#rhett abbott x tesa abernathy

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

rhett abbott x oc | an alternate universe

Summary: "we rented a place together with our friend group for vacation, but there are only double beds in every room and everyone else already found a sleeping partner" (wc: 2216)

Requested: YES by anon

Warnings: alcohol mention, there was only one bed trope, a little sexual tension, i made tess a virgin in this for reasons that cannot be explained, maria is here in the background...lurking

✎……MASTERLIST

It had been five years since high school graduation. And the Amelia County High School Rodeo Team class of 2015 decided to get together for a little reunion. Team captains, Taylor Goyer and Dalton Allen, organized the whole thing. Sent out invitations, made sure everyone paid them on time for tickets and group meals and the rental they were all staying at together.

They were turning the reunion into a real affair. A week long trip to Cheyenne for the Frontier Days. A nationally known two-week rodeo event that they all dreamed of participating in when they were teenagers. But now, most of them had given up on the rodeo life — working regular jobs with only fond memories of roping cattle, riding bareback, and wrestling steer.

Not to mention the mansion AirBnB monstrosity in Cheyenne they chose to rent. With a pool, seven bedrooms, and a kitchen big enough to feed an army. It cost a ridiculous amount, even split up between fourteen people.

They were going to trash the place, of that much Tessa Abernathy was certain. But at least they would all have fun together again. Just like those long bus rides to South Dakota or sneaking down to the hotel pool at midnight in Montana.

And despite her apprehensions about going, Tessa was excited about the trip. She hadn’t been to Frontier Days since she was a kid and even though there was always going to be a mess that needed cleaning at the rental, she was looking forward to hanging out with her old friends again. 

But the excitement quickly drained from her when they got back from their first day at the Frontier — only just now getting inside their AirBnB at nearly midnight. A day filled with midway carnival rides, taste testing beers in the garden, and exploring old frontier town.

“You’ve got t’be kidding,” Tessa said to Taylor as everyone went their separate ways in the living room — to their beds for the night.

“Sorry babe,” Taylor spoke sympathetically with a hand on her shoulder. “But ya fell asleep on the ride over.”

“So that means I have t’room with him?” she whispered back, trying not to let him hear — because, even though she didn’t want to share a room with him, didn’t mean she wanted to hurt his feelings either.

Taylor laughed lightly. “S’s just Rhett. Not like he’s gonna murder ya.”

“But — But y’said each room only has a double…” Tessa shifted her eyes over to him warily. “He’s a guy.”

He was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Duffle bag at his booted feet. At this moment, she hated to admit that he looked good. Really good. Wearing dark jeans and a t-shirt from an old rodeo, trucker-cap on his head covering those dark brown curls that stuck out the back. The veins in his forearms and the backs of his hands standing out in stark contrast in the dim light of the foyer. She also hated that he was being nice enough to wait on her.

It sparked to life something that had been living inside her since she was fourteen. An adolescent crush she thought had been snuffed out by time. But no. Apparently the only thing that was needed to bring it to life again was the prospect of sharing a bed with him. With Rhett Abbott. The only one of their old team who still lived the rodeo life. Who made a living off riding bulls and had the reputation to back it up. She was surprised he even signed up to come on this trip. 

“Tess, look, y’re a big girl. If it bothers ya so much, y’can sleep on the couch down here.” Taylor gestured to the living room where a small mid-century modern leather atrocity sat waiting for her. “Be my guest.” 

“Ugh, fine.” 

With a roll of her eyes and a heat in her cheeks she begged to God would go away, she picked up her bag and headed for the stairs. Rhett smiled, small and unsure, as she passed him. But she didn’t dare look at him for more than a second. Would rather spare herself the embarrassment for the time being.

“Last door on the left!” Taylor called out and laughed when Tessa gave her a thumbs up back without looking.

The room, at least, was nice. Hardwood floors with a nice big rug, a window seat that overlooked the backyard, an ensuite bathroom shared with the room next to them, and a four-poster canopy bed with a fluffy comforter and pillows.

With a sigh, Tessa dropped her bag by the wardrobe shoved against the wall opposite the bed. Claiming at least one space for herself. Rhett followed in shortly after that, something tentative in his steps as he set his duffle down by the door and toed off his boots.

“Y’mind if I shut the door?” he asked quietly, voice a low grumble in his chest after a long day.

“Um — y-yeah, that’s fine,” she replied, nervously rubbing at the thighs of her jeans.

Rhett closed the door softly and suddenly she felt like there wasn’t enough space in the room. Not enough air. She moved away from him slowly, trying not to make it obvious, and towards the large window. Feigning wanting to look at the view.

“Look, I, uh…I don’wanna make ya uncomfortable,” he started slowly and she turned to him with furrowed brows, listening. “I c’n jus’ — sleep on the floor’re somethin’.”

Tessa immediately shook her head. “No, m’not gonna make y’do that. N’that couch downstairs looks about as uncomfortable as these floors, so…”

They both laughed gently at that. And somehow she was starting to hate him more while simultaneously fighting down the butterflies in her stomach. Why did he have to be so courteous too? So nice? She didn’t want to make him sleep on the floor. He would be miserable, most likely sore and sleep deprived. And neither of them really wanted to subject themselves to even sitting on that couch, let alone trying to sleep on it. So there were really no other options. It was the bed for both of them. Even though the idea left Tessa’s guts swirling and her sweaty hands wringing themselves red.

“So y’re okay with sharin’?” he questioned with a glance towards the bed. 

The bed that suddenly looked so, so small.

“In a minute, maybe,” she laughed nervously, pushing a hand through her hair. “Let’s jus’...Get ready f’r bed n’bite the bullet.” 

Rhett huffed. “Makin’ it sound like y’re sharin’ a bed with an ogre.”

“M’sorry! I jus’, uh — haven’t really — done this sorta — Jesus, this’s embarrassin’,” she grumbled, trying to hide her reddening cheeks with her hands.

“Shit, Tess, I’s jokin’,” he chuckled lowly, taking his hat off with the first two fingers of his hand and setting it down on the small table by the door.

“Right.” She wanted to kick herself, or disappear into the floor, or just something. So instead she chose to grab her bag and head for the bathroom. “M’gonna change.” 

“Okay,” he laughed again with a shake of his head.

How can he be so calm about this? How can he be so casual about sharing a bed with a girl he barely knows? She supposed, as she slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her, he was used to this kind of thing. Going around the circuit and sleeping with whatever buckle bunny showed interest. Or at least that was what the rumor mill around Wabang liked to tell her. This was just a regular Tuesday night for him. But it wasn’t for her. She had barely even kissed a guy let alone shared a bed with one. In either sense of the word. An embarrassing factoid she liked to keep to herself, one that she hoped Rhett Abbott wouldn’t pick up on as he slept right beside her for the next six nights.

Once changed into her pajamas, with her teeth and hair brushed, Tessa came back out into the bedroom sheepishly. But she couldn’t help the delicate squeak that slipped past her lips at the sight of Rhett standing on one side of the bed. 

In nothing but his boxers. Showing off those broad shoulders and toned abdomen, that bull-rider tattoo on his chest and the scar on his shoulder, and those pale but thick thighs.

At the sound, he looked over at her with scrunched brows and thin lips downturned. Then he looked her up and down. 

“That what you wear t’bed? Seriously?”

Tessa looked down at her clothes, a pink pajama set — shorts and a tank top — with strawberries all over. She thought they were cute, and always liked wearing pajama sets to bed, even when she was alone. But now that she was standing in front of him, she just felt silly and like she needed to cover up. She crossed her arms in front of herself and gave him a look.

“That’s what you wear t’bed? Seriously?” she repeated, looking pointedly at his plaid boxers, trying to match his tone.

“S’hot!” he defended with a gesture towards the window.

“Y’could at least put on a shirt r’somethin’,” she went on, crossing the room to stand on the other side of the bed.

Rhett rolled his eyes. “S’not like y’re wearin’ much more than me.” 

“I didn’think I’d have t’share a room!” she shot back, yanking back the covers with a huff and a deep breath.

It seemed he had no rebuttal for that. Instead, he quietly slipped the t-shirt he was wearing earlier back on before sitting down at the edge of the bed. Back turned to her as he messed with his phone. 

There was relative silence between them after that. Tessa set out her slippers for the morning, knowing she was going to be the first one up and her bare toes would freeze on this floor. Then she plugged in her phone and set it on the side table, setting no alarm. There was nothing on the reunion schedule until one o’clock in the afternoon. A shared lunch at some cantina in town before heading back to the Frontier.

She settled back in the covers, trying to keep as close to the edge of the mattress as possible to keep as much space between her and Rhett. The overhead light was turned off, only the light of their respective table lamps remained. Tessa shut her’s off with another sigh she hoped didn’t sound as shaky outloud as it did in her head.

Rhett didn’t seem to notice. Too preoccupied with his phone as he kicked up his feet and leaned back against the headboard, a small smile on his face. She looked over her shoulder at him curiously.

“That Maria?” she questioned before she could stop herself.

She knew they had reconnected recently, what with Maria back in Wabang from college what seemed like permanently. And she knew Rhett always had a crush on her. Which was why Tessa’s crush always seemed like a futile and doomed little thing. Who was she in comparison to Maria Olivares? The girl Rhett’s been dreaming about since he was a kid? She had seen them hanging out together at the Handsome Gambler, even making out outside the Pit Bar once or twice. Always a fleeting thought and never something she focused on. She wasn’t sure they were dating, but they were certainly a Thing — whatever that meant for them. 

“Uh, yeah,” Rhett replied, locking his phone and setting it aside. “Tellin’ me about’er day.” 

“You gonna tell’er y’re sharin’ a bed with someone else?” she asked with a grin.

“Probably not,” he laughed. “She…Hasn’t really asked about the trip anyways, so…”

“Oh.” That seemed odd to Tessa. If she was his girlfriend, and he was gone on a week-long trip, she would be asking every day what he was doing. Wondering if he was having fun and being safe. But that was none of her business. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt’er, I guess?”

“Yeah, I guess,” he chuckled again.

He leaned over and turned out his light, basking the room in total darkness.

The next morning, Tessa woke up first as she guessed. 

But it was the way she woke up that was entirely unexpected. 

That made her gut sink through to the floor and a heat build up so strong in her cheeks she felt like she was on fire. 

Her head wasn’t even on her pillow anymore. Somehow, she had rolled over in her sleep and was laying with her head on Rhett’s firm yet somehow comfortable chest. Her arm was draped over his torso, her leg hitched up over his hips. And his arm…His arm was curved around her waist.

His fingers shoved into the waistband of her shorts, resting against the curve of her ass.

With another delicate little squeak, Tessa pulled away from him and scrambled up from the bed. Rhett didn’t seem too bothered by her sudden and not so subtle movement. He only groaned and rolled over. A heavy sleeper it seemed. And she stared at him wide eyed, standing there still feeling his warmth on her skin.

This was going to be a long week.

i no longer have a taglist, please follow @anniesocsandlibrary and turn on notifications for updates