It was probably the best merlot he’d ever tasted, but he doubted it could compare to how Cole would taste. Rhett felt hot all over, a side effect of the wine perhaps, or maybe it was a side effect of standing so close to Cole. Close enough to taste his breath, and Rhett wanted to taste the rest of him.

Cole, however, was honorable. Not honorable enough to not get an erection, though. Rhett had noticed the bulge in Cole’s jeans; it matched the one in his, and it inspired a thousand filthy ideas of things he’d like to do with Cole.

Rhett wanted to know things that he’d never needed to before, and the prospect of being Cole’s husband thrilled him in a strange way. Standing before him was a gorgeous man. A gorgeous man Rhett knew to also be a kind and generous man. And he suddenly wanted to know how Cole moved in bed. He wanted to know how Cole would look, sweaty and spent, draped over him. Rhett couldn’t picture it and he needed to. He needed to know what kinds of things his husband would do to him.

If he’d ever choose Rhett like that.

The best merlot he’d ever tasted emboldened him and he found himself asking Cole questions he’d never been brave enough to ask before. Heat swept up Rhett’s body, radiating from the center outward when Cole pinned Rhett in place with nothing more than his gaze. Rhett said the words over in his head, imprinting them there, doing his best to remember the sexy way they’d tumbled out of Cole’s mouth.

With him, Cole would take his time. Rhett wished then that he wasn’t a lightweight and that Cole actually meant it, that he wasn’t in this for reasons of his own, just like Rhett was. Were it not for the strangeness of their current situation, would Cole have even thought twice about him?

“I think getting me drunk before lunch was a very bad idea,” Rhett said, watching the way Cole watched him. It wasn’t fair that Cole could move so fluidly, so steady on his feet, when Rhett’s limbs felt like lead weights and his brain chugged along at half capacity, making booze-fueled decisions and giving him wine-tinted ideas about Cole fucking him slow, taking his time just like he’d said.

Cole was suddenly there in front of him and Rhett smiled as he watched him open a bottle of water and hand it to him. “Drink up, babe. If you hydrate, you’ll feel better.”

Rhett smiled again and took the water from Cole, taking a small sip. “I have been drunk before, Mr. Mallory-Kingston.”

Rhett loved the way their names sounded together. He loved the idea of hyphenating their names. Taking something that belonged solely to Cole and solely to himself, and making it into something that belonged to both of them.

“Will you let me have a bottle of the merlot?” Rhett asked. When they finally got what they both wanted and parted ways, he could drink it and remember that Cole never stopped to smell the grapes and that Cole’s hands felt like the best thing he’d ever held.

“Whatever you want.”

What Rhett wanted, he couldn’t have, so he nodded. “Show me something else,” he said, lacing their fingers together. “Maybe something with a lower alcohol content or I’ll be dead by dinnertime.”

“I’ll keep your low tolerance in mind for when we’re in Tahiti.”

Rhett grinned like an idiot—he knew he did—but he couldn’t help it. “I know the reason I’m going is to try and sell this...” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word fake again, so he dodged it. “This thing between us, but I’m a little excited for Tahiti. I’ve never been.” Rhett stilled. “I just realized I have nothing nice enough to wear to a wedding. And I’ll need new swim shorts. And luggage.” Rhett started compiling a list in his head of everything he’d need to buy and do before he left for Tahiti.

Cole tugged Rhett toward the door. “Let’s go shopping. I can help you pick out something nice for the wedding.”

“I’m two-point-one sheets to the wind, Cole.”

“Then you better let me drive,” Cole said as he dropped Rhett’s hand long enough to pull the door shut and lock it. Rhett’s stomach fluttered nervously when Cole grabbed his hand again.

“This is the weirdest first date ever,” Rhett said as he followed Cole. “Breakfast. Drunk before lunch. Then shopping.”

“Drink your water. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“Yes, dear.” Rhett smiled at Cole, knowing the wine made him looser than he’d normally be. He wanted to know if he could feel this comfortable without fermented grapes chugging through his bloodstream.

Rhett loved shopping, sober. Half-drunk, being tugged from store to store by Cole, forced into changing room after changing room, proved to be exhausting.

“Forget dinner. I barely made it to lunchtime,” Rhett said when Cole slid into the driver’s seat after stowing Rhett’s bags in the trunk. “I need a nap.”

Rhett gently removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his free hand before putting them back on.

“Lunch then?”

“Not sick of me yet?” Rhett put his hands in his lap. He’d wanted to touch Cole all day. They held hands a lot and Rhett told himself that he was only reaching for Cole so they could get used to it, to make it believable for when they had to fake it in front of his family.

“I could never get sick of you.” Cole blew Rhett a kiss, then started the car.

Rhett didn’t turn his phone on until he was home alone, much later than he’d anticipated. Breakfast with Cole had turned into an entire day together. It was now after dinner and Rhett had just set all his purchases for Tahiti out on his bed. The bottle of wine that he’d asked Cole for sat on his dresser next to Garfield. The sight of it there did funny things to his stomach. Needing a distraction, he turned his phone on and wasn’t surprised at all to see several missed calls.

He called his best friend, Penny, telling himself that he’d call Ryan back later.

She answered, practically screaming in his ear. He put the phone on speaker and tossed it on his bed.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! You and Cole Mallory. Since when?”

“It’s new.” Rhett made a point to keep as close to the truth as he could. “Ryan told you?”

“He called here trying to pump me for information. I can’t believe you’ve been banging Cole Mallory and kept it to yourself.”

“We wanted to wait before telling people.” Rhett wished he could busy himself with packing, but he needed to wash the new items first. He stared at the outfit Cole had helped him pick out for the wedding. Kristen wanted people dressed smartly, Cole had said, handing him a pair of trousers with a matching jacket and a white button down. Cole had picked out a set of matching ties for them to wear.

“I’m not people, Rhett; I’m your best friend.”

“Penny, I’m sorry, but I don’t tell you everything, you know.”

She scoffed. “I know that. Lucy’s the only one you really pour your heart out to.”

Rhett looked at his bed, at the spot where Cole had sat while Rhett talked about his mom. He didn’t respond to Penny and she changed the subject from his love life to motherhood.

She tried to tell him things to gross him out, but Rhett wasn’t bothered by any of it. Plugged milk ducts, projectile vomit, diaper explosions, none of it bothered him, and Penny declared him a spoilsport. It wasn’t any fun to tell him all the disgusting things if he was unaffected, but that didn’t stop her from trying.

“Are you listening to anything I’ve been saying, Rhett?”

“Um. No. Sorry.” Rhett laughed. “I was trying to think if there’s anything else I need to bring.”

“Bring where?”

“Tahiti.”

“Tahiti?”

Rhett facepalmed. “I’m going to Tahiti with Cole for Kristen’s wedding.”

“Wow. You don’t mess around, do you? One minute you’re single and the next you’re going to Tahiti for your secret boyfriend’s sister’s wedding,” Penny giggled. “Condoms. Bring lots of condoms.”

“Condoms. Got it.”

Rhett did not have it. Not even a little.

“Trust me. Bring extra. That’s how David and I ended up with little Tyson.”

“I don’t think I’m in danger of getting pregnant, Penny.”

“Better safe than sorry.” In the background, little Tyson started to fuss. “I have to go and see if I can get him down for the night. You better bring me something back from Tahiti.”

“Well, it won’t be Cole’s bun in my oven. I’m not plumbed like that.” He didn’t tell her they weren’t sleeping together. Not for lack of trying on his part. Rhett smiled a little when he thought of Cole and the moment they’d shared. Their hands linked, their hips lined up, close enough to kiss, and the heat in Cole’s eyes had Rhett hoping that he, in fact, did turn him down because Rhett was drunk and not because Cole didn’t want to kiss him.

“Har har.” Penny shushed her fussy baby, who was growing louder and angrier by the second. “I have to go. Love you.” She hung up before he could say goodbye.

Rhett stared at his empty suitcase and wondered if he should pack condoms…just in case.