She moaned. “Please, Rafe. Please,” she begged. She tried to squirm, but he didn’t allow any movement.
He lifted his face as though startled from a trance, his eyes wide, his mouth as swollen as hers felt. His lips were parted and he took a deep surprised breath. “God, what do you do to me?”
She swallowed. “Good things I hope.”
“Way too good.”
“Is there such a thing?”
He groaned and lowered his gaze and set his forehead against her chest. He took deep breaths, releasing her hands slowly and easing his thigh from between her legs.
No
. Her brain screamed in frustration.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m taking advantage of you.”
She grabbed his head with both hands. “How do you mean? It’s not taking advantage if I’m asking for it. Please, Rafe. Talk to me. Whatever it is you need to say, say it. Because I want this. I want you to make love to me.” She couldn’t be any more blunt than that.
He said nothing for long moments that dragged on. When he finally lifted his head, he was much more in control. “I’m not ready.”
“To sleep with me?” She narrowed her gaze, not understanding.
“To explain myself.” He brushed a lock of hair from her face and traced the edged of her jaw.
“I don’t understand.”
“I know. And I’m being selfish.”
“How is this selfish? Rafe. I need you to explain better.”
He crawled off her, adjusting his towel to keep himself covered.
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No.” He met her gaze. “No. I want you to stay. I want you here. I want to know you’re safe. I want to woo you with my charm and my cooking and my good looks.”
“Why? You’re making me feel rather slutty the way I keep coming on to you and getting no results. We aren’t teenagers. You don’t have to respect some sort of laws of chastity here. I’m a grown woman. Not a virgin.”
“I know.” He rolled his eyes. “Trust me. I can see how very grown you are.”
Katy squirmed to a sitting position. She rose onto her knees and met his gaze level. “So you want me here. In fact you insist. But you aren’t going to sleep with me because you have some big secret and your conscious tells you not to make love to any woman until you reveal that secret.”
“Exactly.” He exhaled as though that explained everything and he was relieved by her understanding.
“So you’re afraid I’ll run out the door and never look back if you tell me the big secret.”
He nodded, his shoulders lowering with his mistaken belief that she was finally catching on.
“I’m offended.”
He flinched. “Why on earth are you offended?”
“Because you can’t trust me enough to take a risk. What if I don’t run?”
He swallowed and stepped back. “You’re right. I don’t trust anyone that much. And if you weren’t dealing with a shit ton of your own problems, I would probably take that risk right this second and spill my life at your feet. But right now, we have way bigger problems. Some man tried to kill you last night. Did you forget that?”
Katy narrowed her gaze. “Aren’t you being a bit dramatic? I hardly think he wanted to kill me.”
“Really? Because that’s the very attitude that scares the fuck out of me. You’re too blasé about this stalker. That’s why I can’t let you out of my sight. Regardless of what you may think of me later on down the road, for now my main goal is your safety. And that means I need you to stay here. It means more to me than the fact that I may hurt your feelings later.
“But I’m not a big enough ass to think it would be okay to sleep with you while you’re vulnerable.”
Katy jumped off the bed and stood at his side, not touching him, though she had to fight desperately to keep from it. “Vulnerable? Is that how you see me?”
“Yes.”
She stomped toward the door to his bedroom. When she reached the frame, she grabbed it and twisted to look at him. “I’m not some weak girl you picked up who can’t use her mind to think for herself, Rafe. I’m fully aware of what happened to me and what the stakes are. My desire to have sex with you has nothing whatsoever to do with this asshole following me around.
“I wanted inside your pants before this ever started. Probably from the instant I walked out of that gym and planted my lips against yours, losing all sense of anything around me. Do you realize how rare that is? Maybe it happens to you every day. Or, fuck, maybe it isn’t happening to you at all.”
Rafe stepped toward her in one long stride, but stopped short of reaching out. “I’m clear on all that, Katy. I felt the sparks. Hell, I feel the damn electricity flickering every time you breathe, move, sigh, walk, or roll your eyes at me. I’ve never wanted to make love to a woman so badly in my life. You consume me even when you aren’t around.
“And it scares the fuck out of me.” He visibly shook while he grabbed his towel to keep from letting it fall to the ground.
Katy believed him. God help her, she couldn’t imagine why she trusted him, but she did. And she needed to give him more time, apparently. “Fine. Put some damn clothes on. Your chest distracts me and your tattoo draws me in like a fucking magnet.” She turned and left him standing there.
Katy padded into the kitchen the next morning on autopilot, aiming straight for the coffee she could smell.
Rafe chuckled from the table. “Not a morning person, then. I wasn’t sure if that was yesterday or all days.” At least he was wearing a shirt this time. How noble of him.
Katy ignored him and headed for the bathroom with her mug.
After their strange argument yesterday, they had skirted around each other, each working intently on their respective computers, or at least feigning to do so.
When she’d gone to bed in the guest room, she’d been so frustrated she flopped around for at least an hour before falling asleep. That damn infuriating man had gone to his own room and shut the door with a peck on her cheek. She’d wanted to slap him.
Katy came back into the kitchen dressed to run. It was Sunday. If he thought he was going to keep her from meeting Jenna at eight thirty, she would read him the riot act.
“I wasn’t sure if you had cancelled with your friend or not.” Rafe stood and set his coffee cup in the sink. “You want something to eat first?”
“I’ll eat a protein bar on the way. But I need my car.”
“We can pick it up on the way back.”
“On the way back?” Oh, Lord. What did he have in mind now?
“You don’t think I’m going to drop you off at your place or the park and drive away do you?” He sat back down and pulled on shoes. That was the first moment she realized he was dressed to jog.
“Are you kidding me? You’re going to hone in on my one hour of girl time?” She shook, angry with him for being so presumptuous and high-handed, and angry with herself for finding it fucking sexy. Since when did a man care enough about her safety to go to such lengths?
He smirked. “Yep. I’ll try to stay a few feet behind if it makes you feel better. Depends on how fast you ladies run.”
Katy wanted to grin from ear to ear. He cared. He did. He had a funny way of showing it, but he cared. He also didn’t need to know she thought so highly of him. As it was, everything she said went to his head. “Fine.” She turned around and headed for the door without waiting for him to finish with his shoes. She was in the garage, inside the truck, and putting on her seatbelt before he shut the back door.
“It’s nice out this morning,” he said as he backed out of the driveway.
“It was.” Was she laying it on too thick?
A glance in his direction told her not to worry. He was grinning. Damn him.
When they arrived at the park, the look on Jenna’s face was priceless. Her mouth hung open as Katy stepped from the truck and headed toward her. “Um, did you decide to bring a bodyguard to keep ignorant drivers from running us down?”
Katy’s eyes widened and she subtly shook her head at Jenna. She hadn’t mentioned the incident at the park last week. All she needed was for Rafe to have more fuel for his burning fire.
Jenna gasped. “What happened to your face?”
Katy rolled her eyes. “Long story. I’ll explain while we run.”
Rafe stepped past her and extended his hand. “Rafe. You must be Jenna?”
Jenna nodded and took his hand.
“What’s this about a bodyguard?” He turned toward Katy. “Did something happen here last week? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Katy bit her lower lip. “I forgot?”
“Like hell.” He rubbed his hands over his face, clearly attempting to keep his aggravation at bay.
She had no doubt she would get the riot act later, but at least he didn’t lay into her in front of Jenna.
Instead he glanced around and stretched his arms over his head as though he needed to do so before he ran.
Katy knew well enough he was fighting the need to question her further.
“So where do you ladies run and how far?”
“So you’ll be joining us?” Jenna asked as though that weren’t obvious.
Rafe nodded. “Yeah. Katy will explain on the way. She’s so good at keeping her friends informed.” The dig didn’t go unnoticed.
Katy chose to ignore the jibe and nodded toward the path. “Let’s go. This nice bodyguard I have with me will stay back enough to give us some privacy. He’s a swell helper.”
Katy watched as Jenna tucked her lips under, fighting laughter. “Yeah. I bet.”
They jogged a bit slower than usual and Katy explained everything that had happened over the last week.
“Shit. No wonder you brought Rafe along with you.” Her eyes were wide. “Aren’t you fucking out of your mind scared? Who the hell do you think is stalking you?”
“No idea. And yes, I’m scared, but there’s no sense getting hysterical about it. And I haven’t had a moment to myself since Friday night.”
“Your face is swollen. And you’re eyes are bloodshot.”
“Yeah. It’s much better than yesterday. No real damage. Mostly a bloody nose.”
“Well, I’d take him up on the offer to keep you safe. You’re damn lucky he came along when he did.” Jenna glanced over her shoulder at Rafe, keeping a nice pace behind them, true to his word. “I for one wouldn’t fuck with anyone that size with those muscles if I were a bad guy. He’s a good deterrent.” She lowered her voice. “And if he cuts down on the battery usage from the items you keep in your bedside table, think of the savings.”
“Jenna. No you did not!” Katy hissed.
Jenna giggled and darted to the side to keep from getting slapped when Katy swung at her.
Katy didn’t turn around. She didn’t want to know if he’d heard Jenna. It would only make her blush.
•●•
Rafe couldn’t hear everything the ladies said, but he heard enough to know they were talking about him. And he had to fight to keep from smiling. He knew Katy liked him. She’d made that clear on many occasions, but to get the approval of the girlfriend meant the world. He wasn’t stupid. A chick’s friends could make or break a relationship. Judging from the glances he’d gotten from Jenna, he was in.
When they finished running, Jenna thanked Rafe for keeping an eye on her friend and they parted ways. Rafe drove Katy back to her place and waited while she grabbed a few more things. He followed her back to his house, perusing the area everywhere they went as if he were actually the bodyguard she referred to him as.
Running behind her had been no chore. She was fit. In better shape than most women he’d known. She ran hard and didn’t seem winded. He liked that about her. In fact the pile of things he admired about Katy Marks was growing. And her fine ass encased in those tight jogging pants of hers was high on the list.
They each headed to their respective bathrooms when they got back to the house. Rafe leaned against the tile wall, cool water running down his body while he gripped his cock and closed his eyes. He’d needed release for twenty-four hours, and this was the first time he’d felt like he could get away with masturbating without her knowing.
It didn’t take long. All he had to do was visualize Katy in a similar situation in the next bathroom, and he was fighting the need to groan out loud in no time. In his mind, Katy stood beneath the spray of the shower plucking her nipples until she had to bite that lower lip of hers to keep from screaming. She smoothed her palms down her body, held her pussy open with one hand, and pushed two fingers into her channel with the other. Her head fell back and she lifted up on her toes at the contact.
Rafe’s skin heated at the image, though the water was lukewarm.
When he came, he came hard. He turned toward the wall and rested his forehead against the tile as he caught his breath. Katy was going to push him right over the cliff if he wasn’t careful. That woman was under his skin and he fiercely wanted her under his sheets.
That afternoon they settled on the couch to watch a movie, Katy curled up on one end, her body language telling him to give her some space. If she were truly his, he never would have consented to giving her that option when he badly wanted to hold her in his arms while they watched. But if she were his, in every sense of the thought, they also wouldn’t be lounging around watching television. He had way better ideas, many of them.
A knock at the door startled them both as the final credits were playing.
Rafe stood and padded to answer. He looked out the peephole first and frowned when he saw the officer from the other night outside.
He opened the door to a man with a serious expression. “Sorry to just stop by. Seemed easiest. Do you two have a minute?” He glanced past Rafe to Katy who stood and headed their way.
“Of course. Come in.” Rafe opened the door and led the officer to the living room. They all sat on the edge of their seats.
“We found a match to the prints we took off the door and the frame.”
“Wow. That was fast.” Katy wiped her hands on her jeans.
“Yes. Well, when someone is already in the system, it’s easy to find them. The hard part is when the perpetrator hasn’t been arrested before. This guy just got out of jail.” He opened the file he’d carried in with him and turned it to face Katy and Rafe on the couch, setting it on the coffee table. “Do you know this man?”
Katy leaned forward and stared for a second. “Shit. Yes. I defended him when I was working for the state after I passed the bar.”