36. Rhett
Isensed the moment some of the tension left Scarlett and when she pulled away from me, it was with a small smile on her face. I had to fight the urge to pull her back in, to hold her close again. To do whatever it took to take that sadness out of her eyes.
I wasn’t sure what had gotten her so upset. Honestly, it could be any number of things. She had so much going on that it constantly surprised me that she wasn’t a blubbering mess, curled up in the fetal position.
“I guess we should head back out there.”
“We don’t have to, if you don’t want to. Or don’t feel up to it. We can just say you’re feeling unwell and need to go. If this is all too much…”
“No, it’s not. I just got a text from my mom. Veronica, I mean. Fuck, it’s all so confusing. But anyway, she’s just being her typical self and that’s why I should be used to it. But whatever.”
A smarter person than me would know how to deal with this, would know what to say. But yeah, I was monumentally stupid when it came to all this emotional stuff, so I just stood there, mute.
Scarlett’s gaze slid away from mine, like she was self-conscious. Fuck, I wish I had the words for this. I wished for that even more, in the next few moments, as her gaze landed on the mantelpiece and she stiffened.
Her eyes scanned along it, taking in the framed family photos arranged there. I followed her gaze. Among the smiling baby pictures of Grace, Lily, Mia, and Oliver - each lovingly dated with their birth dates - there was one more frame. One that I guess Scarlett hadn’t expected to see there.
Tentatively, she reached out and picked it up, cradling it in her trembling hands. The photo was of a newborn baby wrapped in a soft pink blanket, her tiny face scrunched up and eyes firmly shut against the bright lights. And etched into the simple silver frame were the words “Our Baby” and a date of birth.
“This is your birth date?”
She nodded wordlessly.
“Wow,” I murmured, reaching out to gently trace the engraved letters with my fingertip. “That’s...wow.” I let a few more moments pass, and then because I was me, I said, “You were a very ugly baby.”
I fucking adored the snort she let out. “You’re a raging asshole. Absolutely beyond redemption.”
“I know it.”
Her gaze dropped back to the frame in her hands as her smile faded. “I just... I can’t believe they kept this. All these years, they really never forgot about me.”
“Of course they didn’t. You’re their daughter, Scarlett. Their family. And now you’ve found your way home.”
“Look at you, waxing lyrical.”
“Yeah, who’d have thought?” I guess I did have the right words sometimes.
Scarlett replaced the frame on the mantel, running her fingertip over the image one more time. “It hurt her so much. Giving me up.”
“Yeah.”
“She left home at eighteen. Apparently, she’d begged and pleaded with them not to make her go through with the adoption, that she could make it work. That Ethan would help her. But they wouldn’t listen. After it was over and she was back home in Tennessee, she just couldn’t look at them the same way. She hasn’t spoken to them since she ran away at eighteen. She doesn’t even know where they are, or if they’re even still alive.”
“They’re very much alive. In Florida.”
“It’s so weird that you know that.”
I shrugged. “It came up in the search. I’m assuming she’s also no contact with her brothers?”
“You assume correctly. She actually went no contact with all of them and kept it like that for years. Until one of her sisters reached out. I can’t recall which one it was. There’s three, right, the twins and the one that’s with what’s his name?”
“Liza. Married to Hank.”
“Hank. Yeah, that’s right. She’s the oldest sister and apparently knew the most about what was going on. At the time, she thought her parents did the right thing, but once she got older, she figured out some of the extra stuff. And she missed her baby sister, so she reached out. Now none of the daughters talk to their parents. All of that family drama, because of little old me. I wonder if her parents think it was worth it.”
“Yeah, I wonder that too.”
Before Scarlet could say anymore, Laura walked in, a quiet smile on her face. “I figured you two might have gotten lost back here.”
“No, we’re doing just fine,” I assured her. “Just taking a little breather before heading back out there.”
“I get it. Take as long as you need. I’m just so glad you’re both here.”
“We were actually just…” Scarlett gestured to the photo she’d been holding.
Laura’s gaze softened. “That picture means the world to me, you know. I used to look at it every single day, just wishing I could know how you were doing.”
“I can’t believe you kept it all this time.”
“Of course I did,” Laura said, reaching out to give Scarlett’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You were - you are my daughter. Nothing could ever change that.”
Scarlett’s voice was thick with emotion when she said, “That means a lot to me.”
And then she did the most unScarlett like thing. She stepped forward and hugged Laura. I’d seen her, for weeks, almost visibly squirming as this warm and loving family tried to shower her with affection. It made her so uncomfortable. But here she was, initiating it for the first time ever.
Laura didn’t hesitate to return the hug, enveloping Scarlett in her arms and holding her close. I could see the tears glistening in Laura’s eyes as she murmured soothing words, gently stroking Scarlett’s hair. Yeah, I’ll admit, I had a lump in my throat. And an ache in my heart. For everything Scarlett had been through and was still going through.
After what felt like an eternity, Scarlett slowly pulled back, hastily wiping her eyes. Laura cupped her face tenderly, her own tears spilling over. “My beautiful girl,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Scarlett nodded, managing a watery smile. “Me too,” she breathed. “I’m so glad I found you.”
The drive back to Scarlett’s place was dead silent. I glanced over at her a few times, but she just stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Whatever those thoughts were, they were bringing her no comfort. I wanted to ask for more details, but really didn’t want to push her.
Not much else had happened at dinner. There had been lots of chatting and laughing. Everyone raved about the pecan pie.
Except at least twice, when no one heard but me, Scarlett’s phone pinged. I’d seen the way her face fell when she checked and saw who the texts were from, and the way her shoulders hunched as she read the messages. It didn’t take a genius to guess that Veronica was the sender, or what she had said. Her words had obviously upset Scarlett. A lot. But it was also clear that she was trying very hard to hide it, putting on a brave face for the rest of the Parkers.
But now, alone in the car, that tough exterior had crumbled. Scarlett just seemed small and vulnerable; her arms wrapped tightly around herself. I wished I could do or say something to make her feel better.
As I pulled into her driveway, Scarlett finally spoke up. “You coming in for coffee?”
“Sure. If you want me to.”
“You may as well.”
Inside, Scarlett moved around the kitchen in a daze, mechanically going through the motions of making coffee. I watched her silently, not wanting to interrupt her thoughts. But fuck, the air was thick with tension as she waited for the pot to percolate.
Leaning against the counter, she rested her hands on it, her eyes roving over me. “Come over here.”
I raised an eyebrow. There was something about her tone that made me hesitate.
“Please.”
As soon as I got close enough, she reached out and grabbed the front of my shirt, pulling me down into a fierce kiss.
I was caught off guard for a split second, but then I let her have it, my arms wrapping around her waist as I returned the kiss with equal heat. Jesus, she was kissing me like her life depended on it, pouring all of her pent-up emotions into it.
When we finally came up for air, we were both breathing heavily. Scarlett’s cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen from our intense lip-lock.
“Rhett...” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
The coffee maker let out a final gurgle, signaling it was ready. But at that moment, the only thing that mattered was Scarlett and the way she was looking at me. Everything else faded into the background as I pulled her against me and lowered my mouth to hers again.
Scarlett moaned softly, her fingers threading through my hair as she pulled me closer. I could feel the desire radiating off her in waves, and it only served to fuel my own need for her.
Breaking away from her lips, I trailed kisses down her neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin there. Scarlett tilted her head back, giving me better access, her hands clutching at my shoulders.
“Rhett, please...” she whispered, her voice hoarse with need.
“I’m here,” I murmured against her skin, my lips brushing softly against the pulse point in her neck.
Her fingers tightened in my hair, guiding my mouth back to hers. Our tongues danced together, the kiss growing more and more frantic as our desire built. Sliding her hands down my chest, she tore at the buttons of my shirt, pushing it off my shoulders.
Moments later, her shirt joined mine on the floor. I leaned back, taking a moment to admire the sight of her standing there in just her bra and jeans.
Her skin was flushed, her eyes dark with desire. She looked like she wanted to devour me, and I was more than willing to let her.
I backed her up against the counter, my hands moving to the button of her jeans. She lifted her hips to help me slide them down her legs, and then she was stepping out of them, kicking them aside.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I breathed, my eyes roaming over her body.
Reaching back, she unclasped her bra and dropped it on top of the growing pile of our clothes. “Rhett, I need you to fuck me,” she said, her voice shaking.
Okay, so I guess we weren’t waiting. Stripping off the last of our clothes, I pulled her against me again, so that we were skin to skin. Her breathing was already ragged. “Now, for Christ’s sake.”
I cupped her ass, lifting her up onto the counter, moaning against her lips when she wrapped her legs around me. I could taste the desperation in her kiss, and it only served to fuel my own desire.
Part of me wanted to take my time with her, worship her body the way she deserved. But Scarlett wasn’t in the mood for slow and sensual. She needed hard and fast, so that was exactly what she was going to get.
I lined myself and then I was sinking into her, groaning at the tight heat that surrounded me. Scarlett moaned, her nails digging into my shoulders as she arched her back, taking me even deeper.
I began to move, my thrusts hard and deep. Scarlett met each one with an eager grind of her hips, her breath coming in short gasps. I leaned down to capture her mouth in another kiss, my hands gripping her thighs as I pounded into her.
“Fuck, you feel so good,” I growled against her lips.
She just moaned in response, her head thrown back, her breasts heaving with each of my thrusts. I reached between us to rub her clit, my fingers slick with her arousal.
“Let go,” I whispered, my mouth latching onto her neck as I sucked and bit at the sensitive skin there.
Scarlett cried out, her body tensing as she climaxed around me. I felt her clenching tightly around my cock, but I wasn’t ready to finish yet.
I pulled out of her, earning a whimper of protest from Scarlett. But then I pulled her down off the bench and spun her around, bending her over the counter and entering her from behind.
I grabbed her hips, pulling her back onto me as I thrust forward, burying myself balls-deep in her wet heat. Jesus, the way she cried out again, her fingers curling around the edge of the counter as I pounded into her, almost undid me.
I reached around to rub her clit again, my other hand splaying across her stomach as I claimed her body. Scarlett’s breath came in short, sharp gasps, her head hanging down as she submitted to my possession.
“That’s it.” My teeth grazed her shoulder as I bit down gently. “Take it all.”
Scarlett cried out again, her body shaking as another orgasm ripped through her. I felt her clenching around me and this time, I let myself go with her, my own release crashing over me as I filled her.
We stood there for a moment, catching our breath, our bodies still joined. Then I carefully pulled out and turned her around to face me. Before I could kiss her, she put her hands flat on my chest and pushed me away.
Scooping up her clothes from the floor, she said, “You can see yourself out.” Then she walked out of the kitchen without a backward glance.