Rhett in Love (Rhett #2)(5)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“You’re such a goof.” I shook my head after my laughter subsided. “What am I going to do with you, Rhett Madison?”

“I’m going to plead the fifth as I’m not sure you’ll appreciate my answer.” He grinned and then winked at me again. “However, I can make it easy for you.”

“Make what easy for me?” I frowned as I watched him pulling his shirt off. I stared at his bare chest and tried not to burn my eyes out staring at his abs. I didn’t understand abs. How did they even exist? How did a stomach go from fat to a well-defined and chiseled piece of art? I ran my fingers down his six-pack and licked my lips. “You wish.”

“You do too.”

“Rhett, I already told you, Holden is coming over and we’re going to study.”

“I don’t know Holden and I don’t care about Holden. What sort of name is Holden anyway?”

“Rhett.” I frowned at him and ran to my phone when I heard it beeping. “I think that might be him.”

“He’s here already?”

“Yes.” I read my text messages. “Please be nice.”

“I’m always nice.” He looked at me with a surly expression. “Why wouldn’t I be nice to Holdy?”

“Holden.” I rolled my eyes.

“At least he’s holding and not grabbing.”

“Rhett!”

“I’d have to give him a beat down if he tried to grab you.” He cocked his head. “In fact I’d have to give him a beat down if he tried to hold you as well.”

“Will you behave?”

“Do you love me?” He asked me softly as I hurried around the apartment and grabbed every item that didn’t belong on the ground and threw it into our bedroom.

“What?” I paused as I grabbed up a pair of his boots and ran past him.

“Do you love me?” He stopped me from moving.

“You know I do.”

“Good.” He smiled and nodded. “That’s all I wanted to hear.”

“You’re crazy, you know that right?”

“I’m crazy in love with you.” He whispered in my ear and my heart started thudding. How many years had I waited to hear someone say that to me? Not even I could have imagined that my Rhett would have finally grown up and fallen in love with me. I’d never believed that fairytales could come true before. “Never forget that.” He said quietly.

“I’ll never forget that.” I looked into his eyes. “You know that right?”

His eyes continued to stare into mine and I saw that lost look that sometimes took over his face. The look that told me that even though he was here with me, he wasn’t really here. He was thinking about something. He was in another place. A place where he was young, lost, scared Rhett. A place where all his bravado and charisma, was gone. It was a place I’d seen him in many times before, but it was a place we never spoke about.

“Be a good girl or I’ll spank you.” He joked finally and looked away. “You better go and let Holden in or he’ll start to wonder what’s going on.”

“I’m sure he’s already wondering that.” I laughed and kissed Rhett quickly on the lips. “Don’t mess the apartment up while I go down and get him.”

“Don’t be too long or I’ll send a search party down.” He called after me as I ran to the front door so that I could go downstairs to let Holden into the apartment building. I smiled to myself as I made my way down and tried to remind myself that I needed to speak to Rhett later about what was bothering him because something was obviously bothering him. I wasn’t sure if he was having cold feet about us. It was a weird situation that we were in, going from best friends to lovers and living together in such a short time. I felt like we’d never really gotten to experience what it was like to just date, without the pressure. We’d moved in together so quickly. We’d gone from Rhett and Clementine, best friends to Rhett and Clementine, serious boyfriend and girlfriend. There had been no in-between.

“Hey Holden, sorry about the delay.”

“No worries.” He grinned at me as I let him in. “I thought I had the wrong building for a minute.”

“No sorry, my boyfriend had clothes everywhere and I was just trying to tidy up before you came up.”

“Oh you didn’t have to tidy up for me.” He flashed his perfect white teeth at me. “I don’t mind a bit of a mess.”

“Oh I couldn’t have you coming over to a mess.”

“I guess it’s the Southern girl in you.” He laughed. “Most girls in Boston don’t care.” He winked at me and I could see that his green eyes were laughing. I stared at him and tried not to ogle him. Holden looked like a young Ben Affleck and I couldn’t stop myself from admiring his serious, studious expression. He was so unlike the guys I’d known back home.

“That could be it. Come on up. I’m sure Rhett’s wondering what’s taking so long.”

“And Rhett is your young man?”

“He’s my boyfriend yes.” I nodded as we walked up the stairs. “We were best friends for years and just recently started dating.”

“Really?” He seemed surprised. “And you guys are living together already?”

“Well, I know it seems fast, but we—”

“What seems fast?” Rhett stood at the front door and surveyed Holden as we walked into the apartment.

“Holden this is Rhett, Rhett, this is Holden.”

“I’m her boyfriend, Rhett.” Rhett held his hand out and his blue eyes narrowed as he took in Holden’s appearance. A part of me thought it was funny that he was acting so possessive and the other part of me was annoyed.

“Holden, her new friend.” Holden turned to me and gave me a smile. “At least, I hope you consider me a friend.”

“Of course I do.” I beamed at him. “You’re my first friend in Boston and at Harvard. It’s not easy being the new girl; especially being from the South.”

“What’s wrong with being from the South?” Rhett frowned.

“There’s nothing wrong with being from the South.” Holden said diplomatically. “I think there’s just an idea of what people are like who are from the South. Good ol’ boys and all that.”

“Good ol’ boys?” Rhett gave me a look and then turned back to Holden. “What does that mean?”