Chapter Ten

Rafe set his cell on the kitchen counter, then flipped up the hem of his gray T-shirt and removed Alexa’s earring from the front pocket of his jeans. He laid it next to his phone. The plan had been to call Alexa and let her know she could pick it up from the part-time assistant that worked in the club’s office. But then he’d spent last night dreaming about her riding him with a white cowboy hat on instead of the black one she’d worn the other night. She was like an angel, moving up and down his shaft, driving him crazy in sinful ways with the clench and release of her tight, silky heat. He’d awakened just before he’d had a full-on wet dream.

Pretty Miss Rich Girl…

Sure, Alexa was all of that, and maybe she was just looking for a thrill, like Shannon claimed. But unlike in the past, he was in control of the situation. He’d make it clear that this was just a simple, uncomplicated sexual encounter. If she was into that, maybe he’d keep sleeping with her until his interest waned.

See? Simple. He still had an hour before she arrived. He may as well get some work done. Rafe slid his laptop closer to him on the counter. It bumped a stack of mail the club’s assistant had left for him on his desk in the back office. Two envelopes dropped to the floor. He scooped them up.

One had the name of an insurance company with a tagline encouraging him to make the switch to their stellar services. The other had a return address from Carl Dumond in Boland, Michigan.

His father had written him again. Bitterness tinged with hurt simmered inside of him. He still didn’t know how Carl had tracked him down. Hell. With the internet, it was easy to find anyone these days. Rafe turned the letter over. He traced his thumb over the closed flap. More than a decade had passed since he’d laid eyes on the man. Their last conversation had ended with him flipping his father off as he’d sped away, headed to Miami. Did Carl’s letter contain more insults? Growing up, he’d heard enough of them. After his father had had a few drinks, he’d go on about how life had dealt him a bad hand. Alcohol was also Carl’s truth serum about the past.

From what he’d gathered through Carl’s jumbled storytelling, his dad had started dating his mother, who was a backup singer in a local rock band, a couple of months before leaving for basic training with the Marines. His parents had planned to go their separate ways, but she’d gotten pregnant with him, and they’d decided to get married. A freak accident in basic training had ended his father’s dream of a military career, and they’d returned to Boland.

Rafe released a long breath. When he was almost two, a car crash had taken his mother’s life and spared his. His father made it clear he’d wished Fate had taken his son instead of his wife.

Rafe tore up the letter and tossed it in the trash can under the sink. He had nothing to say to his father and had no desire to read whatever bullshit he was spouting now.

He turned his attention to the financial spreadsheet from the past week that was on his laptop screen. Shannon was right. They’d made money on the Bash, more than anticipated. But to stay in the black, they needed more than just one lucrative night in Escapade West. Ever since they’d expanded the club to include the new area, they toed the break-even line too many times for comfort. One or two major, unexpected issues, requiring large cash expenditures, could strain them, possibly even break them. They had to find ways to consistently monetize the space.

Rain pelting the window pulled his attention from the spreadsheet to the clock on the screen of his cell.

It was a few minutes after the hour. Had the weather held Alexa up, or had she changed her mind?

Thunder reverberated with the knock on his door.

Anticipation spiked as he closed his laptop. He flipped on the porch light before answering the door.

The hood of Alexa’s knee-length raincoat partially shadowed her face. She smiled. “Hi.”

“Come in.” He moved out of the doorway.

She walked past him, and the soft floral fragrance of her perfume mixed appealingly with the scent of the rain. As she stood in the entryway, drops of water puddled on the floor around her black high-heeled rubber boots. As she slipped the hood from her head, she smoothed tendrils of hair from her face. Her lush lips glistened.

He resisted kissing her and locked the door. No need to rush the night along. “Would you like to take off your jacket?”

“Yes.” She tightened the belt around her waist. “But not until we’ve had a little chat.”

Chat? From the way her pulse beat in the hollow of her throat, she wasn’t referring to a simple conversation. Rafe crossed his arms over his chest. “About?”

“What this is.”

So much for simple, uncomplicated sex. “I thought this was about you coming to get your earring.”

“Okay then.” She shrugged. “Hand it over.” She almost hid the disappointment that flickered in her expression before she looked away.

He could play games, but he hated doling out bullshit as much as he did dealing with it. “Hold on.” Rafe rubbed over the tension gathering at his nape. “I enjoyed the other night. I thought you did, too, but I’m not interested in starting anything serious.”

Alexa glanced down. “I’m moving to Seattle in a little over five weeks, so I’m not interested in anything serious, either, but…” She worried her bottom lip in the same way she had when she’d gotten that text from her mom the morning after they’d slept together.

He didn’t have the right to pry into her business then, but now that they were agreeing to sleep together again, he had a right to know what “but” meant. Rafe tipped up her chin. “But what?”

Her long lashes rose, and her gaze met his. “I don’t want to waste time with out of the blue booty calls. I’d rather we just agree to sleep with each other on a regular basis until I leave or for as long as it suits us. If you’re interested.”

Short-term sex with her without the discomfort of a messy ending? Hell yeah, he was interested. “I’m up for that, but during the time we’re together, we’re exclusive.”

“Says the man who takes off his clothes in front of a room full of women for a living. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s followed you back here.”

“Actually, yes, you are the first.” Rafe held her by the waist. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he could taste the strawberry gloss gleaming on her lips. “And like I told you, I’m retired. I don’t dance anymore. My recent performances were because of a bet and an emergency.”

She rested her hands on his chest, keeping him at a distance. “Those sound like awfully convenient excuses for taking your clothes off.”

“My priority is managing Escapade.” He almost added “trust me,” but considering her ex had cheated on her, that could be asking for too much. “While you’re still in town for the next few weeks, the only things that will occupy my time are taking care of the club and enjoying you. Deal?”

She smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

“We should celebrate then.”

“We will, but could I have something to drink? I’m very thirsty.”

“Water? Or do you need something stronger?”

She tilted her head as she looked up at him and laughed. “Stronger is always better.”

He contemplated stealing a kiss, but once he got ahold of her, he wouldn’t stop. Rafe strode to the kitchen. “Isn’t it time you took off that coat?”

Clothing rustled behind him. What sounded like her boots hit the floor.

“I’ve got beer, rum, whiskey. Sorry. No wine.”

“On second thought, how about just you?”

He glanced back and almost gave himself whiplash doing a double take.

Sheer peach lace cupped her lush breasts. Ran along her hips. Shadowed her pussy.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, couldn’t control the need that drove him back across the room. Moisture pooled in his mouth as he circled behind Alexa. His cock swelled against the zipper of his jeans at the sight of her beautiful, taut bare ass.

Rafe swept his palms over her silky-smooth curves. “Is all this for me?”

…

Alexa shivered as he caressed her. She glanced over her shoulder. The predatory look in his gaze stirred excitement. “All for you.”

“Hope you don’t have plans for the rest of the night.” He stroked up her hips, into the dips of her waist to her breasts. He cupped them and squeezed her nipples.

“No. Just this.” Warmth curled through Alexa as his hand trailed over her abdomen. Trapped between him skimming the scalloped lace of her thong and his erection pressed to her butt and lower back, she couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

Neediness. Weakness. He brought it out in her, along with a rampant desire. The intensity of it shocked and titillated her.

She pushed back against him, reveling in the feel of his hard cock covered by the stiff fabric of his jeans.

Rafe nipped the side of her neck and popped open the front clip of her bra. He slipped the straps from her shoulders.

Cool air washed over her but failed to alleviate the heat overtaking her as he caressed the swell of her breasts, feathered his thumbs over her nipples, and squeezed the tight, sensitive buds.

She reached back and gripped his thighs.

Rafe’s cheek brushed hers. “Feel good?” He moved one of his hands down, dipped into her thong, and traced down her slit.

“Too good.” Alexa caught her trembling lower lip in her teeth.

He plunged his finger inside of her.

She lolled her head back against him. “Oh yes. Don’t stop.”

He plucked and squeezed one nipple.

Delicious tingles spread over her breasts. Radiated between her thighs. She gripped his legs harder and widened hers. With every thrust and squeeze, intensity built. It erupted inside of her. Alexa’s hips automatically matched the sensual in-and-out rhythm. Her cries burned her throat.

Rafe wrapped his arm around Alexa and carried her to the bed, laying her down and then following.

His hard chest crushed her sensitive nipples. Still quivering from an orgasm, she rocked her sex against his leg, searching for more, needing so much more.

He swept kisses down her throat to the peak of her breast.

As he sucked her nipple into his mouth, all she could do was pant. Hard tweaks and gentle tugs, along with his firm thigh kneading her sex, pulled another orgasm out of her.

Rafe dragged off her thong as he got up and dropped it on the floor. His muscles bulged and rippled with the natural movement of stripping off his clothes. He snagged a condom from the drawer of the bedside table, rolled it on, then climbed between her legs.

His earth-shattering thrust inside of her renewed desire. Alexa threw back her head, arched against him, and lost herself in ecstasy.

Hours later, she stood in front of the mirror in the white-tiled bathroom wrapped in a navy towel. She detangled her wet hair with her fingers. Once she got home, she’d have to spend time getting her hair in order before she went to bed.

Rafe came up behind her, tightening a matching towel around his waist. He opened the top drawer on the left. “Combs are in there. Check around for anything else you need.”

“Thank you.”

He kissed her shoulder. “You’re welcome.”

His cell rang in the kitchen. He went to answer it.

Sex had heated things up in the shower, but they’d stayed so long, the hot water had cooled to near freezing, and the pads of her fingers had started to wrinkle. But she’d gladly relive him licking drops of water from her breasts and massaging between her thighs. She couldn’t contain a smile. Yeah. Like she told Cori, becoming addicted to him would be so easy. He was generous in bed. Transparent in his motives. Direct in what he wanted. But there was more to him. Parts of his life she wouldn’t get a chance to discover in the short time they had together. Disappointment sunk in with a heavy exhale.

No. She’d focus on the fun. That’s all this was, right?

Nosiness prompted her to poke around. Toothpaste, mouthwash, razors, shaving cream, sex lubricant. Did he use it on himself, or with someone in his past? And what’s in this tube? Bikini line hair remover? Interesting. She’d read an article once that had mentioned that male strippers waxed off their hair. Rafe’s chest was super smooth, and his legs had hair so fine, she’d hardly noticed. If he’d waxed for years, the hair probably hadn’t come back, but he wasn’t completely manscaped. A neatly groomed patch surrounded his sex.

He paced along the galley-style kitchen as he talked on his phone. “Uh-huh, yeah, I agree. Go ahead and get on that.”

Wind spattered rain on the skylight.

She found her bra and thong on the floor near the bed. He looked so damn sexy in a towel. What would he do if she slipped it off, dropped to her knees, and sucked him slowly into her mouth. The fresh, clean smell of soap and man would make her want him even more.

As if he’d read her thoughts, he looked her way. His gaze roaming over her was like a leisurely caress. The front of his towel rose.

She fumbled with the fastener on her bra. Her skin heated.

“What? Now?” He scowled and turned away. “No. Wait for me. I’ll be down in ten.”

Rafe disconnected from the call, then plunked his cell on the counter.

She pulled up her thong. “Problems in paradise?”

“You could say that.” He dressed in his jeans and T-shirt. “A big order that was supposed to arrive tomorrow night is here. We’re short on supplies, so we can’t turn the truck away.” He strode to the closet, where he opened and shut drawers. “Xan, my head of security, has pulled a couple of his guys to handle stocking the cases. I should head out there and supervise things.”

“I’ll get out of your way then.”

“Hold on a sec.” Rafe came out carrying tan, lace-up work boots and a black sweatshirt. He handed her the shirt. “Put this on. You need something warm under your coat.”

She slipped it over her head. The sleeves engulfed her arms and covered her hands, and the hem hit mid-thigh. It smelled like him. She resisted burying her nose in the fabric. “Thanks.”

The wind howled.

Rafe glanced up at the skylight. “Sounds bad out there. Sure you don’t want to wait?”

“It won’t matter. It’s supposed to rain all night. I’m fine.”

Attraction and the need to resist him heightened her awkwardness. She’d never indulged in a sex-only relationship. How would their hookups work? Should they schedule when they’d meet now? Agree to set something up in advance? “So. I’ll go.” Alexa backed up. She picked up her coat from the floor.

Rafe took it from her. He held the raincoat open so she could slip into it. “By the way, that’s my favorite shirt. I think I better hold your earring hostage until I get it back.”

She buttoned her jacket. “How much time do I have?”

Rafe turned her around by the waist. “Tomorrow night. Day after, at the latest.” He leaned in. “What do you think?”

Alexa rested her hands on his chest, welcoming a kiss. “Sounds good to me.”