Diamond In The Rough: The Complete Series

by Hart, Rebel

  Then again, I’d given Clint a lot of chances, too.

  I walked up to the front door and knocked. While I was nervous about meeting Clint’s stepmother for the first time, formally, it didn’t abate the butterflies in my stomach. I was anxious to see him. Anxious to hold him. Anxious to be in his presence again.

  And when the front door opened, Clint smiled at me.

  “Hey there, beau—oh!”

  I threw myself into his arms, unable to contain my laughter. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close as his body cloaked itself around mine. His arms hugged my back. He pulled me into the house, kicking the front door closed with his foot. I buried my face into the crook of his neck, feeling how much stronger he already was.

  “You’re upright.”

  Clint chuckled. “And you’re here.”

  I giggled. “I am. Thank you for inviting me.”

  “Are we going to stay like this until we get to the kitchen?”

  “Depends. Do we have to go to the kitchen right now?”

  He snickered. “Nope. Not yet.”

  I drew in his scent, clinging to him as he held me tighter. His strength shocked me. Especially after such a terrible accident. I kissed his neck. His shoulder. His jawline. I nuzzled my nose against his as I slowly pulled away from him. His hand cupped the back of my head as his emerald eyes danced between mine.

  And as he fisted my hair softly, I pressed my lips against his.

  “Mmm, hello there, gorgeous.”

  I smiled. “Hi, handsome.”

  “I’m really glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Ahem.”

  I jumped at the sound of the female voice, but Clint kept his arm wrapped around my waist. I saw his stepmother standing there, clad in a beautiful yellow dress and a crimson red apron. She smiled at the two of us before she came closer, her bare feet padding on the floor. She held her hand out to me, taking mine within hers. And I smiled at how warm and welcoming she became.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Rae. I’m Cecilia, Clint’s stepmother. I’ve heard a great deal about you, too.”

  I paused. “You have?”

  Clint chuckled. “Over the past few hours, at least.”

  I nodded. “That sounds about right.”

  Cecilia giggled. “Don’t worry, he’s not hiding you.”

  I shook my head. “I never would have thought that.”

  Clint squeezed my side and I leaned closer into him as Cecilia dropped my hand.

  “Well, why don’t you two come on into the kitchen? The lasagna just came out of the oven and the salad’s ready. Plus, by the smells of it, the garlic bread is about to come out of the oven.”

  Clint chuckled. “You haven’t lived until you’ve had her lasagna. Ready to eat?”

  I shrugged. “I’m ready whenever the food’s ready.”

  He kissed the side of my head. “A girl after my own stomach.”

  Cecilia laughed as she turned around, beckoning for us to follow her into the kitchen. And the smells that greeted me once we got there made my stomach growl out loud. It was a beautiful home-cooked meal, and the table was set with fine china and actual silverware. Not the plastic stuff we used, and not the fake silver stuff found in most stores. Genuine silver utensils.

  “Rae, what would you like to drink?”

  Cecilia’s voice pulled me from my trance. “Um, soda or something is fine.”

  Clint pulled out my seat. “We’ve got Mountain Dew, Diet Dr. Pepper, and Coke.”

  “Um, Coke’s fine. Thank you.”

  Cecilia was a brilliant host. She cracked open the can of Coke and poured it into the ice-filled crystal glass. Right in front of me. I’d never been treated this way before. Home-cooked meals in my house were microwaved meals and pre-cooked oven meals my mother slapped into the oven or something like that. With canned vegetables on the side. This was a spread. Lasagna. Fresh salad. Multiple dressings. Freshly-made garlic bread in actual loaf form.

  Clint whispered in my ear, “And there’s blueberry crumble for dessert.”

  And oh, the growl my stomach let out.

  18

  Clinton

  “Oh, holy sh—itake mushrooms.”

  I chuckled at the way Rae edited herself. “Good, huh?”

  She groaned, taking another bite of the lasagna. “It’s heaven. Where in the world did you learn to cook?”

  Cecilia smiled. “My mother. She taught me a lot of homemade recipes. Macaroni and cheese. Basic noodles.”

  Rae’s eyes widened. “You made these noodles?”

  “Yes ma’am, I did.”

  Cecilia beamed with pride and my heart felt fuller than it had in a long time. Rae kept devouring the food like she hadn’t eaten in weeks, and I loved it. I adored a girl that wasn’t afraid to put carbs in her system. Not like the other girls at school, who walked around with fiber bars stuffed in their purses and ate nothing but fruit and yogurt for lunch.

  “So, Rae. Are you a senior, too?”

  Rae nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

  “Any plans after graduation?”

  I waited with baited breath as Rae swallowed her food. For some reason, I was now wondering what her plans were. I mean, it hadn’t been important before. But now that Cecilia had formally brought it up, I wanted to know the answer.

  And quickly.

  “Well, I’ve been saving back money from the grocery store. And if I play my cards right, I’ll have enough to share an apartment with Allison once we graduate.”

  Cecilia nodded. “And who’s Allison?”

  “Rae’s best friend,” I said.

  She nodded. “Yep. Known her for years. She’s been accepted into UCLA’s architecture program early.”

  Cecilia smiled brightly. “Nice. So you’ll still be close. You hear that, Clint?”

  I snickered. “I do. Thanks.”

  “Are you wanting to go to UCLA, too?”

  Rae shrugged. “I was thinking more of a community college. I don’t want to get into loans or anything like that. Maybe work part-time, go to school part-time. Or work out something like where I work full time a year then go to school full time a year or something like that.”

  “That’s noble. I admire you for that.”

  Rae paused. “You do?”

  Cecilia nodded. “Mm-hmm. I graduated early from high school when I was seventeen and left home. I did part-time classes at a community college not too far from where I grew up and took on a job in between classes and such. Saved up as much as I could while living with three other girls in a two-bedroom apartment. It wasn’t easy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.”

  “What did you get your degree in?”

  “Medical transcriptioning. A nice little work from home position that would have eventually paid an hourly wage equivalent to that of a full time job, plus benefits.”

  Rae nodded. “Then you got married?”

  Cecilia smiled. “Well, a few other things happened in between there. I did work for a while. Struggled, but made it through. I met Howard about six years ago, so I lived a lot of life between that job and now.”

  “Is there a reason you graduated early?”

  Cecilia looked at me from across the table and I shrugged. To be honest, I was simply excited they were getting along. Hitting it off. I was glad Cecilia didn’t hate Rae, or vice versa. I was content with taking a backseat and letting them get to know one another. Because things felt calm this way. Peaceful. There was no tension or anger like there would have been had Dad been around for this dinner.

  Then again, this dinner wouldn't have happened at all had Dad been here.

  “I grew up in a very conservative home. And while I loved my parents, I knew there was a great deal more out there for me to experience. They did a lot of things while I was younger. Tried marrying me off at sixteen. Grounded me by locking me in my room and not letting me do things like to go school and have meals with the family.”

  Rae
sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

  I furrowed my brow. “I didn’t know that, Cecilia.”

  She giggled bitterly. “It’s not really something you talk about. Especially with guests over. But she asked the question so I figured, why not answer it?”

  Rae cleared her throat. “I mean, at least they taught you how to make awesome food. Plenty of grease pans to throw in their faces for later.”

  Cecilia snickered, almost blowing her water through her nose. Rae fell apart in a fit of giggles, and I quickly joined in, though it still hurt my ribs to laugh that much. Cecilia’s head fell back as she barked with laughter, snorting and covering her mouth. Which only made us laugh harder. I’d never heard her laugh like this. Which meant I’d never heard her snort. And as we all leaned back into our chairs, I finally knew what it felt like.

  Home.

  I finally understood what the word meant.

  “Oh, my gosh. I haven’t laughed like that in ages.”

  Rae giggled. “You should hang around Clint more often, then. Some of the situations he can get himself into are hysterical.”

  I paused. “Hey, now. Sometimes a guy has to blow off steam.”

  Cecilia heaved for air. “You don’t blow off steam. Otherwise you wouldn't be so full of hot air.”

  I playfully glared at her. “I think you’re confusing me with Dad at this point.”

  And soon, the girls were falling over in their chairs with laughter.

  The jokes continued through the night, even as we sat down with coffee and blueberry crumble. Tears crested our eyes from the hilarity of it all, and the worries of the accident quickly fell away from our memories. Cecilia looked comfortable in her own home. I felt comfortable in my own home. And Rae looked perfect in this home. With her red face and her silent laughter and her frazzled hair puffing out the redder her face got.

  She was perfection in a bottle.

  And I wanted to drink her down.

  “All right, you two. I’m going to clean up. I’m assuming Clint has some homework to get done, so you guys might as well get to it.”

  I sighed. “Ready for torture hour?”

  Rae got up, rolling her eyes. “You’re such a drama queen when it comes to homework. Come on. It’s not going to kill you to get caught up.”

  She took my hands within hers, helping me up from the chair. I playfully grunted, feigning absolute exhaustion and pain as I threw my arm around her shoulders.

  “I can’t make it. Rae, I just—say good things at my funeral. Tell them how loved I was. Make them remember!”

  And as I fell with my body weight against her, she caught me in her arms. Giggled into my chest. Pulled me down the hallway before pushing me up the stairs. She grabbed a sack of books I didn’t even realize she’d brought with her. An old, brown sack sitting in the corner by the stairs.

  “Need me to get that?”

  She shooed me away. “Come on. Up we go. I’m good. Let’s go, Tiny.”

  I paused. “Tiny?”

  But all she did was giggle to herself.

  We found our way to my bedroom and I closed the door behind us. She hopped on the bed and started pulling out books. I couldn’t stop staring at her. The way her hair poured down past her shoulders. The way it fell in her face. The way her breasts protruded from that tight T-shirt and the way her panties played peekaboo with me from the top of her jeans. I licked my lips as I made my way for her. I hopped onto the bed, watching the books and papers bounce.

  “All right. English or math first?”

  And as Rae looked up into my eyes, I grinned.

  “What if we have dessert first?”

  She rolled her eyes. “We’ve already had dessert.”

  I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What about second dessert?”

  “Clint, you’re not using sex to get out of homework. Come on. I’m tired of doing it for you. Let’s go.”

  I paused. “You’ve been doing my homework for me?”

  She blushed, and my world came to a grinding halt. Had she actually been doing my homework for me? Why?

  “We really should get started on this.”

  I smiled. “Didn’t realize we’d made it to Guantanamo.”

  Rae rolled her eyes. “You done with the torture jokes? Because if we get started, it’s less than an hour’s worth of work.”

  “And then second dessert?”

  “Math. Now.”

  She thrust the notebook and a pencil in my hands and away we went. She helped me through the problems I stumbled on and had some great explanations for me whenever I got hung up and frustrated. I’d always hated math. It was that course in school I almost always failed, even with tutoring and extra credit. It took me forty minutes alone just to stumble along through the one-page worksheet. And we hadn’t even touched the history reading yet.

  “Fucking hell.”

  Rae rubbed my back. “We’ll take a break and then maybe I can read to you. Okay?”

  I snickered. “I don’t need you to read to me. I just need this shit to not exist.”

  “I know. But it’s important. I know how much graduating means to you. So we’ll get through it and then we can… do whatever else.”

  And when I caught her eye, she winked at me. Making fire surge through my veins.

  I felt my strength coming back, so I pressed on. While the one-hour’s worth of work took me almost three, Rae got me through it. Not once did she get upset or frustrated. Not once did she berate me for it or call me ‘stupid’ like my father used to. She didn’t even comment on how long it took me to get all that shit done.

  But, she did kiss me with triumphant desire when we finished.

  “I’m proud of you, you know.”

  I smiled against her lips. “Thanks, beautiful.”

  Her forehead fell against my own. “When’s your next appointment?”

  “Uh… Monday. I think. Monday afternoon.”

  “You want me here for it?”

  “I think it’ll be during school. But you’re more than welcome to come over afterward. You know, massage my aches and pains away.”

  She grinned. “Oh, really now?”

  Rae pressed herself against me, lowering me to the mattress. I heard books and things falling to the ground, no doubt causing a ruckus of sound below us. I grunted as her weight settled against me, but not once did I move. I wanted her on top of me. I wanted the comfort of her weight pressing me into my mattress. I slid my fingers through her hair, working it out of that small ponytail she had until it curtained us off from the rest of the world.

  “Hi,” she said softly.

  I grinned. “Hi there.”

  Then, her face fell. “They’re still out there, you know. The guys who ran you off the road.”

  I wrapped my arms around her. “I know.”

  “I haven’t had an update from the police. Have you?”

  “I haven’t, no.”

  “Do you think they’ll find the guys?”

  “I’m sure they will.”

  Rae nuzzled her nose against mine. “I’m scared about them still being out there.”

  I rolled her over, hovering above her as she stared back at me. With wide eyes and full lips that called to my cock, I captured them softly. She moaned against me. Rolled her body and parted her legs, opening herself up to me. We stripped one another of our clothes. Her touch against my skin ignited something in my chest. I kissed down her neck, trying to soothe away her worries as her body tensed underneath mine. And when my lips found hers again, I whispered against them.

  “The worst is behind us. I promise.”

  19

  Raelynn

  My hands slid up his back as soft sighs fell from my lips. I parted my thighs for him, feeling his rock steady girth fall against me. I rocked slowly, not wanting to hurt him. His kisses were soft. Light. Fluttering against my skin as he ran his nose down my pulse point.

  “Clint,” I whispered.

  He groaned. “How I’ve mi
ssed that sound.”

  He kissed down my breasts. He wrapped his mouth around my puckered peaks. My body rose for him. Bucked for him. Ignited with goosebumps that rushed along my skin. His hands caressed me softly. I felt him creeping along, tracing me with his fingertips. His lips slid down my stomach. My muscles jumped for him at every turn.

  “Clint, you should be on your—”

  “No.”

  He kissed my folds. I moaned, pressing my head back into the pillows as his fingertips parted me. I gasped as his tongue fell between them, licking and sucking with wanton lust. I gripped my thighs around his face. He stroked softly, stoking the fire in my chest. I felt it consuming me. Like a forest fire raging through our mountains. I reached down for his hair. I gripped his tendrils. I pulled him closer to me as I rolled against his lips. His hands slid up my sides. I felt him massaging my breasts as my eyes rolled back.

  And when my body popped, I trembled against the stubble on his cheeks.

  “Oh—ye—Cli—yo—sh—fu—”

  I couldn't speak. Couldn't catch my breath. He lapped me slowly, until my body collapsed after bowing itself out. I gasped for air as he pressed himself up. Wet kisses trailed behind his lips, leaving marks against my skin as he journeyed his way back up. His eyes found mine and he smiled down at me, glistening with my arousal against his skin.

  “I want to taste.”

  Clapping my hand against the back of his head, I pulled him down to me and licked myself off his skin, moaning and consuming all of him I could. I felt his length pressing against my entrance. I bucked slowly, inching him deeper into my body. He growled down the back of my throat. He filled me to the brim. He stretched me and molded me, my body allowing him access to whatever he wanted.

  Because I loved him.

  Even if I didn’t have the guts to admit it yet.

  Grunts and growls fell from his lips as my hands slid down his back. I tightened my arms around his neck, letting my knees fall off to the side. Our bodies became one. I suckled on his lower lip as his girth grew against my walls. Colors sizzled and faded in my view as we rocked and bucked, slowly climbing a precipice we’d both been craving for days.