Take Me To The Beach

by K. L. Grayson, Karina Halle, A. L. Jackson, Marni Mann, Monica Murphy, Devney Perry, Kristen Proby, Rachel Van Dyken

  Claire grins. “I’m sure you did.”

  “So, what do you say, wings tonight?” Rhett asks.

  “We’d love to,” Claire answers immediately.

  What I wouldn’t give for the freedom to say yes. But that’s not my reality. “I can’t.”

  “What?” Claire pouts. “Why not?”

  “Come on, Claire. You know I can’t leave my dad by himself.”

  “My mom will stay with him, or we can call my aunt. You know they won’t mind.”

  I shake my head. “It’s not fair to ask them to do more than they already do. But you should still go.” I hate the idea of her going without me. It’s silly. I know she doesn’t really have a thing for Rhett, but that doesn’t make it any easier knowing she gets to spend time him while I’m stuck at home.

  Stuck at home.

  Fuck.

  I’ve got to stop thinking like this, or I’ll drive myself insane.

  “That’s okay,” Rhett offers. “I don’t even have to go. I’d much rather hang out with you anyway.”

  “Awwww,” Claire croons.

  “No. You should go,” I tell him. “You haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time with Trevor.”

  He tilts his head. “You sure? I can come by afterward.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I’ll call you when I’m on my way.” He leans down to give me a kiss and looks at Claire. “Dirty Dicks at seven, if you’d like to come.”

  “Thanks for the invite, but I was only going if Mo went.”

  I could kiss her.

  “Your loss,” Rhett says, turning toward the front door.

  “Tell me about it,” Claire mumbles.

  She drops onto her chair as Rhett walks out the door. “He really is gorgeous.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  We lean our heads to the left, watching the way his jeans hug his ass as he walks to his truck.

  “Please tell me his ass is as tight as it looks.”

  “Tighter.”

  “I hate you.”

  “We need to get you laid.”

  She takes another bite. “Tell me about it.”

  “Maybe you could get laid by Trevor.”

  Claire sputters, inhaling a chunk of her food. I slap her back when she starts coughing, and I can’t help but laugh.

  “You do want to get laid by Trevor, don’t you?”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Really? Every time his name is mentioned, you get this dreamy look in your eyes. I can practically see cartoon hearts floating above your head.”

  “I do not.”

  “Do too. And I guarantee I’m not the only one who’s noticed.”

  “I don’t have a thing for Trevor Allen. That would just be silly.”

  “Why? Trevor is a great guy.”

  “He’s also four years younger than I am.”

  “So?”

  “Plus, he’s a firefighter. I don’t date firefighters.”

  Claire’s father ran into a burning building and never came back out.

  “Well, if you did date him, no one would blame you.”

  “I’m not going to date him. Can we not talk about my love life, or lack thereof? Tell me what’s going on between you and Rhett, and don’t leave out a single juicy detail.”

  “There isn’t much to tell,” I lie.

  “Have you slept with him?”

  “Three times, although he would call it making love.”

  Her fork drops on the desk. She fans her face and lets out a dreamy sigh. “Of course he would. And there is so much to tell. Spill your guts, you lucky bitch.”

  So I do.

  We spend the next hour laughing as I give her a rundown of all the sweet things Rhett has said and done. I even give her a hint of the sexy stuff—but not too much, because those memories are mine.

  Claire picks up the empty containers and her napkin and dumps them in the trash. “I’m happy for you, Mo. Just take things slow, okay? You’ve got a lot going on in your life, and I don’t want to you see you get derailed when he leaves.”

  “I told him I love him.”

  She freezes. Her eyes widen, and she lowers herself back into the chair. “Well, that’s not taking things slow.”

  “I couldn’t not tell him,” I admonish. “I don’t want any regrets where he’s concerned. We were in the moment, and it felt right, so I just said it.”

  “And…”

  “He didn’t say it back.”

  Claire furrows her brow. “Did you expect him to?”

  “Yes… No.” I shake my head. “I don’t know. I mean, of course I hoped he would, but I should’ve known he might not be there.”

  “After everything you’ve told me, it sounds like he still has feelings for you.”

  I nod. “I think so too. He didn’t give me the words, but I could feel it—he still cares about me.”

  “Of course he does; you two have been through a lot together. Does it bother you that he didn’t say he loved you?”

  I take a breath and think for a second. “No. He’ll say it when he’s ready—when the time is right. Things are still fresh between us, and I told him I love him because I promised myself I’d always be honest with my feelings.”

  “What if he doesn’t get there? What if this thing between you crashes and burns?”

  “Well, geez, thanks for the vote of confidence, Claire.”

  “What? I’m just trying to help you think this through. You two just got back together, and you’re throwing yourself into it full force because that’s what you do—and I love that about you—but you’re my best friend, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  I place a hand on her arm. “I’m doing this the only way I know how. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I can’t explain it, Claire. I can just feel it. When I’m with Rhett, it’s like the stars align and there’s a calm to my world I haven’t felt since we were together before.”

  “It’s called lust.”

  “It’s called love.” I laugh. I love Claire, and I adore her even more for looking out for me. “You’ve never felt it, so I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

  She scoffs. “I’ve been in love before.”

  I roll my eyes. “Noah Cunningham doesn’t count. We were in seventh grade.”

  She pouts. “He gave me his dessert every day for a year.”

  “And when you fall in love, that man will give you his heart every day for life.”

  The easy look on her face fades. “Rhett hasn’t given you his heart.”

  “I think he will. Just you wait and see.”

  Monroe

  “He’s already been bathed, and he’s in bed. Probably not asleep yet if you want to talk to him.”

  “Thank you, Sharon.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie.” She gives me a hug, grabs her purse, and slips out the door.

  I tiptoe down the hall, trying to be quiet in case Dad is already asleep, but when I pass by his room, he calls to me.

  Closing my eyes, I stop outside his door. Part of me wants to keep walking, get into the shower, and act like I didn’t hear him. But that’s not fair to either of us.

  We haven’t talked much since the other night at the Allens’ when he told me I was hovering. We’ve been living around each other, neither one of us ready to break the ice. I’m not sure I’m ready now, but I might as well get it over with.

  “Hey, Daddy.” I push his door open. “Everything okay?”

  He taps the side of his bed with his fingers. The floor squeaks beneath my feet as I move across the room. Lowering the bedrail, I place my hands under his arms, stuff a pillow behind his back and sit down.

  “You w-worked late t-tonight.”

  “I had a horse come in today. Palomino. She’s real pretty.”

  “W-w-was she spooked?”

  “A little. I stayed until she was settled. Sorry I wasn’t home for din
ner.”

  “That’s o-okay.” He places his hand over mine. “I’m s-sorry about the other d-day—” Dad’s words turn into a cough. I grab the glass of water from his nightstand. Tilting it to his lips, I help him take a sip.

  “Better?”

  He nods.

  “You don’t have to apologize, Dad. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “I know y-you didn’t. I sh-shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Yes, you should. I do too much for you. I need to let you be more independent.” Swallowing, I look at our joined hands.

  “T-talk to me, M-mo.”

  “It’s all just so overwhelming sometimes,” I admit, tears blurring my eyes. “I get up at the ass crack of dawn, work all day, come home and take care of you, and sometimes it’s easier to do things for you than wait for you to do them on your own, because all I can think about is taking a hot shower and crawling into bed.”

  I hate the words coming from my mouth. They make me feel weak and like a horrible daughter, but they’re the truth. “I’m so sorry, Daddy.”

  He tugs my hand. A wave of heat washes over me as I lower myself onto the bed. I curl up next to my dad like I did as a young girl. He tries to quiet me, running his good hand over the top of my head, but it’s useless. Pressing my face into his shirt, I cry. My shoulders heave and sobs burst from my throat. Only when my tears begin to dry does he speak.

  “We need t-to talk about Animal H-Haven.”

  “What about it?” I sit up and wipe the tears from my face.

  “It’s t-t-time.”

  “I don’t understand. Time for what?”

  “To c-close it.”

  “What? No!” I gasp, scooting back on the bed. “No way. Why would you want to do that?”

  “You can g-go back to school, and I can go t-t-to go to a nice h—”

  “Don’t say it,” I hiss. “Don’t you dare say it. There’s no way I’m putting you in some shady nursing home.”

  “It’s not your ch-choice, M-mo. It’s m-mine. It’s also m-my choice whether or n-not to c-c-close Animal H-Haven.”

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this. Jesus Christ, Dad. I can’t get back into the vet program. It’s too late. They’ll never accept me, and I’m not sure I’d even want to go back. Animal Haven is my life. If you take it away, what will I have left?”

  “It isn’t your l-life. It stole your l-life. I only w-want you to be h-happy.”

  Emotion clogs my throat. “I am happy,” I whisper, a fresh wave of tears falling down my face. “I’m happy,” I repeat, unsure who I’m trying to convince.

  Even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice, and if I can’t convince myself, there’s no way I’ll convince him. “Let me think about it. Promise you won’t do anything until we have more time to talk.”

  Pinching his lips together, he nods.

  My emotions are running high, and I need to get out of here. “I’m going to take a shower.” I pull the pillow from behind him, help him lie down, and kiss his forehead. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Emotionally and physically spent, I walk down the hall, stripping out of my clothes along the way. In the shower, steaming hot water flows over my body, easing my aching muscles. I stand under the spray for far longer than normal, taking my time as I wash my hair and scrub my body—and only because I’m hopeful Rhett will come over, I shave my legs.

  My body is refreshed, but my heart is still bruised as I climb out. The soft cotton of the towel feels good when I wrap it around my body. I stand in front of the mirror until the fog clears, and then I stare at my reflection.

  Somewhere along the way, I lost myself. I lost Mo Gallagher, and as much as I want to find her again, I don’t know where to start. If Dad decides to shut down Animal Haven, I don’t know what I’ll do. I can’t imagine an existence that doesn’t involve those animals day in and day out.

  Visions of a bitchy cat pop into my head just as a knock sounds at the front door. It could really only be one person, so I don’t bother putting on my clothes. With water dripping from my hair and a white towel knotted between my breasts, I pad down the hall. I peek through the blinds to make sure it’s Rhett before opening the door.

  “Hey.”

  “Jesus Christ, Mo. You can’t answer the door like this.” He pushes his way into the house and shuts the door. “Please tell me this isn’t a thing for you.”

  “Gotta be honest, Rhett, I didn’t expect you to be so upset about it.”

  “Trust me,” he breathes, pulling me into his arms. “I’m anything but upset. Intrigued? Yes. Horny as fuck? Hell yes. Upset? Not one bit.”

  “Shhhh,” I laugh, covering his mouth with my own. “My dad is sleeping in the other room.”

  “Sorry,” he whispers, pulling me in for another kiss. “Guess that means I can’t have my way with you.”

  “Is that what you were hoping for? A quickie?” Not that that sounds bad—I’m just not sure it’s something I can do with my dad in the other room.

  Wrapping his hand around the wet strands of my hair, he tugs, forcing me to look up at him. “You and I will never be a quick fuck. Understood?”

  I push up on my toes, sealing my lips over his. “Understood.”

  “I feel like a teenager sneaking into his girlfriend’s house while her parents are gone.” He makes a face. “Only your dad is home. I’m thinking we should sit at least three feet apart on the couch, and you better not touch me, Mo Gallagher.” He pushes me away from him.

  I laugh, reaching for him. “This is exactly what I needed. You are what I needed tonight.”

  “Bad night?”

  I shrug, not wanting to rehash everything. I just want to cuddle up with Rhett and enjoy being in his arms. “Long day.”

  “What can I do to make it better?” He rubs his hands up and down my arms. “You know what? I’ve got an idea. Follow me.” He kicks off his shoes and leads me down the hall. “Is your room still on the right?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He pulls me into my room and locks the door behind us.

  “You do realize my dad can’t get out of bed on his own.”

  “Right.” He furrows his brow but leaves the door locked as he drags me to the edge of my bed. “You are way overdressed, Ms. Gallagher.” Dipping a finger in the top of my towel, he tugs it down until the knot loosens and it falls around my hips.

  Goosebumps scatter across my body as his eyes sweep over me.

  “You’re so beautiful, baby.” Snaking his arm around my waist, he hauls me in close. He cradles my jaw while his eyes search mine. “I would kill to make love to you right now.”

  “No need to commit a felony.” Wrapping my fingers around his, I guide his hand away from my face and press it between my legs.

  “Mo,” he hisses, sliding two fingers along my slit. He pushes them inside, and I buck my hips against his hand. “This isn’t why I brought you in here.” His voice is thick—strained—and the gritty sound settles between my legs, creating a rush of moisture.

  “Maybe this is what I want.”

  “Not tonight, baby. Tonight, I’ve got other plans.” He drags his fingers out of my pussy, circles them along my clit, and pushes back in.

  His touch lights my body on fire. I moan, rotating my hips, a silent plea to keep going. “Please, don’t stop,” I pant.

  Rhett’s mouth captures mine in a heated kiss. His teeth bite lightly on my lower lip before sucking it into his mouth, making me shudder. I grasp his wrist, encouraging him to push harder, faster.

  “You like that?” His lips move down my neck. He sucks at the soft spot behind my ear as he curls both fingers deep inside me.

  My stomach clenches tight as waves of electricity shoot through my body.

  “That’s it, baby, let go for me,” he coaxes, and like the good girl I am, my body follows his command.

  Rhett slows his hand to an aching pace, riding out the remainder of my orgasm, but when I r
each for his cock, he shakes his head.

  “Nope. Tonight is about you, and I’ve got plans. Follow me.”

  With my hand in his, Rhett leads me to the en-suite bathroom. After my mom left, and I hit puberty, Dad switched rooms with me so I could have my own attached bathroom. And on a night like tonight, I’m so grateful. I try not to be self-conscious about the state of my house, but it’s difficult when I’m here with Rhett. He probably has one of those big fancy tubs with a walk-in shower, and all I’ve got is a stained vinyl tub, accented by eighties floral wall paper.

  But he doesn’t seem to mind. He leans into the tub, twists the stopper, and turns the knob. He keeps his hand under the water as he adjusts the temperature, and when he gets it just right, he turns to me.

  “Where’s your girly shit?”

  “What makes you think I have girly shit?”

  “Every girl has some sort of girly shit.”

  “Under the sink.”

  He leans down and starts pulling things out, setting them on the counter one by one. Lavender oil. Bubble bath. Three peony-scented candles. Taking the bottle of bubble bath, he dumps a solid stream into the water and adds a few drops of lavender. I almost ask how he got so good at drawing bubble baths, but then I remember it probably involves another woman and I’d rather not know.

  “Lighter?”

  I disappear from the bathroom, coming back a few seconds later with the lighter. By the time he lights the candles and places them around the room, the tub is almost full.

  He turns off the water. “Your bubble bath awaits,” he says, motioning toward the bathtub. It’s overflowing with bubbles, and when he flicks off the bathroom light, we’re surrounded by the smell of lavender and the faint glow of the candles.

  “But I already took a shower,” I say, flicking the ends of my still-wet hair.

  “Fine, suit yourself.” Rhett tugs off his shirt, followed by his jeans, boxers, and socks. “I’ll get in.”

  “Not without me you won’t.” I scurry across the tiny space.

  Rhett climbs in first. He stretches his legs out as far as they’ll go, but they’re still bent, and he can’t be at all comfortable.

  “Come here.” He holds out a hand, helping me into the tub.