Page 47 of Four Dates and A Forever
Before she could stick her nose between the tiny gap in the window, he said, “What a party. I’ve been to some impressive ones before but nothing like this. I can even see it trending in the Portland area.”
“You think?”
“Oh, I know. Your party planner has magical hands.” And those hands socked him square in the shin. He covered it with his, then flipped it over so they were holding hands. She gave his hand a squeeze hard enough to sting, then let go. “And she knows how to get the job done.”
Another sock to the shin.
“You have a good night,” he said and then rolled up the window.
“Pull over,” Elsie said from the passenger seat, still in shock over what she’d done. Or who she’d almost done.
She’d nearly had front-seat sex with a guy who’d made a career out of one-night stands. It didn’t take long after his divorce for him to revert back to his old ways and Elsie refused to be another in a long line of women.
This was what happened when she let her impulsive side take over. Which was why she needed to get out of this car ASAP.
“I’m serious, Rhett. Pull over.”
“I’m not letting you out in the middle of the night to walk home,” he said, not even slowing down.
“Then I’ll take an Uber.”
“Come on, Red. Let’s talk about it.”
“I don’t want to talk. I want to clear my head.”
“We don’t have to talk then,” he offered, and the sincerity in his tone made her chest feel like it was pressing in on itself. “We can sit silently in each other’s company.”
“I need some air. And space,” she said. She rebuttoned her shirt and sucked in a ragged breath. Why was it so hot and stuffy and why did the car suddenly seem so small? “Please.” She was surprised to hear her voice crack with emotion.
The blinker ticked as he pulled over to the curb. The car was barely in Park when she exploded out the door. The cool night air hit her face and she rested her hands on her thighs and dropped her head between her knees.
Breathe. Just breathe.
Her body was a jumble of need and regret.
Her earlier behavior was not just unprofessional and reckless, it could have cost her a chance at her dream. She didn’t want to even imagine what Claire would have done had she caught Elsie in that car. Not that it was anybody’s business what she did on her own time, but she wasn’t really on her own time now was she. She needed to get back. There was still the party to break down, blood splatter to refresh, and Lola 2.0 needed to be moved to the infected zone. If Rhett had rolled down the window another inch, Claire would have gotten the story of a lifetime.
When her heart rate returned to normal, she straightened and found herself eye to eye with Rhett. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Making sure you’re okay.” He bent his knees to get eye level with her. “You okay, Els?”
She was almost to Okay Land until he said her name like that. Not Red or sweetheart, but Els. It made her insides turn to goo. “Fine,” she snapped. “Why did you follow me?”
He held up the corset of her costume and wiggled a brow. “You forgot this.”
She crossed her arms across her braless chest. Unamused.
Rhett sighed. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m dandy.”
They both stood there on the sidewalk for a long moment, where he refused to move. She shoved him in the chest. He took a step back and his eyes filled with apology. “I’m sorry.”
She blinked. “Why are you sorry? I came on to you.”
“You did,” he agreed. “But I kissed you first. And now you’re upset, and for that I’m sorry.”
“I’m not upset.” She threw her hands in the air. “I’m confused. Okay, there, are you happy?”
