Chapter Twenty-Four
Rhett
I’m acutely aware of the warm press of Pippa’s body against me in the back seat. Every brush of her fingers against mine sends sparks surging up my arm. There is a low hum of anticipation running under my skin. There is no other way to put it: I’m hyper-aroused.
We pull up at the beach house driveway and get out of the car. I bid my chauffeur goodnight, and we head for the front door. Neither of us speaks. My blood drums in my ears. Once we step inside, Pippa smiles at me.
“I’m going to get ready for bed,” she says softly, and heads for the stairs.
My cock is throbbing and hard as a rock, but all I say is, “Goodnight, Pippa.”
She looks back over her shoulder at me, and the smile she gives me is small but unmistakably mischievous. Then she disappears up the stairs. That look! Jessica Rabbit wants to get naked with me. I linger in the hallway for a second, every instincturging me to go after her, but I tell myself to wait. Be patient. Jessica Rabbit has a plan up her sleeve.
I pour myself a glass of whiskey and stand watching the restless dark waves outside as I drink it.
From the moment Pippa stood before me in that bar, I felt something, but I didn’t realize what. I thought it was lust, pure and simple. She was smoking hot, and I wanted her. Her presence scrambled my brain. I couldn’t think straight around her. Hell, let’s be honest here. I was desperate to have her. People who know me would be astonished if they hear Rhett Remington came up with a plan as pathetic as ‘let’s pretend I’m your boyfriend to make your ex jealous’. I shake my head. She obliterated all rational thought from my mind. I was smitten. The wait has been unbearable, but I know she will be worth it. I can no longer resist the pull of her.
I lay the empty glass on the cabinet and climb the stairs. The faint scent of Pippa’s perfume lingers in the air. My steps echo on the granite stairs. As I reach the top, a movement catches my eye, a flash of red and black moving down the dimly lit landing.
Ah, sweet, sexy Pippa.
I stop dead when she steps in front of one of the windows, fully lit by the moonlight shining in. The delicate red and black lace clings to her curves in a daring and completely irresistible way. Her hair falls loosely around her shoulders, her face is clear of makeup, and there’s a half-smile on her face, a mixture of nerves and seduction that has my pulse spiking.
She catches sight of me and freezes.
She’s standing, as if poised to flee, but the look in her eyes is a challenge and a dare all rolled into one. I can’t resist it. I can’t resist her. Not for a second longer. This is her sending me a very clear message.
Without a word, I close the distance between us. Seizing her by her waist, I tug her into my arms. The moment our bodiesconnect, the world narrows down to just me and her. I lean down, my lips brushing hers before our mouths lock, and I give in to the deep hunger that’s been building since the first time I saw her in her rabbit outfit.
She kisses me back passionately, her hands pressing against my chest as if she’s testing the boundaries of where I end and she begins. My hands move up to her hair. Grasping a handful of glossy red hair, I tilt her head back, deepening the kiss. There’s no hesitation, no holding back from her either, just the raw outpouring of chemistry between us, electric and undeniable.
She pulls away slightly, just enough to look at me, her eyes wide and her chest heaving. “Rhett, is this really a good idea?” she asks breathlessly. “Vanessa is off your back. And … I … I still want George.”
George. That fool! But I keep my voice calm and measured. “Of course you do. I completely understand, but right now, you want me. Can you deny the attraction between us?”
She shakes her head distractedly.
“We’re adults,” I coax. “We can have sex without complicating it. We know what we want. Don’t tell me you’re not curious to know how good it could be between us.”
“But I don’t want to do anything I’ll regret. I think George is starting to come around.”
“George is coming around. That’s great, but there’ll be nothing to regret. You don’t owe him any loyalty. He broke up with you, and I got the impression in London that Claudia and he were not platonic friends. He was getting laid. So, what’s the harm if you have a bit of fun tonight? After tonight, you can always go back to London and get him back if you still want to.”
Her lips part slightly. I can see the lust and longing in her eyes, but she hesitates. I can almost see the wheels turning behind her eyes.
“I … I’ve only ever been with George,” she admits quietly. “I don’t know … what it would even feel like with someone else.”
That triggers something fierce in me. What I feel in that moment is pure desire. She is so close to offering herself to me in the rawest, most intoxicating way. And I want it. I want her. I know I can rock her world.
“Well then, George is a bigger fool than I thought. I’m here if you want to find out what sex with someone else would be like. The ball’s in your court, baby.”
“Just sex? No promises. No expectations.”
“Just sex. No promises. No expectations,” I lie softly.
Her eyes flick to mine, measuring, weighing, and I see that flash of decision, the flicker of daring, of wanting even if it’s dangerous.
“I still want George back,” she says softly. “But you’re right. He forfeited my loyalty with his actions, and there is definitely something between us. Yes, I do want you, what woman wouldn’t, but it’ll probably just be this once tonight. Are you ok with that?”
