Page 29 of When You're Home
“Yep. Two bags of groceries, that case of water bottles, the cooler, and my bag,” she confirmed, listing off everything she had packed for the weekend. “I’ve got the tickets in my purse,” she added, snagging her crossbody from the front stoop.
Together they carried everything to the Prelude, and Rhett did a bit of trunk Tetris to make it all fit amongst the two large bags he had packed for himself.
“Geez, do you think we’re going on a cross-country trip, Wheeler?” She scoffed at the sight of his two duffel bags.
“Can it, V. I had to pack for this weekendandfor my trip with Jake, remember?” he said as he closed the trunk.
Tori rolled her eyes. “Oh, believe me. Every person in Hampton, Ohio knows about your Spring Break Bros Trip with Jake. The guy hasn’t shut up about it over the last six weeks.”
“Typical Jake. He’s gonna have to wait his turn. I’ve got plans with my girl this weekend.”
Tori bit down on her bottom lip and held back a little squeal of excitement. She wasn’t sure what to make of all the joy and excitement she was feeling. Nothing had technically changed. But there was a barrier that had broken down when Rhett came home in February. She wanted him more now than ever, physically and emotionally. She planned to take full advantage of their time together this weekend, hoping to fill the empty chasm inside her that was much deeper than she cared to admit. She needed to get her fill now before he left for good.
“You ready for this, beautiful?” Rhett asked before climbing into the Prelude.
“More than ready,” she responded without hesitation.
Once they were on the road, Tori reached over and laced her fingers with his, smiling and stealing side glances as she synced up her phone with the Bluetooth head unit.
“This is a seriously good playlist, V,” he praised her as the next song began. She had arranged three hours of music for their drive, including lots of Karta Stella, plus some of their other favorites from high school, like Jimmy Eat World, Incubus, and Radiohead.
“Wow, thank you.” She grinned at him, the proximity of their bodies in the small car top of mind. “That means a lot coming from a music snob like you.”
“I’m not a music snob!”
“Ha! Don’t even try to deny it.” Tori rolled her eyes and readjusted herself in the bucket seat. “We left your prom early because you hated the DJ so much,” she reminded him, raising her eyebrows for emphasis.
“That DJ played two Bieber songs in a row followed by a Nickeback-Pitbull remix, Tori. But it’s sweet if you think that’s why we left prom earlier than everyone else.” He snickered, his tone shifting as he not-so-subtly adjusted himself in his seat.
The vibe in the car felt heavier after his admission. Tori smiled as she turned to Rhett and took him in. If she thought her body was humming in anticipation earlier, it was practically screaming at her now.
He looks so good,she thought to herself as she assessed his profile and drank him in. He had one hand on the wheel, and she watched him drag the other hand through his dark, wavy hair. He was wearing a fitted navy zip-up made of some sort of shiny moisture wicking fabric. The zipper was low enough that she could see the deep hollow at the base of his throat and just the start of the sharp edges of his collarbones. He was freshly shaven, his jawline smooth and supple.
She felt her breathing pick up just a bit as she let her mind start thinking about all the dirty, sexy things they were going to do this weekend. Six weeks apart was way too long. Tori ran her hands up and down the slick fabric of her faux leather leggings to stop herself from reaching over and touching him.
“What’s wrong?” Rhett probed. He was so attuned to her; she couldn’t even have a few naughty thoughts without him noticing.
“Nothing!” she insisted too quickly. “Just admiring the view…”
“Tori.”
Her name came out low and gruff: a warning. She knew she was busted. She clamped her hands down in her lap once she heard the sound of her name on his lips. She watched as Rhett shifted in his seat again, groaning from the lack of space to stretch out and properly adjust himself.
She couldn’t resist glancing down at his pants. Yep, he was definitely hard. She bit down on her bottom lip to distract herself from trying to do anything else with her mouth. She couldn’t wait to get to the venue and be able to properly greet him. To kiss him. To push her ass into his erection. To run her fingers through his hair and along his waistband, to…
“Cut it out, V,” he chided, shooting her a sharp side glance before turning his eyes back to the road. “We are not getting pulled over on the turnpike for indecent exposure, and I am determined to get you to this concert on time.”
“Sheesh, Wheeler. Lighten up. I was just looking,” she replied sweetly, resting her left hand on the center console.
“No. You were lookingandthinking. I know how your mind works, woman.”
She kept her gaze on him as he focused on the road.
“Tori!” He sounded equal parts despondent and amused. “Please don’t look at me like that,” he begged. He reached down, picked up her hand, and squeezed it.
She sighed and set her gaze back on the road. There would be plenty of time to do more than just think about touching him this weekend.
“Tell me about school,” he inquired, obviously trying to change the subject and shift the mood in the car. “How did your portfolio review go?”
