Rhettdrummedhisthumbagainst the steering wheel, a half smile softening his face, and I knew I was in trouble.
Maybe if I hadn’t given in to temptation and kissed him, I could make it out of this alive.
Or maybe I was doomed to a string of never-ending heartbreaks as I fell head over heels for the first person to show even the mildest interest in me.
Ross was blabbing in the backseat, going on about their new alpha, and how he hoped to train with him in the spring. He named six different types of guns, and how Rhett was going to teach him to shoot all of them.
Even that wasn’t alarming enough to drag me out of my dread.
I resisted the urge to touch my chest, where that tugging sensation was so strong I felt like my heart was trying to escape. The more I noticed it, the more it seemed to be pointing in the direction of the driver’s seat, where Rhett was nodding absently at his little brother.
Dustin had disappeared up the stairs with the bartender at some point, leaving us to truck Ross home. Rhett wasn’t happy, but he seemed less agitated than I expected.
When we first met, I thought he was the cold, silent type. Seeing him with his family made me realize that he wasn’t cold at all.
Quiet, yes. And careful. Thoughtful about everything he did.
But warm. So warm that I wanted to wrap myself in him like a blanket.
I snuggled deeper into my coat, and seconds later Rhett’s hand shot to the dial for the heater, making sure it was cranked as high as it could go.
The pit in my stomach expanded.
It was a good night. Such a good night. Why couldn’t I just enjoy the experience and be happy that I had it at all?
A peaceful family dinner. Dancing without feeling judged. Being the center of a man’s attention and not feeling pressure to give something in return.
I could take all of that home with me, holding tight to the memories of this brief trip as a reminder. This was possible. If it existed here, with Rhett, it could exist for me. Just because we were pretending didn’t mean that a man like that—a family like that—wasn’t out there for me.
That sensation in my chest hardened, and I had the weirdest feeling like it was unhappy with my train of thought.
As if it were a living thing.
Okay, time to get some sleep.
I followed Rhett and Ross into the house, through the kitchen, and down a long hallway. Ross waved goodnight, disappearing behind one of the closed doors.
Rhett opened the one across the hall, guiding me inside with a palm on my lower back. My duffel bag sat on a neatly made bedbeside his suitcase. It looked domestic. Normal. Out of place in the sea of emotions crashing inside me.
I took in the rest of the room. One queen-size bed, one desk, and a dozen family photos on the wall.
I eyed the floor, finding a decent sized space where I could sleep. After last night, it shouldn’t be a big deal to share a bed.
We were still mature adults.
Mature adults who kissed the hell out of each other.
For someone who was just pretending to make his family happy, Rhett went all in on that kiss.
I finally gave in, pressing my index finger to my lips, and it made me shudder. They were still so sensitive, like the feel of him was branded into me.
Rhett noticed me shivering and tossed our bags to the side, pulling the blanket back so I could climb in bed.
“Sorry, we keep it cold in here.”
I waved his apology away. “Being a shifter probably saves on the heating bill.”
I ignored my nerves, climbing onto the far side of the bed and yanking the blanket over me. Itwascold in here, and my thin shirt and leggings were doing literally nothing to keep me warm.
