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“Three hours ago it was your birthday.”
“Oh, come on. It’s not like I haven’t seen the goods already. And I always did admire your choice of lingerie.”
As his gaze roved her gorgeous body again, he heard her breath catch. Served her right for revving his engine with her titillating display, which beat the hell out of anything he’d seen in a Victoria’s Secret catalog. She was beyond stunning.
Long, crazily mussed strands of midnight hair fell over her bare shoulders. Pale-green irises sparkled under the soft glow of the lights and radiated an inner vibrancy that infused the room with a magnetic energy. Crimson-colored lips parted and her staccato breathing kept her chest rising and falling at a rapid rate. Her breasts and belly quivered in an alluring way, as though his unabashed and appreciative assessment excited her.
Or perhaps being caught red-handed, in the midst of a naughty little dance, did the trick.
“Damn, you look good,” he told her. “Seriously, you could make monks forsake their vows of chastity.”
“Rafe.” Her tone lowered, igniting a blazing fire deep within him.
True, the perpetual temptation she presented convoluted his life, but he couldn’t fight the way she stirred his senses. Wanting Jenna—and not just physically—was pretty much the bane of his existence. An inescapable reality, yet still a thrilling adventure as it progressed over the years, likely making him a sadist for enduring the endless torment.
She said, “Let me cover up and I’ll explain why I’m here.”
“Thought it was a surprise.”
“Which you’ve ruined.” Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she said, “I was working on food and wine pairings.” As evidenced by the white dishes and the dozen or so wine bottles on the prep table, which he hadn’t given much consideration to when he’d walked in. “Just got a little sidetracked.”
He stared dubiously at her. “A wine and food pairing menu is my birthday gift? Come on, Jen.” He winked. “You’re more creative than that.”
She laughed, soft and sensual. A sound he loved hearing. One he’d missed in the worst way. “Knock it off,” she said of his teasing. “I finished my Maui job ahead of schedule and I don’t have to be in New York for my next gig for two weeks. I’m volunteering to fill in for Reesa while she’s on maternity leave, since you’ve been complaining about the hostess temps you’ve hired to replace her.”
“And fired,” he grumbled.
“Yes, well. You’d also expressed concern about a slow, but noticeable decline in customers. I thought we could implement a few easy fixes to help you bring in more people and boost your bottom line. So,” she raised her hands in the air as enthusiasm oozed from her every pore, “happy thirtieth.”
“And look at the sexy wrapping my present came in.”
No longer capable of resisting temptation, he stepped toward her and circled his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. She squirmed a little in his embrace, always her first reaction when he initiated an intimate gesture. He’d noted during their brief marriage how taken aback she’d been when anyone, including him or his family, hugged her. Like it was unusual and unexpected, and she didn’t know how to respond—shove them away or let them get close to her.
Rafe had no idea what caused the knee-jerk reaction. There were a lot of things she’d not been forthcoming about during the two years they’d been together. But one thing he had learned was how to push past her hesitancy.
He kept her in a firm hold. Jenna let out a contented sigh and stilled in his arms.
The tension eased from his own body as she re
laxed in his embrace. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” she said. Her arms tightened around his neck as she became more comfortable with his display of affection. “It’s been much too long.”
“Door’s always open.”
“Thank you. I really haven’t had time for a visit.”
No shocker there. When she was just twenty-three, her star had been on the rise as an interior designer of small-eating establishments. That was the year they’d met. Mere months later, Jenna’s career had been launched into the stratosphere as she’d become a web and TV sensation who rescued stagnant restaurants. Even more successful five years down the road, Rafe knew he was lucky to steal an hour of her time every couple of weeks or so for catch-ups over the phone.
“You feel as good as you look,” he couldn’t help saying.
“You’re shameless,” she whispered in his ear.
“Says the woman who was dancing practically bare-assed in my kitchen.” He snuggled closer to her. “You know, I can think of an even better gift you could give me for my birthday.”
“Rafe!” His name rode a sharp rush of air. Clearly, there was no mistaking his arousal pressed against the apex of her parted legs. Jenna untangled herself from him and jumped back, as though he’d poked her with an electric cattle prod. Her palm flattened against her stomach, making him wonder if her insides snapped and sizzled the way his did. “Rafe,” she ground out once more, this time in a breathless voice as she speared him with a pointed look.
“Jenna.” He smirked. “We had sex so hot it could melt Antarctica. You think I’m not going to get turned-on when you’re wearing nothing more than a few scraps of black lace?”
