Malachai

by Romi Hart

  The hell if the growl in his tone didn’t leave her panties wet, and Kira was glad the dive reeked of booze and sweat, or he would have smelled the sex on her. “Deal,” she told him, daring him with a jut of her chin to kiss her, right there.

  He smiled, and his tongue darted out, licking across her lower lip, and then he stood and moved to the end of the table, acting like nothing had happened. Meanwhile, as he struck and the balls scattered, Kira needed a second to pull herself together. No one got to her like this, not since Shaw. And even then, it hadn’t been an instant attraction for her. But there was something dark and yet extremely sensual about Rafe, and she wanted to dig deeper, find out what drove him. And she wasn’t the type to get all romantic and involved. Sex would tell her so much more.

  And give her something to use against her brother.

  Yes, the more she thought about it, the more she was tempted to let Rafe win. Then again, an entire weekend at the coast with him would be an even bigger affront to Jake and his delicate sensitivities. Either way, she had something she could bank on, and she had a feeling Rafe wouldn’t turn her down when it came to a night in bed. Or three.

  Of course, it didn’t look like she would have much choice as he practically ran the table while she stood there, tapping her foot impatiently and waiting her turn. But he finally missed, and it was her turn to show off. Three in a row, and she was on a roll, but apparently, Rafe didn’t like the prospect of losing. As she went for the fourth, he grabbed her hips and jerked her away from the table, tugging her back against him and tucking his mouth against her ear. “And here I thought you’d throw the game for a chance to have me buried inside you.”

  Maybe she would, but she certainly wasn’t ready to admit it. “You underestimate my level of competitiveness. And my need for a vacation.” Still, she rubbed her ass against him, feeling the twitch in his jockeys in response. It took a moment for him to release her, but as she lined back up, her hands shook, and she missed the shot.

  “Thought so,” he muttered as he strutted over to finish the game.

  “Hey, Kira, you good? You need a drink?” Kira turned to Tara, who had managed to pull herself away from Zeke, long enough to check in.

  “I’m fine,” she told her friend. “In fact, I’m done drinking for now. You go ahead, enjoy yourself.” She winked at Tara, who was practically vibrating with excitement over Rafe’s friend. Kira couldn’t blame her; the guy was almost as hot as Rafe, just very much not her type. Besides, her sights were set elsewhere.

  As she turned back to Rafe, she found him already setting up for the next round, a bright smirk on his face. “I guess you’re on the hook this game. You lose, and it’s mine.” His eyes dipped low, and she felt the heat of his gaze between her thighs as her blood boiled and seemed to pool low in her gut. Had she really made that bet with him? Was she thinking clearly? Sure, she wanted to do what she could to piss her brother off, and she even felt excited at the prospect of being up close and personal with someone like Rafe. But she wasn’t into one night stands, and she didn’t usually sleep with someone she just met.

  Still, Rafe appealed to her in ways she couldn’t explain, and for some reason, he didn’t feel like a stranger. Or maybe, she just wanted to live dangerously.

  Rounding the table to stand beside him, she placed a hand flat on his chest. “I’m not worried about it. I won’t lose again.”

  As the eight ball bounced off the edge of the pocket, Kira licked her lips, her nerves on edge. That had been her last shot, and unless some twist of fate royally screwed him up, Rafe had the perfect shot lined up. He just stood there, staring for a moment, and then he turned to her, taking a lock of her hair and twisting it around his finger. “I’m giving you an option here, sweetheart. I can be a gentleman. Take another shot, or tell me not to take mine, and I won’t hold you to the debt.”

  Kira gaped at him openly. She didn’t know whether to be grateful or offended. After all that talk, all the banter and flirting, and even kissing her, he would back out. Or rather, he would give her the option to call it off. From the look in his eyes, he was interested. Was he really just being decent? She thought about it for a moment. She could go home, still have the word spread that one of the Devil’s Flames had been all over her tonight, and get some satisfaction out of it. But she knew it wouldn’t be enough.

  So, with her heart hammering and her breath coming in short bursts, she told him, “I follow through, Rafe. Take the shot, and let’s go for a ride.”

  His pupils blasted, swallowing half of the gorgeous jade, and it made her blood pump harder and faster to know how much he wanted her. One corner of his mouth turned up and he shrugged casually, a gesture that went completely against every other sign he gave. “If you insist.” He hovered a moment longer before he released her hair, and as he looked at her, poised for the shot, Kira thought he was going to throw the game. But the eight ball sunk in the pocket without touching the sides, and it was done.

  Victory, but for who?

  She glanced around and realized the activity in the bar had picked up significantly while she’d been absorbed in the game. Or rather, in Rafe and his undivided attention. Plenty of people had seen her with him, and plenty would watch her leave and ride away with him on his bike. She swallowed hard, realizing she had committed to this, and despite any anxiety she felt, the sheer anticipation overrode any misgivings.

  That thought gave her courage, and she waltzed right up to Rafe, leaning into him. “So, what now, big guy? Do you need your entourage, or will it just be you and me?”

  He smirked. “I don’t share.” Slinking an arm around her waist, he held her against him, and Kira gazed up at him, the longing growing stronger by the moment. “What about you? Do you need a little liquid courage before we go, or are you ready?”

  Kira shook her head. She didn’t want her senses doused in the slightest. “No, I like having my wits about me.”

  He laughed, and the sound vibrated through her deliciously. “That’s too bad because I’m going to make you forget your own name before the night’s over.”

  This time, she didn’t hold back the strangled sound, and she certainly didn’t reject him as he leaned down and kissed her, his tongue working its way past her lips and taking control of her until she thought it might reach the depths of her soul. She’d heard about toe curling experiences, but this was the first time she’d ever been so aroused by nothing more than a kiss. She was actually glad he had hold of her, or she might have melted into the floor.

  He pulled back slowly, his breathing a little ragged, and for some reason, that pleased her greatly. She took a second to comb her fingers through her hair and right herself, and then she turned to find Tara so she could say goodnight, but only to find her lips locked with the blond. Zeke, was it? “I guess she’s got a ride,” Kira muttered to herself.

  But Rafe obviously heard her and laughed. “Don’t worry. Zeke will take care of her. If she’s drunk, he’ll just give her a ride home.” Kira eyed him suspiciously, but he didn’t waiver. “We’re all gentlemen, when duty calls.” He bent low, his mouth on her ear. “But you insisted on not getting drunk, didn’t you?”

  He had a point. Every move she’d made tonight had been calculated, and Kira had to wonder if Rafe’s had, as well. Maybe they’d both been flagging each other all night, looking for the same result, in which case there was nothing to do now but stay the course. Grabbing his belt and pulling him closer, she pushed up on her toes and licked his jaw. “You’re right. I’m stone cold sober, and you should keep that in mind. I made a choice. So don’t expect to be the only one getting your rocks off.”

  The expression he gave her was downright dangerous, and she couldn’t remember ever having been more turned on in her life. “Oh, trust me, sweetheart. Getting your rocks off is more than half the fun. Come on, let’s get out of here before I bend you over this table and fuck you straight into tomorrow.”

  He took her hand and practically dragged her out of t
he bar, and she giggled. “You kiss your mother with that mouth?” she retorted.

  “I don’t know about my mother, but I kissed you with it, and you seemed to like it. Imagine what else I can do with this mouth on the ride. That way, you’re good and wet when we get where we’re going.”

  Click here to keep reading Rafe…

  Author’s Note

  Thank you for reading Malachai. I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I did writing it.

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  About the Author

  Romi writes steamy contemporary and paranormal romance with hot alpha rugged bad boys and their strong heroines. You'll love her if you like reading books with passion, love and HEAs.

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  Dangerous

  Untamed Billionaires Series

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  The Billionaire Brute

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  Addiction

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