Chapter 15 Diamond #2
He leads me down the darkened path. The farther we get from the lot lighting, the darker it gets, but Rhett presses on until we reach the one he saw.
We stop in front of the structure, and Rhett uses the flashlight app on his phone.
It’s exactly what I pictured. An opening for horses and people, no physical door.
Vents along the top, and on the other end, there’s a feature I hadn’t thought of.
“Oh, it has a double-wide door down here that would make cleaning stalls so much easier! What’s it like inside? ”
We step into the structure to find one stall pre-built, but with room for at least three more.
“Loads of storage in here, or you can keep it open concept so Wilbur can come and go. You could install a gate to lock him in every night as well. Which might not be a bad idea either. You could have part as a tack room even.” I’m aware my words are coming faster, and I can’t help it.
It’s exactly what I pictured when I took that video for Rhett.
“This is a versatile barn, Rhett. Easy enough to run power to as well. There’s a light at the end of the road, and the power company would do that for it.
One of my friends did that a few years ago. ”
Silence falls when I finally stop blabbing on about the damn barn possibilities like a host on MTV’s Cribs. Rhett stands in the shadows, but there’s a fond smile on his face that makes me ache.
“This is why I wanted your opinion. You’ve thought of everything. I’ll take a pic of the product number outside and order it. Are you hungry?”
“Not for food.”
Not when he looks at me like I hung the fucking moon do I want anything but him. I could be starving, but I’d still choose him before taking care of myself.
“What did you have in mind?” He rumbles as he steps closer to me. His hand settles on my hip, and his thumb pushes under my shirt to slide across my hip bone.
My fingers reach for the buckle on his jeans, and I tug him until we both stumble back into the wall.
“I’ve been thinking of this since you dropped off those flowers.” My hands flip the buckle, and Rhett dips his head closer to my mouth.
“I just wanted you to know I appreciated you. You don’t have to…to repay it or anything.”
“I want to. Can I?”
“Will we get caught? It’s public property with cameras, babe.”
Dear fucking god, stop calling me pet names before I say something stupid.
“Cameras are outside, and I’ll be quick.”
He gives a quick nod before taking my mouth in a blistering kiss that’s so hot my hands almost forget to finish unzipping him. When his cock is in my hand, he drops his head with a groan. “Fuck, Diamond. I can’t believe I’m letting you do this.”
Lowering to my knees, I glance up before taking him in my mouth. “Thank you,” I whisper.
He’s thick and heavy on my tongue, and I’m out of my mind with lust. I should be second-guessing my plan of being on my knees in a pre-assembled model barn, but I have a pattern of throwing my rational thoughts out the window for Rhett.
His fingers slide through my short hair before his hand rests on my cheek.
“So good, Dee. Fuck…”
My hand clutches at his thigh, and he covers it with his own, sliding our fingers together. “Close,” he whispers. “Will you…”
“Yeah. I want it.”
“Fuck.” His fingers tighten over mine as the first pulse coats my tongue. Rhett’s grip is almost painful on my hand as he rides out his release in my mouth, but I love every damn second.
He tugs on my hand when I release him and pulls me to my feet before kissing me and pressing me back against the wall.
“We should get out of here in case they have security,” I pant against his lips.
“Yeah. Right.” He steps back and tucks himself away before reaching for my hand. “If I wasn’t sold on the barn before, I sure am now. I don’t think I can look at any others now.”
I laugh as we speed walk back to his truck. “Happy to help and make the job so much more enjoyable.”
“You make everything more enjoyable, Diamond. Everything.”
We stop at the passenger side of the truck. Tater presses her nose out the crack of the window, and I boop it with a grin.
“It’s no hardship, Rhett. We’re good together.”
His lashes frame those expressive eyes that I’m already gone for before he bends to kiss me sweetly. “We are. Can I still feed you real food?”
My stomach growls. “I could eat.”
His face lights up. “Great!” He opens the door for me and picks up Tater. “If you want to, you can take the middle and let her be the passenger.”
“Do I get to lie my head on your lap and get an ear scratch too?”
Rhett laughs with a shake of his head. “I can do better than that if you want.”
Laughing, I slide into the middle, and he places Tater on the seat next to me. “I bet you can, cowboy. But maybe I’d like some petting.”
Rhett shakes his head. “Let me feed you first.”
It’s past 11 P.M and somehow I’m sitting on the tailgate of Rhett’s truck in a dark parking lot, sharing a bag of soggy french fries and an oversized container of ginger ale.
We had gas station turkey sandwiches since the truck stop kitchen was closing. We accepted the rest of the fries before the kitchen tossed them, arguing over how much vinegar was too much before pocketing no less than 50 ketchup packets and smiling the entire time.
This might be my most perfect dinner ever.
“My grandfather always hated closing his restaurant at nine. He felt more people should eat later, but our town closed up pretty early, too. I should have realized everything would be closed. Sorry, it’s just sandwiches and old fries.”
“Don’t be. It’s perfect.” I smile at him and sip from our vat of ginger ale. “Tell me about your grandfather. You’ve mentioned him a lot. You must’ve been close.”
He leans back on his hands in the truck bed and tilts his head up to the starry sky. “Yeah. He practically raised me. My mom was… mostly unavailable.” He’s silent for a moment, and I don’t press him, instead offering him something about me.
“My fiancé was like that. Whenever I needed a ride for chemo or a doctor’s appointment, he conveniently wasn’t available. I went through several treatments alone, even when he said he’d be there.”
It’s a gamble, but fuck it. We’ve come this far.
“Since you’re not married now, I assume that got sorted?” His voice is tight, and there’s no mistaking the anger in his voice.
“Yeah. I was sad for a long time, you know? Who doesn’t stick by the man they love when they’re going through something like cancer?
” My voice shakes, and I quickly clear my throat.
“That’s why I live with my dad. He found out what was happening and took leave from his job to care for me.
He literally kept me alive when my ex couldn’t care less.
We became a little too dependent on each other, though, and rather than live alone, I had him move in with me. ”
Rhett remains silent, and both of us have abandoned the french fries. His pinky rubs against mine when I lean back to stare at the night sky with him.
“It’s great you have him. I think he’s great, and he loves you so much.”
I laugh a little. “He’s the best, and I’m very fortunate.”
“He was stupid. Your ex.” Rhett turns his head towards me. “He never should have let you go.”
“You’re right. Probably the best thing to happen to me, if I’m honest.”
Neither of us speaks for a few minutes. I’m afraid to say anything because I don’t want to scare this man away or ruin this perfect evening.
“Were you serious about helping me with the barn and stuff for Wilbur?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I told you I’d help, and I will. I even know how to do manual labour,” I joke and sway over to bump his shoulder. “I’d love to help you.”
Rhett smiles and remains silent for a while again. It’s nice, just being here and staring at the sky, picking at cold, soggy fries while Tater snuffles closer every few minutes, looking for a snack. I sneak her some, of course, but not sneakily enough.
“She’s going to beg every time you’re around if you keep doing that.”
“Maybe. What do I need to have you beg every time I’m around?”
Rhett snaps his head to look at me, and I shrug. “You don’t have to beg, but it makes a guy feel wanted, you know?”
He says nothing for a moment, but I feel the weight of his gaze on me. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever been with.” His voice is low, and I turn my head towards him. “You make me feel…desired. Wanted more than I’ve ever felt, and I don’t know what to do with that.”
His choice of words and confession floors me.
“Pardon fucking me, but you’ve been with the wrong people, Rhett.
You’re…you are…Jesus, I can’t even speak the words.
That’s how desirable you are to me. You take over every single brain cell I have.
Most days, you’re all I can think about.
Did he eat tonight, or was he too busy? Would it be weird if I showed up with food? Am I being too much, and he hates it?”
I can’t read his expression, but Tater chooses that moment to step in and lick his face. He pets her and never breaks eye contact.
“Really? You think of me like that all the time? Why?”
I huff in disbelief. Not because he’s asking, but because he legit just doesn’t see himself how I do.
“How much time do you have? Because it’s not just a few short reasons I can rhyme off, Rhett.”
He stretches across the space between us and presses a tender kiss to my lips.
“You’re not too much, by the way. You’re just enough to shine into my heart and lift the fog that’s been there for so long that I’d just accepted it. You’re like the rainbow after a storm, Diamond. You make me smile and wish for more.”
Jesus. He might kill me. The hope and tenderness in his voice.
“Well, without hope, what’s the point, right?” I whisper as he drifts closer.
He gently pushes me onto my back, and in the back of his truck in a darkened parking lot, his fingers dust over my zipper. “Can I do this here? Are you okay with it?”
“Fuck yes. I blew you in a model barn on public property for fuck’s sake. Clearly, I’m okay with this.”
He laughs softly. His hot breath against my neck as his calloused fingers wrap around my erection. I’m dimly aware of Tater somewhere in the truck bed, and a laugh slips out even as Rhett brings me closer to my release with his hand in my pants.
“Tater. Does she watch?”
“She’s asleep. Forget the dog, Dee. Come for me, beautiful.”
Shit.
Rhett jerking me off in the back of his truck in a parking lot should make me feel like a cheap whore.
It smells like vinegar, and that scent in the air when everything is fresh and new with spring.
And Rhett. God. This shouldn’t make me so delirious with lust, but I arch into his hand and pull his lips to mine.
He smiles against my lips as I chant his name and empty into his hand.
“Fuck, Dee…you’re incredible.” He kisses my neck before pulling back to stare at me.
“You’re the one with the amazing hands.”
He does this little smirk that wrecks me with its cuteness.
“We should probably get home. Long days for both of us tomorrow.”
“Do you want to…stay? At my place?”
His gaze sweeps over my face, and he shakes his head. “Not this time.”
I stuff back my disappointment and quickly kiss him before sitting up.
“Probably a good idea. We have early mornings.”
“Dee…” I look his way as he drops from the truck bed. “There will be a next time.”