Rhett in Love (Rhett #2)(3)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Rhett, you know I don’t want a baby. And who knows, maybe I won’t even have a baby with you when the time comes for me to have a baby.” She gave me a look and turned around and my heart started thudding. What was she talking about?

“What are you talking about, Clementine?” I frowned and grabbed her around the waist.

“I’m saying don’t worry, there are other men that would love to be my baby’s father.”

“What other men?” I growled down into her face.

“Men you don’t know.” She licked her lips slowly. “Men that would—”

“Clementine, there are no other men for you.” I kissed her hard. “And that’s not even—”

“It was just a joke, Rhett.” She pulled back and smiled sweetly and rubbed my cheek.

“What?” I frowned, my heartbeat slowing down. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Just like your joke wasn’t funny.” She smiled and I shook my head.

“Touché.”

“Rhett, you need to calm down.” She squeezed my hands. “This is new for both of us. We’ve been best friends for years and neither one of us knew it would become a relationship. There are still going to be days that we annoy each other and that’s fine. It doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to look for a new man or that you’re going to look for a new girl. It’s just how relationships go.”

“You better not go finding a new man.” I took a deep breath as a feeling of fear hit me. I felt like I’d been slapped in the face. I’d never considered Clementine leaving me to be with anyone else. It had never crossed my mind. Yes, she was beautiful and yes other men were interested in her, but it had never crossed my mind that she would give them a chance. So why then, was she bringing it up? Was she considering dating someone else? I frowned as my heart dropped. What if Clementine was done with me, already? Maybe my jokes weren’t as funny now that we were dating.

“Rhett?” She frowned as she looked at me, concern in her eyes.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I laughed and she leaned forward to kiss me, her eyes full of love. I ran my hands down her back and grinned. Who was I kidding? Of course, Clementine would never leave me. We were made for each other and I was Rhett. I was the man that every girl wanted to be with. And Clementine had been lucky enough to catch me. There was no way she’d even look at another guy. No way at all. I tried to ignore the voice in the back of my head that reminded me that I still checked out other girls. It wasn’t like I was looking to hook up, but how could I not check out the goods?

Chapter Two

Clementine

All good things one day begin.

If I knew the words I’d sing,

I’d sing it loud so we could hear.

We have only this one chance. Let’s take it my dear. Let’s taste it my dear.

“Back to Blue” by David Berkeley – The Fire In My Head

Rhett’s blue eyes looked confused as he held me in his arms. I touched his shoulder softly to let him know that we were good. I decided not to tell him that I’d had a scare last week. I didn’t think it was the right time. No, I don’t want a baby right now, Rhett, but last week I thought there was a chance it had happened anyway. That would go down real well. I hid a smile as I imagined how shocked and scared Rhett would look. He’d be like a big baby himself. There was no way I could deal with two babies right now. And I knew he’d be mad at me. I was the one that hadn’t gone and gotten the pill and I was the one that had asked him to enter me without a condom on. I bit down on my lower lip. I’d been stupid. Even though he hadn’t come inside of me, I knew the risks.

“What are you thinking about?” Rhett asked me softly.

“I’m thinking that this is an all too serious moment, right now.”

“So what do you want to do?” He batted his eyelashes at me and I laughed. I’d never seen a guy that was so cocky and self-assured. Only my Rhett would think he could bat his eyelashes and get sex.

“Isn’t that something girls are meant to do?” I said and then giggled.

“Huh?”

“Bat their eyelashes when they want sex.” I teased him. “And just in case you got the wrong idea, no we’re not about to have sex.”

“Why not?” He pouted.

“Because I have homework and we need to tidy up.”

“Well, we don’t have to tidy up…” His voice trailed off and I wanted to burst out laughing. Rhett was in such denial about the mess in the apartment. He was constantly blaming me for being a slob, but most of the mess was his. He was under the mistaken impression that he was some sort of clean freak because his place back home had always been clean, but that had only been because he had a maid that tidied up behind him.

“Excuse me Rhett Madison?”

“It’s your clothes everywhere.” He shrugged and gave me a look.

“Rhett, my clothes are everywhere because you pull them off of me, because you want to have sex everywhere.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Do you really think I’m disrobing and changing in the kitchen?”

“Your bra was on top of the fridge the other day.”

“Because you came behind me when I was cooking.” My voice rose and I laughed. “You’re in some serious denial. You know that right, Rhett?”

“Who me?” He shook his head. “I think not.” His lips turned up in a grin and he paused. “Well, now that you come to explain it a bit, I guess I can see some of your points.”

“Uh huh.”

“I just thought you’d be a bit tidier Clementine O’Hara.” He flashed his teeth. “Considering you’re a young Southern lady, I thought you’d know how to keep house a bit better.”

“What?” My jaw dropped open at his words. “Are you joking right now?”

“Bad time to joke?” He winked at me and I wrinkled my nose at him.

“Rhett, go and do something. I need to study.” I looked at my watch and sighed. “Holden is coming over tonight.”

“Hole who?” He froze and his eyes became alert.

“Holden, my assignment partner.” I said slowly and looked away. “I told you about him, remember?”

“Noooo,” he drawled. “I’ve never heard about him before in my life.”

“You most probably weren’t paying attention to me.”