Chapter 2

Astrid's POV

The music was booming so loud I could feel it in my entire body.

I should've turned around when we walked into the house party, but Talia had already pulled me in by the hand, grinning ear to ear like it was her wedding day.

“You need to have fun for once,” she shouted over the music. “For goodness sake, you got back to LA just yesterday. Let loose.”

Maybe Talia was right. After the awkward charger incident with Rhett the night before, my brain had been fried. I needed this.

I needed distraction, music, crowds. Anything but him.

The living room was packed with sweaty bodies and cups lifted up as cheers followed. A fog machine was going for some reason, and lights strobed across dancing faces.

We were at a frat party Talia had introduced me to.

I tried to relax on a chair, but I felt bare. I couldn't even think of anything.

“Astrid!” Talia shoved a drink in my hand. “Vodka. Don't waste it.”

I nodded and took a slow sip. It was strong. Too strong I coughed and laughed at once.

I wasn't much of a drinker but trying it out once a while wouldn't bring any harm. Would it?

Talia grinned. “You're welcome.”

When I finished drinking, Talia took my hand and pulled me to the dancefloor as we followed the rhythm of the songs that played.

It was enough to make me loosen myself, to forget about the tension I felt the first time I arrived. I let go of my hoodie, let my hair out of its burn, and I started to enjoy myself.

Then I felt a prickle–like heat sliding down my spine. I turned and saw Rhett.

He was across the room. Half-shadowed in the corner of the staircase. He wore a black shirt over his chest, his arms crossed and eyes pinned directly on me.

Dammit.

My blood immediately ran cold. And then hot. All at once.

What the heck was he doing here?

I didn't even have to ask. He looked furious as his brows knitted tightly. And those eyes–those dark eyes that once looked soft in the glow of my brother's hallway–were now hard and burning.

Rhett Rivers started walking to me.

“Talia,” I whispered, grabbing her wrist. “I have to go.”

“Wait, what? You just got here.” Talia argued, still dancing.

“Now.”

Rhett reached us before I could explain to Talia.

“Astrid,” he called, his voice low and calm.

Talia stopped dancing and stepped back instinctively.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed.

“Micah told me to always check on you. I didn't expect to find you half-dressed and drinking at some stranger house.” Rhett answered.

I looked down. For Pete's sake, I was only putting on a crop top and jeans. Nothing wild.

I frowned slightly. “I'm not half-dressed. And you don't get to talk to me like that.”

Rhett's nose scrunched up as he scanned around as if something irked him. Then his gaze fell on me again. “Get your things. We're leaving.”

“No.”

“Now. Astrid.”

He didn't shout. His presence was enough. The way people moved aside as he trod closer.

Instantly, his hand curled around my wrist firmly.

“Rhett, let go of me.” I retorted as I tried to wriggle out of his grip.

He leaned in. “Do you want me to cause a scene?”

I wanted to argue and push him away. But I knew it'd only felt like pushing on a wall.

I nodded slowly and followed him out.

*

The ride back to the house was silent and tense.

Rhett's hands gripped the wheel tight, his jaw clenched. I stared out the window, my arms over my chest. I pretended I didn’t care that he’d just pulled me out of a party like some overbearing...Brother? Friend? Guardian? None of it fit. Because what I felt when he looked at me didn’t belong in any of those boxes.

He parked in a driveway and turned off the engine, but didn’t move immediately.

The silence sat between us for a moment. Finally, I turned, tipsily.

“What are we doing here?”

No response.

“You didn’t have to embarrass me.” I added.

He looked at me, his voice quiet but deep. “You shouldn’t have been there, Astrid.”

“So what? You’re my dad now?”

His hand curled into a fist on his thigh. “Micah would lose it if he saw you dressed like that, drinking like that. With others staring.”

“Micah's not here.” I corrected.

“Yeah,” Rhett muttered. “And that’s the problem.”

I stared at him as my heart pounded.

He wasn’t looking at me like a big brother. He wasn’t even looking at me like a friend.

He was looking at me like a man trying to hold himself back. And failing.

Before I could think, he moved fast as his hand came up to my face, his warm fingers brushing hair from my cheek.

“You don’t get it, do you?” he said, voice tight. “Micah left you in my care. And now I need to watch every movement of yours.

My breath caught. I didn’t speak.

He leaned in, just close enough that I felt his breath on my lips.

“The next time you'd go out dressed like that, I'll make sure that will be the last dress you'll find in your closet.”

“What?”

Without a word, he leaned in, just close enough that I felt his breath on my lips.

“Say stop. And I will.” he whispered.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as my gaze slid down to his lips.

Those damn kissable lips.

I didn't.

Neither did he.

The moment his lips slammed into mine, everything blurred.

Chapter 3

Astrid's POV

I didn't plan on waking up tangled in sheets that didn't belong to me.

Or next to a man whose face I couldn't fully see.

My head banged terribly from how drunk I was last night.

All I remembered was laughter, lights. The feel of a stranger's hand on my hip, his mouth on my neck.

And then sex.

I blinked slowly, my head still pounding. The early morning sun filtered through unfamiliar curtains as a deep, masculine scent lingered around me. My bare skin prickled as the sheet slipped down my shoulders.

Panic crawled into my chest.

My bra was on the floor.

My dress–the tiny black one Talia insisted I wear–was draped over a couch.

Realization hit me right there. I turned to a man's silhouette, face turned away, one muscular arm thrown over his eyes.

I didn't recognize the room.

I couldn't even remember how I ended up here!

What the hell did I do last night?

I carefully slid out of bed, moving slowly and trying not to wake him. The throb in my head wasn't helping at all.

I gathered my clothes, and tugged my dress back on with shaky fingers. Then I stuffed my heels into my bag.

Whoever the heck that was, I would make sure we never crossed paths. Ever again.

Eventually, I got out of the hotel and hailed an Uber.

The ride felt endless. I kept checking my phone, expecting a text from Talia but nothing came. I looked like I'd lived through a tornado of sin and shame.

I didn't go straight home.

I couldn't let anyone see me this way. So I located a store and got into a new dress.

I wasn't sure how to feel. I wanted to be cool with it, and shrug the fact that I'd slept with a complete stranger.

Because damn, that man last night felt so dangerous. It didn't feel like a mistake.

*

By the time I got home, the front door was already open.

I paused. Did Rhett forget to lock it?

I walked in quietly, still barefoot. I made to move toward the stairs when the familiar voices and laughter echoed through the walls.

I tiptoed closer and peered around the corner to see Micah.

My brother stood in the kitchen, a bag on the counter, and a phone in his hand. He wore a wide grin.

Rhett stood beside him. They seemed to be in a deep conversation to even notice my presence.

Rhett looked so calm like any other day.

What the fuck was I thinking?

He looked so damn hot in that T-shirt that almost exposed his abs.

Like he felt my stares, his eyes flicked to me in a matter of seconds, and his smile faltered.

Something flashed in his eyes that reminded me of last night when that stranger touched my waist.

Those eyes…familiar. They looked so familiar. I couldn't remember.

The same warmth. It was the same way Rhett looked at me.

When he lifted his hand to his face, I saw the tattoo on his arm that looked exactly like the man on that bed.

Wait, was I hallucinating?

No. It couldn't be Rhett Rivers. It didn't make sense. It had to be someone else. It had to be.

Right?

Rhett was the only guy with that tattoo and those eyes.

“Astrid,” Micah's voice made me flinch from where I stood. “You're up. I didn't come upstairs to your room. Rhett said you were fast asleep.”

I flickered my gaze to Rhett and back to Micah, trying to move along with the lie.

“Ah. Yes.” I mumbled, forcing a smile. “Barely awake.”

“I also didn't tell you I'll be returning today. Rhett picked me up from the airport. Flight was hell.” My brother walked toward where I was and hugged me briefly.

Rhett leaned against the rails, his arms folded as he watched me.

“She looks like hell too,” he said causally, but his voice dropped an octave.

I glared. “Thanks. You look like a walking headache yourself.”

“Alright. That's enough.” Micah chirped in with a chuckle.

Rhett's mouth twitched and he gave me a knowing look. “Long night, huh?”

“None of your business,” I muttered, brushing past him toward the stairs.

His hand brushed mine for barely a second. My heart jumped.

I turned around, and stared at him.

This time, I saw the same eyes. I knew I wasn't hallucinating.

It was him.

No. No way.

Was it?

“Don't stare too hard, Astrid,” Rhett said, his voice low. “You might fall.”

I swallowed and bolted up the stairs before Micah could notice.

Once I was in my room, I rested on the door, my chest rising and falling as I tried to catch my breath.

What did I just get myself into?

Memories came in like floods. The frat party with Talia, Rhett's arrival, and how he forced me to the car. Then we pulled up at a spot.

And now I couldn't look Rhett in the eye without wondering if it was his lips I felt.

Goddamit.

I couldn't believe it. It was still difficult.

Rhett wasn't the man I woke up to find on that bed.

For crying out loud, he was my brother's best friend. He only teased me and got protective when I dated losers.

But last night…why couldn't I forget it?

The feel of his lips on mine. His hands on my waist as he spread me open. I couldn't remember much, but I could swear down that I recalled how he thrusted into me like a possessed man.

“Astrid,” Micah's voice called from outside.

I gathered myself back together and replied with a trembling voice. “Yes, Micah? Do you need something?”

“No. I just need you to come downstairs for breakfast once you've changed. I'm preparing something delicious.” My brother said again. And then I heard footsteps retreating.

I held my chest like I was suddenly having a panic attack.

If my gut was right, if the goosebumps still racing in my arms meant anything–then I didn't sleep with a stranger.

I slept with Rhett Rivers.

And I had no idea what the hell I was going to do about it.

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?”