Chapter 3
THREE
Shane
I wasn’t sure where I got this sudden bravery from.
Maybe it was because I had enough and wanted to see how far I could push Rhett before he exploded and took that control away from me.
I wanted him to break. To completely snap and give me everything I wanted.
I wanted to feel him inside of me. To hear him grunting, our slick bodies moving as one as we both gave each other what we so desperately craved.
I had a feeling it would happen. Maybe not tonight.
But with the small glances he kept giving me and with the stiffness of his body, something was going on.
Maybe he was fighting a battle within himself.
Yes, I was his son’s best friend but that shouldn’t be the issue.
Did he know that Brady and I used to sleep together?
I prayed that wasn’t the problem. Brady and I were never good for each other anyway.
We were bored, I got attached and didn’t know how to move on until he started dating his boyfriend, Cam.
“I just have to finish up here and then we can head to my place,” Rhett said, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Did you drive? You can come with me if you didn’t, or you can meet me there.
Whatever works for you. I’m down for either.
” Rhett didn’t take a breath as he attempted to make plans for us to meet up at his house.
I couldn’t help but smile. It was adorable, the way he was acting like a teenager who was dealing with his first date.
Unless I was reading into it wrong. Maybe he wasn’t attracted to me like I hoped, and he was just nervous because his son and I used to fuck.
Not that he could know that. It wasn’t new information, but it wasn’t public knowledge either.
“If it’s an issue, we don’t have to do it tonight,” I told him, not wanting him to go out of his way for me.
“No, it’s fine.” Rhett stopped cleaning the counter and gave me one of his wide smiles that could bring me to my knees at any time of the day.
But that smile was forced. It never reached his eyes as much as I wished it would.
Instead, the way he was looking at me made me wonder if there wasn’t something else he was thinking about or hoping for.
He had always been nice to me over the years but now, something had changed between us. It was like the universe was doing everything it could to push us together and I didn’t complain one single bit.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s no issue and yes, I’m sure.” Rhett took a deep breath and then another one, almost like he was trying to convince himself that there was, in fact, no issue.
I had to be reading into this too much though.
I didn’t know why I was second-guessing this. Maybe getting Rhett alone would spark something in both of us. I could really use a good hard fuck and I knew that he would be the one who could curb my current craving.
Before I could ask again if Rhett was sure about going back to his place to discuss this current project, he became busy serving customers.
An hour later, I was lost in thought and playing on my phone when a dark shadow passed over me.
“Ready?”
I took a moment and inhaled a deep breath. The scent of Rhett’s cologne invaded my nose. It was woodsy mixed with a hint of cinnamon. It reminded me of having a chai tea latte in the middle of a forest.
I lifted my head, finding Rhett standing beside me. I swallowed hard, nodding.
Something flashed in his eyes, but it had been so quick, I thought maybe I had imagined it.
“Good.” He coughed. “Let’s go then.” He spun on his heel and began walking away.
Hopping off the stool, I quickly followed him. I had never been alone with him. Over the years, whenever I saw him, it had always been with Brady or in public. It had never been just the two of us.
When we stopped in front of his large black truck, a part of me was second-guessing this.
Yes, we had to do some work together, but it didn’t really have to be at his place.
We could have discussed this project in his office or even at my office back at Coffee Beans & Love.
I had used the excuse that we needed to do this somewhere private because really, I wanted to be alone with him.
I wanted him to invade my space and take up everything that existed around me.
I was quickly becoming possessive and jerking off to thoughts of my best friend’s father was no longer cutting it.
Rhett had always been nothing but nice to me but lately, he was distant, and I didn’t know why. My mission was to find out what was going on with him.
“So...” I started as soon as I jumped up into the passenger seat of his truck.
“So?” He joined me, starting up the beast of a machine and pulling out of the parking lot.
“How is everything?” I mentally scolded myself at the question. It was innocent enough but at the same time, it wasn’t what I truly wanted to know.
Rhett chuckled. “Is that really what you want to know?”
“I don’t know,” I grumbled. “It’s not like you’re really forthcoming with information.”
His laugh deepened. “Yeah, well I could say the same for you there, buddy.”
“Buddy?” My head whipped around. “I am not your buddy.”
His eyes glanced to mine. “No, I guess you aren’t.”
“Then what am I?” I knew what he was going to say before he said it.
“You’re my son’s best friend.”
My stomach clenched. And there it was. It didn’t make me feel any better even though I already knew it would be what he said.
I was Brady’s best friend. But even that was rocky at best. He was happy now and I was jealous.
I couldn’t help but admit it. I wasn’t jealous of the fact that Brady and I were no longer sleeping together.
I was jealous of the fact that he was happy because I wanted the same for myself.
I never had a serious relationship before. Whatever Brady and I did wasn’t serious in the least, even though at times I tried convincing myself that it was. Or that it could turn into more. It was nothing more than a flame.
Brady and I had been best friends for years.
I couldn’t remember a time where I didn’t know him.
With Noah and Presley, I met them in school.
But with Brady, it felt like he was always around.
Maybe it was the fact that I always had a crush on his father.
I just never told anyone that. It took me a while to be able to admit it to myself, seeing as he was older.
Not by much when he had Brady at such a young age, but it felt taboo.
I should want someone my own age. Not someone who was technically old enough to be my father.
“So, what’s going through that head of yours?” Rhett asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Just thinking about your son.” Which was the truth, but I wasn’t sure if it came out right. Or if it hinted at something more, especially when Rhett’s eyes shot to mine and a deep frown settled between his eyebrows.
My heart jumped. Was he jealous? Did he know I slept with his son? That was a way to start a conversation. ‘Oh hey, Rhett. I have a crush on you. But at the same time, I had a fling with your son for a bit until he met the man of his dreams.’
“What are you thinking about when it comes to my son?” Rhett asked, his voice taking on a rough tone.
Under normal circumstances I would have laughed, but the fact that this was the first time I was actually alone with him, I thought I should behave. For now.
“I’m just thinking how I’m jealous of Brady.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he’s happy now with Cam. They’re going to get married and spend their lives together. Maybe adopt a baby or a dog or a plant or something and I just…”
“What?” Rhett pressed.
“I don’t know. I guess I want that for myself.
Noah has someone even though he won’t admit it that he’s in love with Nicky, and Presley can get anyone he wants.
” Nikolai or Nicky for short, was Presley’s brother.
He and Noah had an on again, off again relationship that had been going on for quite some time.
They were both stubborn and didn’t want to settle down from what I heard.
They really just needed to get their heads out of their asses and man up.
“Isn’t Noah sleeping with Presley’s brother? And isn’t that toxic at best?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, that’s putting it mildly.”
Nikolai was a good guy. But the fact that he only called on Noah when he wanted a piece, it didn’t sit well with the rest of us. He was using Noah. But our friend was too in love with the guy to notice. Or if he did notice, he clearly didn’t care.
“Noah is a big boy. And I’m sure that if he didn’t want to do what he’s doing with Nikolai anymore, he would say something,” I muttered, crossing my arms under my chest. “As for Brady, I’m happy for him.
He’s always struggled with being himself.
But Cam brought that out of him and they’re good together. ”
“True. You’ll find someone as well, Shane.”
But as those words left his mouth, his voice became even more rough.
His hands gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.
My stomach did a little flip. He couldn’t be jealous.
I was his son’s age. Maybe we just needed a night together just to get it out of our system.
But there was no way I could hint at such a thing.
With Brady it was easy because I knew him.
But with Rhett, even though I had known him for years, I didn’t actually know him. He felt like a stranger at times.
“So what kind of project are we collaborating on?” Rhett asked, changing the subject.
“Well, Cam said that you’re struggling, not exactly in those words, but it’s what he implied.”
“Yeah.” Rhett sighed. “Business isn’t doing as well as I would like it to.”
“Coffee Beans & Love isn’t rolling in money but we’re doing better than we used to. I can take a look at your books and see where I can help you. If you’d like me to, of course.” It was what I had gone to school for. I loved numbers and I loved figuring out how to save money and make money.
“I don’t know. It seems a little weird to have my son’s friend looking at my money issues.”
“Don’t look at me as your son’s friend then. Look at me as your friend or even your accountant.” I waggled my eyebrows. The joke was lame, if you could even call it a joke.
Rhett laughed. “Okay, I can do that.”
“So, friend, are you going to let me help you or not?”
“Let’s see how tonight goes and then we can go from there.”
I stared at him. He was looking back out at the road. His jaw clenched, that muscle by his ear, twitching. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. But I would take it as a win anyway.
“Brady told me that your building needs a lot of work.” I figured that it was a safe conversation to have. Sure, I wanted to talk about us, or what could possibly happen tonight, but I also didn’t want to get my hopes up.
“Yeah, it does but I’m slowly working on getting it fixed up to code.
I could sell it and find something that doesn’t need so much work, but I like the old feeling to it.
The ambiance is warm and inviting and it’s what my customers look forward to when they come.
I want to offer that sense of warmth as a way for customers to unwind after a long day of work or for those who just want to get out. ”
Before I knew what we were doing, we were pulling into Rhett’s driveway.
“I haven’t been to this house in years,” I pointed out, staring out at Brady’s childhood home.
“Nothing’s changed either. It does need some work but it’s home.
” Rhett killed the engine of his truck before turning his full attention toward me.
“I probably should have hired you right from the very beginning. I know you’re good with numbers and you went to school for accounting but never actually became one. ”
“Well to be fair, I am running a business with three of my best friends. My time is a little limited.”
“That’s true. Maybe when your restaurant takes off even more than what it already has, you’ll have more time for me.”
I stared at him, wondering if he wasn’t hinting at something else. “I always have time for you, Rhett.”
His breath caught at my confession.
I would be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy this reaction in him.
Clearly my words had taken him off guard but one of us had to put ourselves out there.
With Brady it was different. I was comfortable with him, and I could tell him exactly what I wanted when it came to sex.
But with Rhett, there was something else there.
Something lingering. I didn’t know if he dated often.
I know I sure didn’t. It had been a few months since I last had sex and that was with Rhett’s son which is super fucking weird.
“I know you fucked Brady,” Rhett blurted.
My eyes widened. “Oh…well…that…that…was…I-I…just…” I stammered. I had no idea what to say to him. It wasn’t like it was a secret where Brady and I were concerned but we also didn’t go around telling everyone. Especially his father.
“Brady’s happy now, so I don’t really care that you slept with him. But…” Rhett glanced down at my mouth. “I don’t know what this is.” He waved a hand between us. “This thing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.
” But I did, because I could feel it. It was like a magnetic pull.
There was something between us. There had always been.
Every time he walked into a room, the tiny hairs on my body would tingle.
My stomach would clench. My palms would become sweaty.
My face flushed. My mouth went dry. Every time he was near, my body reacted to him.
I thought it might have just been a silly crush that I would eventually get over, but as the years went on, these feelings grew and became more intense.
At first, I thought it was Brady. But I realized now that it was definitely his father I had been pining after. Maybe I was using my best friend to get close to his father. I didn’t know. I probably never would.
Whatever was going on between Rhett and me, I knew that after tonight, nothing would ever be the same.