The only saving grace was that Charlotte seemed unaware of his attentions, but she instinctively stepped away or even walked over to stand beside me when he got too close. I was doing my best to give her what she wanted and keep things professional, but if this kept up, I would more than likely toss him through one of the large windows that made up the exterior walls.
“You really seem to know your stuff, Charlotte,” Gareth said in that tone that made me want to gag and punch something—namely him—at the same time.
“Ms. Kennedy,” I growled.
His glance my way held a touch of hesitancy, but then Charlotte asked another question, and he refocused on her. After answering her, his eyes slid up and down her body, and my hands clenched so hard, my knuckles cracked. “Body and brains. You’re the whole package. I can see why you’re moving up in the world.”
Son of a bitch. The thread of patience I’d been clinging to snapped, and I stalked over to Gareth—what a pussy name—and wrapped my hand around his throat, then walked him backward until he slammed into a window. “What the fuck did you just say, asshole?”
He tried to answer, but my grip was tightening and cutting off his air supply. “Setting aside the fact that you're hitting on my woman”—his eyes went wide, and my lips curved into a deadly smile—“yeah, you’re that fucked. But even if that weren’t the case, I should toss your ass off the roof just for speaking to any woman that way.”
“Rhett.” Charlotte’s voice was calm, and her use of my first name, as she placed a hand on my arm, cut through the red haze. I squeezed the fucker’s throat a little tighter as I turned my head to look down at her. “He’s scum, but he’s not worth the trouble that will follow if you hurt him.”
My jaw hardened, and I clenched my teeth. Gareth was clawing at my hand, coughing and sputtering. Charlotte’s expression turned earnest, and she gave my bicep a squeeze. “Please.”
There weren’t many things that Charlotte could have said to drain my rage, but her plea in that sweet voice did me in. I tossed Gareth to the side like a rag doll and bent over him to threaten, “If I hear even a whiff that you’re still treating women like your own personal sex toy, I will come for you. And Charlotte won’t be there to save your sorry ass.”
He nodded as he coughed and sucked in great big gulps of air. I stood back up and dropped my arms around Charlotte’s shoulders, grateful when she didn’t protest. I needed her near to restrain me from giving in to the desire to go back and beat the living shit out of that motherfucker. We started to walk past him, and Charlotte hesitated. I gave her a questioning look, and she smiled reassuringly before stepping away. Before I could even process what was happening, Charlotte had stalked over to the crying nitwit and shoved the pointy toe of her shoe right between his legs.
He howled in pain, and I grinned at her as she returned to my side and took hold of my hand.
“Baby, that was one of the sexiest things I have ever seen.”
3
Rhett
Two months later
I glanced at the clock as I fell naked onto my bed. Today had been a bit of a clusterfuck, and I didn’t want Charlotte to be pissed at me. It was just after eleven, so I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and settled back against a pillow before sending her a text.
Me: Sweet dreams, baby.
My woman: You didn’t hear it, but I just snorted. ?? You usually wish me filthy dreams. EXPLICIT, naughty dreams. Don’t think I don’t know what your game is.
Me: I have no idea what you mean.
My woman: You’re sucking up for being an asshole to that waiter today.
Me: I’m hurt. ??
Yeah, I wasn’t sorry I scared the fuck out of that little shit. His eyes had been glued to Charlotte’s tits whenever he was at our table.
My woman: No, you’re an overbearing, possessive, horny caveman. Now, I’m going to bed. No, I won’t tell you what I’m wearing. No, I will not take it off. And no, I’m not going to have dirty dreams about you.
A grin widened my lips, and I chuckled. So damn cute. And so very wrong.
Me: I guess I’ll just have to dream enough for the both of us. Like what it would feel like for me to by lying naked next to you. To slowly remove every stitch of your clothing until you’re bare and your skin is burning from my touch.
My woman: I’m not reading anymore. Good night. ??????
This time, a full-on laugh burst out. She said that every time. But the read receipts she didn’t know I’d enabled told me otherwise.