Chapter 31
Carina
Two months later
When I moved to Summerville, it was to perfect my skills as a chef and ride the express train from winning Food Network’s Best Sandwich Ever competition.
Finding love and wrangling ‘THE SEXIEST COWBOY ALIVE’ wasn’t on the list, but I sure as hell love how this story ends.
I guess I should say ‘begin’ because Rhett and I have only been dating for about six months.
My birthday is Sunday. I’ll be twenty-five. Rhett has big plans for the joyous day, but he feels strongly about starting the celebrations today. Since it’s Friday, he declared it’s a weekend birthday celebration, not just one day. I’m not going to argue with that kind of sound logic.
My parents and brothers are flying in tomorrow with the grandparents. They’re all staying at a nearby hotel, but they’ll congregate at the house tomorrow night.
So many blessings.
It took a lot of time for my brothers to come around. According to them, they had little in common with a small-town ranch hand, so why make the effort? They were polite enough around my boyfriend, but always distant.
Christian was the worst. At times, his attitude was so abhorrent, I wanted to bitch slap him.
Even after Rhett reached near-celebrity status, my brothers were reticent.
True, celebrities in New York are a dime a dozen, so I understand how seeing Rhett’s face plastered on billboards across the city, selling the latest cologne for men, didn’t faze them much.
They were being pigheaded, and I pointed it out to them without mincing my words.
Thank God, Mom and Daddy embraced Rhett when they met him.
The nonnas adore him. So much so, they both insist he calls them Nonna.
My grandpas like him a lot because he’s a man’s man. They’re thrilled to play the role of rugged cowboys when they come down with the nonnas to visit.
It’s only when the grandpas went back to New York after their fifth trip down here with stories of an unforgettable week in Summerville that my brothers started singing a different tune.
They were the last bastions to conquer the Callahan clan.
Turning my back on my family for the man I love would’ve killed me. I’m lucky I don’t have to choose.
Today has an added significance.
Since we’ve been living together, Rhett has been juggling numerous amazing––and lucrative––photography gigs.
He still works at the ranch when he’s in town.
He loves the job, and his bosses don’t want to lose him.
Some weeks, it’s like we’re boats sailing past one another, never docking at the same port for longer than a few minutes.
He got back from a weeklong photo shoot in Arizona three days ago, but couldn’t even catch his breath when he got back in town.
Jake and Hunter have been keeping him busy with a few hardheaded horses that weren’t responding at all to any of the other ranch hands.
On top of that, his bosses are on another buying spree for more horses.
Rhett has been coming home late and bone tired.
He had an early morning shift today, and he was technically supposed to be home by two o’clock, but he ended up having to cover an extra shift for a colleague who threw his back out.
I arranged my schedule to finish earlier at Happy Belly so we could have an extended weekend, but it was so crazy busy, Miranda requested I stay longer.
By the time we both got home, there was little time left to catch up or chill out. We had to rush to get ready and get out the door to avoid being late.
To kick off my birthday weekend, my man is taking me to the award-winning Redbridge Bourbon Distillery, located near Dallas. Rhett says it’s a magical setting. There are so many incredible spots in Texas. I’m not surprised this is another one I have yet to discover.
The latest string of country music hits blasts in the truck as Emmylou’s tires eat up asphalt. She’s been having a few more mechanical issues than usual lately, but she’s still standing. I guess I should say, gunning down the road.
The sun is shining, it’s hot without it being scorching, and the sky is blue as far as the eye can see.
It’s a perfect day in small town USA.
Since it’s early evening, we’ll be able to catch the sunset with a glass of bourbon in hand.
My man’s gaze weighs heavy on me.
I meet his eyes. “What?”
“I’m checking out my hot girlfriend.”
I beam. “Thanks. I love all my gifts.”
“Glad you do.” He winks.
I smile wide.
He grabs my hand, lifts it to his lips and drops a soft kiss against it, his eyes still on the road. “You’re worth it.”
God, I love him.
He’s everything I could’ve wished for in a man, and then some.
For my birthday, Rhett bought me beautiful jewelry and sexy lingerie along with the incredible dress I’m wearing and my new cowgirl boots. The dress is a pretty off-the-shoulder white-on-white embroidered stunner that hits me mid-calf.
The boots…
God, the boots.
They’re out of this world gorgeous.
He got me a pair of red ones with embroidered flowers. I love, love, love them. He says they’re my early birthday gifts. He promised a few more on Sunday.
My man spoils me a lot, and I’m not ashamed to say, I relish it all.
His eyes eat me up again.
I return the favor.
On a rare occasion, Rhett traded his usual collection of checkered shirts and plain t-shirts for a western-style white shirt with intricate black detail.
I love it when he wears white––it makes his green eyes pop like crazy.
He’s wearing a pair of perfectly fitted jeans, and nice cowboy boots. His black Stetson is sitting on Emmylou’s dashboard right in front of me.
“We have to make the most of tonight before your family gets here tomorrow,” Rhett says. “Don’t expect to sleep much.”
He shoots me a smoking-hot glance that has my insides melting.
The plus side of dating ‘THE SEXIEST COWBOY ALIVE’ is obvious––every woman wants him, but he’s all mine. His trips away and having to sleep alone in our bed are the obvious downsides. Lucky me, I get him all to myself for the next few weeks.
The obvious insinuation is unmistakable. “In other words, I should expect a pre-birthday sex marathon?”
“Pretty much.” Rhett winks. “I plan on banging you well into tomorrow, right up to the point your family knocks at our door.”
“I’m okay with that.”
“Good girl.”
We exchange a complicit glance.
We drive the last few miles in silence.
Rhett takes a left, and the distillery comes to view.
I’m so excited.
Rhett points in front of him. “Looks like Jenkins, his girlfriend, and April are already here.”
My gaze follows his finger and sure enough, I catch sight of a familiar vehicle. It’s not hard to spot since it’s the only truck in the parking lot.
Over the months, April and I have grown close. The same goes for Jenkins’s girlfriend. They’ve been going strong for three months now. She’s adorable.
“It looks like it’s going to be just us on the tour,” I say. “There aren’t any other trucks.”
Rhett scans around the parking lot. “You’re right.”
“That’s strange.”
“Best case scenario, no one else shows up and that means more bourbon for you and the girls since Jenkins and I are designated drivers.”
I laugh.
“Let’s go inside so I can confirm we’re parked in the right location.”
“Okay.”
Rhett parks Emmylou next to Jenkins’s truck, cuts off the engine and jumps out.
“I’ll be around,” he says.
He’s so gallant.
I wait patiently until he’s standing on my side of the truck. He opens the door.
I unbuckle my seatbelt, grab my handbag and shift on my seat. I ready myself to slide out, but he crowds my space, forcing my legs to straddle his body as he leans into the cab of the truck, his mouth ghosting with mine.
“Well, hello there.” I run a hand against his strong muscular chest.
“Right back at you, doll.”
“How can I help you, handsome?”
I expect a cocky response, but he surprises me.
“I’ve never seen you look more beautiful, Carina.”
“You keep saying that.” I brush a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Because I can’t get over it. You keep taking my breath away, but this dress on you…
” He gives me a onceover. “I had plans for us this afternoon. I feel for my co-worker––and thank God he’ll be okay––but dammit, the extra hours spent at the ranch robbed me of precious time to enjoy my girlfriend before this evening.
It’s been so long since I’ve been inside you. ”
I pull my lower lip between my teeth. “I was kind of looking forward to it as well.”
Rhett pulls his attention away from me and looks around the parking lot.
“It was a good idea at the time, but now I’m second-guessing myself.”
I frown my confusion. “What do you mean?”
“This tour…”
“You don’t want to do this anymore?”
“This night kicks off your birthday weekend celebration, darlin’. I’m not about to take that away from you. That said, I already know I’m going to suffer.”
“You lost me.”
“I was gone for a week, and for the last three days, it’s been all systems go.
I had it all planned out, but you know what they say about plans…
sometimes they go to shit—like today. I was supposed to get my fill of you, buried balls deep inside your inviting pussy before we left the farmhouse, so I would be able to handle this evening. ”
There goes a perfectly good pair of panties.
“We all know how that worked out. Now, I’m forced to walk around all evening with a perpetual hard-on. It’s going to be damn hard to keep my hands off you until we get back to our place.”
He’s been so good since we left the farmhouse. It’s as if he was stockpiling the dirty-talk for when we arrived at our destination.
“You’re a big boy. You can manage.”
“You’re right about that…” His eyes drop to his crotch. “I am a big boy.”
If my body doesn’t react to the sight of his tempting bulge.
“Maybe we can find a quiet place inside the distillery to take care of my problem.”
I swat his arm. “Rhett Sullivan, behave.”
One of us has to be the voice of reason.
“Sounds like you didn’t miss me nearly as much as I missed you.”