I just barely kept in theawwwthat wanted to escape.I had to change the subject.“Thank youforthat.”
“It’s thetruth.”
Then he rolled off the bed and lifted me into his arms.“Come on, Red.Time for ashower.”
Wet andnaked?
My mind flipped back into dirty mode.“What else is happening in thatshower?”
Rhett looked down at me, his eyes flashing in the early signs of sunrise cutting through the high windows.“WhateverIwant.”
Annnnd, I’m agoner.
34
Ariel
My eyes flewopen as I rolled over and a hand slipped off my hip.The morning sun blazed through the blinds, but it wasn’t the sun that was new today.No, it was the large source of body heat to myright.
For the first time in my life, I didn’timaginewaking up next to Rhett Hennessy.Iactuallywoke up next to him.Which meant the vivid scenes playing through my head were memories, notfantasies.
I lay there, my eyes darting back and forth as though they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.Rhett’s dark blond hair was truly on the pillow nexttomine.
Even though last night I’d convinced myself he was no longer some figure of mythical proportions staring down from me on his pedestal, it was still overwhelming tocomprehend.
My body ached in places I wasn’t sure it had ever ached before.I bit down on my lip to keep the hysterical giggle trappedinside.
Real Rhett beat the dream Rhett every day of the week, and apparently three times on Sunday.Even in theshower.
My gaze stroked over his thick biceps as I recalled the way he’d held me pinned against the wall.He was just as strong as helooked.
But if last night with Rhett actually happened, that means...My thoughts took a dark turn as I recalled standing in the emergency room as my father was wheeled in and out for aCTscan.
Last night was both a dream and a nightmare.My hopes and fears collided all at once.I’d felt helpless, but Rhett had given me hisstrength.
Andhisdick.
I choked on a breath.My brain apparently didn’t understand the solemnity of certain thoughts right now.In fact, as the synapses started firing, chaos reigned and there was only one way to corral it back into order.Coffee.
Even though I loathed the thought of leaving the bed, I had to move.Had to push forward, or I’d find myself curled up next to Rhett, covers over my head, refusing to ever get up because I didn’t want to face the day, and that wasn’t how I operated.I took things, good and bad,headon.
When I slipped out from under the covers, he didn’t move.Halfway around the bed, I found his dress shirt from last night and shrugged it on, buttoning it as I walked towardthedoor.
The scent of coffee was absent as I hit the hallway leading to the kitchen because I hadn’t set the coffeemaker timer.Every day I’d been in New Orleans, Carver had woken up before me and had it brewed and waiting.Given last night, I doubted Carver would set foot inside the house unless there was some kind ofcrisis.
I got the coffee going and stared out the window over the lake, watching as the sun rose higher in the sky.Dad’s waking up in a hospital bed this morning because we couldn’t keephimsafe.
Last night had scared the hell out of me.I wasn’t used to worrying about my father this way.He’d always been the most capable, larger-than-life manIknew.
I can’t lose him too.My shoulders drooped as I wrapped my arms around my body and squeezedtight.
Lost in my depressed thoughts, I missed the sound of footsteps coming toward me, and didn’t feel his presence until Rhett closed his armsovermine.
“It kills me to see you like this, Ari.I promise we’re going to make everything right again.As right as I can possiblymakeit.”
His chest pressed against my back and warmed my entire body.I wished I could soak up his strength and confidence as easily as I soaked up hisbodyheat.
“We have to make sure this never happens again with Dad ...and I have no idea how to protect him if he won’tletme.”