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She started guiltily at the reprimand in his voice. “But Sir, I—”
“Just do as I say,” he interrupted, dropping down onto the sofa, half sprawled on the blue cushions. “It wasn’t exactly a complicated request.”
Ice ran through Nell’s veins. Closing her eyes, she focused on the electric tingling in her fingertips, counting out her heartbeats until she felt calm again.
Only then did she realize she was, once again, not following Rafe’s uncomplicated request. She cracked one eye open, hoping to get a hint of how angry he was before she fully committed to dropping the whole if-I-can’t-see-you-you-can’t-see-me farce.
Not a trace of anger lingered in Rafe’s gray-green eyes. He was perched on the very edge of the sofa, leaning toward her with his elbows on his knees. As if he wasn’t sure whether he should spring into action or give her some space.
Relief washed over her skin, like jumping into a pool on a humid, sweaty day. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, opening her eyes the rest of the way.
He was on his feet and at her side in the blink of an eye. “Did I say something wrong?”
Something about him made her take a step back, studying him. It took her several seconds to figure out what she found so astonishing. She realized he felt honest-to-God, genuine guilt.
The pain in his voice and eyes. The way he kept raising a hand to touch her before forcing it back to his side. His posture, which was, for the first time since she met him, less than perfect.
He hurt her in a way he didn’t intend, and he actually gave a fuck. Brian would’ve shrugged it off or scolded her for overreacting. As for Micah, he would have said all the right words in the beginning, but the regret in his eyes would’ve been entirely fake. She learned to tell the difference after a while...and he hadn’t bothered pretending after that.
“You didn’t say anything wrong,” she told him, wanting to make the deep lines in his forehead disappear. “At least, not on purpose. There’s no way you could’ve known.”
When he stepped closer to her that time, lifting a hand tentatively toward her face, she didn’t back away. His hand was so big and warm and strong against her cheek, and it felt so fucking good. She had to resist the urge to rub up against him like a cat.
“Do you think you can explain it?” Something between them shifted last night. She’d never heard such softness in his voice. “Or would you rather not talk about it?”
“No, I”—she gulped, trying to swallow down a lump of fear in her throat—“really want to explain. I’m so sorry for freaking out like that.”
Rafe brushed his thumb back and forth along her cheekbone. “Remember the deal we made about apologizing?”
To be completely honest, she’d forgotten entirely. “Right. I’m not supposed to say I’m sorry unless you tell me to.”
“And have I told you to?” he asked, one corner of his mouth lifting into a teasing smile.
Her smile was equal parts sheepish and pleased. “No, Sir, you haven’t.”
“All right then.” He moved his thumb lower, sweeping it along her bottom lip. “Carry on.”
“Micah used to say something a lot like what you said.” She flinched at the sudden hardening of his eyes, but forced herself to keep going. “He always said, ‘Just do as I say. It’s not that fucking complicated.’ And the tone was similar, though I swearI know you weren’t actually saying it like him at all. You’re nothing like him. It just sounded the same, and I—”
He silenced her with the softest, gentlest of kisses. “Dismissing you without even listening was wrong of me, whether it makes me anything like Micah or not. I won’t do it again.”
There was a dewy, lovesick look on her face. She knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. And there was nothing in the world she could do about it. Rafe Erikson was unlike any other man she’d ever met, and she better start being extra fucking careful before she went and caught even more feelings.
“Now.” He pulled away at last, giving her a little space so she could compose herself. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong so we can figure out how to fix it.”
“I was trying to get ready without waking you this morning, so I didn’t want to go digging around in my bag.” At his uncomprehending look, she added, “I’m not wearing anything under this.”
His lips spread into a slow, wicked smile. “Is that so.” Reaching up, he brushed his thumb across her nipple, making it harden beneath the thin cotton. It only made him smile wider. “That’s not a problem at all. In fact, it’s the best news I’ve heard all morning.”
Nell rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Ha ha.”
But it was abundantly clear he wasn’t joking. Fondling her other breast outright, his voice was a little rougher than normal when he said, “Permission to go upstairs denied. I want you naked today.”
Butterflies took flight in her stomach, and she was straight-up squirming with desire. She might not be able to do her whole meditation/emptying her mind thing this time. Not if every inch of her would be on lewd display. It was as if he twisted the dial of her lust all the way up to the highest setting. And yet he stepped away, no longer touching or teasing, leaving her aching for more.
Why did she have a feeling that was exactly what he wanted?
Stripping off her clothes, she folded them carefully and placed them on the seat of an armchair that matched the sofa. No sooner had she gotten into position on the floor, Rafe reclining on the sofa with his feet resting on the center of her back, than footsteps sounded behind her.
