Page 36 of When You're Home
“Rhett, please,” she demanded.
“I know. I’ve got you, V.” He lined himself up and entered her in one motion. He was right there. Connecting them. Filling her. Making her whole. Completing them. He stilled, holding the position and kissing her softly as she adjusted to his girth. Her whole body went lax as he made love to her mouth.
When he finally began to move, she couldn’t resist circling her hips to meet him. Their lips melded together, their bodies pressed against each other in an effort to touch each other everywhere. There was a hunger between them that was so much more than physical desire.
Rhett adjusted the angle of his hips in an effort to please her. She let out an uninhibited moan of approval when he landed on his target. She was unbelievably wet, which was exacerbated by the warmth that was starting to pool in her core. She felt his thumb connect with her clit; she felt his mouth move over her nipple and bite down. She felt everything. She felt him everywhere. She wanted to be consumed by him. She wanted it all.
“Don’t stop. I’m right there,” she panted, desperate to hit the crest of her orgasm.
“Fuck, Tori. I’m right there with you.” Rhett drove even deeper into her without breaking pace. He fucked her harder and pushed her higher until she toppled over the edge. She couldn’t make sense of the noises coming out of her, of the waves of pleasure rolling through her. Her body spasmed as her vision blurred. Seconds later she heard him let go and felt the warmth of his release inside her. He continued to gently thrust a few more times before collapsing onto the bed. He caught himself on his forearms and pressed his forehead into hers.
She felt the sheen of sweat along his hairline as he bowed his forehead in reverence. The sincerity in his voice matched the love in his eyes. “V, that was everything. You’re incredible.”
“It’s not me, it’s us. We’re incredible together,” she corrected without censoring herself. Rhett said nothing, instead closing his eyes and sucking in a deep breath.
Tori still didn’t know what had come over her. She couldn’t blame anticipation or alcohol or music or anything else she had been using as an excuse over the last twenty-four hours to justify what she was doing right now. She felt herself opening to Rhett in a way she hadn’t allowed in years. And even though he hadn’t called her out yet, she was sure that he could feel it happening, too.
Chapter 22
Rhett
Hefellbackasleepaftertheirmorningescapades,onlytowakeupaboutanhourlater.Sunshinefilledeverycornerofthemasterbedroom,illuminatingTori’sbarebackasshesleptbesidehim.Heremainedmotionlessonthepillownexttoher,soakinginthewarmthhefeltbecauseofthesunonhisskinandthesightbeforehiseyes.
Last night had been a blast. He couldn’t remember a better time with Tori in the last several years. There wasn’t one moment that defined the night for him—it was everything. Their sweet driveway reunion after six weeks apart. The drive to Michigan. The feeling of Tori’s lips on his the moment he parked the car. The not-so-innocent parking deck action before the show. The energy of the crowd’s excitement all around them. Her singing, their dancing. The way she accepted his affection and even subconsciously reciprocated it last night.
He assumed last night was an anomaly: an emotionally charged night that she would be quick to move past in the light of a new day. And yet all the unspoken emotions from last night had carried over into this morning. He saw it in her gaze, he felt it in the softness of her body. He could sense it in the depth of her wanting when they’d made love that morning. She was unguarded. She was right there. And for the first time in six years, she wasn’t pushing him away.
He didn’t know how to handle this. Hell, he rarely knew how to handle things with her, instead relying on her to explicitly tell him how he was supposed to feel, act, and react in most scenarios. Should he try to question her about the apparent shift between them? Or would bringing it up only make her shut him out like usual?
Rhett raked his hand through his hair. He had been shut down so many damn times over the years. It was premature to assume that anything had changed between them. Tori would tell him if their arrangement was off or if she actually wanted something more. Wouldn’t she?
He needed to physically move his body to make sense of all the thoughts swirling in his head. He snuck out of bed and quietly riffled through his bag, pulling out a pair of athletic shorts, a T-shirt, and a hoodie. He scooped up his running shoes and a pair of socks, then grabbed his phone and earbuds from the nightstand. He texted Tori in case she woke up while he was gone.
Ev:Going on a run. I’ll make breakfast for us when I get back.
Rhett snagged a beanie from the pocket of his coat before heading out the door of the cabin.
He felt better after his run. He hadn’t figured anything out or come to any revelations about what was going on between him and Tori, but just feeling the sun on his face had been cathartic. He had pushed himself for more than an hour, following the six-mile loop that jutted out along the lake before cutting back through the woods. He was dripping in sweat from his effort despite the fact that it was only in the high forties.
He entered the keypad code on the cabin door, turning the handle as quietly as possible in case Tori was still asleep. He was welcomed home by the warmth of the cabin and the smell of bacon.
His eyes scanned the kitchen, landing on Tori standing in front of the stove. He closed the door softly, not wanting to startle her. He watched her standing there, shifting her weight from hip to hip, wearing nothing but the black Karta Stella shirt he bought her last night.
“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted as he kicked off his shoes at the door and pocketed his earbuds.
“How was your run?” Tori asked over the sizzle of the frying pan without turning around. She had either heard him come in or sensed his proximity.
“Cold,” Rhett admitted, sauntering into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around her from behind. “And sweaty,” he added, nuzzling his head down into her neck.
“Eww!! You’re soaked!” she exclaimed as she tried to wiggle out of his arms. Rhett just held her tighter, laughing as he planted a loud kiss on the side of her face.
“How can you be so sweaty if it’s cold outside?” she demanded, finally turning around to assess him. She had tongs in her hand, and a few pieces of hair had fallen out of her bun to frame her face. She looked so beautiful. Rhett’s heart swelled with gratitude that he got to be at the cabin with her this weekend.
“I just ran six miles. Of course I’m sweaty,” he defended himself, still smiling. “That smells awesome, by the way. But I was going to makeyoubreakfast once I got back.”
Tori shrugged. “I know. I saw your text. But I woke up hungry and figured you would be starving when you got back. You’re not the only one who knows how to play house,” she teased.
Playing house. Is that what they were doing this weekend? Rhett didn’t have time to dwell on her choice of words. The weekend was already going too fast for his liking.
