by E. L. Todd
“I’m fine.” She dabbed her mouth with a napkin.
Uncle Bill patted her back gently.
Could we go now?
“We’re so excited to have our two daughters married off,” Aunt Nancy said, giving me a particular look. “Isabella will be married in just a few months and now Marie.”
“How wonderful,” Dad said. “Isn’t it?” He turned to me, silently commanding me to be polite and act like I was okay even though I was drowning inside.
“Truly wonderful,” I forced myself to say.
“Hopefully we’ll be next,” Rhett said, moving his head against mine.
This party would break my soul if Rhett weren’t here to protect me. I’d be there all alone, and people would gossip more. At least it was better to have them question how I got Rhett than to rip me apart for being alone. “Yeah.” I flashed him a fake smile.
“I’d love to have you as a son-in-law,” Dad said. “You’re a wonderful young man.”
“Thank you, sir,” Rhett said gracefully.
Dad was clearly pleased how the night was going. Rhett was a hit and everyone liked him. Of course, no one understood how a gorgeous man like him could end up with a troll like me, but it was still going well.
“Excuse us,” Aunt Nancy said. “We need to mingle.”
Please do. I yanked on Rhett’s arm, telling him I needed a drink.
Rhett guided me away and grabbed me another glass. “Why does your family treat you like that? It’s appalling.”
I took a long drink and didn’t answer. I looked across the crowd and spotted a circle of girls with short dresses and styled hair. Heels were on their feet, and they were all looking at me, either dogging me or laughing at me. When I recognized Isabella, I wanted to hightail it out of there.
Rhett caught my look and followed my gaze. “Who are they?”
“Let’s go somewhere else.” I pulled him into the crowd with me.
We migrated to a nearby table then sat down, blocked from view by the crowd. If Isabella were there, John wasn’t far behind. I could be fake to anyone, but being fake to him would be impossible.
Rhett was quiet, his eyes distant.
Maybe he was angry. Maybe he wanted to leave as much as I did.
I wouldn’t blame him if he did. I sipped my drink, thankful I felt a small burn in my stomach from the alcohol.
“I know her from somewhere…” Rhett’s voice came out quiet.
“Sorry?”
“That girl,” he said. “I know her.”
You’ve got to be kidding me. If he slept with Isabella, I’d throw myself over a cliff. I could never get past that even if Rhett did want something from me. “The blonde girl in the middle?”
“No, the brunette on the right.” He rubbed his chin while he thought for a long time. Then he snapped his fingers. “She hired me a few months ago. That’s where I know her from. I knew I recognized her.”
My eyes widened and my heart fell into my stomach. “Are you sure?”
“Definitely. She wanted to make her ex jealous.”
I covered my face and almost broke down. “Ohmygod…”
“What?” he asked with concern. “What’s wrong?”
Rhett always exhibited his intelligence but right now it was lacking. “Don’t you get it? Since she hired you, she’ll know I hired you. Then everyone will know this is all a scam. My father will find out and…god, this is humiliating.”
His eyes widened in realization then he rubbed the back of his neck. “Wait, hold on.”
“What?” I said in a defeated voice.
“She won’t say anything.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t she? She would love another reason to humiliate me.”
“If she says I hired you, she’d have to admit she hired me.” He said it with a smile. “She wouldn’t confess that secret just to expose you. It would be too embarrassing.”
I relaxed a little. “But she still might…”
“I doubt she will,” he said. “From what I remember, she cared about image more than anything else. It’s unlikely she would risk public shame like that. It’ll be okay, Aspen.”
I was still anxious.
He pulled me close to him. “Just relax.”
“Easier said than done.”
“I’m here. Remember that.” He squeezed my hand. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
How did he make me fall for him at a time like this?
“Just think about that monster sundae,” he said. “And I’ll give you my cherry—like always.”
An involuntary smile formed on my lips.
Marie approached our table wearing a white dress. Her hair was curly and her engagement ring flashed in the light. “You actually came?” She put her hands on her hips and gave me a fake, high school smile. “It looks like I owe Janet twenty bucks.”
Why did my life suck so much? “Hello, Marie,” I said coldly. “It’s nice to see you.”
“Yeah, you too,” she said quickly.
“And congratulations.” Disdain was in my voice even though I smiled while I spoke.
Marie turned her eyes on Rhett. “When people told me you brought a hot boyfriend, I couldn’t believe it. I still don’t.”
Rhett pulled me closer to him. “And when Aspen agreed to be mine, I almost didn’t believe it. I still don’t.” He intertwined our fingers together and acted like he absolutely adored me.
Marie eyed my dress. “JCPenny’s?” Disapproval was in her voice.
“Target,” I said without shame. Everyone wore designer gowns but I was happy wearing something I loved, whether it was cheap or expensive.
“You already give people enough reason to make fun of you. Don’t give them more ammo.” She laughed loudly, like what she said was hilarious.
I was close to exploding. I wanted to stand on the table and tell every single person there to go fuck themselves. What happened with John wasn’t my fault. I was a good person and didn’t deserve to be treated like shit. I wanted to slap that smug look off her face.
“John is here,” she said with an evil smile. “Make sure you stop by and say hi.” Then she turned on her heel and strutted away.
That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore. This treatment had finally broken me. I just needed to get out. I needed somewhere to hide. I needed somewhere I could scream. Why did she have to mention John, especially in front of Rhett? I jumped from my seat then took off, heading into the house where I could find the nearest bathroom so I could cry behind a closed door. I couldn’t make it to the car and I couldn’t drive anyway.
“Aspen.” Rhett’s voice came behind me.
I ignored him and kept going. I made it inside the house and moved past waiters on my way to the bathroom. When I reached it, I turned the knob. But it was locked.
Fuck.
“Someone’s in here,” a snooty voice said.
I headed down the hall then entered the first room I could find. I walked inside then began to shut the door.
Rhett squeezed in before I could close it. He shut the door behind him. He stared at me with sad eyes, like he was about to cry as much as I was.
“Don’t look at me.” I turned around and faced the other way, feeling the tears break free. I felt even worse for crying since my father forbade me from doing it. It felt like I was doing something innately wrong. My chest heaved with pain and I couldn’t stop it.
Rhett grabbed me then forced me into his chest. He pulled me close and held me, letting me cry on his shoulder. His hand moved through my hair and held me while I released every drop I had. “You’re a wonderful person and you don’t deserve this—at all.”
I held him tightly, taking advantage of the comfort he was giving me.
“You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. How they don’t see that is beyond me.” He continued to rub me gently. “Don’t let them hurt you like this. There’s no reason you should feel this terrible.”
I closed my eyes and breathed hard, tryi
ng to control my reckless emotions. I needed to gather myself and pretend everything was okay. All I had to do was get through this. Then I would go to my father and force him to step down so I didn’t have to jump through hoops anymore. I could finally be free.
I pulled away from him then wiped my tears away. I fixed my makeup then steadied my breathing.
“Guess.” Rhett cupped my face while he looked into my eyes.
I knew what he meant. “D2.”
A smile upturned his lips. “No.”
“E5.”
He shook his head.
Then I realized what it was. “A1.”
“You’ve sunk my battleship.”
I chuckled lightly then fixed the rest of my makeup.
“There’s my girl,” he whispered.
“I feel better now.” I blinked my eyes several times. “Does it look like I’ve been crying?”
“A little.” He used the pad of his thumb to touch up my makeup. Then he used the edge of his sleeve to dab away the extra moisture. “No one will be able to tell.”
“Thanks…”
“Let’s just sit by ourselves and have a good time together. We’ll take off as soon as dinner is over.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I moved to the door when I heard voices outside. It sounded like there was a line for the bathroom.
Isabella’s voice was heard. “Aspen is a walking disaster. Mom said she looks sick.”
“Purple is not her color,” another girl said, one I didn’t recognize.
“I can’t believe she even showed up,” Isabella said. “I’d be humiliated if my fiancé up and left me because I was terrible in bed then hooked up with my cousin. She’s such a loser.”
I closed my eyes and cringed. If I heard it, so did Rhett. I didn’t want him to know. His opinion was the only one I really cared about, and now he would look down on me like everyone else. He would never want to be with me, not when he knew another man left me because sex with me was so boring. God, this night couldn’t get any worse.
“Rumor has it,” another girl said. “That her boyfriend isn’t really her boyfriend. He’s an escort.”
“Shut. Your. Mouth.” Isabella’s high-pitched voice sounded through the door. She sounded utterly delighted that I had to pay someone to be my date. “I knew he was too hot for her! This is priceless.”
Kill me now. Just kill me now.
“I bet she has to pay to have sex with him,” a girl said. “Because John wouldn’t even do it for free.”
I couldn’t look at Rhett. I could never look at him again. I was so ashamed and so humiliated. If my life ended right then and there, I wouldn’t even fight it.
“They don’t have sex with their clients. They don’t even kiss them. They have very specific rules. If those rules are breached, they end the arrangement. They just stand there and hold your hand or put their arm around your waist,” the girl said.
“How do you know that?” Isabella asked.
“Oh…” She faltered. “I heard about it from a friend. And I think I recognize him from the website.”
Fucking liar.
“No wonder why he hasn’t kissed her,” Isabella said like she just solved a case. “That is so pathetic. John actually told me he almost fell asleep while having sex with her. That’s how bad she is.”
Why couldn’t they stop talking? Hadn’t they destroyed me enough? Why did I have to stand in this room with Rhett beside me and have him listen to every word of that? I’d never been so humiliated in my life. Whatever chance I had with Rhett was gone.
“Let’s go find her and make her life miserable,” Isabella said. Their heels echoed against the floor as they waked away.
I stood there, absolutely still.
Rhett didn’t move.
I didn’t look at him, not wanting to see his reaction. My biggest secret was out, and now there wasn’t the slightest possibility that Rhett would want me. My family scandal had finally reached his ears, and no amount of humor could get him to smile at me ever again. I turned to the door and opened it.
“Aspen.” Rhett grabbed me. “Hold on.”
I twisted out of his grasp without looking at him. “Don’t touch me.” I stormed out and headed down the hallway. I just had to get my purse from the table then I could get out of there. After I reached the main road, I would call a cab. I didn’t want to be at this party, surrounded by people who only wanted to see me drown, and I couldn’t look at the man I loved and see him stare back at me with pity and disgust. I couldn’t handle it if Rhett looked at me that way. He was the one person who actually made me feel good about myself.
I was near the table when I heard Isabella.
“There she is! Let’s get her, girls.”
If she came near me, I’d deck her. She wouldn’t get any mercy from me. I wouldn’t take the high road again and just walk away. Now I would punch her right in the nose and break it.
I reached my purse and snatched it. They were closing in on me. I just had to get out of there and make it to the main road. In my haste, I knocked over a glass but I didn’t have time to clean it up. I turned and prepared to take off.
Rhett appeared out of nowhere and blocked my path.
“Move—”
Rhett cupped my face then gave me a hard kiss on the mouth. His lips were soft despite his aggression. The hold he had on me was unbreakable. I couldn’t run even if I wanted to. His lips slowly moved against mine, and when I realized what was happening, my mouth reciprocated. The music faded and the sound of Isabella’s voice became muted. All I heard was the sound of Rhett breathing. All I felt was his kiss. One hand remained on my face and the other moved around my waist. He held me close to him, having no intention of letting go.
This was not how I imagined our first kiss, but it’s exactly how I hoped it would feel. It was explosive and hot, scorching me with every purposeful kiss he gave me. He kissed me like he loved me and couldn’t live without me. I’d never been kissed that way before. I’d never been held like that.
Rhett parted my lips with his tongue then lightly touched mine. The feel of our tongues dancing was enough to make my knees give out. It was electrifying and wonderful. I breathed hard because I couldn’t get enough air. He knocked the wind right out of me.
I gripped his shoulders just the way I wanted to, and gave into the desire I felt for him. My lips devoured his like I’d wanted to. His lips were soft and felt perfect against my mouth. I could kiss him all day. I could do this forever.
Rhett reluctantly broke the kiss, keeping his face against mine. He breathed hard and his eyes shined in desire. It seemed like I was the only one in the room who mattered.
“I guess you were wrong, Jessica,” Isabella said in a disappointed sigh. Her heels trailed away as she and her posse walked off.
Rhett continued to stare at me. “I quit.”
I searched his eyes, unsure of his meaning. “What?”
“I quit. I will no longer be escorting you.”
What did I do…? He was the one who kissed me. Was he that embarrassed of me? I tried to hide my hurt.
“I would rather be your boyfriend—if you’ll have me.” His thumb stroked my cheek as he held me close. It trailed my face then moved to my lips. He looked at them for a moment before his gaze shifted back to mine. “Will you?”
All the pain I felt from that night faded away. The drama and hurt seemed irrelevant. The only person who mattered in the world was standing in front of me, looking at me the way I should be looked at. Tears burned in my eyes but not from sadness. For the first time, they were from joy. “Yes.”
11
Rhett
“Why are you grinning like a dumbass?” Troy demanded.
“No reason.” I shrugged then relaxed against the booth.
Troy could see right through my act. He narrowed his eyes like he didn’t believe a word I said. “You fucked Battleship.”
“No.”
“Battleship gave you head?”
/> I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Did she jerk you off with her feet?” he asked. “That shit is pretty hot, actually.”
I rolled my eyes in response.
“Then what the hell happened?” His beer was untouched, his entire focus on me.
“She’s my girlfriend.” I kept grinning from ear-to-ear.
“That’s it?” he asked sadly.
“We kissed.”
“Dude, you know this is a lawsuit waiting to happen. She could turn on us and sue.”
“Battleship would never do that. Besides, I quit.”
“You did?” he asked in surprise.
“She’s no longer my client. I still escort her but now I do it for free.” I drank my beer, feeling happier than I had in a long time. I had an amazing girl all to myself. I’d never felt anything like this for a girl before. Normally, I just wanted sex. But Aspen made me want a lot more. A night of playing cards and eating ice cream was more than enough. Just being with her satisfied me.
He shook his head in disapproval. “It’s your funeral.”
“Hey, you’re the one who told me to go for her.”
“Yeah, I meant get laid, not commit to her,” he said. “Relationships are stupid. They don’t work and they never will.”
I could tell he was still bitter about his break up even though it happened years ago. I never mentioned it because it put him in a sour mood. “Aspen and I will make it work.”
He shook his head. “I’m just glad you dropped her. That was the smart thing to do.”
“Yeah.”
“Make her sign a termination contract, just in case.”
“You’re being paranoid.”
“Hey,” he snapped. “We were sued once before. Battleship seems like a nice girl but don’t screw over the rest of us by being careless.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I’ll take care of it.”
“So, when are you going to sleep with her?”
I shrugged. “It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen. I just kissed her for the first time. There’s no rush.”
“How long have you known this girl?”
“About three months.”
“Have you gotten laid in that time frame?”
“No,” I said. “I haven’t even gone out with another girl. I was kinda with Aspen…but not technically.”