by Burton, Jaci
Rafe took her hand and skirted them around the ridiculously long line, making his way to the door where two bouncers were checking people in.
One of the guys obviously knew him.
“Hey, Rafe.”
“How’s it going, Carlo? Busy night.”
“Crazy busy,” Carlo said. “Just you and your girl here?”
Rafe nodded. “Yeah.”
The guy motioned with his head. “Go on in.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Anytime.”
As they walked inside, the music grew louder. Carmen took it all in. People smashed together dancing, so much color, from the lights on the ceiling to everyone’s clothes to the band to—everything. The smell of sweat and alcohol fueled her, and she felt nothing but utter joy.
She turned to Rafe. “I can’t believe you got us in here.”
He shrugged. “It helps to know people. I’ve known Carlo since he lived in our neighborhood. We stay in touch, so I know he works at this place.”
So useful. And Carmen was deliriously happy that they were here.
Rafe worked them toward the bar, which was crowded with people. But these were her people, so everyone was laughing and drinking, and they had no problem hustling their way in, where they ordered mojitos and watched the bartender flip bottles and entertain them while mixing drinks.
“Think you can flip a bottle around your back and catch it in midair?” she asked Rafe.
“I can totally flip a bottle around my back.”
She cracked a smile. “So can I. What you’re saying is between the two of us we’d have a huge mess to clean up.”
“Yup.”
The bartender served them their mojitos. Carmen took a sip. It was sweet and delicious, and the mint revived her senses.
They moved away from the crowded bar. Luckily, a couple got up and left their table just as she and Rafe were passing by, so they took a seat right near the dance floor.
Carmen drank her mojito and wriggled in her seat as she listened to the energy of the salsa music.
Rafe got up and hauled her out of her seat. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll lose our table.”
“That’s okay. You want to be on the dance floor, don’t you?”
“More than anything.”
He grinned. “Then let’s dance.”
“Now you’re talking.”
She took several long swallows of her drink, finishing it off, which she knew would go to her head in a hurry, but she didn’t care. Not when the music called to her. Rafe held on to her hand while he led her into the middle of the crush of people on the floor. She figured they’d each move separately to the music, which would have been fine with her. What she hadn’t counted on was him taking her into his arms and leading her into a rhythmic salsa dance, spinning her and using his hands to guide her.
Wow. Rafe could dance. She watched his movements, the way he moved his hips and feet and the confident way he turned her as if he’d been doing this his entire life. He was perfectly at ease on the floor, grinning at her as he spun her around and even dipped her a few times, which made her laugh.
By the time the song ended, she was drenched in perspiration and utterly satisfied. They even got a few claps from the other couples around them.
They stayed out there for two more songs. By then Carmen was dehydrated and desperate for water, so they left the dance floor and went back to the bar for a drink. They both got water to drink.
“You can dance,” she said.
He shrugged. “A little.”
She laughed. “More than a little. You’re amazing.”
“You can move, too.”
“Thanks. Where did you learn to dance like that?”
“I dated a dancer once. She gave me a few lessons.”
“More than a few, I would imagine.”
“On my days off, I’d meet her at the club where she worked. She gave lessons, so rather than just sitting around and watching, I joined in.”
Smart guy. “It paid off.”
“Yeah, she was good at her job.”
She sipped her water and enjoyed standing under the cool air-conditioning. “Why did you two break up?”
“She was only in Ft. Lauderdale for a short gig. She was moving on to Orlando, then to St. Petersburg. It was never anything serious for either of us. Just fun. But she was really sweet. Last I heard, she was dancing for an off-Broadway show.”
“That’s awesome.”
“Yeah, it is. I hope she ends up on Broadway. That was always her dream.”
Carmen liked that Rafe had nice things to say about one of his ex-girlfriends. So many men only talked shit about their exes. “Then I hope her dream comes true, too.”
He looked at her and smiled. “She’d like you.”
“She would? Why?”
“Because you like to dance.”
She laughed. “I definitely don’t dance as much as I used to.”
He swept her hair away from her face. “You’re beautiful when you dance. Your whole body moves to the music. I like watching your hips sway.”
“You had your own hip action going out there.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers for a brief kiss, then said, “I can show you some hip action later.”
She had just cooled off, but his words ignited a fire deep inside of her. “I’m counting on it.”
They went back out on the floor and danced again, taking occasional breaks to have cocktails and water.
Carmen was having the time of her life. She hadn’t danced this much in years. The crowd was friendly and boisterous and drove her enthusiasm. Who wouldn’t have a great time dancing with all these people?
By one a.m., though, her feet were throbbing and she was more than ready to leave.
She sat in the chair and kicked her right shoe off to rub her foot. When Rafe came back from the restroom, he crouched down in front of her.
“Done, princess?”
She gave him a nod. “So done.”
He stood and held out his hand. “Come on. I’ll call a car for us, and we’ll head back to the hotel.”
She slipped her shoe on and winced, deciding that maybe these heels hadn’t been the best idea. All she wanted now was to get back to the hotel, take her shoes off and go to bed.
But as they waited outside for the car, she leaned against Rafe’s shoulder and thought about what a wonderful time she’d had tonight.
And she had Rafe to thank for it.
CHAPTER 21
IT WAS LATE BY THE TIME THEY GOT BACK TO THEIR HOTEL. And by her limp, Rafe could tell Carmen was totally done with wearing her shoes. He knew exactly what she needed.
She kicked off her shoes when they got into the room and fell into the chair.
“Want something to drink?” he asked.
“Water would be great.”
He went down the hall and filled their ice bucket, then came back and poured water and ice into a tall glass and handed it to her.
She took a sip and smiled up at him. “Mmm, thanks. I think I sweated out all the water in my body on the dance floor.”
“And made your feet sore.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe. I’m on my feet all day at work, and they never hurt. A few hours in these damn heels, and I may never walk again.”
“I’ve got a solution for your sore feet. A nice soak in that tub.”
Her eyes lit up. “I do want to try out that sexy bathtub.”
“I’ll get it running for you.”
She stood. “I’ll get naked.”
Those were his three favorite words. He went into the bathroom and turned the water on, getting it to the right temp. He found some bath bomb stuff on the side of the tub and sniffed it. It wasn’t overpowering, just a subtle lavender scent. He walked out to find her wearing only hot pink satin panties.
Ignoring how damn sexy she looked, and his first inclination to throw her on the bed and kiss her all over, he said, “
You want one of those bath bomb things in there?”
She turned and nodded. “Ooh, yes, please.”
He unwrapped a bomb and tossed it in the water, watching it fizz.
Carmen came in, gloriously, beautifully naked, her hair piled on top of her head. There were so many things he wanted to do with her, but right now her comfort was most important.
“It looks fantastic,” she said. “Thanks for thinking of it.”
“I figured it might make your feet feel better.”
He held out his hand and helped her climb into the tub. She settled in against the back of the tub with an ahhh sound.
“This is perfect.”
“I’ll leave you alone to enjoy your bath.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Into the other room.”
“No, you don’t. Get naked and get in this tub with me.”
He cocked a brow. “I think if I get in the tub with you, it won’t be very relaxing for you.”
“But you can rub my feet. And that would be relaxing.”
He wanted Carmen to have whatever she asked for on this trip, so if that’s what she wanted . . .
He went into the other room and stripped out of his clothes, then came into the bathroom, liking the way her gaze traveled over his naked body. Since the faucet was high up in the center of the bath, he stepped into the tub and settled back on the opposite end of her, taking her feet and propping them on his stomach so they’d stay submerged in the hot water.
“Now the bath is perfect,” she said, sliding farther down and closing her eyes.
He began to rub the soles of her feet, gently at first to massage the entire foot, trying to figure out where her feet were sore. The problem was, she made moaning noises everywhere he touched. And because she kept making sexy moaning sounds, his dick got hard. Which meant his dick stood at full attention now and he was rock-hard and aching and Carmen was in foot rub nirvana and had no idea he was completely turned on while rubbing her feet.
Great. Now she was gonna think he had a foot fetish when really it had to do with the sounds she was making. Though she did have really cute feet. He lifted her toes out of the water to see her toenails had been painted a pretty coral color. He teased his fingers between her toes, and she giggled—and moaned again. He rolled his eyes and suffered in silence, then fisted his hand and kneaded it into the ball of her foot.
“Oh, God,” she said. “That’s so good.”
Then she started rubbing his chest with her other foot, teasing his nipple with her big toe. He’d never had this kind of foreplay before, and he wasn’t a foot guy, but he had to admit he was hella turned on, so whatever Carmen wanted to do to him, he was game for it.
And when her foot slid down to his lower belly and connected with his hard cock, her eyes drifted open and she gave him a lazy smile.
“So, rubbing my feet turns you on?”
He continued to massage her foot. “No, you moaning turns me on.”
“I was moaning?”
“Yeah. A lot. Sex moans.”
She laughed. “I was not giving you sex moans.”
“The hell you weren’t. Apparently, foot rubs make you hot.”
She extricated her foot from his hand, then crawled across the tub to sit on his lap. She swiped her finger down his chest. “Well, who knew foot rubs would be such a turn-on for me?”
“I sure didn’t. But I’m damn happy to be in the tub with you right now.”
He grasped her hips and slid her across his aching cock. She drew in a gasping breath and reached up for the wall for support. “I like how that feels.”
“I like how you feel. Hot and wet against me.” He wanted to slide inside her like this, but not without a condom on. Which was going to pose a problem, because he was rock-hard and he needed her.
But this wasn’t about him, and he could ease her ache. He reached between them and slid his hand across her sex, making her moan again, and this time because it really was about sex. Her slick folds made his balls tighten as he teased her clit, then slipped a couple of fingers inside of her.
She gasped. “Rafe. Yes. Fuck me with your fingers.”
God, she was killing him.
She rode his hand, rocking against him with abandon while he watched her body writhe in a sexual dance. When she reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock, he groaned.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” he said. “Make me come with you, babe.”
It wouldn’t take him long. Watching her ride his hand and his fingers nearly broke him. Especially now, as she stroked his cock, twisting her hand around his shaft while she looked down at him, her gaze lost in a haze of pleasure as he fucked her with his fingers. His balls locked up tight against his body as he prepared to lose it.
And when her pussy squeezed his fingers in spasm and she threw her head back and screamed out with her climax, he let go, groaning out his own orgasm as he spurted into her hand, shoving his shaft forward over and over again until he emptied completely.
She fell on top of him, her body heaving breaths. He withdrew his fingers and wrapped his arms around her so he could hold her until they both came down from that magnificent high.
It took a while, but when she finally raised up to look at him, she had a satisfied smile on her face.
“I’ve never had a bath like that before.”
“Same. And now the water’s getting cold.”
They got out and rinsed off in the shower. Carmen towel dried her hair, and they went into the bedroom and climbed under the covers. Rafe pulled Carmen next to him.
“I had a great time,” she murmured, followed up by a yawn.
“I’m glad. Me, too.” He stroked her hair. “Too bad we have to go back tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
“We could run away.”
She let out a soft laugh. “Oh, sure. Neither of us has any responsibilities. No one would notice we were missing.”
“It would take them weeks to figure out we were gone. Since nobody loves us.”
She drew circles on his chest with the tip of her finger. “Exactly. We’re so unloved. We could be halfway around the world in your sailboat by then.”
“Wait. My sailboat? Don’t we have to win millions of dollars first?”
“Oh, right. I guess we’ll have to go get a lottery ticket in the morning. Then we’ll get the sailboat.”
“Because we’re guaranteed to win, us living a charmed life and all.”
“Right. Charmed. That’s us, Rafe.”
That was the last thing she said before she fell asleep.
Charmed.
He felt pretty charmed right now. This had been a damn fine day. Hell, ever since he’d hooked up with Carmen.
He didn’t even need to become a millionaire or have that sailboat anymore to feel like he had everything he ever wanted.
CHAPTER 22
CARMEN WAS IN HER OFFICE CATCHING UP ON REPORTS while eating her lunch when there was a knock on her door.
“Come in.”
Tess popped her head in. “Can I have lunch in here?”
She smiled at her friend. “You don’t even have to ask.”
Tess walked in with her sandwich and a soda. She closed the door behind her, then slid into the chair across from Carmen’s desk. “We’ve been slammed all day with patients, you’ve been buried in here with paperwork and we haven’t had one damn second to catch up since you came back from your trip. I need details. So, start spilling.”
“Details on . . .?”
Tess cocked her head to the side and gave Carmen a “don’t bullshit me” look. “You know what I’m talking about. Miami. You and Rafe. Come on, Carmen. I need to know how it went. You didn’t even text me when you got back yesterday.”
“Weren’t you and George both off together yesterday?”
“Yes. So?”
“So, I didn’t want to bother you when you both had a day off together. You mentioned going to t
he beach. Alone time with your husband, you know? No way I was going to interfere with that.”
Tess rolled her eyes. “My husband and I get plenty of alone time together. You, on the other hand, had your first alone time with your boyfriend. I stared at my phone all damn day waiting to hear from you.”
“You did not.”
“Okay, fine. Not the entire day. George and I hit the beach. We ate at a great restaurant. We went home and then we had wild monkey sex. After we showered the sand off, of course. And no, I wasn’t looking at my phone during any of those times. Does that make you happy?”
Carmen laughed. “Deliriously. You do have an amazing marriage, you know.”
Tess lifted her shoulders and offered up a giddy smile. “I do, don’t I? I’m damn lucky and I know it. Now tell me about your trip to Miami.”
Now that she’d made Tess wait for it, she supposed she should spill some details. Not all of them, of course. But some. “We had a great time.”
“And?”
“And, we had a great time.”
“Come on, Carmen.”
“Fine. We drove down, checked into an amazing hotel—the COMO Metropolitan. Very art deco. Supremely gorgeous. We had a suite with a living room and stunning views and the most amazing bathroom ever. It was totally decadent.”
Tess chewed and swallowed and grinned, all at the same time. “Awesome.”
“We went for walks, we went to the beach, we ate amazing food, we went dancing. Oh, and Rafe can dance. I mean he can really dance well. I danced until I couldn’t move my feet. It was exhausting and exhilarating.”
“Wow. It sounds like you had an incredible time, honey.”
“I did. We had fun together. And we talked—about so many things. From the inane to the really serious. It wasn’t just doing things, you know? I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation. I didn’t want to come home.”
“Aww. It sounds like you really connected with him.”
Did she? She supposed she did. But she didn’t want to think about that, not when their time together had been so good. “We had fun.”
“So you said. What about the emotional connection?”