Chapter 13
Thirteen
Santiago
Every inch of my body hurts.
Rhett’s fingerprints are bruises on my skin that run up and down my arms and legs.
There is a ring of slightly raised hickies around my neck that I can feel as I run the tips of my fingers over them while I lay in his bed.
My ass is sore, my dick feels raw, and my throat is swollen.
And my heart is so fucking full that I think it might just burst in the next beat or two.
That was one of the best fucking nights of my life.
Not only had Rhett been present with me in the moment, never once retreating into his head or pulling away, he said the words. Those words. The ones I’ve been waiting for so long. I lay in his arms now, wide awake despite the late night we all had.
I can feel Rhett’s heartbeat, slow and steady, against my back as he holds me.
I can’t believe it belongs to me.
A smile pulls at my lips as I poke at the mini bruises along my collarbone left by the man that loves me. The smile fades, however, as I my eyes land upon the empty side of the bed.
The only way last night could’ve possibly been better is if Blair had been with us.
I reach out to touch the empty spot. It should be full.
She should be here tangled up with us. Where is she now?
Did she go to bed alone? Instantly, I know that’s not the case.
Wes has her, I just know it. Is he holding her now?
Did he kiss her goodnight? How come he gets to be the first one to look into her eyes when she wakes up this morning?
An unwanted, selfish wave of jealousy rears its ugly head.
Quickly, I push it down so it can’t gain traction.
I can’t keep Blair to myself. If that’s not what she wants, I can’t force that on her. Quite frankly, she deserves all the fucking love she can get.
But… Wes got her all night. And probably most of this morning if they’re already awake.
He’d made the call to close down Gnarly Pines for the next few days so if trouble had followed Rhett and Blair, we could take care of it without issue or interruption.
Just because the logging company is closed doesn’t mean Wes slept in, though.
Blair doesn’t strike me as one to sleep in either.
They’re hanging out together, I just know it.
So, what are they up to?
I bite the inside of my cheek. My heart aches as I’m torn between staying right here—in the arms of the man I’ve loved since I first laid eyes on him—or slipping out to go hunt down the woman who’s flipped my entire world upside down.
I told Blair the night of our first Hunt that when Rhett realized what he was missing out on, he’d have to accept that he would be getting a two for one deal.
I meant it when I said it.
It's just… my heart cracks at the thought of Rhett pulling away because he wouldn’t be down for such an arrangement. I don’t want to lose either of them.
“I can practically hear the gears in your head turning,” Rhett mutters, his voice thick with sleep. “What’s wrong?”
Oh no… Do I tell him? Will he be hurt? Angry? Will this set us back? I’ve missed him so fucking much.
But I’ve missed Blair too.
Shifting, I turn so that I’m facing him. Rhett lets out a soft sigh before cracking open one eye.
“Who says anything’s wrong?” I ask.
Before he can respond, I lean forward and kiss him. It’s just as much to show my affection for him as it is to give me a few more seconds to try and scramble for an excuse as to why I’m distracted. I’m still unsure how to reply when Rhett pulls back and opens both eyes.
“You’re worrying about Blair.”
I gape at him.
How the hell did he know this?
My face heats as shame washes over me. I look down at his bare chest and reach up to absentmindedly trace a scratch I left over his heart.
“I’m sorry. I swear I love it here with you,” I tell him, hoping he can hear the sincerity. “I just—”
“You miss and love her,” Rhett finishes.
I nod, not ashamed to admit this, only worried how he’ll take it. To my surprise, Rhett chuckles. The sound is rough with sleep, making it sound extra sexy.
“You can relax, Santi.” His eyes close. “I’m not going to bite your head off about it.”
“Really?”
“Naw, I get it.”
“You do?”
Rhett hums sleepily as he blinks slowly. “Yeah. I was just thinking about her, too. I hope she slept well, she’s been having nightmares—”
“Wait,” I prop my elbow up and place my head in my hand. “You were thinking about Blair? Like thinking about her, or just thinking about her?”
“What’s the difference?”
“You know what the difference is, Rhett!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Rhett pauses then adds. “I just… got to know her, that's all. Now I just can’t help but wonder how she’s handling everything now that we’re back.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “So you are thinking about her. You must like her then, huh?”
Rhett’s face scrunches up.
Is he embarrassed right now? Why?
Rhett groans. “Santi… are you really going to make me say it this early in the morning?”
Say it? As in…
“Ohmygod, do you love her, too?!” I shake my head. “Wait, how did you know that I love her?” I hold up a hand to stop him from answering even though he hasn’t even started to open his mouth yet. “No, no, go back to the last question—that second one is obvious—do you love Blair, Rhett?”
“Don’t make this a big deal, Santi.”
I bolt upright, gasping with delight at the sight of the tips of his ears turning pink.
“Are you blushing, mi amado?”
“I said don’t—”
“Oh my god, you are and you do!”
I lean down and kiss him hard on the mouth. My spent cock twitches to life but I’m too thrilled by the news to be distracted by desire. Mi amado loves mi carino!
“Does she know?” I ask, throwing the covers off me.
Rhett throws his arm over his eyes as he rolls onto his back. “We may have, ah, briefly and vaguely, exchanged words about it. We didn’t use that word but… ah, yeah…”
I gasp again. “Wait, ‘exchanged words’? Does that mean she said that she loves you, too?”
“Again, that word wasn’t used but the sentiment remains the same,” he says, his voice stinted with embarrassment.
Excitement explodes in my chest like fireworks.
“Are you…” Rhett hesitates before peeking out from under his arm. “You good with that?”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Hell-fucking-yeah, I’m ‘good with that’!”
Rhett smirks before covering his eyes again.
Oh, to be a fly on that wall when all this went down… I try to picture it. Who said it first? How did it come up? When did Rhett realize that he had feelings for Blair and vice versa? The questions pop up one after another in rapid succession as I consider all the wonderful scenarios.
I shake my head, knowing I could get lost in that train of thought if I don’t stop now.
“Are you sure it’s not Stockholm Syndrome? You guys were together a lot.” I climb over him and stumble off the bed. “Fuck it, if it is, I don’t care. This is wonderful.”
Rhett sniffs out a laugh as he pulls his arm away from his face.
“Might be. Wait, Santi—put some clothes on.”
I’m practically out the door when I freeze and look down.
“Oh, right.” I cackle as I turn and scoop up my boxers and then my shirt. When I’m moderately dressed, I look back to find Rhett staring up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head. “You coming?”
“Yeah, I gotta take a leak but I’ll be down in a few.”
I hesitate for a second longer. Is he regretting our reunion last night now that he’s gotten some sleep? Is he lying about being alright with me leaving to go seek out Blair? My chest tightens uncomfortably in my chest.
“I love you, Santi,” Rhett says, his voice gruff but full of sincerity.
I have to grab ahold of the door frame to keep upright.
Just hearing Rhett tell me that he loves me makes my knees weak.
He doesn’t see it when I beam at him, but I do it just the same.
For someone who didn’t want anything to do with me just a couple of weeks ago, he sure knows me pretty fucking well.
“I love you, too!” I call out as I race out of the room.
I peek my head into Blair’s room first only to find the bed untouched. My knuckles rap against Wes’s door and when no answer comes, I open it. The bed is made and empty—letting me know they’re definitely up. As I shut Wes’s door, I drink in the heavy musk of sex in the room.
A twinge of jealousy returns.
What does sex between Wes and Blair look like?
I wonder if Wes would be up to letting me watch them sometime.
Blair probably wouldn’t care. I’d be good.
I’d sit still right there on the edge of the bed and keep my hands, tongue, and dick to myself.
I’d be quiet and—hell, who am I kidding?
I wouldn’t be able to just sit there. I’d find my way into the mix in no time.
My dick twitches at the idea.
I shut the door and make my way downstairs.
There’s a hint of something sweet in the air and when I reach the kitchen I find the source of it.
There, on the island, is a pile of French toast, lightly coated in powdered sugar.
Beside it is a bowl of strawberries and blueberries, and beside that is a plate of bacon and eggs.
My rumbling stomach is ignored as I frown.
Where are they?
I’m about to head to the family room—maybe I missed them in my eagerness—when I hear the soft sound of conversation. I strain to listen to where it’s coming from and deduce it’s taking place outside.
I head for the back door, fling it open, and step out into the crisp October air.
I don’t have to go far. There, leaning on the railing, is Blair.
She’s staring out at the woods on the other side of the backyard.
Her forearms are braced on the wooden rail and clasped in her hands is a steaming mug of something warm—probably Wes’s famous hot chocolate.
Behind her is Wes. His hands are braced beside her forearms, his chest against her back.
They look so good together. A picture of serenity.
Immediately, my jealousy grows. I want to be a part of that too!
“—do nothing.”