.” She rolled her eyes, but she was secretly looking forward to it. To anyone looking on, Rush seemed cocky and arrogant, but Tatum knew it was all an armor. One he wore for protection, which she got more than most. She was positive he’d taken that armor off last night. But he was wearing it again, just in the form of mesh and attitude today.

“Do you wanna dance? I got the disco cued up and ready to go right here.” He rocked his phone back and forth in his hand to entice her.

“Your whole. . .” She gestured to all of him. “Everything seems to have time dysmorphia. Disco from the seventies, shirt from the eighties, and jokes from the I don’t even know when. Decade confusion at its finest.”

He gave her that wicked grin meant to seduce, tapped the screen, and the sounds of Rod Stewart started playing through the outdoor speakers. “Come on, let’s do this.” Rush wrapped her in his arms once again.

“What is it with you and disco by the pool?”

“It’s fun. Don’t you just live? Just turn on the music and dance for no reason? No matter who’s watching.”

“No, I don’t. I told you I don’t. The most in the moment thing I did was with you last night.”

“Do you want to do that again? Because I am always down for the horizontal disco.”

It made her sad that he was reverting back to the man who’d burst into the room that first night. “Save that for later. But I will take you up on the dance. I’m famished and it’ll distract me while the steaks finish.” Tatum wanted to ask him what’s up, what she’d done wrong. She hungered to be held by the man who’d made love to her last night, but that was not who her dance partner was today. She wanted to get lost in the idea of them, but it was impossible right now. So she focused on her other hunger instead.

It was a fairly up-tempo song, but instead of moving to the beat, Rush wrapped her in his arms and danced like it was the slowest song ever written. Again, she felt it was just motions, not him. Rush was doing everything right, but it didn’t seem quite right. Sadly, even with just the motions, it was more than she’d ever gotten from any relationship she’d had. Not that Rush and she had a relationship outside of sex and assistance.

The last thing she wanted to do was unpack her past failures and analyze them, but she couldn’t help a small peek in those suitcases. Somewhere deep down, she knew she had accepted those things in the past because she didn’t believe she deserved more.

Ironically, if it weren’t for Rush, she probably wouldn’t realize that now. She knew she’d accept just the motions from him. Then they’d end up like he’d described last night, with her realizing she settled and pushing for more than he would give. Nope, that won’t do.

Tatum would accept what he was offering, the motions, for now, because he seemed to need the distance. But she wouldn’t cling to anything when this was all said and done.

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