Page 5

5

RHETT

I t’s barely been a week since Rayna and I officially got together, and we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other since. It’s like we’re making up for lost time, both of us drawn to each other in a primal way. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s the girl for me, the one I’ll spend forever with, the one I’ll never let go. Rayna is everything I’ve ever wanted, and I want to spend as much time with her as possible. Perhaps that would be weird to others, but when you’ve spent as much time wanting each other as we have, nothing feels more natural than this.

“I have something to show you,” Rayna calls out from the bathroom.

I turn my head just in time to see her walking out to the living room, looking like a goddamn dream. She’s dressed in white lingerie, a strappy bodysuit with see-through lace that’s equally as angelic as it is devilish. Instantly, my blood heats for her, and my cock hardens.

“God, baby, you’re fucking stunning,” I groan, holding my arms out so she can step closer to me. Wrapping my arms around her, I tug her down so she’s straddling my lap. The top of the bodysuit pushes her breasts up, and I dip my head, unable to resist giving them the attention they deserve.

“Do you like it?” she pants, her fingers running through my hair as I tease her nipple with my teeth through the lace. “I figure I have a reason now to buy pretty underwear, so I went shopping.”

“You’d look incredible in anything,” I tell her, “but yes, I fucking love it. You’re so gorgeous.”

“I’m gonna get an ego if you keep showering me with compliments,” Rayna laughs, arching her back as I stroke my hand down her stomach.

“Fuck,” I curse as I realize the bodysuit is crotchless, leaving her exposed and accessible. “I need you, baby.”

“Yes,” she pants, nodding eagerly.

She’s already wet for me, and I can’t resist fucking her with my fingers as I use my other hand to free my cock from my jeans. I’m too caught up in her to bother undressing fully, needing her too fast to risk moving her even an inch away from me.

“Rhett,” Rayna moans as I slip my fingers out of her and replace them with my cock, helping her sink down on me as her thighs shake. “You feel so good.”

The way her voice shakes with desire is like an addictive drug, and I want more of it. She’s heaven around my cock, and I know for a fact nothing in this world will ever feel as good as being inside my girl like this.

I wrap my hands around her waist, helping her move and find her rhythm. She rocks on top of me, her hands braced on my shoulders and her head falling back as her breaths come fast and heavy.

I kiss her neck, groaning against her soft skin, needing to feel her fall apart around me. I fit one hand between us, pressing my thumb against her clit so with every movement of her hips, she grinds against me.

“Rhett!” she cries out, her nails digging into my shoulders and back through my shirt as she clings to me.

I nip the thrumming pulse point on her throat with my teeth, not enough to hurt her, just enough to add to the sensations. She’s so reactive, and finding more ways to send her spiraling is my favorite hobby.

Just as Rayna begins to fall apart around me, dragging me over the edge with her, a loud knock rattles my front door. We both freeze, panting and flushed, as another knock comes, more insistent this time.

“Oi, Rhett. I know you’re in there, mate!” a very familiar voice calls out.

“Fuck!” Rayna curses under her breath, scrambling off me frantically.

I shoot to my feet, suddenly very thankful I didn’t get undressed fully, yanking my pants back up as Rayna rushes out of the room. I hear the sound of the bathroom door closing and the lock sliding into place just as Paul shouts through the door, “I’ll just let myself in with the spare key if you’re too lazy to come open the door!”

I throw myself in the direction of the front door, yanking it open but standing in the doorway so he can’t come in. “Don’t do that,” I say, realizing too late how incriminating that sounds and how out of breath I am. I clear my throat and run my hand through my undoubtedly messy hair, trying to regain some composure.

Paul looks at me with confusion and suspicion all over his face. I force myself to meet his eyes, as though I wasn’t just inside his daughter two minutes ago. God, this is awkward.

“What’s wrong with you?” Paul asks, craning his head to peer over my shoulder with narrowed eyes. He goes to step forward for me to let him in, but I stand firm, refusing to move.

“Uh, nothing,” I lie, cursing myself for not being a better liar in the one moment it matters most.

“Is there a body or something on your couch you don’t want me to see?” he jokes, and honestly, that might be easier to explain than the truth.

“No bodies,” I say, trying to laugh.

Paul casts his gaze over me, and then his eyes widen almost comically. “Rhett Collins, do you have a girl over?”

“Yes,” I say, grateful to be able to tell a little bit of the truth. “Yeah, I have a girl over.”

Bet you can’t guess who?

“Why didn’t you just say that?!” Paul laughs, slapping me on the shoulder as his suspicion turns into a huge grin. “Fucking finally, mate. It’s about time!”

I force myself to smile back, trying to relax my posture but failing miserably. Lying to my best friend is not something I’m accustomed to, and it feels like shit. But I care about Rayna far too much to blurt our secret out to her father like this. She matters more than anything or anyone else in my life.

I love her, and I will never do anything to jeopardize how safe she feels with me.

“Yeah, yeah,” I snark back, rolling my eyes at him. “You’re kind of ruining the mood, though.”

Paul laughs again, and the guilt doubles. “Fair enough,” he agrees, backing up as though in surrender. “We on for Friday, yeah?”

“As always,” I agree, giving him a wave as he turns to go to give me and my girl privacy.

The second he’s out of sight, I close the front door and triple-check the locks.

“He’s gone, baby!” I call out, giving Rayna the all-clear.

She appears from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel to cover her lingerie, her eyes wide like a deer in headlights. I walk up to her, wrapping her in my arms, offering her comfort while needing it in return. The second she’s in my arms, the stress melts away from my body a little, making everything feel better.

“Fuck that was like something out of a horror movie,” Rayna murmurs, shaking her head as she pulls back a little to look up at me.

I laugh, for real this time, and drop a kiss on her lips, unable to resist her. “I know, I thought I was gonna have a heart attack,” I admit, leading Rayna over to the recliner and pulling her onto my lap.

“We nearly got caught,” she breathes, cuddling up to me.

“We did,” I echo, blowing out a breath. “Are you okay?”

Rayna nods, chewing her bottom lip. “Yeah, I’m alright, but we need to tell him soon. I can’t go through that panic anymore.”

I nod, knowing she’s right. “We’re meeting up as usual on Friday. What if you come with me, and we tell him then?” I suggest.

“Let’s do that,” Rayna nods, her shoulders relaxing a little. “It’ll all work out, right?”

I hold her close, kissing her as I promise, “Yeah, baby, everything will work out just fine.”

The bar is busier than usual at this time when Rayna and I walk in. Immediately, I spot Paul in his usual place and give Rayna a reassuring smile as we make our way through the tables towards the bar. Both of us know that this is the right thing to do, and we’re both in agreement that we don’t want to keep hiding our love, but that doesn’t mean we’re not both nervous as fuck for what’s about to happen.

“Got your usual,” Paul greets as we get closer, sliding a drink towards me. I don’t sit, though, instead standing by Rayna, who clearly is even more nervous than me from the way she’s half hiding behind me. I clear my throat, mustering courage, and Paul frowns. “What’s going on?”

Rip the band-aid off, Rhett , I tell myself, meeting my best friend’s eyes. “I thought you should meet the woman I’m in love with,” I say as matter-of-factly as possible.

Paul looks around comically. “Well, where is she?” he asks happily before his eyes land on his daughter. “Oh, hi darling, what are you doing here? Lovely to see you but you didn’t text me saying you were coming!”

I glance at Rayna, her cheeks bright pink and her gaze flicking from me to her dad over and over. I take her hand, encouraging her to lean against me, entwining our fingers and squeezing her hand, hoping to reassure her.

For a long, drawn-out moment, nobody says anything. Paul blinks at us, his gaze dropping to our hands, taking in how his daughter leans against me in a way that’s far more than just friendly. His eyes widen, and he takes a long gulp of his drink, coughing a little as he sets the glass down.

Before he can say anything, Rayna starts rambling. Pride sweeps through me as she defends herself and us, standing up to her dad.

“We didn’t want to keep hiding it anymore. I love Rhett, Dad, and he treats me better than I ever imagined,” she rushes out, clearly nervous. “This isn’t just a fling or whatever you’re probably thinking. We’re really committed to each other. I want you to be happy for us and give us your blessing and all but, to be honest, Dad, even if you disapprove, it won’t change anything between Rhett and me. I’m his, he’s mine, and that’s that?—”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Paul interrupts, trying to calm his daughter down. “Just take a breath, darling. I’m just shocked, that’s all. I’m not mad.”

“Oh,” Rayna breathes, relaxing a little. Relief sweeps through me at the fact Paul isn’t telling me to meet him outside or trying to stop me from seeing his daughter. Not that any of his efforts would work, but it would suck to lose my best friend.

“I mean, there’s nobody in the world I trust more than Rhett,” Paul continues, looking between us. “And, yes, this” —he gestures to my arms around Rayna— “is going to take some serious getting used to, but you have my support as long as you’re happy.”

“Really?” Rayna checks, her eyes wide and hope filling her voice.

“Really,” Paul promises, opening his arms to give his daughter a reassuring hug. He meets my gaze, holding my eyes as he says, “And I don’t think I need to tell you to make sure you never ever hurt my little girl, do I?”

I can’t help but chuckle at that. The idea of doing anything to hurt or upset Rayna is absolutely insane to me. “No, you don’t,” I agree, giving him a grateful smile.

Rayna steps away from her dad, and Paul pats me on the shoulder, showing us that he truly means what he said.

“Now, let’s get you a drink,” Paul declares, waving down the bartender.

Rayna sits with us, and the three of us drink and chat for hours, learning to settle into this new normal. I’ve never been happier, and the plans I have for our future are brighter than ever.