He was mad. Really mad. It was written all over his irritatingly handsome face. I wasn’t exactly surprised. I’d left without so much as a goodbye, but after the way he’d behaved, I didn’t think he deserved one. “I didn’t realize you were keeping tabs on me. I guess I’ll know better next time.” I crossed my arms and let out a huff. “If there is a next time.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I’m not sure if the club is the right fit for me.”
I actually liked bartending there. Lisa was very easy to work with and the tips were even better than I imagined, but I didn’t want Rafe thinking he needed to babysit me. I’d worked at Crockett’s long enough to know how to handle a rowdy customer or two, and I didn’t need him to jump in and intervene when something didn’t go exactly as planned. Not liking my response, Rafe stepped inside my apartment and closed the door behind him. “And why the hell is that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the fact that I’m not trusted to do the job I’ve been hired to do, and before you start in on me, Lisa told me all about Calvin after you disappeared into the office.” I placed my hand on my hip as I continued, “I know all about what he did and the fact he was banned. I also get why you handled things the way you did, but you could’ve given me a heads up. Had I known he wasn’t supposed to be there, I wouldn’t have served him, and I certainly wouldn’t have been nice to the guy.”
“My reaction wasn’t because I didn’t trust you to handle it, Marlowe.” His fierce expression softened as he explained, “I just saw red the second I noticed him talking to you. The thought of him putting his hands on you or hurting you...I just couldn’t take it and lost what was left of my control.”
Hearing his confession took me by complete surprise. One minute, he was all into me, kissing me and making me feel desired beyond measure, and then he ran completely cold and didn’t so much as call or text for the past three days. I didn’t know what was going on with him, but his hot and cold reactions were giving me whiplash. I couldn’t stand it a second longer, so I asked, “What is this?”
“What is what?”
“This?” I motioned my hand between us. “Are we just friends? Are we more than that? Are you just looking for another notch on your belt or what?”
“You seriously don’t know?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.”
“How ’bout you tell me what you think is going on between us.”
His handsome face was completely void of expression as he turned the tables on me, and I suddenly wished I’d kept my big mouth shut. Trying to play it cool, I locked eyes with him and answered, “I thought we might’ve had something going until you ghosted me for three days, and then acted like an ass at the bar. Now, I’m not so sure.”
“Is that right?”
“Maybe you can clear things up for me.”
“I believe I can.”
Rafe took a step towards me, but I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I knew what was coming. Hell, I’d asked for it, and there was no doubt I was about to get it. When he reached for me, I swallowed, holding my breath as I waited for his mouth to crash against mine. The second our lips touched I knew I had my answer. Rafe wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I never dreamed I’d find a man like him. I’d been too afraid to even imagine the possibility, but now that I’d found him and realized what I’d been missing, I never wanted to let him go.
He released my mouth long enough to look down at me and whispered, “Want to make this very clear. I want you, Marlowe. Not as some fucking notch on my belt, but as something more. Much more. You good with that?”
“I’m more than good with that.”
His lips brushed against mine, but not gently like before. Instead, it was hot, passionate, and demanding. I moaned into his mouth, stealing the last of his restraint. The tips of his fingers trailed along my spine, and I arched towards him, seeking the heat of his touch. As he continued kissing me, I could feel a fire burning deep inside me, smoldering as it spread through my body. It had started with just a spark, but I could feel it building, intensifying with every touch of his hand. He lowered the tips of his fingers to the hem of my sweater and slowly lifted it over my head. It was finally happening. The moment I’d envisioned so many times, and I was overcome with nerves, excitement, and desire all at the same time.
I inhaled a nervous breath when I felt his hands at the waistband of my jeans. I’d never undressed in front of a man before, but that moment was coming and it was coming fast. His eyes never left mine as he lowered the denim down my legs. As I stepped out of them, Rafe slowly stood, taking his time to study every inch of my exposed skin. He ran his rough, calloused finger along the edge of my red lace bra as he muttered, “So damn beautiful.”
A rush of heat rolled against my skin as he stood there staring at me, appraising me. Everything about this man had my senses going completely haywire. Just looking at him made it hard to breathe, hard to think, and the way his eyes filled with lust when he looked at me only increased my need for him. He stopped, removed his cut and placed it on the back of the chair, then turned his attention back to me. Unable to resist a moment longer, I reached out, grasping the hem of his t-shirt, and I felt the muscles of his chest quiver as my fingers brushed along his skin. He bent forward, and after I lifted it over his head, I laid my hand on his bare chest and was relieved to find his heartbeat was fast and hard like mine. “Rafe.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
Without warning, he lifted me up and carried me into my bedroom. Seconds later, I was on the bed and Rafe was on top of me. His weight pressed me into the bed as his hands, rough and impatient, roamed over my body. Seconds later, my bra was freed from my body and thrown to the floor. Everything was happening so fast, but it was just the way I wanted it. I didn’t need time to think. I just wanted to be in the moment and relish in the sensation of having his mouth closed over my breast, scraping his teeth across my sensitive flesh.
My fingers tangled in his hair as he flicked his tongue against my nipple, sending goosebumps prickling across my skin. My breath caught as his hand slid between my legs. He ran his finger along the edge of my lace panties, trailing that sensitive line between my thigh and center while his other hand cupped my breast, the rough pad of his thumb stroking across my nipple as he added fuel to the fire burning within me. I was lost in a blissful haze when Rafe reached for the waistband of my panties and slipped them down my legs. Once they were gone, he quickly lowered his head between my legs and began teasing me with his mouth.
Within seconds, I could feel the tension building in the pit of my abdomen, and with each flick of his tongue, the feeling only grew stronger. The sensation was foreign to me, but I liked it more than I thought possible. Unable to control myself, my hand dove into his hair, tangling in the long, thick strands as I inched my hips forward, begging for more. I’d never felt anything so intense, so pleasurable as the moment when my orgasm took hold and coursed through me like a wildfire.
Impatient for more, Rafe lifted off me and quickly removed his jeans.
He was beautiful with his perfectly defined abs and his oh-so-pronounced V and seeing him standing there in all his naked glory had me absolutely spellbound. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he eased the condom down his long, thick shaft. When he caught me staring, his eyes danced with mischief. “Like what you see, beautiful?”