Rhett Rivers

Chapter 4

Rhett's POV 

Astrid didn't remember me last night. But I did.

Every fucking second.

How in the hell did you expect me to forget the taste of her?

The feel of her thighs clenching around my hips. The wild look in her eyes when she moaned my name like it meant something.

It was good she didn't remember me even though I thought it was the most dangerous thing I'd ever wanted.

But I couldn't let myself obsess over it. Not now. Not when Micah was back in town, and I was crashing under his roof like nothing happened.

I kept it cool that morning, and played along through breakfast Micah had prepared.

Later that afternoon, Micah dragged me to the gym downtown, and insisted we needed to spend time together.

Micah was a busy man. It's been months since I last saw him, and when he told me to come stay at his place with Astrid, I didn't expect he'd return sooner.

I had woken up to see the bed empty with no sign of Astrid. That was when I got a text from Micah about reaching the airport and wanting me to come pick him up.

I snapped myself back to reality, my gaze focused on Micah who punched a bag like it had disputes to settle with him.

“Are you still thinking about the contract project with…um…what did you call it again?” I rubbed my temple and tossed him a bottle of water. 

“Halverton Group.” Micah rolled his eyes.

“Right. Yeah. That's the one.” I muttered. 

He grunted, wiping his forehead. “Yeah. They keep screwing up, but they need us more than we need them. I'm just waiting them out.”

“Smart.” My lips curled into a grin. 

Micah nodded and gave me a look. “What about you? You've not spoken about Layla.”

Dammit.

I shot Micah a glare and hissed beneath my breath. “I don't want to talk about it.”

He chuckled softly. “She blew up your phone again?”

I scoffed. “She tried to. But I ignored her.”

That did it.

Micah laughed out, swinging the towel around his neck. “Still not interested? She was eyeing you hard at Nico's rooftop last time I checked.”

“Let her keep looking. I don't care.” I ignored Micah's laughter again and moved toward the treadmill.

“Cold. You always like this?” Micah chuckled as he finished punching a bag and came to stand beside me.

“Only when I'm thinking.” I replied as I gave the treadmill the fourth lift and placed it down.

I trudged to the mirror and took a selfie of my abs. 

‘Yes, I know I look too fucking irresistible.’ I started to type as a caption.

“Thinking about what?” Micah's voice made me shift my gaze back to him and didn't know when I hit the send button.

I turned to him, and shrugged. “Life. Work.”

And your sister's lips on mine.

Shit. Why did I even thought of that?

He clapped my shoulder and winked. “Still, I'm going to pair you up with Layla. You can't stay single forever.”

“I can promise you right here that if you try to ever pair me with anyone, I'm going to make sure they lose their legs.”

“Dude!” Micah snickered. 

I glared at him again and moved toward the dumbbells.

~

By the time we left the gym, the sun was already dipping low. I drove back alone. Micah had to meet someone, a real estate guy he'd been negotiating with for days .

I entered the house quietly, keys jangling as I shut the door behind me. The living room smelled like lemon cleaner and fresh laundry. I guessed Astrid had finally decided to work for once.

I dropped the gym back near the stairs, and headed to the kitchen for water.

Everywhere seemed silent.

I assumed Astrid wasn't around–probably out with that friend of hers, Talia. But when I passed the hallway toward Micah's room, I paused. Her door was slightly open.

And I heard something. 

Soft. A whimper.

I froze.

It came again.

Another sound. And a low, broken sigh.

I trudged forward without thinking. The door creaked lightly as I leaned in.

My breath stopped.

Astrid was on her bed, eyes shut, one hand beneath the waistband of her shorts, the other clutching her phone like she was staring at something. Her thighs tensed, rising slightly. Her bottom lip was between her teeth.

“Rhett,” she whispered.

Fuck.

I stood there, nailed to the floor. My blood ran cold. She didn't see me. She didn't know I was there.

She arched slightly, her breath hitching as she pressed deeper. Her back curved, her body trembling softly. Her hair spilled around her face, the tank top she wore riding up just enough to tease the swell of her breasts.

My cock hardened instantly.

I should look away. I should leave.

But I didn't.

Her hips jerked, and her head tilted back. I watched Astrid Cole break before me–silently, beautifully. Her body shuddered, breath caught in her throat.

“Rhett,” she called like a confession, her gaze still pinned on the screen of her phone.

What the heck? Was it what I was thinking?

I couldn't take it anymore.

I walked in, slow and deliberate.

Astrid's eyes flew open–wide, and filled with shock the second she saw me standing there.

Her hand jerked away from herself like she'd been burned. She threw her phone off and scrambled to cover her body with the sheet. 

“Oh my goodness,” she choked out. “What the–how long have you–”

“Long enough,” I rasped.

She froze, her lips parted and eyes wild. “Get out.”

Instead, I moved closer till I reached the edge of the bed. Astrid held the sheet so tight, even with shaky breath.

When her eyes met mine again, she gasped like I'd passed information through our eye contract.

And then I said, “Have you been staring at my picture?”