The List

Chapter Fourteen

Eight hours. An eight hour drive full of silence and complete tension. Thankfully, I spent the first three hours asleep in the back seat until we pulled into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant to grab dinner. Rhett pulled me into a booth on the opposite side and we are alone. I felt bad because I didn't want Liam to think I was mad at him, but then again he did raise his hand at me, like he wanted to hit me. Liam and I have never fought like this before. Sure all siblings do, but he and I have always had a special bond that kept us close and out fights minimal. We've now had two since I got here a month ago.

I can feel his eyes on me throughout dinner, up until he climbs in the front seat of Grace's car. We're three hours away and I'm wide awake. Liam is driving now, and Grace is passed out in the front seat. There are a few times Liam glances in the rearview mirror and looks like he wants to say something, but he never does.

Finally, close to one in the morning, we pull up to my dorm building. Rhett climbs out and grabs both of our bags. I thank Liam for driving and for the weekend. He nods his head, and peels out of the parking lot.

"He's being ridiculous." I sigh, as I unlock my door.

"He's pissed at himself." Rhett says. "He knows he fucked up."

"Well he just needs to apologize and we'll be fine." I say, as I plop down on my bed. "Knowing him, he's probably waiting for me to apologize for what I said to him."

"Are you going to?" Rhett asks, as he lays down beside me on the bed.

I shake my head. "I don't think I have anything to apologize for, do you?"

Rhett shakes his head. "Fuck that. What did you say to him?"

I turn my head and look in his eyes. "I was defending you, and said that you'd been treating me better than he had."

Rhett just laughs. "God he probably hated that!"

"Why, though?" I ask, turning into my elbow so I can look at him.

"He was set that I was going to meet you, take advantage of you, and then break your heart. That's never been my goal. I knew you were his sister and I didn't want to fuck up our friendship, by messing around with his sister."

"Didn't you fuck it up, though?" I ask. "By leaving them to be with me?"

"This is different." Rhett lays on his side and pulls me into his chest. "It's like I've said, you know me better and you don't expect anything out of me. They love the drunk, party guy that gets all of the girls; that's not me."

"Who are you, then?" I ask, feeling myself moving closer to him.

Rhett just smirks and places his hand on my cheeks. "A guy that likes being around you, and the person I am when we're together."

"Careful, Rhett. It almost sounds like you're falling for me."

My hands trace the light stubble on his jaw and he just chuckles.

"You wish, princess." He whispers.

"Thank you for this weekend." I say softly. "It was the greatest birthday I've ever had. You really made it special."

Rhett smiles and runs his fingers through my hair. "Anything for you."

He leans in slowly, stopping when his lips are inches from mine. My breathing picks up as he pauses, teasing me with the kiss we both want.

"This is going to become a regular thing isn't it?" I ask him, feeling myself begin to become breathless.

"Only if you're okay with it." He whispers, still leaving his lips just inches away from mine.