"Hey." Rhett's voice pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. His hand cupped my cheek, thumb brushing over my bottom lip. "Where'd you go just now?"
"Nowhere," I lied, then sighed when he raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Just... you're right. About Aimee. She needs to feel safe tonight."
"She does." Rhett nodded, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "And we have plenty of time. My hole is yours. After all, you're my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend," I repeated.
He grinned, unaffected. "Yep. I'm not going anywhere."
The simple assurance eased something in my chest, though not entirely. I let him lead me to the bed, watching as he pulled back the covers and slid beneath them. He held them up for me, an invitation I couldn't resist even with my mind still churning with uncertainty.
I joined him, the sheets cool against my heated skin. Rhett immediately pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me as he tucked my head under his chin. It felt good—safe and warm and right—but I couldn't shake the nagging voice in my head asking if this was just physical for him, if I was just a placeholder until he could have who he really wanted.
"I can hear you thinking," Rhett murmured, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my back. "Stop it."
I huffed out a laugh against his collarbone. "Can't. It's my natural state." I almost told him then—almost asked what we were to each other, what he felt for me versus what he felt for Aimee. But the vulnerability of the moment froze the words in my throat. Instead, I shrugged, trying for nonchalance.
"Just thinking about what happened today. The snakes, that asshole in the hall... it's a lot."
Rhett's expression softened. "Yeah, it was fucked up. But Aimee's safe now, and the cops took the box and the dead snake as evidence. They'll find whoever did this."
"I hope so." The thought of someone hurting Aimee made my blood boil. Despite my conflicted feelings about Rhett's interest in her, she was precious to me, a beautiful, brilliant light that I only wanted to hold close and protect.
Rhett nuzzled against me, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. "You were a brave, sexy hero today, and it makes me want you so bad. Even if you did hide behind me when the snakes appeared."
"I didn't hide," I protested weakly. "I was providing backup."
His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, T."
He kissed me again, softer this time, less hungry but no less affecting. It was a kiss that spoke of affection, of comfort, of connection. I melted into it, letting myself believe for a moment that maybe we were on the same page after all.
When he pulled back, his eyes were dark and serious. "You know what I keep thinking about?" he whispered, his voice dropping to a register that sent shivers down my spine.
"Snakes?" I asked.
He laughed. "No. Well, maybe trouser snakes." He gave my dick a pointed look. "But, I don't know. Having a boyfriend has really introduced some fun new material into my sexual fantasies."
"What?" I asked. I wanted to tell him how much the word boyfriend meant to me, how much it settled the worry that lingered in my chest, but Rhett barreled on before I could, a hand roaming over my chest as he spoke. "The hottest thing I can imagine would be you fucking me while I'm fucking Aimee."
Of course he'd gone somewhere horny while I was over here panicking. Rhett's filthy mind could make my body change gears so fast I got whiplash, and the words hit me like a physical blow, sending heat flooding through me. The image formed in my mind instantly, vivid and explicit—Rhett buried deep inside Aimee, her blonde hair spread across the pillow, her blue eyes half-lidded with pleasure. My cock hardened again, and I pressed closer to him, grinding a little as I imagined how he'd look, lost in the most intense pleasure imaginable as I grippedhis hips and thrust into him, forcing him deeper into Aimee with each movement.
"Fuck," I breathed. "That's... fuck."
Rhett chuckled, the sound dark and knowing. "Yeah. Been thinking about it for days. The three of us together." He nipped at my earlobe and reached between my legs, moaning as he found me hard and wet for his fantasy. "You've thought about her too, haven't you? Don't lie."
I swallowed hard, unable to deny it with my cock pulsing in his hand. "Yeah. I have."
"Knew it." His smile was smug, but there was something else in his expression—a vulnerability I hadn't expected. "Think she'd ever be into it? Into us?"
The question hung in the air between us, loaded with implication. Into us. Not just into him, not just into me. Us. As a unit, a package deal. The thought made my chest tight with hope.
"Maybe," I said, trying to sound more casual than I felt. "She did dare us to kiss that day."
"Mmm," Rhett agreed, his eyes drifting closed as he let go of my dick and settled more comfortably against me. "I'm pretty sure she was turned on by that, too."
"Oh, she was. I saw how horny she looked after you fled the scene."
"I did not flee the scene. I ran to my room to frantically jerk off."
