Page 51 of Playing Dirty
When the release came, it was sharp and sweet, pulling a cry from my throat. He followed with a groan, collapsing beside me but pulling me with him so I was sprawled across his chest.
We lay there tangled, skin damp, hearts still racing. My head rose and fell with his breathing, and for a long moment neither of us spoke.
I didn’t know if this changed everything or just set the course we’d already been on. All I knew was I didn’t want to sleep alone tonight.
I closed my eyes, smiling into the quiet. “The first time again,” I murmured, unsure if he even heard me.
His arm tightened around me. “Best damn first time I’ve ever had.”
And just like that, I fell asleep in Rhett’s arms, warm, wanted, and exactly where I was meant to be.
Chapter Fifteen
In His Sights
Rhett
The light coming through the blinds was soft and gold, the kind that made everything feel slower. Saturday morning on Lucky Ranch had a way of moving at its own pace, and for once, I didn’t feel like I needed to rush it.
Callie was still asleep beside me, one arm curved over her head, her copper locks splayed in messy waves across the pillow. She looked different this morning—lighter somehow, as if she’d finally put down something she’d been carrying for too long. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her face without that tightness around her eyes.
I let myself just watch her for a minute, taking in the even rise and fall of her breathing, the way the blanket had slipped to her waist. Lady Luck had been good to me last night. I’d be a fool not to appreciate it.
It crossed my mind that I could get used to this—her in my bed, in my mornings, part of my house like she’d alwaysbelonged here. But that was the kind of thinking that could spook her if I said it out loud, so I kept it to myself.
Not wanting to wake her, I slid out of bed, grabbed a towel from the dresser, and headed for the shower. The hot water rolled over my shoulders, but it didn’t wash away the pull I felt toward her. By the time I shut it off, I’d already made up my mind—I was going to find a way to keep her close. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually.
When I stepped back into the bedroom, she was still curled in the sheets, blinking awake as the sunlight inched across her face.
“Morning,” I said, toweling off. “You hungry?”
She stretched under the covers, hair tumbling over her shoulder as she sat up. The sheet slipped, giving me a glimpse of smooth skin and the kind of smile that could derail a man’s morning plans.
“Morning,” she murmured.
“You want to shower and head into town? We could grab breakfast at Main Street Diner.”
She made a face, glancing at the crumpled pile of clothes she had moved to the chair last night. “I only have my work clothes from yesterday. They’re dirty, and I’m not walking into the diner like that.”
I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms. “So, we swing by your cabin first. You can grab a few things and change. Easy fix.”
Her smile softened, but she shook her head slightly. “I don’t know, Rhett…”
That was my opening. I almost asked her right then if she wanted to just move in with me, but I caught myself. Too soon. Pushing her now would have her bolting faster than a green colt. I’d give it a few weeks—months if I had to—let her settle into the idea on her own.
Instead, I kept it casual. “How about you stay here for a few days? Just until you figure things out.”
She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. “Okay. But it’s temporary. I need time, Rhett. Time to get my head on straight, to heal. I can’t go from the frying pan straight into fire.”
“I get it,” I said, though my grin told her I didn’t buy it for a second. “But if you think you’re gonna get away from me, you’re mistaken.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile in it. “We’ll see.”
The drive out to Matt’s cabin was quiet but easy, the kind where you didn’t have to fill every minute with words. The sky was clear, the kind of crisp Montana blue you only got this time of year, and the gravel driveway crunched under the tires as we pulled in.
She unlocked the door, stepping inside ahead of me, and dropped her bag and phone on the table without a second thought. The place was small, clean, and tidy—too tidy, like she hadn’t really been living here so much as passing through.
“I’ll be quick,” she said, already heading toward the bathroom.
