AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t remind me!” John said, pushing to his feet with a groan and stretching his arms high above his head. “I’m off to bed too. You kids gonna hang around?”
“Yeah, it’s lovely and cozy,” Mikayla answered.
“Okay, don’t forget to put the lid on the firepit when you go.”
“Of course.”
“I’m going to head off to bed too, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not, Mum.”
Nora skirted the low table and bent down to give Mikayla a kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Mum.”
She gave Rafe the same treatment.
“Love you, too, Nora.”
Then they were alone, the firelight providing an oasis in the dark, cold night that surrounded them. The crackle and spit of the flames punctuated the heavy silence.
“So,” Mikayla said softly, after a long while.
She shifted on the couch, turned to face him, then rested her elbow on the back of the couch with her legs curled under her. He felt a tightening in his gut when he turned to look at her. She was somehow mysterious and familiar at the same time, with the glow of the fire reflected in her hair, her eyes dark and sultry on his. God, he wanted her. “So…”
“Before we get started, Rafe, I need to tell you something.”
“Alright,” he replied. It sounded serious.
“I want to tell you one of the reasons behind me wanting this. I haven’t told anyone else about it, because it’s embarrassing for me.”
He frowned. “Okay.” He watched as Mikayla twisted her fingers together in her lap, waiting for her to start. But she didn’t. She just sat there, moving her hands. He could see she was becoming agitated, so he reached over and placed his hand over both of hers. “Mik?”
She blew out a breath, turning her hand up and gripping his fingers. “Alright, here goes. You remember a few years ago, I was seeing that guy, Tim.”
Rafe’s frown deepened. “Yes.”
“And how I went to Sydney to see him, as a surprise?” She looked down at their hands, entwined in her lap.
“Sure.” He felt a cold lump of dread drop into the pit of his stomach. “Did he hurt you?”
She glanced up in surprise. His tone had been pretty strong. “Oh no, nothing like that. He didn’t assault me.” A frown creased her brow. “He just…he just didn’t want me there. He told me I was smothering him. He needed a break. He just wanted me to leave him alone. He was really angry.”
Rafe’s heart contracted. He could just imagine it. Darling, sweet, loving, impulsive Mikayla, driving six hours to surprise a guy she was into. Only to be faced with mean, petty rejection.
“He told me I was too much.” She pulled her hands away. “It was humiliating.”
Rafe wasn’t sure how to respond. He wanted, more than anything, to pull her into his arms, to ease the anguish he could see in her eyes. But she was jittery, he could feel it. The last thing she wanted was for him to touch her right at that moment.
“It’s such a stupid thing to get upset about, after all these years. It was nothing much, really.”
“That’s not true. He was a total prick and he didn’t deserve you.”
She glanced at him, and then away. “He wasn’t the first,” she said in a low voice. “He was the first to say it outright, like that, but as soon as I start seeing a guy and things start to warm up, get a little bit serious, I overdo it.” She blew out a gusty breath. “Don’t look at me like that, McKenzie. It’s not that bad.” She reached up, twirling a long strand of hair through her finger, staring into the fire for a long moment. “So, you know, here’s the thing. I like sex. I haven’t had any for quite a long time. Now, of course, I can’t stop thinking about having it with you.” She smiled at him then, with enough heat that he felt a stirring in his blood. “Butbecauseit’s you, and we’ve been friends for so long, and because you know me, I know I’m not going to get stupid about it. Because if I was going to get stupid about you, all lovey dovey and shit, surely I would have done that at any point in the last twenty years?”
“Right. Makes sense.”
“Great,” she said with a dazzling smile. “So. The rules.”
