Chapter 12 Rhett
twelve
Rhett
My eyes blink open at the time no man should ever have internally programmed.
The room is dark, and Diamond is draped across me like a discarded blanket. I allow myself a moment to appreciate how it feels to have someone in bed again. Skin next to mine and their breath caressing my skin.
Diamond keeps surprising me. First, his riding skills and belt buckle, then last night, his dirty mouth and the absolute way he wrecked me…I’m still recovering from that.
I probably shouldn’t have stayed, but I was so…fuck, it was just nice to feel desired for once, and maybe I allowed myself to be selfish for a moment and take what he offered without thinking of the consequences.
My hand drifts to the back of his head, and I dust my fingers down his neck.
I can’t let myself get attached to him. He snuggles closer, but I can’t linger.
My bladder is about to burst, and I’ll need to get out of here earlier than needed if I want to see Tater and still get to the facility on time.
Kissing the top of Diamond’s head, he murmurs something half awake that I can’t understand, while I slip out from under him. His arm gropes for me when I stand up, and I place my pillow there instead before heading to the bathroom.
I find my discarded clothes and pull on my boxers and jeans before heading upstairs in search of the coffee he promised.
At the top of stairs, the aroma of coffee is already in the air, and when I step into the kitchen, I stop dead in my tracks.
“Good morning, Rhett. He told you he had a roommate, didn’t he?”
Diamond’s dad chuckles over a fresh mug of coffee and motions for me to sit at the kitchen island.
“Uh, yeah. I…you’re his roommate?”
He laughs softly as he passes me a mug. “Well, I’m his dad, and we live together. He doesn’t always tell people his dad lives with him right away. Some men seem to think it’s creepy to have sex with parents in the house, so he says roommate.”
I almost choke on my coffee. I’ve never talked about such things with my parents or my grandfather. Yet here is the father of the man I’ve slept with just casually explaining why he’s in the kitchen and not some random person.
And I feel even worse about the situation.
Then I remember how loud we were. How loud I was, and I almost want to run out of here and change my name.
I’m not even wearing a shirt, and it’s clear he knows what we were up to.
What other reason would there be? I certainly didn’t come over to listen to the new Taylor Swift album and eat cookies.
Fuck. This is not helping.
“Don’t worry, Rhett. You’re adults. Nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Sorry, I’m not used to meeting the father of the man I spent the night with while I’m half dressed over coffee. It’s… I’m surprised. Not ashamed.”
Diamond’s dad, Will, nods like it’s not a big deal and begins rustling around in the fridge. “Do you eat bacon? Oh! Do you like tomatoes with your meal?”
He’s piling food on the counter and clearly fixing to make me breakfast, and it’s barely 5 A.M. I’m not awake enough to process what’s happening here. I just wanted to grab two coffees and take them back to Diamond so we could talk about…well, just so we could talk about what happened.
“Uh, yes, I like tomatoes.”
“Good! I’ll make you boys breakfast!” He nods his head towards the fancy coffee machine. “Put a mug under that, press the number 3. Bring him the sugar bowl.”
This is so weird.
But I follow Will’s instructions and make a coffee for Diamond. Tucking the sugar bowl under my arm, I carry our mugs downstairs and find Diamond still in bed hugging my pillow.
After setting the mugs on the nightstand, I sit on the bed and drink in Diamond’s sleeping form. He makes it feel so easy to wake up with someone. Am I ready for that?
“Are you staring at me and being a creep?”
Diamond turns his head and smiles. With sleep lines on his face and his blue eyes foggy with sleep, he’s still so beautiful.
“Not being a creep. I brought you coffee, though.”
He sits up when I point to the mugs, and his lips quirk as he reaches for the sugar bowl. “You met my dad, I assume. He’d be the only one to tell you to bring the sugar bowl.”
“You didn’t tell me you lived with your dad. You could have, you know.”
He pauses and heaps another spoonful of sugar in before sitting right up. “I didn’t want to make it weird. Plus, how do you tell a man you’re bringing home that you live with your dad without feeling a little…juvenile?”
“I get it, but…”
Diamond’s gaze drops to his coffee. “It’s okay. You said last night you couldn’t promise me more, Rhett.”
“Last night was great. No regrets, Diamond. I’m just…” With a heavy sigh, I just say it. “I just don’t think I’m ready to start something serious.”
Diamond tries to hide it, but I notice the rapid blinks and the subtle shift away from me.
“You don’t need to be serious all the time. Life is too short. Have fun.”
His lips twitch in the teasing way he uses at the coffee shop, but it’s not quite his usual. I know what it’s like to hope for something more from someone and never get it.
“I don’t want to lead you on, Diamond. I like you. More than I thought.”
He sips from his mug before placing it down on the nightstand. The comforter falls away as he shifts, teasing me with more of his naked skin.
“I appreciate your honesty. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to be honest, too.” Diamond flips the covers off him, slides from the bed, and stands in front of me, completely naked. My gaze wanders down his chest to the cock he used on me last night with incredible skill.
His palm cradles my face before sliding to grip my chin. “I like you too, Rhett. I’ve been very clear about that. I have a proposition that will keep both of us happy if you’ll take it.”
“What’s that?”
“Since we both have busy lives and don’t want to risk commitment, we can keep it casual.
You’re already cool with my missing parts, so…
let’s be each other’s outlet. Fucking. No feelings.
Keep it simple. I don’t need to hold my breath every time a guy freaks out about my cancer and my dad.
You don’t need to track down someone new to scratch the itch. ”
I’ve never been able to keep it simple. My track record with love proves it. He brushes his thumb over my lips and bends closer. “It’s just sex, Rhett. Think about it.”
Diamond backs away and turns his fine ass on display as he bends to pick up a robe on the floor. “Did my dad invite you for breakfast?”
“He did.”
Facing me again, he’s the flirty Diamond I met when I first got here. “Darn. No time for an appetizer then if he’s already cooking.”
An appetizer would be great, and I’m already reaching for him, but he’s walking to the doorway.
“Taste the tomatoes even if you don’t like them. It’ll make his day.”
Then he’s gone, and I’m left sitting on his bed, half hard and wondering what the fuck just happened.
“I appreciate the company this time. Thanks for inviting me.”
Hunter settles behind the wheel of his truck. “I needed someone to be a buffer when Levi gets too chatty. Completely selfish on my part.”
I stifle a laugh as Levi’s mouth drops open. “You said you liked that I talked a lot, so you didn’t fall asleep driving.”
“Well, yeah, but dude…you never stop talking some days, and that’s just as exhausting. Now you have someone else to talk to, and I can tune you out without feeling guilty.”
Hunter pulls out of the ranch yard with his horse trailer attached. The three of us are off to the first rodeo of the season and possibly Hunter’s last year on the circuit.
“Good thing we communicate better in the ring.” Levi huffs, and Hunter laughs before reaching over and punching his arm.
“You’re the best, Levi. We’ve got this.”
Levi grumbles again before angling himself to talk to me in the backseat.
“How do you live with this guy?”
“Temporarily,” I laugh as Hunter joins in.
It’s been a little stressful with the new foster kid at his place.
After a new mortgage preapproval and accepting that I’ll need to pay more for a place than I wanted, the search for a house has been on again for the last week.
Sadly, still nothing that fits my needs has popped up.
Knowing I can keep Wilbur at Hunter’s helps create more options for me, but I still need a decent yard for Tater.
Levi starts talking about the upcoming rodeo.
Since he and Hunter are roping partners, they talk a lot about other competitors and how it’s good or bad to follow a certain pair of ropers.
All topics that don’t concern me, but when Levi switches to talking about a new saddle salve he found and how he swears it helps him sit straighter, I now understand why Hunter needs a buffer.
The dude is non-stop chatter.
Still, as much as he talks, it’s nice to have people who talk back. Tater is an amazing travel companion, but she can’t talk. She can only give me sassy barks when she’s feeling goofy, and sometimes it’s nice to have her to listen. But other times, a human voice is better.
Pulling out my phone, I open the text thread I have with Diamond. We’ve chatted a bit since the night I spent at his house. It’s been nice not being forced into checking in with him. It’s been casual, just like he said, since we’re both busy.
He has a staff member off on holiday and has been working more than usual while I had the second week of saddle bronc riders at the training facility.
Even if I wanted to spend another night with him, it wasn’t happening.
Both of us were exhausted by the end of our days, though we still took a few minutes to chat each day.
Rhett: I didn’t know Levi was so talkative. You should’ve warned me.
Diamond: Sorry? He’s a good listener, too. It evens out.
Diamond: Are you nervous about tomorrow?
Rhett: Not really. I’ve been doing this a long time.
Diamond: This ain’t your first rodeo?
He sends a string of laughing emojis, and I snort laugh.
Rhett: Funny and cute. Nice.