Chapter 18 Rhett
eighteen
Rhett
There’s only one throbbing body part I ever want to wake up to, and it’s not my hand that currently feels like it’s on fire.
The room is dark and smells of Diamond—sugar and coffee, along with something unique to him. Flowery, like the roses from his shop. But the man himself isn’t in bed with me.
Rolling over, I reach for my phone to check the time. Lord, it’s after 9 A.M., but the two text notifications on my phone have me easing back on the bed. The first one is from Hunter telling me not to worry and to take the next few days to recover.
The second one is from Diamond.
“Hey, cowboy. I’m out walking Tater. I left you more pain killers and water if you need it. I’m waiting to hear from my doctor’s office to get your hand checked out. Text me when you’re awake, and I’ll come back so we can have breakfast together.”
He ends it with a heart and smiley face emoji that I probably read too much into. But I swallow the pills and lie back before texting him that I’m awake. After a visit to the bathroom, I notice he’s also left my duffle bag with clean clothes on the chair in his room.
After pulling on clean boxers and sleep pants, I head upstairs to the kitchen. He’s left a thermos of coffee on the counter, and after pouring myself a mug, I catch the aroma as I bring it to my lips. Banana.
I know he said he’d come and cook us breakfast, which might as well be lunch for me at this hour, but I’m not sitting around waiting for him to cater to me more than he already has. Not that I don’t appreciate it, because I really fucking do, but I’m more than capable of making us breakfast.
After locating a cutting board and knife and rummaging through his fridge, I chop vegetables for an omelette.
Diamond’s fridge is stocked with a lot of organic produce and locally sourced meats.
The packages are none I recognize from the grocery store.
I’ll have to ask him where he finds this stuff.
The front door opens, and Tater’s feet click across the floor as she skids into the kitchen to find me.
“There’s my girl! Did you have a nice walk?”
Scooping her into my arms, I let her lick my face and squirm happily as she greets me like it’s been years since she’s last seen me.
Diamond leans in the doorway, watching me, Tater’s leash hanging in his fingers.
“She had an amazing time. Chased three squirrels and caught none of them. Met a new friend at the dog park and brought the ball back to me nine times out of ten. When I told her it was time to go home and see Dad, her little butt wouldn’t stop wiggling. ”
After kissing the top of her head, I place her on the floor and watch as she runs back to Diamond and flops in front of him for a belly scratch. He smiles and crouches down to give her what she wants, and my heart stutters as I watch them together.
Tater clearly loves him, and he’s happy with her. Just another moment that makes my heart swell and wonder if I’m really ready to give the last piece of myself to someone again.
Diamond stands, and his face glows with pure content. He walks to the kitchen sink to wash his hands, and this is the most casual I’ve ever seen him. He wore jeans when we went riding, and he always has his work outfit on at the coffee shop, but this is almost domestic.
Sweatpants hang off his hips, and a hoodie swallows his lithe frame. His hair, while short and easy to manage, still has a little bed head to it, and right now he’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“You started breakfast without me,” he says as he surveys the counter. “What can I do?”
“Kiss me.” His lips part as I step closer to him. “That’s what you can do. Please.”
Diamond’s hands cup my face, and he leans in. “I don’t need you to ask again. I’ll kiss you every day if you want me to.”
His lips press to mine, and I open for him.
Our tongues slide together as I press him back against the kitchen counter.
If I could kiss him like this forever, I’d die happy.
His fingers tangle in my hair, nails scratching my scalp, and it only spurs me on.
Pressing even closer to him, Diamond hums his approval as my lips trail down his neck.
“Best breakfast ever,” he breathes before tugging my hair and bringing my lips back to his.
It really is. Breakfast is just a meal that fills the space before lunch and is often eaten while I’m doing something else, like taking Tater out or driving to the barn to care for Wilbur. It’s just…something to do with my hands other than work.
But this is a kind of meal I could become addicted to. I want Diamond for breakfast, and if I didn’t have food on the counter, I’d be lifting him up to enjoy him as a buffet. But I can still lift him up and carry him to the sofa.
My hands wander to his ass, and when my fingers curl into flesh, a bolt of white-hot pain shoots through my hand, and I almost bite through Diamond’s lip.
“Goddamnfuckingfuck!” Dropping my head to Diamond’s shoulder, I squeeze my eyes closed.
“Your hand,” he murmurs next to my ear. “It shouldn’t hurt that much. Let’s eat and get you to the doctor.”
“You don’t need to come with me. I’m sure you have work to do.”
Turning from him, I resume the chopping I started and get my breathing under control while my hand throbs to a new beat. Diamond remains still for a moment before stepping up to the counter. He cracks eggs into a bowl next to me perfectly, but with a barely restrained aggression.
“I actually don’t. Have to work, that is. But if you don’t want me with you, I won’t go.” He turns to the fridge and takes out the bacon I missed last time. “Do you like bacon? I love it.”
His jaw tenses as he places a pan on the stove and does his best to keep from looking at me. My chopping slows as I try to find the right words to say. Which is harder than I thought it would be, but I’ll blame it on the pain in my hand because that’s easier.
“I like bacon.” So fucking lame. But he nods to acknowledge my response and places a few more strips in the pan before covering it with a lid.
“If you go to the doctor’s office downtown, the one near Gabe’s office, actually, do you know it?” he tosses that over his shoulder as he pulls a loaf of bread from the cupboard. “Anyway, just go there and to the desk. Angie will know who you are and take care of you.”
The click of his throat is loud enough that I hear it over the cooking bacon, and I set my knife down to reach for him.
“Diamond…I’m—”
“No, Rhett. It’s fine. Go on your own. It’s okay.”
“It’s not, though. I’ve upset you.”
Diamond turns to me, his jaw set as he turns his beautiful blue eyes on me. “You have, and I’ll get over it, okay? Let’s just try to enjoy breakfast.” He forces a smile. “The bacon is worth it.”
He turns back to his part of the breakfast, and we continue our tasks side by side in a tense silence. The food would probably taste better if I wasn’t such an ass, but we get through it.
After breakfast, I gather my things along with Tater’s and pause near the door.
“If you’d like her to stay with me while you’re out, I’d be happy to have her.” Diamond, still in his sweatpants and bare feet, leans against the wall and glances into the living room.
Placing her dish back on the floor, I glance at my dog stretched out across the floor in a sunbeam. Part of the reason to come to Kissing Ridge was to give her a better life, too. She would definitely prefer staying here, being treated like a princess.
“She likes you, and I think that would be great. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He barely smiles, and I hate it.
Fuck, I don’t like Diamond being upset because of me.
“I’ll, ah…text you when I’m done.” With a nod, I turn and leave. As I drive away, the only thought in my head is that I hope I didn’t just fuck all this up.
Because I’m definitely falling for the guy.
“You should have gotten stitches.”
The doctor gives me a stern stare.
“I was out of town, and the hospital there was questionable. Then there was my dog…” Yeah, okay. Sounds pretty lame when I say it out loud. “I just wanted to get away from the event and go home. I wasn’t thinking.”
“You’re going to have one hell of a scar.
I’m glad you came in when you did because it’s definitely infected.
” He pauses for a moment and presses on a puffy part of my hand.
My arm jerks, and I try to pull away. “I know it hurts, but this needs to change. In three days, if this part doesn’t look better, Rhett, you might need surgery to clean this up.
I’m also giving you an updated tetanus shot.
” The nurse enters the room with the vaccine as the doctor types out the prescription and prints off the sheet before handing it to me.
“You’ll need to rest. This is a hefty dose of antibiotics, and you might have some gastro issues, but they might make you drowsy as well. If it’s remotely possible, please do nothing strenuous for the next three days.”
I wince as he pokes me with the needle, but not because it hurts. “I get the keys to my house tomorrow. I’m supposed to be moving in.”
“I’d ask your friends to help with that if it can’t wait. Seriously, Rhett. You won’t be feeling too great.”
“Okay, doc. I’ll see what I can do.”
After leaving the doctor’s office, I walk to the pharmacy down the street and drop off my prescription before walking back to Gabe’s office. His receptionist greets me with a smile and tells me to take a seat.
While I wait to see Gabe, I let my mind wander back to Diamond and this morning. Hell, to the night before even. Somehow, he’s become more than just a guy I occasionally connect with physically. He’s more.
“Hi, Rhett!” Gabe interrupts my thoughts, and I stand to greet him.
“Hi, Gabe. I know I’m not supposed to be here until tomorrow, but I was really hoping we could sign everything now.” His receptionist is listening a little too close, and I lower my voice. “Can we talk in your office?”
“Of course.”