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“Yeah,” I said and sat up, hopeful.
“Yeah, they were leaving when I got off the elevator.”
I slid off the stool, wobbling slightly until I was able to steady myself and go after them. “I could still catch them.”
“Uh, not quite.”
“Why not?” Arms folded, I frowned at Rafe, suspicious for some reason. “Well?”
“I watched you for a few minutes before I came to say hey, so they’re long gone.” I fell back against the stool, gasping softly when his warm hand reached out to steady me. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“Nope.” I leaned in and smiled at him, feeling bold. Okay tipsy and bold. “But I’ll buy you one. Bartender, something manly for my friend here. He fights fires for a living.”
“Friend? I’m your friend now?”
I shrugged. “Sure, we’re friends. I guess we’re more like frenemies, right?” I didn’t know why that was. I didn’t dislike Rafe, but something about him always rubbed me the wrong way.
“I don’t think you’re my enemy,” he said honestly and ordered a whiskey neat.
“But you like to tease me.” He was always teasing and mocking.
“That’s only because you look so damn cute when you blush. Your cheeks get all pink and then it slides down your neck and throat. Makes it hard to resist riling you up.”
“Uh.” That was it, all I said. There was nothing I could say that would sound like an intelligent, coherent adult at the moment, so I said nothing else. I nodded and sipped my Mai Tai.
“I’ve shocked you.”
“A little, yeah. I thought you were just making fun of me.” And that made the tiny crush I’d been nursing since high school even more pathetic. But then, who didn’t have a crush on Rafe.
“Now you know.”
Yeah, but did that change anything? Not really. I had to ignore the pulse of awareness between us, the heat of his gaze on my body and the answering reaction. “Then we can be friends.”
“Friends.” His lips quirked up and Rafe held his hand out.
I stared at it for long time, like it was a live wire meaning to do me harm. Eventually I dropped my small hand into his large rough one, gasping at the shock of electricity between us and when I tried to yank it back, he held on tight.
“Rafe.”
“Janey.”
“What’s going on?”
“Hell if I know,” he shrugged, looking as sexy and as bewildered as I’d ever seen him. “But I’m not ready to run away from it yet. Are you?”
Good question. “I don’t know.”
He chuckled and turned away, reaching for his drink. “Then let’s sit here, talk and drink. Until you do know. How does that sound?”
Like heaven. “Like a really solid plan B.”
He laughed again, the sound was deep and rich. Intoxicating. “Cheers to always keeping my ego in check, Janey.”
“My pleasure.”
“Not yet. Maybe later.”
I gasped at his words, the satisfied smile that crossed Rafe’s face was irresistible, and I knew in that moment, I could feel the air shift, the atmosphere charge, and I knew something was happening here. Something big.
And I fought the urge to run like hell.Rafe“You really didn’t have to buy me dinner, Rafe.”
Janey looked at me across the very small, very intimate booth at the cozy restaurant inside the hotel. Cheeks flushed from the Mai Tai she sipped throughout the meal.
“I know I didn’t have to, but I am really glad I did.” Not only did she enjoy the food, she ate in a way that was near carnal. But I also got to know Janey. The real Janey. Mostly. She was still a little prickly. “Plus you said something about dessert?” I didn’t think she meant sex but I didn’t think it was off the table either.
She licked her lips slowly, a move that was so unconsciously sexy I felt my cock stir below the table. “Yep. Pietro, the concierge, said they have the best sinful chocolate cake other than his Nonna’s.” She shrug as if that somehow made him an authority on the matter. “You can order whatever you like, of course.”
“Of course.” Who knew just verbally sparring with a woman could be so hot? So sexy. “Were you hoping to catch someone’s attention in that dress?”
“No one in particular,” she shrugged. “But someone in the vague sense, yeah.”
“Is it time to settle down, then?”
“No, I don’t think it’s time or not time. But it’d be nice to hang out with someone who I could also kiss and see naked, go away with and get naked. Mostly naked things.” Her green eyes went wide with shock or maybe it was embarrassment.
“So, you’re looking to get laid, is that it?” I was definitely interested in this turn in our conversation.
The way her skin flushed told me she was more innocent than I would have guessed, and my body heated up wondering just how innocent. And how easy it might be to corrupt that innocence.
