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Only now she knew what was behind that undeniable pull… every touch, every look…even their words were subject to scrutiny. Nothing could be taken at face value. But only one of them new that.
Tossing Opal a pleading glance, she found her lifeline.
“Kay, you said you’d only be on break for a few minutes and my shift is up. Can you save your walk for another time?”
It was a decent save. Glancing over at Rafe, she smiled nervously and shrugged. “Sorry, but duty calls. Why don’t you go get your key, and we can catch up later?”
“Okay.” Rafe agreed, a crooked smile on his lips. His deep voice stroked over her. “You close at two right?”
He thought she was talking about coming over later that night. For more of what they’d just shared. It was tempting, but then she thought of Aaron and the spell. None of this was real. And something that wasn’t real wasn’t worth the risk of enduring Aaron’s wrath over. She and Rafe had been lucky enough to get away with their little back hall tryst, but that kind of luck didn’t last.
Shaking her head, she clarified. “Actually, er…I just meant…whenever. We’ll catch up sometime. But no, not tonight.”
Her words weren’t exactly cruel, but something deep inside hurt as she dismissed him and watched that sweet curve slip off his lips.
* * * * *
She was brushing him off. Rafe slanted his eyes at her. He’d spent the last year wondering about this woman, and regardless of whether he’d given her the ride of her life or a sub-par screw in the back stairwell, right now there was only one thing happening in that gorgeous head of hers: she was wishing him the hell out of here.
Yeah, definitely not the way he’d seen things going. But then again, it wasn’t like he’d seen that stellar greeting coming either. Shit. Obviously she’d been caught up in the moment and let it go too far between them. Maybe he should have put on the brakes.
Maybe he ought to just go. Play it cool and then come back in a couple days.
But damn it, he didn’t want to.
Screw the games. He wanted her, and he wasn’t willing to leave any room for doubt. “Look, I know the physical stuff happened fast, but I didn’t come here for that. I came for you,” he said, laying it all out there.
She bit her lip, her eyes were guarded, distant. “You don’t even know me. Rafe, maybe we did go just a little crazy tonight. I remembered you and that intense kiss, and got carried away when I saw you. Everyone’s so charged up from Halloween, all that candy and sugar, and the restless energy in the air. Neither of us is going to be feeling like this tomorrow.”
What he was feeling didn’t have anything to do with the candy bar he’d eaten six hours ago, and he didn’t like her dismissing it. “This isn’t a just tonight kind of thing for me. It’s been a year since I’ve seen you, but that night we talked for hours. I remember every word of our conversation. So I know something about you.”
She stroked her thumb across his cheek, then ran her palm down his chest. The movement would have been provocative, except for the fact that it felt very much like she was saying goodbye.
She let out a sigh and looked away. “You don’t know enough about me.”
“Yeah, you’re right—I don’t know you well enough. But that’s going to change.”
When she looked back at him there was something desolate in her eyes. “That’s nice, Rafe but—”
“But nothing, Kayla. Look, I don’t know you…you don’t know me. But here’s your first lesson…I go after what I want and I don’t give up without a fight.”
A slow smile crept across her lips, but Christ, something about it broke his heart.
“Rafe, that’s really nice to hear. I just want you to know that tomorrow, if you wake up and don’t feel that way…it’s okay.”
Didn’t she get it? He’d driven across the country for her. Yeah it sounded nuts, but after everything that happened tonight, why deny it.
“Letting me off easy?” he asked, closing the distance between them until his lips were a breath from hers.
Her eyes closed and she swayed just that much closer. “I’m trying.”
“Don’t. I’m not going anywhere.” He brushed his mouth against hers, felt her sigh into the contact and—a crash sounded above them.
Kayla jerked back, her eyes frantic. “Shoot! You’ve got to go.”
He stared up at the ceiling. “Kayla, what was that?”
“Nothing,” she snapped, pushing him toward the door.
