Page 25 of When You're Gone
Rhett looked back in time to see Fielding plant his feet between the hot tub and the pool.
“So what’s it gonna be, Victoria Thompson?” he boomed, no doubt trying to call everyone’s attention to his antics. “Hot tub or pool?” He took two steps toward the covered in-ground pool, shifting Tori in his arms as he pretended to throw her in.
“Hey, hey! No way!” Rhett hollered, stalking toward them.
Haas finally looked up and met his gaze. His eyes were unfocused and squinty: he was unquestionably drunk or high. Rhett started jogging as he realized the other man didn’t have all his faculties about him. No one was getting hurt on his watch, especially not his wife.
“Get back, Haas. The pool is empty. You could rip right through the vinyl and break your neck. Or worse—hurt her.”
“Ha!” Fielding barked, turning around to face him fully. “Relax, Wheeler. I wasn’t really going to throw her in to the covered pool or the hot tub. I know she doesn’t like getting her new boobs wet.” He had the audacity to smirk after his declaration.
Tori smacked Fielding hard enough to earn an “oof” out of him. But that wasn’t good enough. Rhett charged over to them and pulled her out of the other man’s arms, anger coiling through his muscles as he cradled her to his chest.
He glared at Fielding, but the other man didn’t even have the decency to cower. Before he could verbally assail him, Rhett felt Tori wrap her arms around his shoulders. Her fingers laced together at the nape of his neck.
“Ev,” she purred quietly so only he could hear. He tore his eyes away from Haas just long enough to glance down at his wife and make sure she was okay.
“Are you mad?” she whispered breathily, scratching her nails into the short hairs above his collar just the way he liked. He softened at her tone, at the genuine concern emanating from her. She was his priority—tonight and always.
“I’m not mad at you, beautiful,” he relented with a sigh.
“But are you disappointed?” she teased, craning up to run her tongue from his ear down his neck.
The intimate gesture had his dick twitching with interest. He knew exactly what she was doing. As much as he’d love to let the whole thing go and return her affection, he was still reeling.
It wasn’t just Haas’s actions or lack of concern for her well-being. That comment about her boobs was completely inappropriate, and he’d blurted it out with the greatest of ease. He was right, dammit. She was still concerned about her reconstructive surgery, even after getting the all-clear from the doctor last week. But why the hell did he know that? The intimate knowledge Haas possessed was almost more offensive than the way he thought he could just snatch Tori right out of her husband’s arms.
Fucking Fielding.
“No, beautiful. I’m good.” He squeezed her once for emphasis, then placed her on her feet and bowed low to speak directly into her ear. “But if you let him touch you like that again Iwillsend everyone home, carry you upstairs to our room, and spend the rest of the night making you scream my name until you remember exactly who you belong to.”
Her body shuddered, and her eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh Fielding!” she sing-songed quietly before bursting into a fit of giggles.
“V, I’m serious,” he reprimanded as he led her over to a pool lounger and squatted before her as she sat. He knew she was teasing him, but he was just about done.
“So am I,” she retorted as she leaned in close. She eye-fucked him in earnest now, shamelessly assessing him and biting on her pouty lower lip. “I want to be alone with you,” she whispered excitedly. “It’s my party. I can sneak out if I want to. Take me upstairs, Ev.”
He silently groaned at her eagerness. They couldn’t ditch out on the rest of the night. At least not yet.
“Jake and I have one more surprise for you, then we can go upstairs,” he promised. He rose to his feet and looked around the crowd until he spotted Lia and Cory standing on the other side of the pool. When he caught Cory’s eye, he beckoned them over.
“Sit with her, please,” he requested, nodding toward his tipsy wife who was now lounging with her legs crossed in front of her. He looked around for Haas, satisfied when he spotted him toking up with Teddy near the broken spot in the fence. He bent low to kiss Tori on the mouth, then headed back toward the house to find Jake.
Chapter eight
Tori
“Whatdoyouthinkthey have planned?” Cory whispered beside her, his gaze fixed on Rhett and Jake as they messed around with an inflatable projector.
She honestly had no idea what to expect.
“It’s either strippers or a new car,” Lia guessed.
Tori cackled. “How did you land on those two things as the only possible options?”
“Easy,” Lia scoffed. “If the surprise is from Jake, it’s strippers. Strippers would set this party over the top,andthey’d throw Rhett over the edge. You know how much Jake loves to push his buttons. I’m almost as excited to watch some Thunder from Down Under action as I am to watch your husband’s reaction if I’m right…”
Oh. Lia had a point. Hopefully it wasn’t strippers.
