Page 74 of Playing Dirty
His grin widened. “Nope. Something better.”
And just like that, my pulse kicked up, curiosity chasing away the quiet.
Rhett tugged me toward the back door like a kid about to show off a secret clubhouse. I laughed, stumbling after him. “You’re acting way too excited. Did you buy another car or a gun for your collection?”
“Nope.” His grin was wicked, boyish. “Better.”
Rhett’s garage looked more like a showroom than a place where a truck had ever been worked on. The floor gleamed, not a single stain to be found, and his Ford sat under the bright lights looking like it had just rolled off a magazine cover.
“Go on,” he said, opening the driver’s door for me like he was presenting something priceless. “Climb in.”
I raised an eyebrow but humored him, sliding across the bench seat. That new-paint smell still lingered, fresh and sharp. My gaze landed on a small box sitting dead center on the seat.
I picked it up carefully, frowning. “What’s this? Paint samples? Touch-ups in case I scratch your precious truck?”
His laugh was low, teasing, as he slid in beside me and shut the door. “Open it.”
I shook my head but flipped the lid anyway, fully expecting swatches of color or maybe some fancy wax. Instead, nestled inside was another box—a smaller, velvet one. My heart jumped into my throat.
Before I could even form a word, Rhett plucked it from my hands, his fingers brushing mine. The smirk he wore softened into something almost boyish as he flipped it open. The diamond inside caught the light and sent sparks across the cab.
“Not paint, sweetheart,” he said quietly, eyes locked on mine. “This is the only kind of shine I’ve been waiting to give you.”
I sat there stunned, blinking between him and the ring, my pulse going wild. For once, I didn’t have a comeback, not even a smart remark about him being dramatic in his spotless garage.
Rhett leaned closer, his voice rough around the edges. “Callie Hart…will you marry me?”
The world seemed to stop right there in that truck. And even though the diamond was the biggest I’d ever seen, it was the man beside me—the gambler, the cowboy, the one who drove me crazy and made me feel at home all at once—that had me whispering, “Yes.”
His grin was pure relief and pure trouble, all at once. He slipped the ring onto my finger, then kissed me so deeply I forgot where we were until he finally pulled back, breathless.
“Come on,” he said, brushing his thumb over my hand. “Let’s get inside. We’ve got a future to plan.”
For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the diamond catching the light, trying to memorize the feel of his hand covering mine. All that history between us—the fights, the banter, the stolen moments—suddenly funneled into this one point.
“Guess I’m yours now,” I whispered, my throat tight.
“Guess you always were,” he said, brushing his thumb across my knuckles.
The words lingered in the cab, heavy and sweet, until I leaned into him again. The world outside the garage could wait.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Winning Hand
Rhett
Icouldn’t stop staring at her finger. My ring looked so damn right, I almost didn’t trust my own eyes. Shiny, delicate, perfect—yet it felt like the biggest, boldest thing I’d ever pulled off. Like I’d just won the pot of a lifetime without ever pushing a single chip forward.
Callie twisted her hand, watching the diamond catch the garage lights. Her grin was half-shy, half-smug, and it punched me straight in the chest.
“You like it?” I asked, even though I already knew. My voice came out lower than I meant, rough with something I’d never admit to Sawyer or Colt—pure nerves.
“Like it?” She laughed softly, her thumb brushing over the stone. “Rhett, I love it.”
And there it was. Three words that leveled me harder than any bad bet I’d ever taken.
After we got out, I was still catching my breath. Truth was, I’d been terrified I’d screw this up. Terrified she’d say no, or worse—move on with her life before I found the guts to ask. I’d gambled with my pride, my patience, hell, with my whole damn heart. And for once, I wasn’t bluffing.
