Page 69 of Rhet

“No, they’re my mom’s. I’m playing dress up. Yes, I wear glasses,” she replies as she pushes her glasses up her nose.

It’s the clap backs that make me want to choke her.

“On today’s episode ofI want to choke my PA,” I grumble my fingers tighten on the edge of the counter.

She doesn’t miss a beat. “On today’s episode ofI wanna kill my boss.”

“No, you don’t,” I reply.

“No?” She tilts her head to the side, her tongue plays at the side of her mouth.

“No, you want to fuck me.”

She laughs, pushes her hair behind her ears and bites her lips.

“Enough of this shit.” In two strides, I’m in front of her.

She gasps as I grab her neck and kiss her. Her fingers dig into my skin as I slide my tongue into her mouth. She tastes of mint with a hint of cherry. I need to slow down before I take her right here in the kitchen.

She groans as I pull away. I smile down at her.

“I thought you said there would be food,” she says.

I shake my head. “Follow me, everything is set up in the screening room at the back of the house.”

“You have a screening room? I’ve never seen it.” She replies as she comes off the chair and walks behind me.

We pass the great room and down a marble corridor that holds pictures of my family and a few paintings. We take a left and enter another game room. This one with different tables for things like cards—poker or blackjack. I love the dark wood paneling on the walls of this room.

I open a pocket door and I allow her to pass in front of me. She smells like warm lavender and something else I can’t place.

“Wow, Rhet this is amazing. I have never seen this part of the house before.” She looks up at the ceiling.

“It’s one of my favorite rooms,” I reply as I slide the door shut.

“Why is that?” she turns around to take the room in.

“I think it’s the attention to detail. Like the lion face and the acanthus leaves in the molding.”

She walks forward and touches a chair. “It’s velvet?”

“Yes, it is. Please, sit. The chairs can recline all the way back if you like.”

ZEETA

It’s amazing. Rhet is right the little details are what make this screening room breathtaking. The gold thread that runs along the edges of the chairs. The burgundy valance that hangs over the screen. It feels like I should have dressed up more for this.

“The table over there has everything you need. If you want anything else, I can have my staff fix it for you,” he says as he points to a table near the windows.

“This looks amazing.” I walk to the table and take a plate to get some snacks.

A normal person would have pizza and Cheetos as movie snacks. Not Rhet, he has a charcuterie board set up with at least five different kinds of cheese, prosciutto, hummus, spinach dip, fruit slices, chocolates, and crackers.

Beside the table is an authentic red and gold popcorn machine. Next to it is a station for cotton candy. Some has been made already and stands ready in white cones. A hotdog machine rotates the sausages as they cook.

“Rhet is that nachos with a cheddar cheese dispenser?” I’m totally in shock.

“Yeah, I didn’t know what you wanted, there’s also a wine dispenser at the end.” He shrugs like having a whole concession stand is normal.

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