Come Home To Me (Wild Creek Ranch Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Meeting Ember Again

Adelaide opened the door and walked into her room, placing the clothes neatly on her bed. She could hear Rhett in the en-suite and her traitorous mind conjured up sinful images of him showering. The sound of water suddenly stopped and before Adelaide could realize that it was her cue to escape, the door opened and a drool-worthy Rhett emerged clad only in a towel.

Adelaide froze at seeing his bare body, glistening with drops of water that trickled downwards as he walked towards her. Her eyes widened, and she looked towards the door, realizing his intentions. "There's no way I'll let you go out of this room now, Adel," he said in a husky whisper that took her breath away.

"You're still engaged, Rhett. This would be cheating."

"I'll break off with her as it is. So, how is this cheating?" With his eyes pinned upon her, he approached her like a predator towards its prey, but she backed away. Feeling the familiar deep throbbing deep inside her, just as she always did in his presence, she couldn't help but gaze back at him with desire coursing through her.

"Rhett," she started, but her legs touched the bed and she fell on it, landing on her butt. Rhett's eyes glittered with desire, turning into dark deep pools into which she had already drowned. He came close to her, too close, in fact, while she lay on her back watching him, unable to move. He hovered over her, his eyes not leaving her even for a second, making no effort to hide the massive erection that was quite visible to her through the thin material of the damp towel wrapped around his body.

"Who do you want, Adelaide?" he asked with longing, his voice hoarse with desire.

"Only you, Rhett," she whispered back. He didn't wait to hear more, smashing his mouth to hers in a sensual, yet hungry kiss that turned into a gentle, exploratory, and a lingering one. His probing tongue explored her mouth, tugging at her lower lip, sucking, and teasing every recess of her sweet mouth desperately.

"Oh, how I've waited for this, Adel!" he whispered hoarsely. "Now that I've found you again, I don't want to leave you and go home."

"Stay here with me, then?" She, too, didn't want him to go away. Rhett sighed and got up from the bed, pulling the towel away from his body, while he minutely watched her for her reaction. Adelaide's eyes went wider at seeing his enormous erection, telling her how much he needed her now. She couldn't look away from his muscular abs and the v-line that pulled her towards him like a magnet.

"See what you do to me? Did you like what you saw?" he asked with a smile, pulling on granddad's clothes in slow motion.

She nodded shyly, having loved the show so much that she was dying to stroke him all over. "Did you see a naked man before?" he asked curiously.

She nodded, much to Rhett's annoyance and an intense jealousy clutched at his heart. "Yes, of course I have, not once, but many times," she said with a giggle, but Rhett's teeth clenched and he looked more frustrated and angrier.

"Who? Thomas?" he growled with jealousy and Adelaide grimaced.

"Ew! Why should it be Thomas? He's just my friend. I meant my patients, of course. I'm a nurse, remember? If I have a paralyzed patient or a very sick patient, I have to look after him. Don't I?" she asked, and Rhett calmed down and nodded in agreement.

"Sorry, I overreacted. I'm very possessive of you, Adel. You're mine, and I can't share you with anyone. You realize that, don't you?" he asked, completely dressed in her granddad's jeans and a tee shirt.

"Yes, Rhett, I know." They went out to find that granny had retired to her room to rest. Not disturbing her, they strolled out hand in hand like they used to before, walking around the ranch to see the familiar sights and sounds of her home.

"I missed Fordsville so much." She told him about her dismal life in New York and how Thomas saved her and her mom from her selfish brother. Although Rhett knew it all, still he listened to her, holding her hand, and stroking it absent-mindedly to comfort her. He realized that instead of being jealous, he should be indebted to Thomas for saving her from the brink of depression.

"If he hadn't saved me that night, Rhett, I would have lost my sanity by now, thanks to my brother and his wife." They spend more time with one another, cooking dinner together as granny smiled to see them so happy together at last. However, Rhett didn't stay the night and, kissing Adelaide on her forehead tenderly, he left to go home.

The moment he entered his house, he knew that River had found out that Adelaide had returned. It was a small place, and the news caught on fast, like a forest fire.

"Where were you, bro?" she asked him in a displeased tone. Rhett didn't answer, since she was too upset to understand him now.

"Please Riv. It's late, and I don't want to pick up a fight now. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he promised.

The next morning, River drove off to Sera's house early in the morning and Rhett went about his work as usual. Later, he went to meet Adelaide at granny Emma's house for breakfast. Adelaide wanted her old job back, and Rhett offered to drive her to the hospital. After dropping her off, he went off at his dairy farm.

Adelaide got her old job back, and she couldn't have been happier. The moment she entered her nursing station, all the old memories came rushing to her mind. Many of the old staff had left and replaced by newer ones, whom she didn't know. She wondered what happened to Ember Fischer, her old friend. They had lost touch five years back and now Adelaide was curious to know what happened to her. The rest of the day, she continued with her duty. It was lunchtime, and she returned to the nursing station. Her eyes popped out at seeing Ember sitting beside the window with an apple.

"Ember?" Adelaide called out and Ember turned and stared at her with her mouth hanging open.

"Is that really you, Adel?" she asked with a little smile playing on her lips.

"Yes. Aren't you happy to see me?" asked Adelaide, seeing the lack of excitement in her. The old Ember would have squealed and done happy dances several times.

"Of course, I am. So how are you?" she said, coming towards Adelaide and hugging her.

"I'm fine now. How about you?"

"I'm alive," said Ember, finishing the apple.

"What happened to you, Ember? You've changed," said Adelaide, feeling concerned about her friend, who looked unnaturally quiet and dull.

"Nothing much. I'll tell you some other time. I've to go." As she walked away, Adelaide noticed the spark was missing from her eyes and she looked pale with bags under her eyes. Adelaide didn't know exactly what happened to Ember, but she realized maybe she had a bad time in her absence.

The duty went on and soon it was time to go home. The nursing station was empty, and Adelaide was about to leave when Ember walked inside the room.

"Tell me now, Ember. I'm worried about you," she asked.

"Do you remember that I'd been to Chicago before you left?" asked Ember as they sat side by side on the windowsill.

"Yes, and you extended your leave." She remembered it distinctly as if it was just yesterday.

"I fell into the clutches of my cousin's best friend Jamie. He took advantage of me and when I returned home, I discovered I was pregnant with Jamie's baby. I found out his number and called him, but he refused to take any responsibility for my baby. I was so hurt that I attempted to take my life by consuming poison. My grandparents saved me just in time, and I was hospitalized for weeks. They saved my life, but I lost my baby before it could start growing," said Ember, as a lone tear fell from her eyes. Adelaide was too stunned by her heart-breaking story. She did not know that her friend had to go through so much!

"I'm so sorry, Ember. I did not know," she said, wiping Ember's eyes and hugging her. They talked for some more time and then went home.

Rhett came to pick her up, mounted upon his Thunderbolt just like before. They trotted slowly over winding paths, green pastures, the lush greenery of the scenic countryside all the way to granny's ranch. With her back touching Rhett's chest and her head resting on his shoulder, Adelaide knew that this was where her home was and would always be. There was no place on earth dearer than her home in Fordsville, Montana, within the sanctity of Rhett's arms.