Page 44 of Wasted Oil

Right in front of me is this beautiful sign reading White Stallion Ranch with a gorgeous southern styled mansion built into a restaurant.

"Shut up, no we are not? How did you get a reservation? This place has a wait list.”

He leans in just a bit.

"I will never reveal my secrets.” Grabbing my hand, he pulls me towards the grand entrance.

"Welcome, sir. Name?” A man in his late 30’s greets us.

"Parker.”

Unlike the women at the spa yesterday, he doesn’t look at us instead brings us over to our table.

"And sir, your horseback reservation is all set to go.”

My eyes go wide looking over to Rhett.

"Did he say horseback?”

"I thought you might like it.”

My heart melts throughout dinner everything he does or says just puts a nail in my heart in a good way.

The lake where we ended up, at the end of our horseback ride has a breathtaking view. Something out of a nature magazine. The way the trees line up near the bank, the slight haze over the lake, everything laid out perfectly.

"Rhett this is gorgeous.” I bring my hands up to my chest taking in the view.

"I thought after a long ride on a horse you might want to come for a swim? I know how much you love the water.”

I look up to him, stars in my eyes. It's the little things that make me fall for him.

“I don’t have a bathing suit?”

He looks around us before looking down at me, “I don’t see anyone around. Do you?” He smirks as he slowly starts to strip away his clothes.

"Rhett, we can't! What if someone else decides that they want to horseback all the way to the lake?”

"Don’t worry, I took care of it. Now, are you gonna make me go in alone or am I gonna have to throw you in?” Looking to see what I’m wearing, I decide that I love my boots too much to let them get ruined with water.

"Fine, but you need to turn so I can undress.”

His face puzzles at my request.

“I've seen you naked already Melanie, what's the difference?”

The difference is that now my anxiety is getting the best of me and I'm nervous to have him see my scars in the daylight, granted every time we are together and I’m wearing something that will show them, I have Alex cover them up with the best waterproof makeup Ulta has to offer.

"Please, Rhett?" My voice has gone weak in my ask but he does as I ask and turns around. I quickly get rid of all the clothes, laying them neatly in a pile on the wood stump that was carved for people to sit on and then I take off, sprinting going for a cannonball into the water.

At impact my breath is taken from me and the noise around is gone. Under the water everything is simple, no one is talking. The war in my head and heart is gone. It's just me and the water. The need to come up for air makes me realize I can't stay down here. Coming up wiping my eyes I see that Rhett has jumped in as well swimming closer to me.

"God this feels like heaven.”

Rhett is staring at me, not hearing what I said. On instinct, my arms begin to cover myself up. He saw them. The scars judging by the look in his eyes he sure as hell saw them.

"What made you want to get tattoos?” I try to change the subject with small talk, trying and sadly, failing.

"What made you get yours?” He asks while swimming closer, wrapping me in his arms and my legs finding their way around his waist.

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