When I was decent, I forced myself to walk down the stairs slowly. The last thing I wanted to do was look as desperate as I felt to see him. My stomach was in knots, and I forced myself to breathe normally, but I still felt dizzy and lightheaded.
I heard talking in the kitchen and made my way toward the sound of it. The smell of coffee and bacon made me realize how hungry I was, but the second I rounded the corner and saw Rhett sitting there with his jeans, tight t-shirt that showed off his muscular body, and his boots hooked on the rung of the stool, a more primal hunger ripped through me. He was sipping on a cup of coffee, talking with Serena, Tyson, and Sophie.
“You came on a good morning. Tyson cooks on the weekends and he’s way better at it than me.”
Serena was facing me; her belly was slightly rounded as she protectively held her stomach. She was glowing with happiness as she looked up at Tyson with undeniable love. Tyson leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before saying, “You’re getting better, Little Minx.”
“Aunt Sky!” Sophie finally noticed me standing there and all eyes turned toward me, including his. Our gazes met and the butterflies in my stomach were fluttering downward. He was so handsome, and the heated look he was giving me, melted me to my core.
“Sophie,” I heard Tyson get his daughter’s attention. “Go grab your shoes, we’re going out for breakfast.”
“But you’re making breakfast?” she asked.
A blush flooded my cheeks as he told her that this breakfast was for me and my friend. They were going out for a special breakfast. Sophie cheered and ran from the room as Tyson left, pulling a grinning Serena behind him.
Rhett and I stared at each other in silence. I didn’t know what to say or how he found me, so I bit my lip, hoping he would break first.
“Come here,” he said gruffly after we heard the front door close behind Serena’s family, leaving for their impromptu breakfast. I felt a little guilty that we’d run them out of their house, but I was also thankful for time alone with Rhett. I never thought I’d see him again, and all I wanted to do was throw myself into his arms.
“Why did you run?” he said, turning the stool he was sitting on. I took a few steps forward and once I was close enough, he pulled me between his splayed thighs. His hands were on my hips, and I worried my bottom lip, not knowing how to answer.
Rhett’s hand came up to caress my cheek, and he gently used his thumb to pull my lip from between my teeth. “Why’d you leave, Skylar?”
I cast my eyes downward, not able to meet his gaze anymore. Admitting I was scared was hard because we’d only known each other for a day. It was too soon for me to feel anything beyond lust, but what I felt was so much bigger. If he didn’t feel the same way and I was just another woman like that woman had said, then I would be left hurt and heartbroken.
I shrugged my shoulders rather than answering. My voice failed me because I couldn’t utter the words. Once I said them, they’d be out there and there was no way to take them back.
“Sit with me. I want to tell you a story.”
Rhett turned the stool beside him, so it was facing him. I reluctantly sat down, missing his strong arms around me. He moved me closer, so my knees fit between his, almost as if he missed touching me as much as I missed touching him.
He leaned on the island, lightly holding my hand like couldn’t bear not touching me in some way.
“Five years ago, I left the rodeo circuit to go home to my family’s ranch.” His thumb was swiping across the back of my hand as he held it on the countertop. “My brothers had all stayed behind to work the ranch with my parents while I left to chase a dream. I was a cocky shit that took what I wanted and gave little else back, but when I got the call that my mom had cancer and would be starting treatments, I knew I had to go home. I left the circuit, breaking off my fling with Brianna,” he hesitated, “the woman you met last night. She was wasn’t the only one, women weren’t hard to come by because there were always buckle bunnies ready to hop from bed to bed.”
I swallowed hard and tried to keep the tears from falling from my eyes. “I’m not proud of the man I was Skylar. I was young and dumb. Seeing my mom slowly dying, knowing there was no way we could stop it; it changed me. I had to watch it eat at my dad. I saw him cherish every day he had with her, even the bad days when she was so weak, he had to carry her to the bathroom.” He sucked in a deep breath and I finally met his gaze again. His eyes were glassy with tears as he told me about his parents. “One night after my mom finally passed, I asked my dad how he knew mom was the one for him. He loved her so much, treated her like a queen, hell,” he laughed at himself sardonically, “we all treated her like a queen. She was the only woman in a house full of men.”
I watched a side to Rhett come out that I don’t think he ever let anyone see. He was exposing a deep part of himself, and it gave me hope.
“Anyway,” he continued. “I asked my dad how he knew. You know what he told me?”
I shook my head silently.
“He told me he knew the first day that he met her when she rear-ended him at a stop light. The accident did more damage to her little car than it did to his big truck, but it got her to give him her phone number.” He laughed, “He said sometimes, Rhett, it just hits you out of the blue when you least expect it, but when you know, you know.
“Dad died almost six months to the day after mom. He wasn’t the same after she left us, but I found out yesterday what he was talking about because when I slammed into you, I knew I’d slammed into my future.”
I couldn’t help the tears that escaped, sliding down my cheek, but I ignored them and launched myself into his waiting arms. Relief and joy flooded me. I’d found what I’d wanted and chased for so long, my cowboy. My Rhett.
Chapter Eleven
I closed my eyes and breathed her in. She was perfection, and she felt like heaven in my arms. I used her hair as a lever to pull her back just enough to capture her lips with mine.
Skylar melted into me. Her body was warm and pliant, needy and hungry, desperate and primed to take me. I could feel her body tremble against me.
I stood up and scooped her in my arms. My hands cupped her ass, and her legs circled my waist as she held on tight. Without looking, I made my way upstairs toward the guest room she was sleeping in when I took Strawberry up to her after I got here. Tyson gave me a hefty inquisition over my intentions for Skylar, before he let me go anywhere near her.
I do have to give it to the guy, though. He’d done a thorough background check on me after I’d sent him the picture of my ID. When I showed up this morning, he wasn’t at all surprised. His wife, however, couldn’t stop grinning and wanted to go wake Skylar up. Tyson wouldn’t allow her to, giving her a look that spoke volumes about their relationship.