3. Three
Three
Kyla
I’m an idiot.
I knew the “rule.”
You wear the hat, you ride the cowboy.
Rhett froze, his eyes searing into his brother. But Wyatt just leaned on Rhett’s shoulder, his smile huge and eyebrows wiggling up and down.
“Where’s. Lachlan,” Rhett grumbled, his voice heavy with anger.
Wyatt looked to the side, pushing himself off Rhett’s shoulder. “Paying the tab. He says it’s time to go.”
“Agreed. You should go.” Rhett didn’t even blink as he glared at Wyatt.
I licked my lips, still thinking about the hat perched on my head. The two began to bicker, Wyatt trying his hardest to stay while Rhett tried to push him away. I tightened my lips and backed away from them. My mind began to spin as my hand found the top of the cowboy hat. I removed it and placed it on the pool table.
I wore the hat. Did I want to ride the cowboy?
I glanced up at Rhett and really, truly looked at him. His t-shirt hugged all the right places, showing off his biceps and chest. His hair fell over his ears ever so slightly, and his lips were a tight line as he tried to convince Wyatt to leave. Then there was his ass. Perfect in the Wrangler jeans. At first it was for fun. Touching him lightly as we played, moving my body just the right way to make it so he missed his shot, but now that Wyatt had put that idea in my head . . .
You wear the hat you. Ride. The. Cowboy.
I wasn’t really considering sleeping with Rhett, was I?
Nope. Hell no.
That’s not what this was. This was just a fun night that was supposed to end with me finding a nice motel and leaving in the morning for the next destination.
“Wyatt,” a booming voice came from behind me. Turning, I saw a man wearing a black cowboy hat towering over me. “I turn my head for one second.”
“Lighten up, Lach,” Wyatt cackled.
“No,” Lachlan’s voice was toneless. “Sorry, Rhett . . .”
Rhett’s chuckle had an edge to it, showing his irritation. “Please get him home.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out his keys, tossing them to Lachlan .
“How will you get home?” Lachlan pinched his brow at Rhett, flipping his keys between his fingers. Rhett’s gaze landed right on me, and the corner of his mouth ticked up into a smirk.
“Don’t worry about me.”
“All right.” Lachlan turned his body, holding onto Wyatt’s shoulder as he passed me. “Sorry to ruin your night, ma’am,” he said as he passed, tipping his hat as he and Wyatt made their way for the exit.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Kyla,” I heard Wyatt call.
I forced back a laugh and raised a single eyebrow to Rhett. “That was . . .” I began.
“I told you someone would make a fool of themselves, should have known it would’ve been Wyatt.” Rhett walked around the pool table to me, coming up slower than I anticipated. It was almost like the table grew another twenty feet as I watched him walk over seamlessly. The space between us filled with tension as he inched closer. Grabbing his hat from the table, he placed it back on my head. “It’s not really a thing, you know,” he said, his voice low, sending chills down my spine.
“What’s not?” I blinked, trying to keep my voice steady. I knew exactly what he was saying “wasn’t a thing,” but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to hear him say it.
“What Wyatt said. I just think you look damn sexy in my hat.” He winked and turned his back to me. “I believe it’s your shot.”
I blinked again, a few times, erasing the encounter with Wyatt from my head and I ran the tips of my fingers along his hat. I took one quick look at the balls on the table and instantly had my shot lined up .
A smirk formed. “You sure you want me to take the shot, Cowboy?”
“We can play another round, sweetheart.”
I cringed. “Um, no. If we’re doing nicknames, that one has to go.”
“You can call me ‘Cowboy,’ but I can’t call you ‘sweetheart’?”
I shook my head, feeling the hat swivel. He didn’t need to know that’s what David would call me after a fight. This was just for tonight. He didn’t need to know anything about David to begin with.
“Nope. Find another name.”
“Game on.” Rhett smiled, watching as I leaned over the pool table, not taking my eyes off of him as I sank the ball.
The alcohol buzz had long since vanished as the night carried on. Before I knew it was well past last call. We had almost an hour before the bar was going to close and Rhett had led me to the dance floor. The song was slow, and Josh Turner’s voice filled the room as Rhett’s hands were firm and warm on my back. He would press his fingers into my skin before he moved, finding my elbow, feathering his fingertips up to my chin. He played with my hair and finally, with his thumb and forefinger, lifted my face to meet his gaze.
The night had gone completely opposite from what I was expecting.
To be fair, my expectation was one drink, track down a hotel for the night, and read a book. But my focus had completely switched to the man who had me wrapped in his arms.
It had been a long time since I was held like this. My ex never did after he proposed. I guess he thought the dating was over and the “ wooing” was accomplished. He put a ring on it. He won. But with Rhett, he made me feel like I was the center of the universe here in this dingy bar, in this no-name town. He just made me feel . He felt more secure, more open, more . . . whole than David had ever felt.
I knew one thing, if this man asked me to go to bed with him I would say yes. I would put his hat on and make sure I followed that rule.
His thumb roamed my jawline, his fingers tangling in my hair, but even with those distractions it was his eyes that pulled me in. He studied my face as the air between us grew intense. I wasn’t sure if it was the song, or if it was just Rhett, but all I knew was that I was immersed in this moment. I was drowning in it and I never wanted to come up for air. I was beginning to feel like a new person—someone I was too scared to really be. But with Rhett I could be whoever I wanted.
“Where are you staying tonight?” Rhett asked, his voice barely above a whisper, interrupting my thought process completely.
I pulled myself from the water and took a deep breath. “Well I need to find a hotel . . .”
“You don’t have a place to stay?” he asked, lifting his chin in the air.
I scrunched my nose and lightly shook my head. “I may have skipped that part when I came into town. I wasn’t really planning on meeting a cowboy.”
“Well, not to sound too forward, but the ranch has a worker stable—”
“A stable!?” I reared back and raised my eyebrows. I knew he was trying to help me find a place to stay—hell, he may even be trying to hint at staying with him—but offering a stable? I wasn’t going to let him live this down.
He drew in a shuddering breath. “Housing . . . unit?” he stumbled. “The ranch hands live there. I think we have an open room . . .”
“Rhett, are you suggesting I stay in a large building with a lot of smelly men?” I ran my hands up his chest and onto his neck, lacing my fingers in the hair that was free under his hat. “Would Rhett Butler do that?”
“Okay, okay.” He chuckled, the smile on his lips fading as he inhaled sharply. His eyes became heavy, and when his voice filled the space, my knees went weak. He was Strong. Confident. Smooth. “Stay with me tonight.”
Time stopped.
I filled the small distance between us to take his mouth with mine, feeling each and every tingle as his lips moved against me. We stopped swaying as his hands moved to cup my face, bringing me in for a deeper kiss, his tongue slipping through my lips. Fire filled my body as the heat rose, and Rhett’s hands found the right spot on the back of my neck that held me firmly against him.
This wasn’t me. This wasn’t what I did. I didn’t randomly make out with cowboys in the middle of nowhere Idaho. I didn’t take invitations for one-night stands. I didn’t do this.
Yet here I was, completely drawn to this man, wanting to feel his hands on me . . . everywhere. I wanted his kiss, I wanted to taste him, and I definitely wanted his hard length that I felt between us.
Be free for one night, Kyla.
Rhett drove my small car with ease. Butterflies grew in my stomach the longer the car ride became, but I had no fear, only trust—only anticipation. Want. I took deep breaths to calm the flutters, thinking about what was coming.
The roads were black, and only a few street lights illuminated the way. As we arrived onto his property, we passed under a worn, wooden archway and the paved road turned into dirt. I could see a larger house, only the porch lights on—but then more darkness before Rhett finally parked the car in front of a small cabin and killed the engine.
“It’s not too late to tell me to take you to a hotel,” he whispered softly, a slight shake in his voice.
Was he nervous?
“Hey, Cowboy.” I felt a blush of heat hit my cheeks as I leaned across the center console. “Don’t get cold feet on me now. It’s just one night.” Yeah, Kyla, keep telling yourself that. It’s just one night. It means nothing.
Rhett let out a long breath. “One night?”
Pressing my lips to his, I gave him a single nod. “Do I get a tour?”
Letting out a small laugh, Rhett’s chin fell before he looked at the wooden cabin in front of us. “It’s not much. I’m not here often so it’s kinda dull, but I can give you the whole tour tomorrow.”
An entire tour? I cleared my throat. “Well then”—I unbuckled and pushed open the car door—“let’s not waste any more time.”
Who was this person? I did not say things like this. Whoever was in my skin, I wanted her to stay. She was taking the be free thing way too seriously, and I relished in it.
Rhett followed, his boots loud on the wooden steps before his hand grasped the door handle.
Once he flipped the switch and light filled the room, I didn’t see a dull house at all. I saw a home. Rhett claimed he was never here, but the small living room was quaint and decorated in a way that made you feel like you could grab a blanket, a book, and just settle in. There was a television hanging on the wall, bookcases on either side of it, half-filled with books, the other filled with medals and photos from what I had assumed were from his accomplishments.
Before taking in the rest of the house, I made a beeline right to the photos. There was a picture of Rhett with a rope between his teeth, Rhett on his knees in front of a calf with his hands in the air, Rhett on the back of a brown and white paint horse—a large smile on his face as he waved to a crowd. Third place, second place, and even more first place medals sat around the photos, all showing how amazingly talented he was.
“I think this one is my favorite.” I pulled a frame from the shelf, looking at Rhett mid-jump off a horse holding onto the rope as he made his way towards the calf.
His hands found my waist and slinked to my stomach from behind me, his chest hitting my back. He was so warm, so solid . . . I could melt in his arms. He kissed my neck before he whispered, “ Why’s that?”
“You look determined.” I leaned my head to the side, giving him better access to kiss me. My knees shook as I tried to stay steady. There I go . . . melting.
“I was. I always aim to beat my fastest time.” He kissed my shoulder, using his teeth to move the strap of my tank top to the side.
“Did you?” I set the photo down and twisted my body to face him. He had taken off his hat, his hair only slightly disheveled, perfect for my fingers to run through.
Rhett narrowed his eyes and let out a long sigh. “Not that time. Third place.”
“Not bad.” I smiled up at him.
This man was stunning. I must have thought that so many times tonight. Just looking at Rhett was enough to send my stomach into knots. His jawline was defined, covered in scruff, with a dimple peeking out on his right cheek when he smiled. His skin had seen the sun, but it only amplified his features. His blue eyes were sprinkled with dark navy specks, and now seeing them up close . . . I could get lost in them. I could get lost in him. He raised his hand and moved my hair from my face, his fingertips lightly grazing against my skin.
“Kyla, you’re the most gorgeous woman I think I’ve ever laid eyes on,” he said in a low voice as he leaned closer to me. “I can’t believe you’re mine for one night.”
I took a sharp breath, feeling it shake as my heart rate picked up. This man couldn’t be for real. “No one has ever really talked to me this way before. I’m not used to it,” I admitted, shivers running up my spine as I thought of David and the way his voice sounded as he said he loved me, giving me nothing but broken promises .
“No one?” Rhett repeated, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t want to believe that. You deserve nothing less.”
He kissed me then, slow and smooth, silencing my thoughts. I moaned into his mouth as his tongue found mine, my mind dizzy in a haze. My entire body was under his control. What would happen if I let him have full control over me? Would he be soft and tender, or unlike anything I had ever experienced? If his kisses were any indication, I was in for the best night of my life.
“Rhett,” I gasped as his lips trailed down my neck, his tongue teasing as I tried to gain composure. “This isn’t normal for me. This isn’t what I do. But I want . . .”
“Kyla.” He raised his head, his thumb finding my chin as he caressed it gently. “Tell me what you want.”
I gave him a shaky breath as I fell into him. He kissed me again before I could get any words out between us.
I broke the kiss, breathlessly calling to him, “I want you to touch me.”
He inhaled, his hands finding the skin under my shirt faster than expected as his lips found my shoulder.
“I want you, Rhett. All of you.”