Page 74 of Against The Tide

Maybe it is a great omen, I think just as she goes up onto her tiptoes and presses her lips to my ear.

“Yeah, I haven’t laughed this much in forever.” Grasping one of her hands, I twirl her out and tug her back to me gently.

“I love the sound of your laugh. It’s the best music I’ve ever heard.” Rocking her from side to side, I guide her to her side of the car, twirling her in front of me once more before I press her to the passenger door.

With tear-lined eyes, Avery wraps her arms around my shoulders. “You danced with me in the rain,” she utters with an awed look on her face.

“I guess I did.” What I don’t tell her is that I have no idea why; it’s a first for me. Dancing in the rain is a new level of corny, even for me. But for Avery, I’m digging it, especially when she smiles up at the tempestuous sky with the biggest, beaming smile I’ve seen on her gorgeous face.

“Thanks,” she whispers so low that if I hadn’t been this close, I would never have heard it.

“For what?” I ask, pulling her flush to me and opening the door for her.

Her only reply is a deep kiss while I buckle her in, and it’s the only answer I need.

CHAPTER 21

AVERY

He danced with me in the rain. The thought makes me grin broader as we turn into the ranch. The lights are all out, and the sheeting of rain makes it impossible to see anything beyond the nose of the vehicle.

“No wonder you could smell the fucking rain,” Rhett groans as we come to a stop and a slash of thunder cuts through the dark closely followed by a loud reverberating crack of thunder.

“I love the rain,” I tell him, still incapable of hiding my happiness.

“There’s that at least.”

“Are you coming in? We can watch a movie while we wait for the rain to ease.”

“Sweetheart, the rain may be freezing, but my blood is lava right now. If I go in there…” Rhett stops himself with a rough bite of his lip.

“If you follow me inside…”

“All bets are off.”

Shrugging, I take his hand from the steering wheel and place it on my thigh. “We have one night without having to worry about anything else.”

“One night is normally my thing, but with you, it’ll never be enough, Avery.”

“Why one night?”

“Because no one gets attached that way. One and done.” The sound of that makes me feel for him, even without the explanation that follows. “Every woman I’ve ever given more to has wanted nothing more than money and a plush lifestyle. The best way to stop people using you is to use them instead.”

“I don’t want your money. I have plenty of my own, and my vision of grandeur isn’t a fancy lifestyle.”

With a nod, he cups my face and leans in to kiss me softly on the lips before he pulls away, eyes boring into mine. “You don’t have to tell me that. I already know, and it’s why you’re so easy to l⁠—”

“Jesus!” I jump as another bright flash of lightning strikes, and I see the movement in my peripheral vision.

My chest constricts while I intently stare out of the windshield waiting for the next strobe. Sure enough, when it hits, my blood freezes in my veins.

“Motherfucker!” Rhett is getting out of the car before I can tell him that I’ll handle Carl this time.

Jumping out after him, I almost fall flat on my ass when my bare feet slip on the wet dirt. The rain is still so heavy that it’s impossible to see what’s going on until I reach the porch steps.

Carl is standing on the stoop, glaring down at Rhett, who is so clearly holding on to every vestige of his control.

“I don’t know what you’re doing here, and I don’t care. Not unless you’re bringing me signed divorce papers. If not, get lost.” Although I want to stand close to Rhett, to hold on to him for dear life, I stand my ground, bare muddy feet and all.