He pictured stepping into Joe’s office Monday and begging the man for information about his niece. It wasn’t pretty. Joe would have a field day. Rafe cringed.
The worrying was for naught though, because at that moment Katy appeared, stepping through the front door, head high, scanning the lobby. When she saw him, she smiled and stepped his way.
At first his gaze was plastered to her face. Relief swept through his body and his shoulders relaxed from a tense position he hadn’t been aware of until that moment. Her big brown eyes twinkled as she approached, her glorious curls still loose like this morning and bouncing around her shoulders. He imagined if he were to pull one to its full length he would find her hair to be much longer than it appeared.
He swallowed as he imagined doing that, threading his fingers in her hair and tugging the locks until she tipped her head up to him.
Deep breaths. Patience
.
As she got closer, he took in the rest of her. She was marginally more casual than the business attire she’d been wearing that morning. Instead of a matching ensemble of expensive dress clothes, she wore a sexy black dress and matching heels.
The average patron of the theater wasn’t dressed half as stylishly as Katy, and he was glad he’d chosen khakis instead of jeans. If he could bring himself to take his eyes off her, he was sure he would find men doing double takes in her direction all over the room. She was stunning. And she didn’t realize it.
“Hi,” she said as she reached him.
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek, allowing himself that one small foray into her personal space so he could at least inhale her scent and hang on to that small gesture for the next several hours. “Mmm, you smell fantastic.” He hadn’t meant to say that. It slipped out unbidden.
She giggled. “Not sure I’ve ever heard that line as an introduction on a first date.”
“Technically it’s more like a second date. And since we’ve already made it to second base before the first date, it seems appropriate.” He took her hand and led her to the bar.
“I’ve never been here.”
“You’ll love it. Full service theater. We can get a drink, order dinner, and sit in the bar area while we wait for our movie to seat. Do you know what you want to see?”
She glanced over her shoulder at the full wall of listings behind her. “I don’t know what’s playing. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the movies.”
Rafe picked an open bar table small enough for two and held her arm until she was seated on the high stool and then took his own. A waitress stepped up almost immediately. “Good evening. I’m Melanie. Can I get you anything to start?” She looked at Katy.
“I’ll have a pinot grigio. The house is fine.”
“And for you, sir?” The waitress turned to face him.
“A beer would be great.” He scanned the selection on the list in front of him and pointed to a light beer on tap.
“Be right back,” the waitress said as she turned to walk away.
Rafe glanced over Katy’s shoulder. “Did you lose the unwanted stalker, or did he follow you to the theater tonight also?”
She chuckled. “God I hope not. I’ve about had it with him.”
Rafe was uneasy about the bastard. He couldn’t shake it from his mind and wanted more details even if Katy didn’t want to discuss it. “Does he follow you everywhere?”
“Not usually. But he is persistent and used to getting his way. I don’t think women usually turn him down. But good looks, money, nice cars, and a penthouse with a view aren’t always what turns a girl on.”
“What does?” He leaned forward. Inches separated them. “Turn you on, I mean,” he added in what he hoped was a sultry whisper.
Katy’s face flushed and she smirked, glancing down to fidget with the napkin wrapped around silverware resting on the table. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Rafe sat back.
Ah, so this isn’t going to be easy
. God he loved a challenge.
“Touché. Nevertheless, the guy followed you. Please tell me that freaks you out a little.”
Because is freaks me out a lot
.
“Yeah, we were working on the same project this morning. We left at the same time. He asked me out for the tenth time. I turned him down. And he said he wanted to make sure I got home safely. Yada yada yada.” She lifted her gaze. “I didn’t think he would really go so far as to follow me, and I’m not sorry I chose to go visit my uncle this morning. At least he knows I have people in my corner who work out, and as a bonus I hope he thinks I have a serious boyfriend now.” She tipped her head to one side as she finished, exposing her neck.
Rafe wanted to run his tongue up the line of muscle to her ear. Would she shiver? “I feel so used.” He set his hand on his heart in a mock gesture of hurt.
“I bet you do. I could tell it was painful for you.”
The waitress arrived with their drinks. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”
Rafe picked up the thick laminated card in front of him. “No. Sorry. Give us a minute?”
“Sure. I’ll be back.”
He turned to Katy. “Please tell me you eat.”
“Starving.” She grabbed the other menu and perused it while he watched. He’d order the burger. It was an easy selection and didn’t require much thought. As Katy stared at the menu, Rafe stared at Katy. Nice view. She was small but fit. He liked that. Her arms were bare this evening. Her black dress was modest but fitted and cut low enough that he could glimpse her cleavage and watch the rise and fall of her chest.
When she lifted her gaze and caught him staring, she shook her head. “I have a brain, you know. It’s up here.” She tapped her temple with one finger as she teased him.
“I’m aware of that. I can tell by your stance you’re sharp and hardworking. Even if you haven’t told me what you do for a living. You’re confident and you hold your head high. I like that. The fact that you’re also sexy as hell is icing on the cake.”
She paused. “Thank you. I think.”
The waitress returned at that moment and took their orders. Katy ordered a chicken and pasta dish, and he was glad she hadn’t ordered a salad.
“We could have eaten in the theater, but I figured we could eat first and then choose a late movie. Is that okay?”
“Sounds good.” She hedged a moment and then continued. “Okay, you go first. What do you do when you aren’t getting punched in the face?” She winced as she stared at the bruise under his left eye, compliments of her early entrance into the gym this morning.
“I’m an accountant.”
She smiled. “So not just a pretty face on a jock’s body.”
“Nope. Sorry to disappoint you. I’m a corporate tax preparer.”
“And do you enjoy it?”
“Usually. Except when it’s April.” He laughed. “Your turn.” He leaned forward and took both her hands. “What does the gorgeous lady do for a living?”
She hesitated. “I’m an attorney.”
He raised an eyebrow. He’d imagined something fancy considering her choice of apparel, but she impressed him more than expected. “Awesome. And do you enjoy it?” he repeated.
“Usually. Except when it’s April and some damn accountant proves one of my clients has been cheating the system.” She giggled. He loved that sound.
“So this guy you work with. Is he also a lawyer?”
She rolled her eyes. “Partner. It’s a man’s world. A woman still has to fight to be taken seriously in the field of law. If I want to make partner one day, I have to play by the rules of the firm. And the rules that apply to the men aren’t the same as the ones I must obey.”
“Are you shitting me?” He squeezed her hands, noticing they were a bit cold. “Can’t you go to human relations and file a complaint?”
“Only if I want to stay at the bottom of the totem pole for the rest of my career.”
“That doesn’t seem right.” He swallowed past the foul taste in his mouth. Thoughts of some asshole hitting on her every day and her having to endure it made him stiffen.
She shrugged. “Nobody said the game was going to be played fairly. I knew that when I went to law school and I knew it well when I chose to work for this particular firm.” She paused. “It’s not quite as bad as you’re imagining. Normally I don’t see the man. It’s a large firm. All the associates know he’s a player. It’s not illegal, mind you, just unprofessional. Some women choose to sleep their way to the top and others choose to ignore his advances. I’m one of the latter.”
“God, I hope so. Glad I don’t have to sleep with any of the accountants to get to the top.” He shivered. “There are some really nerdy people in my line of work.”
She pulled her hand free and took a drink of her wine. “You aren’t one,” she stated matter-of-factly.
Score one for the good guys
. Two points in his favor if she didn’t think he was a dork yet.
“So, what’s his name?”
“Who? The partner at my firm?”
“Yes.” Rafe stared at her.
She opened her mouth but then shut it quickly. After a pause she spoke. “I’m not going to tell you. You’d probably go all he-man on me and show up at his door with fists flying.”
Rafe chuckled. “True. Might be better to keep that detail to yourself.”
The waitress arrived with their food and they both sat back to make room.
“Smells good,” she commented. She grabbed a fork and twisted pasta onto the tines. The rising steam indicated it would be very hot. She must have decided so also, because she blew on the first bite and touched it tentatively with her tongue before tasting the small morsel.
“Good?” he asked.
“Delicious.”
They settled into comfortable chit chat as they ate, commenting on the food and the ingenuity of a movie theater that served dinner.
“So, what movie do you want to see?” Rafe asked as they took their second drink with them and headed to get tickets. “Romance? Comedy? Action? Horror?”
She glanced at him for a moment and then back at the board. “You did say I could choose.”
“That I did.” He sipped his beer as he watched her decide.
“Let’s go with the comedy. Can I get the tickets since you paid for dinner?”
“Nope. But nice try.” He pulled out his wallet and stepped up to the next available employee.
Ten minutes later they were seated in the theater and the lights were dimming. Rafe clasped her small hand in his on the arm rest between them and proceeded to hold it during the entire film. Most of his concentration was on her—her reactions to the movie, the way she laughed with her entire body, the way her hair fell across her face and she continually tucked it behind her ear, though it mocked her, refusing to stay put.
God, he wanted this woman. Was there a chance in hell she could fit into his world? Not the business man by day or the MMA fighter by evening, but the Dom by night.
Every time he pictured her spread out beneath him, perhaps strapped to the corners of his bed, his cock grew stiffer. She had such passion. And man could she kiss. She could let loose and really enjoy herself. She worked hard and played hard.
He wanted nothing more than to make her come screaming, his mouth dragging out multiple orgasms from her pussy while she writhed beneath him. Her skin would be splotchy and pink from arousal. Would her mouth hang open as she tipped over the edge? God how he wanted to hear her scream with pleasure.
He closed his eyes several times, envisioning what it would be like the first time he pressed his cock into her.
He glanced down at her lap when she crossed her legs again. She’d switched them a dozen times. He prayed he made her crave his touch. One hurdle at a time. If he left her this evening wanting more, he would have done his job.
When the movie ended, he set his arm on her lower back as they exited the theater. She shivered in the cooler night air as she led him to her car, her arms crossed in front of her. “I should have worn a sweater.”
He was glad she hadn’t.
Katy leaned against the door to her car, facing him. “I had fun. Thank you.”
He touched her nose with one finger. “Enough fun to go out with me again?”
She nodded, smiling. “I think I could be persuaded.”
“Maybe I could have your number this time?”
“Perhaps.”
He opened his phone and started a new contact. Then he handed it to Katy to input her number. As he stuffed it back into his pocket he leaned into her. He wanted to kiss her like she had kissed him that morning. But he wouldn’t. He made it a personal policy not to get too close to a woman before she knew his entire agenda. At least that way, if she turned him down, she wouldn’t regret anything between them.
Hell, it was rare that he picked a vanilla woman from regular society to date in the first place. Most of the partners he met were members of the club he went to. It was easier that way. Any woman inside the building knew what she was getting into when she let him dominate her. What would Katy think of the place? Would she widen her eyes in horror or be as titillated as he suspected?
He kissed her temple, lingering several seconds as her hair ticked his nose. And then he stepped back, breaking contact. “I’ll call you.”
Her eyes bugged out when he stepped away. He didn’t let go of her gaze. He’d shocked her by not kissing her.
“Okay,” she muttered. Her face spoke volumes though. She didn’t believe him. In fact, her shoulders slumped.
His heart raced, but he tried not to let it show in his demeanor. She wanted him, or at least she wanted more from him. That was a good sign. If he let her ponder that for a few days, maybe the anticipation would build until she was more likely to give the real Rafe a chance.
He waited until she’d opened the door with shaky fingers and turned on the car before he backed away and headed for his truck. As soon as he turned around he gave a silent fist pump.
There was hope.
Katy drove home in a stupor. She could hardly remember getting from point A to point B. The best date of her life had ended abruptly without a hint of proposition. Not that she slept with men on the first date, or rounded the bases, but usually it was her experience that the decision not to do so came from herself. Calmly fending off premature advances was in the silent woman’s handbook on dating.