Rafe
Magnificent.
The way her body unapologetically asked for what it needed.
Full abandonment on her face as she careened over the ledge of her climax. The memory of that kept playing over and over, keeping me awake most of the night.
Unfortunately, Sarah’s untimely call to inform us they’d arrived safely at their stop for the night put an instant chill in the air. I talked briefly to each of the children, who wanted to talk to Taz as well. When I went in search of her, she was in the kitchen chopping vegetables. Her clothes were back in place, and aside from the tear in her shirt collar, you never would’ve guessed she came apart underneath me just minutes ago.
When I handed her the phone and she glanced at me, her eyes were guarded.
I took over dinner prep, listening with half an ear to her side of the conversation with the kids. When she finally put the phone down, I could tell by the way she immediately went about getting dinner ready, without affording me another look, she needed some distance.
I took it as a good sign when I tucked her in the crook of my arm as we watched a bit of TV after dinner, and yet I didn’t stop her when she tilted her face up and kissed the underside of my jaw, announcing she was going to bed.
No need to rush things—or so I’d convinced myself—but in the lonely hours of the night, sporting blue balls I couldn’t recall having since my adolescent years, I wished I’d pushed a little harder. I much rather would’ve had her end the day in my bed, or me in hers.
In hindsight I wonder if I made a mistake, giving her space.
When I glance at the clock, I note it’s already four in the morning. I’m going to have to do something, if I want any chance of getting some sleep.
I toss back the covers and get out of bed, aiming for the bathroom. Maybe taking matters in my own hands in the shower will do the trick, but at the last minute I turn and head for the hallway.
Her back is to me when I ease open her door. I don’t give myself time to think before carefully sliding under the covers behind her. She doesn’t stir until I wrap an arm around her, fitting myself closely to her back.
“Rafe?”
“I can’t sleep,” I confess when she turns her head. “I can’t stop thinking about you in a different bed when I want you in mine.”
My hand slips under the tank top she’s wearing and finds the soft swell of her breast, plucking her nipple between my fingers. The little hitch in her voice has me press my hips against her ass. For a moment she freezes at the feel of me, but then snuggles her butt firmly against my erection.
I take it as the invitation I hope it’s intended as and drop my mouth to her neck, while sliding my hand down her belly, and into her panties, where I find her already wet. In seconds I have both of us stripped naked. With a hand behind her knee, I lift her top leg and slide my straining cock between the lush globes of her ass.
“Say yes,” I whisper hoarsely against her neck, as she takes in a sharp breath at the feel of me probing her entrance. “Please.”
“Yes.”
A deep groan escapes me as I slide inside her, sinking deep into the tight, warm heat. With only my hand for company for longer than I care to admit, the feel of her soft, pliant skin against me and the snug fit of her body almost has me come on the spot. I press my face into her neck and wrap her tightly in my arms, holding her still while I try to hold on to my control.
“Please move,” she moans, wiggling in my hold.
“Sweets, I move now it’ll all be over. Give me your mouth.”
She twists her head on the pillow and I don’t waste any time taking her plump lips in a hungry kiss. Slipping a hand between her legs, I strum her clit until she whimpers down my throat. Then I move, with short, fierce strokes, my slick fingers keeping up their friction.
“God, Rafe…” she mumbles, as she rips her mouth from mine and shoves her face in the pillow, her body going taut against me.
“Let go,” I growl into her neck, my hips furiously pumping as I feel the first ripples of her release triggering my own.
Taz’s heart is pounding against my hand and matches the racing of my own, as we both try to catch our breath. My nose is buried in her dreadlocks and my arms hold her close as I feel myself softening and slipping from her body.
“You are perfection,” I whisper, feeling her jar in response. “Let me look at you.”
She doesn’t resist when I roll her on her back. Her shining brown eyes speak volumes as they focus on mine. I don’t need to hear words to know she’s as affected as I am at what just happened.
“Beautiful,” I murmur, feathering my fingers over her flushed face and swollen lips. She arches her neck as I trace its length and down her chest.
Her breasts are full, with dark plum nipples, and I can’t resist leaning down to taste first one and then the other. Taz shivers in response and her hand comes up to trace my face.
Time doesn’t matter while we leisurely explore, getting familiar with the tastes and textures of each other’s bodies. When I position myself between her spread thighs this time, our eyes are locked and unguarded, every emotion exposed as we make love.
“We didn’t use anything.”
Taz sets down the coffee pot and turns to face me. “I know.”
“I haven’t…I mean, not since…” I run a frustrated hand through my hair at my bumbled attempt. “There hasn’t been anyone else for a long time, but still I should’ve—”
“It’s okay,” she interrupts, the tug of a smile on her mouth. “I’ve always been careful.”
I note she doesn’t say there hasn’t been anyone and I feel that in my gut. I have no right—fuck, I know I don’t—but the thought of her with someone else…
“Stop that,” she snaps, closing the distance between us. She puts a hand in the middle of my chest and lifts her face up to me. “If we start looking back instead of moving forward, we don’t stand a chance.”
She’s right. Of course she is.
I stroke her chin with the backs of my fingers. “Point taken.” My eyes scan her face before I get us back on topic. “What about pregnancy?”
Taz lowers her gaze as a blush deepens on her cheeks. “What about it?” she whispers.
“Taz…”
Her eyes snap back to mine. “Don’t worry about it, okay? I should still be covered by my last Depo injection.”
“Well, that’s good, right?” I try, not fully understanding her snippy tone. But I clue in when she turns away again, biting her lower lip. “Sweets…” With my index finger under her chin, I coax her to look at me. “It’s not that I wouldn’t be happy to find out you were pregnant with my child. I’d be over the fucking moon. What I am saying is we might want to time it better. Get everyone used to the fact there is an us, before we think about adding siblings and grandchildren.”
Taz
“Before you go, Charlton could do with a bath.”
I try not to roll my eyes at Mrs. Myers’ request. Monday it was a walk he needed, and if not for the dog’s adorable face when she mentioned the magic word, I would’ve refused her.
Looks like I set myself up for more extracurricular tasks.
“Mrs. Myers, looking after Charlton is not really part of my job description,” I politely remind her, as I bite the inside of my cheek.
“Well, forgive me,” she fires back tartly. “I thought, having been raised in a church-going family like yours, you would’ve at least picked up some basic sense of charity for those less fortunate. If your sister were here, she would’ve—”
I raise my hand to cut her off, taking a deep breath in. “Mrs. Myers,” I force myself to say calmly, when I feel all but calm. “I will give Charlton a bath today, but I suggest for future reference you perhaps could find a mobile groomer who is able to come to your house.” Before she has a chance to answer, I scoop up the overweight dog and carry him upstairs to the ancient bathroom.
It’s a good thing Mrs. Myers is my last appointment for the day, because bathing Charlton proves not to be as easy as the dog’s laid-back demeanor might’ve promised. It was a twenty-minute struggle with the surprisingly agile beagle. By the time a fresh smelling Charlton hobbles down the stairs and takes up his spot at his mistress’ feet for a nap, my entire front is soaked, my forearm is throbbing with an imprint of the old dog’s surprisingly powerful jaws, and my patience has worn thin.
“Now that wasn’t too bad, was it?” the old hag taunts as I silently grab my things.
I freeze at her words. It’s the last straw.
“Mrs. Myers, it’s that I’m a nice person, and my parents raised me well, or else I would be tempted to file a personal injury suit.” I shove the arm that bears the clear markings of Charlton’s chompers in her face. “Now I’m sore, I’m soaked, and I’m half an hour late getting home, so if you’ll excuse me.” Without another word I walk out of her house.
By the time I’ve stopped by the walk-in clinic for a tetanus shot—the dog broke skin—called Nathan to give him a report, and pull into our driveway, I’ve cooled off a little.
Meredith called me earlier in the week, and I’d planned to pick up a few things for the dinner party we arranged for tomorrow. It’s a good thing I’ll have the day off so I can do it in the morning. I’m not in the mood for a public appearance right now.
Rafe is already busy in the kitchen and looks up when I walk in.
The last few days we’ve fallen into a natural groove with easy touches and sweet affection. The last two nights we’ve become intimately acquainted with every inch of each other’s body, and have fallen asleep sated in each other’s arms in my room. I still have to pinch myself in the mornings to make sure I’m not dreaming. It’s been a little surreal to say the least.
“What the hell?” Rafe is stalking toward, me taking in my appearance, complete with cleaned and bandaged arm, courtesy of the clinic. “What happened to you?”
“Mrs. Myers,” I inform him, but at his confused expression I quickly add, “I guess technically Mrs. Myers’ dog.”
“Charlton?” I don’t blame him for the disbelief in his voice. If I hadn’t experienced it, I wouldn’t have believed the docile mutt capable.
“Apparently he’s not a fan of baths.”
His eyes squint. “Care to tell me why you’d be giving her dog a bath? I’m sure that’s not part of your normal work routine.”
“Well no, but she kinda guilted me into it.”
“How is that?” He reaches for my arm and starts unwinding the bandage. I let him.
“Oh, I don’t know. Something about not being charitable like my family.” I purposely stick to more general terms, not wanting to bring up my sister. It doesn’t matter, I can tell from the way he looks at me, he’s reading enough between the lines.
“I’m thinking it’s high time Mrs. Myers and I have a heart-to-heart. The woman is relentless in her pursuit of free services. She’s been living off this family’s ‘charity’ much too long already.” I hiss when he probes the two tears in my skin from the dog’s canines and the colorful bruising forming around it. “That old boy got you good. Your tetanus up-to-date?”
“Already got my shot. Look…” I quickly pull my arm back, “…I don’t want to make a fuss. I already called Nathan to report it.”
“Good. So he’ll take her off your roster?”
“Well…” Rafe lifts an eyebrow. “He offered, but I said no,” I admit.
“Why would you want to go back there?”
I can’t blame him for his incredulity; I doubted my own sanity a few times. “It’s not that I want to, it’s I feel I have to.” His other eyebrow shoots up, so I try to explain. “People already have a hard time putting their trust in me. How would it look if at the first hint of trouble, I give up? If I’m going to make a life here, I need to start changing their perception of me. I need to prove I’m better than what they see.”
“They don’t have a clue who you are.” Rafe’s voice is gruff as his arms close tightly around me and I snuggle into his chest.
“Then it’s about time they find out.” I lift up my face and kiss the underside of his jaw. “Besides, I don’t like the idea of letting that woman win.”