“Of course. I could never tell her no and ask her to jump down. Look at that face.”
Rhett gives a half smile to Tater before turning back to me.
“I didn’t stop except to let Tater stretch her legs and pee. It was a slow drive and I…I’m not prepared for how much this actually hurts.”
He lifts his hand, and while there’s no seeping of blood through the bandage, I know how much a throbbing pain can rob you of literally everything.
“Are you hungry? You should eat something to keep yourself healthy.”
“If it’s not too much trouble. I’m starving. It’s hard to eat and drive with one hand.”
He sits to take off his boots, and I allow him a few seconds on his own before I gently kneel at his feet and push his hands away. After tugging off one boot, his hand lands on my neck, and I glance up before tugging off his second boot.
He says nothing, but he swallows and nods in thanks before following me to the kitchen. After putting a pot of water on the stove, I gather the ingredients I ran out to get earlier. Just in case.
I sneak a glance at Rhett when I place a glass of water in front of him and those eyes…fuck. They don’t miss a thing.
“You’re making pastina? The dish I said I’d show you how to make?”
“Yeah. You said it was your favourite, and I looked it up.”
Rhett stares at me before reaching for his water. The glass shakes as he brings it to his lips, and I turn back to the pot on the stove. After adding the pasta and stirring, Rhett speaks behind me.
“If you use chicken broth instead of water, it’s a richer flavour.”
“See? Still teaching me.” I smile at him over my shoulder. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
After draining the pasta, I add it back to the pot and crack the egg into the warm pasta. It cooks quickly, and I add the gratedfresh parmesan, stirring until it melts, and I have a consistency the recipe describes as ‘creamy.’
It barely takes ten minutes to cook, and after scooping a bowl full, I place it in front of Rhett.
“Do you have any more painkillers? Eat and then take them if you do. It’s easier on the stomach.”
“Just something over the counter. I didn’t see a doctor or anything.” He lifts the spoon and takes a mouthful. “Mmm, Dee, this is good and exactly what I needed. Thank you.”
Tasting the dish straight from the pot, I nod. “This is pretty good. Not bad for my first time, then?”
He grins around another spoonful. “Nope. You’re a natural, but now what am I supposed to cook for you when I move in?”
I know Rhett enjoys it and wants to cook for me, but his tone rattles me. Like he has an underlying panic now to come up with something else that maybe he didn’t want to make.
“Well, you don’t have to cook me anything. I can do it for you. You’ll be busy with moving, and you’re down a hand. Let me help you.”
“You have a life, Diamond. You run a business, and you’re busy. I don’t expect you to drop everything for me because I have a cut on my hand.”
He shovels another spoonful of pasta into his mouth with more aggression than my spoon deserves.
“No, you’re right. I’m busy, but you know what I have time for?” My spoon clatters against the bowl, and Rhett looks up. “You. I will always have time for you, and I will always want to make your life easier because I care. That’s just how I am, and I hope you don’t have some stupid macho attitude over it because…” I trail off, almost admitting I’m stupidly in love with the man already.
“No,” he whispers as he shakes his head and stares into his empty bowl. “I’m just not used to someone doing those things.”
It takes me a minute to pick up on what he’s saying.
“People who care about you don’t help?”
His laugh is sad. “People who said they cared never did. I’m used to being alone and just…doing it all, Diamond. This is… a lot.”
Jesus Christ. I thought the way my ex treated me was bad, but this man has been a doormat for too long if someone offering to cook for him is over the top.
