Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
NATALIE
“Here, let me help you.” Rhett grabbed my bag off my shoulder and rolled my suitcase inside the condo.
“I still can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
“I mean, it makes sense if you think about it. I live in a secure building, and I have plenty of room.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “Like I told you, I’m not around that much, but at least you won’t be totally alone.”
I wish I could say that was what sold me, but I would be lying. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that living together would further complicate things, but I liked the idea of having him just a few feet away more than I should have.
We walked down the hallway, and I followed him into my bedroom. I expected it to look sparse like the rest of his apartment. Instead of bare walls and minimal furniture, I blinked, momentarily stunned.
“This is really nice.” I spun around, noticing the walls were a warm gray, almost with a faint blue tint. The king-sized bed had a white comforter with light lavender accent pillows. I set the cardboard box down next to a writing desk and a big, oversized white chair in the corner. Sheer long curtains hung in the window, and a vase of fresh flowers was on each end table.
“Did you do all this for me?” I asked, feeling a flutter of excitement in my chest.
He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “I know it’s not as fancy as Beau’s mansion, but I wanted you to feel comfortable here.”
Everything inside me went soft. “That was very thoughtful. I love it. Thank you.”
He tilted his head and smiled. “I’m glad you like it, but wanna know what the best part is?”
“What’s that?”
“I’m just a knock-knock away on the other side of that wall if you need anything.”
I bit down on my lip to keep myself from smiling. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
After a few more trips from the parking garage, we finally had all my stuff in the room, ready to be put away.
Rhett reached into one of my smaller bags, pulled out a perfume bottle, sniffed it, and closed his eyes. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamed of this scent since Vegas.”
He looked perfectly at ease while sniffing my perfume and reminding me of our night together. Something tightened in my stomach, and I had no damn clue how I was going to survive this little arrangement.
He put a lot of effort into making me feel at home. I knew he wanted more, but I had to make sure we wanted the same things before I gave in to him. I needed to be strong and smart and not lose touch with reality.
He set the bottle of perfume down and spun around. “I have a Zoom call with one of my sponsors. It shouldn’t take long. Do you want to order in for dinner? ”
I played with the hem of my sweatshirt, wishing I had a clue as to why I was so nervous around him. “I would like to cook if that’s okay.”
He rubbed his stomach. “A home-cooked meal sounds pretty damned good.”
“I’ll order what I need online,” I said, picking up my phone and opening the app.
Rhett reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “I’ll give you my credit card.”
I held my hand out. “Nope. You are not going to win this one.”
His eyes narrowed. “Wanna bet?”
“Rhett.” I exhaled. “You are refusing to charge me rent. This is my contribution. Please, let me do this, or I will move back in with Beau.”
He pursed his lips and moved his eyes across the room. “Fine.”
My eyebrows drew together. That was way too easy. “You’re up to something.”
He shrugged. “I guess you’ll have to wait and see.” He smirked and left the room before I could say anything else.
My eyes rolled up to the ceiling. I wondered if it was too late to change my mind. This could potentially end up being one huge mistake. I’d been harboring feelings for him since Vegas, and now that we would be sharing a space together, I had no idea how I was going to keep my emotions in check.
I wandered over to the bed and unpacked my bigger suitcase first. What if living together only made these feelings stronger? How was I going to hide the way my heart raced whenever he was near? There was no way he didn’t pick up on it. Probably got off on it. Speaking of getting off, I still can’t believe I pulled him into the bushes and gave him a hand job, all because I was jealous .
I still didn’t know why seeing them together bothered me so much. I knew he wasn’t interested in her. Maybe I just needed the reassurance.
I closed my eyes; what I needed was a therapist. The man was driving me insane.
After hanging up all my clothes and putting everything away in the dresser, I grabbed the three pillows I always slept with and started slipping on the pillowcases. I could feel Rhett hovering in the doorway.
“Are you here to supervise, or are you planning on helping me?” I teased.
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to mess up your organizational system.”
I threw a pillow at him. “Stop making excuses.”
“Is there something wrong with the pillows that I had on the bed?”
I hesitated. “Do you promise to not make fun of me?”
A grin was already starting to spread across his face. “I’ll do my best.”
“I’m a pillow snob.”
“A what?” He laughed.
“I’m picky,” I admitted while clutching my favorite one. “I only like foam pillows.”
I moved around the room and pretended to fold a T-shirt I had already folded.
He plopped on the bed and picked up one of the pillows. “Why three?”
“Because they all have a purpose,” I said, still unable to meet his gaze.
He raised an eyebrow. “Other than building a pillow fort, why would you need three?”
“One is for my head. One is for snuggling, and one is for in-between my legs.”
His eyes sparkled. “Babe, if you need something firm between your legs, I have something that will make you feel a hell of a lot better than a foam pillow.”
I ducked my head, feeling my cheeks heat. If they got any hotter, they would melt right off. “I walked right into that one.”
“You sure did,” he said, still laughing.
“Don’t you have something to do? Like, watch SportsCenter or something?”
He folded his arms along the back of his neck. “Nah, I’ll just lay here and rest my head, or maybe I’ll put one of these pillows between my legs and see what’s so special about it.”
“Don’t you dare.” I snatched the pillow away and finished getting my room organized.
Thankfully, Rhett got bored and went off to do God knows what.
A couple of hours later, I was in the kitchen when I heard footsteps coming down the hall. “Something smells amazing.” Rhett leaned forward to peek at what was on the stove.
“I was trying to surprise you. It’s almost finished if you want to pour yourself a drink.”
“I didn’t know you could cook,” he said, fumbling through the cabinets, grabbing plates and glasses for dinner.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.” I winked and turned off the stove.
“Oh, yeah, do you bake too?”
I scrunched my nose up. “I can bake a cake if it comes in a box or packaged cookie dough that just needs to be pressed on a baking sheet and thrown in the oven. Even then, there is no guarantee that the cake won’t stick to the pan or the cookies won’t come out hard as rocks.”
“So, no dessert with dinner, then. Got it,” he said, placing two glasses under the faucet. It didn’t go unnoticed how he intentionally brushed his arm against mine.
“So, where did you learn to cook? Your mom?”
His question hit me like a punch in the gut. My smile faltered, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
“I did. She was a great cook.”
“Was?”
I set the plate down and picked up my wine. I was hoping to avoid talking about this. It’s not that I couldn’t. I just didn’t like to. Rhett has never lost anyone like I have; at least, I didn’t think he had.
“My parents died in a car accident when I was a teenager.”
Rhett’s eyes widened, and his face softened in concern. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I had no idea.”
“It’s okay,” I said through a shaky voice. “It happened a long time ago, but sometimes it feels like yesterday.”
He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “Can you talk about it, or is it too much?”
I sighed and pushed my hair back with my free hand. “I was at a friend’s house, and they were on the way to pick me up. I waited for hours, and they never showed. It wasn’t until Uncle Beau came and picked me up the next morning that I found out they both had died.”
I carried the weight around for so long, even though I wasn’t the one behind the wheel. I knew they would still be here today if they didn’t have to pick me up that night. It was hard not to blame myself. But I always wondered how different things would have been if I just stayed home.
“Big B is a good man. I’m sure he didn’t hesitate to step in and help,” he said, his eyes softening with empathy.
I nodded. “He really is, especially since he and my mom were estranged. ”
“That sucks that they never had a chance to make peace.” He grabbed the back of my hand and kissed it.
I swallowed. “They were never going to make peace as long as she was with my dad. He was a very sick man, and it was hard for Uncle Beau to watch him struggle with his alcohol addiction.”
“So, your mom stuck by him?”
I nodded. “She was a woman of strong faith and refused to leave him. That decision ended up costing her her life.”
I watched as his expression switched from concern to understanding. “He was driving that night?”
The words wouldn’t come out. All I could do was nod.
Rhett leaned back in his seat, unsure how to respond. “Natalie, that’s terrible. I’m so sorry.”
“Not too many people know. Beau has gone to great lengths to protect me.”
“So, Beau has been a solid figure in your life ever since?”
I looked down, thankful that I wasn’t being pitied. “We’ve always been close. He’s not just my uncle, he’s also my godfather.”
He rolled his eyes. “Great. He is going to fucking kill me.”
I laughed, feeling a bit lighter. “You should probably prepare. Maybe consider leaving the country.”
“Glad to see you’re so worried about me,” he said, scooping a helping of the sausage cream pasta and shoving it in his mouth.
Rhett had a rare gift for bringing lightness into the heaviest moments, and I’d never been more grateful for it.
We laughed and talked throughout the rest of our meal. As the evening wore on, I realized that I was developing real feelings for him, and I could tell he felt the same.
There was something more going on between us than just two people trying to figure things out. I could see myself falling for him. Maybe I was already starting.
I was in a blissful sleep when I felt a nudge on my shoulder. “Time to wake up, sleepyhead. You’ve got places to go and people to meet.”
“Go away.” I groaned and tried to burrow farther into the covers. Rhett wasn’t kidding. This mattress felt like heaven.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” His cheerful voice was way too loud.
I cracked an eye open and glared at him. “Yes, it’s way too early.”
He grinned and plopped down next to me on the bed. “Natalie, you have to wake up.”
“Come back in an hour.” I tried to pull the comforter over me, but in one swift motion, he yanked it off.
“You’re meeting my friends today, remember?”
Oh, right. The anxiety I felt over meeting them for the first time came rushing back. These weren’t just his closest friends. They also knew my uncle. Rhett has assured me countless times that I had nothing to worry about, but the fear of our secret getting out filled my body with panic.
He must have seen the concern on my face. “Don’t worry. You’re going to love them. I promise.”
I sighed and leaned against the pillow, wishing I could stay in bed all day. “You make everything sound so simple. ”
He kissed my temple. “Because it is. Now get up and get dressed. We have a big day ahead.”
Begrudgingly, I swung my legs out from the bed and stood up. “Fine.” I stretched my arms up over my head. Rhett swallowed when my camisole rose over my stomach. “Any idea on what I should wear?”
“Wear something that makes you feel good.”
“So, should I wear my ‘will trade for coffee’ shirt with an arrow pointing to you, then?”
“I didn’t realize you could be such a smartass. I don’t think you’ll have anything to worry about. You’re going to fit right in.”
I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease.
After a quick shower and feeling somewhat more human, I got dressed and went to join Rhett in the living room. Only he wasn’t there. I walked toward his bedroom, ready to give him a hard time about not being ready yet, but he was nowhere to be found.
Huh?
Instead of going back to the living room and waiting for him, I decided to peek inside his bedroom. The man was such a mystery to me, and I was feeling a little nosy.
I pushed the door fully open, and the first thing I noticed was an orange and yellow beta fish swimming in a small aquarium. I had so many damn questions, but I didn’t have much time and didn’t want to explain myself if I got caught, so I wandered over to a shelf above his dresser with a collection of pictures. There were photos of friends and teammates; one was a snapshot of him with two little girls.
“Those are my nieces.”
“Jesus.” I dropped the picture and immediately placed it back in its place. “You scared the crap out of me.”
I spun around to see Rhett leaning against the doorjamb, his bare feet crossed at his ankles as he casually sipped from a water bottle. Did I also mention his chest was bare, too? And don’t get me started on those gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips.
I had no idea how I was going to survive this, but it would be a good test of my restraint.
“If you wanted a tour of my bedroom, all you had to do was ask,” he said, forcing my gaze from his broad chest to his face.
“I wasn’t snooping,” I blurted out, sounding guilty as hell.
He raised a brow that said you are so full of shit.
“Okay.” I raised my hand. “Guilty.”
He strolled into the room. “Find anything interesting?”
Yeah, your body. One I wouldn’t mind getting acquainted with again.
I cleared my throat and pointed to the small aquarium, needing to focus on something other than how badly I wanted to run my fingers through the soft dusting of hair on his chest. “I didn’t realize you had a fish.”
“That’s Tito.”
“You named your fish after a bottle of vodka?”
He laughed. “It’s a long story that involves a drunken night with friends and a bet.”
I fiddled with my hands. “Why are you not dressed?”
He rubbed at the scruff peppering his jaw. “I wanted to get a quick workout in and didn’t expect you to get ready so fast.” He moved over to the closet and swung the double doors open. “Do you want to pick out an outfit for me while I take a quick shower?”
I peeked my head inside, and my eyes doubled in size. This wasn’t a closet, but a mini room filled with rows of designer shirts neatly hung on hangers. I ran my fingers over the soft cashmere sweaters and silky button-downs. As I moved further into the closet, I was met with a rack of expensive-looking suits filling the space.
I spun around and stared at the man who was such a mystery to me. “I married a fashionista.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? I like to look sharp.”
My forehead wrinkled. “I can understand the clothes, but this?” I pointed to the wall dedicated just to shoes. There were shelves of sneakers from floor to ceiling—every color, shape, and style ever invented.
He picked up a pair of turquoise and black high-top sneakers. “Some are custom designed, some are from working with a specific company, and a few are from designers who gifted me a pair to promote their brand.”
“This is a lot.” I spun around in a circle.
“I have to make a lot of public appearances, so I try to make sure I’m not photographed wearing the same outfit twice.”
“What?” I glanced at the closet and back to him. “You’re serious?”
He shrugged. “You just saw my entire closet.”
I parked my hands on my hips. “And you gave me shit about my pillows.”
He turned toward the bathroom. “Seeing that you’re so fascinated with my wardrobe, why don’t you pick out something I’ll look good in.”
“You trust me alone in here?” I raised an eyebrow, smirking.
He chuckled. “Yes. Just don’t make me look like a clown.”
I waved him off. “I can’t make any promises.”
When I heard the shower start, I started flipping through his shirts. I picked up a crisp white button-down and a pair of jeans. He would probably think it was boring, but it reminded me of the night we met .
I laid the clothes on the bed and chuckled when I heard him humming some off-key pop song.
Instead of leaving the room like I should have, my eyes zeroed in on his nightstand. A quick peek wouldn’t hurt, right?
A pang of guilt hit me for invading his privacy, but I couldn’t resist learning every little detail about the man I would be living with for the next month. He was one big puzzle waiting to be pieced together.
I pulled open the drawer and shifted through a tangled-up phone charger, a flashlight, earbuds, and a half-eaten pack of Skittles. I was expecting to find a bottle of lube and a box of condoms. The man continued to surprise me at every turn.
I didn’t hear the footsteps approaching until it was almost too late. I quickly shut the drawer and jumped on the mattress before being caught red-handed.
Rhett emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and water droplets still clinging to his chest. Lord, help me. His steps faltered when he saw me on his bed. He stood there staring at me while running his hands through his damp hair.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, just looking for a pair of socks,” I said, playing dumb.
He crossed his arms across his chest. “Sure you were.”
“I was.” I gave him my most innocent smile and let my gaze travel down his towel-clad body. “But then I got distracted.”
He stood there, watching me. I had no idea what he was thinking, because his expression was unreadable. The air between us rippled with tension. His eyes searched mine as if asking for permission. For what? I didn’t know.
What I did know was there was no way I wouldn’t let him touch me right now if he wanted to. I lifted my chin, daring him to either walk away or come closer.
I gulped when he walked to the bed and dipped his knee into the mattress. I grabbed a pillow and clutched it in a death grip, not feeling as bold as I did a few seconds ago. My stomach wobbled when he leaned forward and threw it aside. He lowered his face and ran the tip of his nose along mine. “Don’t you even feel a little guilty?”
Oh, shit. He was really doing this.
“Why would I need to feel guilty?”
His hot breath dusted against my lips. “For being a little snoop. That’s twice I caught you today.”
“I told you, I was looking for socks.”
He raised a brow. “In my nightstand?”
“You never know where you’re going to find one.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Is that how you’re going to play this?”
“You think I’m playing with you?” I sucked in a breath when his fingers slowly brushed against my cheek. Bolts of heat shot through me. He had me exactly where he wanted me, and he knew it too.
He shifted his weight and inched closer. “Yep. So, why don’t you do the right thing and admit what you were really doing.”
“I’m sorry.” I sighed as he ran his free hand down my rib cage. “I was curious and got carried away.”
“Hmm…” He brushed his lips to the shell of my ear. “I married a little sneak. What should I do with you?”
“I can think of a few things,” I said, feeling my heart race. He was turning the tables on me, and I couldn’t even be mad about it.
His hand reached out and pushed the hair back from my face. “I have a few ideas of my own.”
He slid the strap of my dress to the side so he could sweep his tongue across my shoulder. Every cell in my body was on high alert. I sucked in a breath while his mouth kissed its way along my bare skin.
There were a million reasons why this was a bad idea, but I couldn’t remember a single one.
“Rhett.” I moaned, feeling a bolt of pleasure as his hand dipped beneath the fabric of my dress.
“So beautiful,” he said as the pad of his thumb skimmed up my bare leg. “You’re the kind of beautiful that makes a man go crazy.”
“Oh, God.” I squeezed my eyes shut and rolled my hips into him when he started stroking his fingers along my entrance.
“If I want to go down on you right now, will you let me?” he asked, pressing his finger against my clit.
There was no way in hell I would stop him.
“Why don’t you take my underwear off and find out for yourself,” I murmured while he continued to tease me with his fingers. I lifted my hips, begging him for more. He had me teetering on the edge, and he’d barely touched me.
He laughed and pulled away. When I glanced up, a look of satisfaction filled his face.
“What are you doing?”
I was so freaking confused. I was panting, and it was still unclear as to why he was leaning back on his knees instead of between my legs where I wanted him.
“Getting you back for that stunt you pulled at the restaurant. You had me by the balls, literally. Just wanted you to know what it felt like to be at someone’s mercy.”
“Are you serious right now?” I leaned my head back and groaned. “You got off, asshole. You’re really going to leave me hanging?”
He looked down at his erection that was poking out underneath the towel. “I told you that I play to win. I’m not going to fuck you again until I know for sure that you’re ready.”
“What makes you think I don’t want this? I’m basically giving you my consent.”
He regarded me cautiously as he headed toward the door. “I don’t want just your body, and the sooner you figure that out, the sooner we can stop playing these games. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom and take care of this.” He winked and strolled out of the room.
What the hell just happened?