Page 30 of When You're Home
“It was fine,” she responded, emotionless.
“Just fine?” he pushed back.
“Yeah, just fine. I mean, I passed. I’ve got enough credits now to be considered a senior, so this was the review where I had to finalize my degree path,” she explained. “I’ve known since day one that I was going to get a BA in Graphic Design. That’s why I picked Holt State in the first place.”
“But?” Rhett added, assuming correctly that there was more to the story.
“But my advisor laid it on thick trying to convince me to go for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree instead,” she huffed.
“And that’s bad because…”
She realized she was making him work too hard for this conversation. She silently chastised herself for taking out her irritation on him. It wasn’t Rhett’s fault she was still reeling from her advising appointment earlier that week.
“Because the BFA requires 12 extra credit hours on top of the regular bachelor’s degree requirements,” Tori explained. “I’ve been taking two or three classes a semester for the last six years, Rhett. If I stick with the BA, I’ll be able to finally graduate in two years.”
“Is the BFA the better degree?” he asked gently.
“I mean, yeah, technically. It’s more studio-focused, which is what my advisor was pushing for after he saw some of the paint pours I included in my portfolio. But twelve more credits means at least an extra year of school for me… an extra year of tuition and a whole extra year before I can graduate and get a job.”
That was the heart of the issue. In a perfect, cancer-free world, Tori would have loved to go for the Fine Arts degree. But an extra year of school would set her back a full year, and that wasn’t an option. She wasn’t willing to sit there and explain to the head of the department why she needed a full-time job with health insurance as soon as possible, so she just kept insisting she was fine settling for the BA.
“Tori, you’re an amazing artist. If you want to go for the BFA, an extra year isn’t going to derail…”
“Nuh-uh. This isn’t a discussion. I know exactly what I want and what I need to do to get there. You have to be on my side on this,” she begged, the request coming out more desperate than she had intended.
Rhett was silent for three beats. She could see his jaw moving as he chewed on the inside of his cheek, a nervous tell that meant he was holding back or carefully choosing his words.
“You’re right. I’m on your side,” he vowed as he reached over to take her hand again. He brought her fingers to his lips in a quick kiss.
Annoyance crept up with his admission. Did he actually agree with her? Or was he simply agreeing with her as a means of self-preservation? Guilt replaced the annoyance as she recognized how easy it was to get him to go along with anything she said. So much of their relationship was dependent on Rhett just agreeing with her and following her lead. Most times she was grateful he let her call the shots, but today she was agitated that he didn’t push back or put up a fight.
Tori exhaled and decided she didn’t want to stress over something as silly as Rhett being agreeable to her wishes. The weekend held so much promise between the concert and their two uninterrupted nights alone at the cabin. She wasn’t going to let anything come between them over the next few days.
Chapter 18
Rhett
“Wehavearrived,”hewhisperedashepulledintoanemptyspotandputthePreludeinpark.Theshowwassupposedtostartatnine,butRhettwasconfidentKartaStellawouldn’tgoonrightaway,sotherewasnorushtogetinside.Hehastilyunbuckledhisseatbelt,anxiousandhornyafterthethree-hourdrive.
“Come here,” he demanded, reaching across the center console of the car to pull Tori close. When their lips connected his whole body tingled in response. She tasted like peppermint and vanilla. The scent of rosemary filled his nose as he wove his hands through her hair. All his senses seemed to awaken when he kissed her. For the first time in six weeks, he finally felt alive.
Tori’s lips parted for him on contact. She let out the softest sigh as she pushed deeper into the kiss. There was an urgency to her body’s response to him. Her hands roamed all over his chest. She was everywhere, pulling his hair, scratching his back. His tongue explored her mouth, seeking her warmth as they got reacquainted.
He slid his hand down her thigh, feeling the slick, cool fabric of her shiny leggings under his palm. He grasped her hips but then pulled back to gauge what she wanted.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, breathless. She continued to run her hands over his chest and arms, working him up with just the simplest of touches. He had missed her so much.
“I really want to make you feel good before we go in there,” he proposed, raising his eyebrows suggestively. “But we have to make it work right here, and we’ve gotta be fast. You up for it?”
“Oh, hell yes,” Tori responded enthusiastically, crawling over the center console to straddle his lap. He let out a husky laugh, excited that she was just as eager as he felt right now. He reached below his seat and pulled up on the manual adjustment bar to send the seat flying back as far as it could go.
Once they were situated, his hands were back in her hair, fisting handfuls of silky-smooth strands as he pulled her face down to his. He said they had to work fast, but Rhett took his time savoring her mouth. His tongue caressed hers at an unhurried pace. When he bit down on her bottom lip, she let out the sweetest moan.
“Rhett. Please,” she begged. He felt her hips jet forward as she desperately tried to make contact between her center and his body.
“I’ve got you, beautiful,” he responded, moving one hand down in search of the waistband of her leggings. He slipped his hand between their bodies and immediately connected with her clit. She moaned appreciatively when he found his target.
Shit.She wasn’t wearing any underwear. He grunted in approval as her body responded to his touch. He moved his mouth to her neck, working his thumb in slow circles against her. She was so wet, so smooth, so perfect. He knew just where to touch her, just where to graze her to send shivers down her spine.
