After the Rain (7 page)

Raina is showering when Kas arrives. Si fu Shang greets him as he walks through the door, “She’s going to need time to process her emotions tonight.”

“How did she handle it?” Kas asks, concern edging his voice over her first training session since what happened with Chris.

“Better than I expected,” he admits, “she’s definitely a fighter. I pushed her hard tonight, but she never backed down.”

“She doesn’t know how to,” Kas mutters, the ambivalent emotions that fact causes eating at him.

“You’ve said as much, and I’ve seen the proof. She’ll make it through this, coming out even stronger than before, Kas. You have yourself to thank for that, too, you know,” Si fu Shang pats him on the shoulder as they walk to his office.

“She’s the one fighting,” Kas counters.

“That’s true, but you’re the one giving her a reason to.”

The Kung Fu master’s words swirl in Kas’ head as Raina knocks on the office door before entering.

“Go home and soak in a hot tub, you’ll be sore tomorrow,” Si fu Shang tells her, smiling kindly, gently squeezing her arm. “That butterfly kick caught me off guard, and that’s not an easy thing to do,” he admits, his eyes shining proudly.

Kas wraps his jacket around her shoulders as they rush down the stairs into the cool night air. “Show off,” he teases, winking at her as he opens her door, “I didn’t even attempt that kick until I had been practicing for two years.”

“I’ve been watching you practice it at home,” Raina shrugs shyly.

“You watch me practice, huh?” he asks, already knowing that she does. The knowledge of her watching him from afar thrills him more than he realized it could.

Her reserved smile almost knocks him to his knees. After experiencing every part of his wife repeatedly, her shy innocence beguiles him in the most pleasing ways. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulls her closer, kissing the top of her head and getting lost in her intoxicating scent. “C’mon, sweetheart, let’s feed you and get you home.”

The diner is greasy, loud, and smells of eggs, syrup, and coffee. It’s just what Raina wants right now. Slipping Kas’ jacket off her shoulders, she slides onto the booth next to him, snuggling closer for warmth, but mostly because she needs to feel his strength after tonight. She’s quiet for a few minutes after ordering, and Kas gives her time to sort her thoughts.

“I love breakfast for dinner,” Raina proclaims after thanking the waitress when she puts her strawberry waffles and cheese eggs in front of her.

Kas laughs at the delighted expression on her face, still dumbfounded by how the littlest things make her so happy.

“It also makes me think of you,” she tells him, grinning, as she takes a bite.

“I’d have to agree that breakfast is my favorite meal, too, darlin’,” he winks, knowing she’s referring to most of their mornings spent side by side preparing the meal together before the chaos of the day begins.

Chewing on his country fried steak, Kas watches Raina while she eats, trying to figure out what’s going on in her pretty, complex head. He’s confused by her being quietly pensive for several minutes then rebounding back to her happy, easygoing self. It kills him not probing, but he heeds Si Fu Shang’s advice and doesn’t ask any questions.

As they sip their coffee and eat their hot apple-pie, Raina opens up more, talking about the algorithm she’s working on and telling him that she wants to spend a little time at the cabin with him soon.

“We can spend Christmas at the cabin if you want,” he suggests. “We’ll be at Aunt Lori’s for Christmas dinner since Thanksgiving is at our house this year, but, after that, we can go to the cabin for a few days.”

Her whole face beams, and he can’t help but kiss her.

Kas cranks up the heat when they get home with the temperature steadily dropping. Scooting closer to Kas in bed, Raina lays her head on his chest, listening to the calming rhythm of his heart as she runs her fingers up and down his toned torso. “I want to plant a garden.”

Kas lifts his head off the pillow and pulls Raina higher up the bed so her nose is almost touching his. Of all the possibilities that crossed his mind that she might be thinking about tonight, this wasn’t one of them, “You want to learn how to grow vegetables?”

“Yes,” she replies simply, her lips curving at the surprised gleam in his eyes.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve worked in a garden, but I’ll show you how. The backyard is big enough for a small one. We can start planting in late spring when it’s warm enough.” Kas shakes his head, laughing, “I’m going to have to fight Pops and Mamaw to keep you with me when they find out, they already want to adopt you and sneak you back to Tennessee.”

Grabbing her and, in one smooth motion, sliding her underneath him, he straddles her. Taking her wrists in his hand, he loosely holds them above her head as he gives her his blood boiling cocky grin, “There’s something that I want to plant right now, darlin’.”

Raina’s laughter sends delicious chills through the length of him as he lowers his mouth, squelching her beautiful giggles. His right hand keeps her steady while his left hand slides lower. Her breath hitches as he finds where he wants to be.

“Baby, I love how you respond to me,” Kas tells her as his grin becomes impossibly wider with a large dose of unashamed, hot as hell swagger.

“You seem to be responding to me pretty well right about now, too,” she counters, her salacious wink searing every inch of him as she presses against his impressive protrusion.

When she grazes her lip between her teeth, his mouth conquers her again, his teeth taking full control, teasing and nipping her full bottom lip mercilessly until she whimpers with need.

“My body responds just by thinking about you. This thing you have over me, whatever the hell it is that you do, don’t ever stop doing it,” he breathes, his voice thick, raspy, as his scorching kisses follow the soft line of her neck.

Her body rises, meeting his lips as he leaves a heated wake across her collarbone. A moan escapes as he makes her his, his slow, torturing rhythm leaving her writhing in a burning, licentious desire that threatens to completely consume her. Raina’s head thrashes as the momentum becomes faster, harder, until she can feel his possession radiating through every pore.

Lifting her hips to greet every hungry thrust, her fingers dig into his skin. Her tongue tastes his. Her mind is gone, unabashedly unhinged from his expert touch. Feeling herself hurtling towards the edge, she pushes away, wanting to hold on to this hedonic sensation for as long as possible. The fire in his eyes burns straight through her, and she basks in the glow of his flame.

Kas groans with anticipation when her fingers slowly trace the muscles on his chest, down his torso, over his hip, and across his powerful thigh to the imposing part of him she knows she owns. Giving her total control, he lays on his back, watching his beautiful wife savor every second of being in charge of delivering him captivating satisfaction.

Seeing her impending release, he intensifies the sensations, plunging into her, his body fulfilling her every erotic thought that has passed through her complicated, bewitching mind. When she cries out, he buries himself inside of her, diving off the same edge right along with her.

The dance club is loud, filled beyond capacity, and permeated with feral, sweating bodies pulsating to the electric beat. Raina can feel the carefree energy invade her from two steps inside the door. The mood of the crowd is contagious, and she finds herself moving to the music, her hips swiveling against Kas as they are practically melded together making their way to the bar.

“Darlin’, if you don’t stop that I’m throwing you over my shoulder and taking you home right now,” Kas informs her, giving her his silk liquid heat inducing grin, “I don’t know how you talked me into to going dancing anyway.”

“Aw, you love it, don’t deny it,” she winks.

“I love
you
, I can’t deny that, which is why I let you drag me here,” he returns the wink, intensifying the heat between her thighs even more.

“Whatareya drinking, honey?” the bartender asks hurriedly, her long, impeccably straight blond hair falling over her shoulder as she leans towards Kas, shaking a mixed drink in her left hand, causing her perky breasts to bounce robustly with the motion.

“A mojito, water, and whatever you have on draft,” Kas gives his order before stepping aside so Chase, Seth, and Sara can give theirs.

Raina takes a long sip of the water, already parched by the body heat in the crowded club. Sara grabs her hand and Seth’s arm, dragging them onto the dance floor.

“I thought you wouldn’t be caught dead dancing with Seth,” Raina teases.

“Hey!” Seth complains.

“I’ve missed you too much. I guess I’ll reduce myself to your gyrations just this once.”

“Gee, thanks,” he grumbles playfully.

Kas leans back against the bar, watching his wife laughing and having a good time, finally acting her young age. He loves her maturity, but seeing her so vibrant and carefree lightens his soul.

“You had to let them talk you into dancing?” Chase chastises Kas, “I was counting on you being the bad guy and saying no.”

“Don’t blame me because you’re whipped and caved the second Sara suggested it,” Kas jabs, laughing.

“Looks like you’re whipped, too, bro. I don’t recall you putting your foot down when Raina turned those doe eyes on you.”

Glancing back at his girl, Kas has no problem admitting that he’d do anything for her. The bartender hands them the rest of their drinks, giving them both a second glance before an appreciative smile curves her lips and she turns to the next person shouting out his drink order. Taking a few minutes to find a table, their drinks aren’t quite as full when they sit from being bumped repeatedly making a path through the crowd.

They have a vantage point of view of the three friends reacquainting themselves on the dance floor. Kas catches the look in Chase’s eyes as he watches Sara and bursts out laughing.

“What?” Chase asks, taking a sip of his beer.

“When you gonna ask her?”

“Ask who what?”

Kas punches him in the arm, making his beer slosh, “C’mon, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Chase puts the beer glass to his lips, trying to hide his huge grin. “I’m thinking about asking her dad when we visit them next month.”

“Congratulations, man. Really, I’m happy for you, Sara’s a great girl.”

“I’m happy, too,” Chase admits, the slaphappy grin spread across his handsome face giving solid proof to his words.

Kas returns his attention back to his wife, shaking his head amusedly at Seth’s lack of rhythm. Raina catches his gaze and flashes a bright smile, winking at him, making him want to have her, badly. Feeling remorse, he wonders if he should have told Raina about Seth’s feelings. Seeing him dance with the girls, his confliction, and how he respectfully holds back from getting too close to Raina, eats at him. Seth’s very good at hiding his feelings, only he and Chase have caught the indications, but the brief flash of pain in Seth’s eyes when Raina keeps adoringly glancing her husband’s way while she dances with Seth and Sara tugs at him. Seeing Raina so happy with her friends, he stands by his decision of not telling her. He doesn’t want to take anything away from her; she’s already lost so much in her life, and he won’t risk her losing Seth, knowing that his friendship means too much to her.

Several songs later, the trio joins the table laughing and sweating. Raina grabs her water, draining the glass, before taking sips of her mojito, trying to cool down.

Seth leans back in his chair, “I’ve missed you guys, you have to come visit me in Boston, I have a killer suite overlooking the city.”

“Doesn’t every big shot marketing specialist?” Raina teases.

“Nah, only the best ones,” Seth quips as Sara smacks his arm.

Seth takes a long sip of his drink, “Seriously, all of you need to visit soon.” He turns to Kas and Chase, “I can get you tickets to whatever game you want. The perks are the best part of the job.”

“We’ll take you up on that,” Kas promises.

Raina pulls her long hair into a ponytail, “It’s unbelievably hot in here!”

Kas holds back a needy groan when he takes in her flushed cheeks and sweat slickened skin. Tracing his finger down her neck, he wishes it was his tongue, “I’ll get you some more water.”