Probably the same reason she’d held onto her crush on Rafe Malone for years. Maybe it was time to light the whole mess on fire, toss her silly infatuation in the flames as well. She needed to let that go, burn it on the pyre of childish dreams and insecurities. She’d never find the happy life her mom had loved so much if she didn’t at least try, and a hot guitarist might prove the perfect first step into embracing that legacy her mother claimed Piper came from. She scooped up the clothes and stomped with purpose to the fire pit.
Two
Rafe tapped his fingers on the console of the rental SUV as Jake drove them to the house. Maybe he should’ve insisted on driving so he could think about something other than getting to the girls to keep them safe. He was most likely overreacting, but it was like his own sisters were in trouble.
Both of his siblings had been older, and his brother, being the oldest, had been ten-years-old when Rafe was born. Growing up, he had learned not to count on his siblings for playmates. But having Davis’s baby sister and cousin always hanging around had given Rafe that sense of siblings that were close. At first, it had weirded Rafe out that Davis didn’t care that his sister tagged along, but then it added to the fun, two more playmates that liked to laugh at his jokes and squeal when he chased them. Maybe losing their parents had made Davis and Piper so close, but Rafe had envied their relationship.
Now the thought of Chloe being in trouble, and knowing Piper stuck to her cousin like glue, had all his protective genes firing. He couldn’t imagine what Davis was thinking right now, being stuck on assignment and not able to come help Piper. Hopefully Davis’s mission was a more exciting one rather than those missions that had hours and days that stretched into boring sameness, giving a soldier lots of time to gnaw on worries.
“Man, would you stop fidgeting?” Jake looked at Rafe like he’d grown two heads. “You’re driving me nuts.”
“Sorry.” Rafe balled his fingers into his palm and concentrated on keeping his edgy nerves from bouncing his leg.
“What’s with you? You’re acting weird … well, weirder.” Jake scowled at the road before him.
“I don’t know, man.” Rafe speared his hand through his hair, then quickly fixed it. “Davis’s sister and cousin are like my little sisters. I guess I haven’t been able to relax since Davis called all panicky.”
“Well, knock it off.” Jake gripped the steering wheel.
Rafe breathed deep and scanned the upscale neighborhood that edged the ski slope. The houses, while beautiful, were built so close together it left little privacy. It also provided a stalker with the ability to get close with little effort at all.
“This neighborhood is a security nightmare.” Rafe huffed and pounded his hand on the door.
Jake grunted his agreement.
“We need to find another place to stay, one we can have more control over.” Rafe scanned the townhouses and mini-mansions for a sleaze ball hiding out in the shrubs.
“Call Zeke. Get him on it.”
Rafe jumped at the task but wished Jake would put a little more pressure on the gas pedal. When the call connected, he relayed the information to Zeke and hung up. Within the next few hours, they should have a place they could keep the girls nice and protected in.
Jake pulled into the driveway behind a little sports car that screamed Chloe. Rafe opened the door before the vehicle stopped and scanned the area. The other houses had security cameras, so hopefully one of them caught something they could use.
He pointed to the closest house. “We’ll have to see about getting access to those security feeds.”
“Since all these rentals are run by one housing company, maybe the feeds will be connected on one system.”
“Maybe.” Rafe let Jake take the lead up the stairs while he kept his eyes peeled for someone or something out of place.
Jake knocked on the door, and, after what seemed like an eternity, footsteps approached the door. Rafe’s shoulders relaxed. They’d get in, secure the girls, then get them to a better location. Once there, he could work his magic on the computer and track this guy down.
“What’s the password?” Chloe’s voice through the door caused Rafe to smile, reminding him of all the times they’d gone to their fort in the woods behind the Fields’s house. Even when they’d been in high school, the four of them would still hang out in that rickety fort overlooking the pond.
Jake cleared his throat. “Butterfingers and potbelly pigs.”
Rafe snorted. Their old password sounded ridiculous coming from Jake’s lips. That was so worth making him take the lead. If Rafe had been thinking, he would’ve videoed it. Then he could add it to the gag reels he pulled out when he wanted to make the guys suffer. He’d collected some good ones over the years.
Jake speared him with a glare before turning forward as the door swung open. Jake tensed beside him. Chloe stood there gaping at Jake like she had that one time the high school star quarterback came home with Rafe and Davis to hang out. She’d had the biggest crush on him, and Davis and Rafe had teased her for days after. Rafe smirked. Looked like things hadn’t changed that much. She still gawked at guys.
Rafe needed to get this starefest over with. “Chloe?”
“Rafe?” Her surprised voice eased into his cracks, bringing back all those childhood memories.
He swooped her into a hug, careful not to squeeze too hard. She hadn’t changed a bit. She still had her hair cut short like Tinkerbell and was way too skinny. She couldn’t help it, but it still made him want to handle her like a china doll. If she knew that, she’d throw a left hook at his face.
“Think we can move this reunion inside?” Jake’s extra gruff voice sounded annoyed.
He’d have to get over it. This was family. No straight-laced security job this time. He adjusted his hug and picked Chloe off her feet with a growl and stepped inside the house.
Movement drew his eyes to the living room where a woman leaned against the couch. Her red sweater melted onto her tall frame and caused his chest to pound like one of those cartoon characters with their hearts pumping out of their bodies. His eyes widened as he realized this was no stranger, but Piper Fields. He swallowed. When’d she grown up?
“Pipster?” Was that his voice?
“Hey, Rafe. Long time, no see.” Piper’s soft words slid across his nerves and made him shiver.
Get with it, man. This was Davis’s kid sister.
“Too long, it seems.” Rafe forced his feet to unfreeze and crossed the room.
He pulled her into a hug, but couldn’t seem to think clearly. Florals, citrus, and something he’d never smelled before picked up his heart rate and made him want to bury his nose deep into her hair. Her tall frame fit perfect in his arms. What in the world? His brotherly feelings flew right out the window. Davis’s sister, Malone. Completely off limits.
He pulled back and tried for a teasing smile. “You look amazing. Davis would flip a brick if he saw you now.”
Her big brown eyes widened, and a blush crept into her cheeks. Wow. Davis’s sister. Right. Rafe took a step back.
“Do I smell smoke?” Jake’s question brought Rafe to alert.
The tinge of smoke overlaid Piper’s intoxicating scent. He gently squeezed her arm then stepped around her, heading straight to the porch door. Flames licked the pergola and engulfed a pile of clothes. Rapid footsteps and hushed whispers preceded the cousins as Chloe half-rushed, half-sauntered out like she always had when she was hiding something.
“Are those underwear?” Jake tipped his head to the side.
Rafe leaned forward to get a better view of the clothes piled in the fire pit. Sure enough, underwear topped the pile. Out of his peripheral, Piper’s shoulders slumped. So this was her little bonfire. Interesting. Chloe plopped more clothes on top of the pile, smothering the fire from flames to smoke.
“Why are you two burning clothes? Some sort of demonstration or something?” Rafe coughed and waved the smoke from his face.
One thing ha
dn’t changed. These two were still trouble. He moved closer to Piper to get out of the fumes.
“It’s a ceremonial pyre celebrating change.” Chloe grinned impishly at him.
“What change?” The question broke loose something primal in him.
He turned to Piper and scanned her up and down. Why did she want to change? She stared into the fire, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Well …” Chloe sure was the same as always. Her face still had that look that she was coming up with a story. “We didn’t bring the right type of clothes for the Colorado cold, so we got new ones.”
“You got new underwear for the Colorado cold?” Rafe snorted. What a ridiculous thought.
She crossed her arms and cocked her eyebrow. “No, we found this store with some sexy bits of lace we couldn’t pass up. No use keeping the cotton ones when you’ve got pretties to wrap yourself in. Though, I guess it’s not really wrapping since there’s not much fabric there to begin with.”
She cocked her head to the side and gave him a demure smile. His brain froze and his body heated. He pulled at his coat, the material suddenly toasty.
That meant … he peeked over at Piper. She stared into the fire, her fingers rubbing the neckline of her sweater. He couldn’t stop staring as he thought of the way she smelled. Jake rumbled something, and Rafe shook his head to clear his hearing.
Chloe threw her arms wide and, in typical Chloe-style, took center stage. “Sacrifices to the Goddess of Fashion, petitioning her for marvelous fits that drive men—”
The flames flashed with a loud whoosh. Rafe pushed Piper behind him. Her hands flattened on his back, and warmth spread through his shoulders. She blew out a breath that skittered along the back of his neck, raising all of his hair. What the heck? Her closeness had his body overheating and his mind spinning.
“I think she heard you, Chloe.” Piper laughed and stepped back next to him, her hand trailing across his shoulder.
Drive men wild. That’s what Chloe was about to say. Rafe peeked at Piper as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. The goddess had not only heard, but answered. He inwardly groaned and turned back to the fire. Davis’s sister. Davis’s sister. He’d just have to remember to keep up his chant, otherwise the Bro Code might get chucked into the snowbank.
Piper excused herself from the bonfire of embarrassment and misery to get some distance from Rafe. Lord, why? She pleaded in her head. How could Rafe have gotten even more good-looking since the last time she’d seen him?
She liked that he’d grown his hair out and slicked it back. His well-groomed beard had surprised her. He’d always been meticulous about his appearance, which just added to that magnetic manliness that drew her. She wondered if the beard would tickle if she kissed him.
She huffed in disgust at herself and stomped into the kitchen. She would not let herself spiral into this obsession again. She had declared herself done with this nonsense not fifteen minutes ago. Of course, her resolve just had to be tested with his larger-than-life arrival.
Piper took the lid off the stew and stirred with vigor. Why did he have to show up while the bonfire still blared? She tilted her head back and groaned. What had possessed her to toss her granny panties right on top? Then for Chloe to make that comment. She shook her head, remembering how Rafe had scrutinized her like she was a bug under a magnifying glass. Oh, how she’d tried not to fidget under his scrutiny.
Piper slammed the spoon on to the holder and turned toward the fridge. Maybe if she hid herself in here, she could just avoid contact with Rafe. She pulled out the makings for a salad and grabbed some mushrooms she could stuff for appetizers. She knew the hideout wouldn’t last forever, but maybe it would give her enough time to build that resolve back up.
She grabbed the knife and cutting board and chopped the lettuce. She just needed to remember why it would never work between her and Rafe. Maybe then her heart wouldn’t betray her and speed her down that road she no longer wanted to drive on.
Okay, what were the reasons a relationship would never happen with Rafe Malone?
Reason number one: He was Davis’s best friend. Wasn’t there some kind of stupid code guys had about dating their friends’ sisters?
Reason number two: He just saw her as a little sister. She rolled her eyes at all the times she’d prayed that he would notice her, only to have him rub his knuckles on her head.
Reason number three: She was a grown woman, not a silly teenage girl. She didn’t have to hold on to pubescent crushes anymore.
Reason number four: They had totally different lives now. It’d be smarter for her to throw her attention on someone like Chet. At least then she’d be able to spend time with him during their busy schedule.
She closed her eyes and tried to bring up a picture of Chet, but all she got was Rafe as he smiled down at her and the strength in his arm as he’d pulled her behind him.
Reason number … what number was she on? Ugh, it didn’t matter. There was no way Rafe would ever find her attractive. Men like him didn’t go for Wookiees. Her chopping slowed as Chet’s repeated invitations out came to mind.
Men like Chet didn’t usually go for her either. Her hands shook, so she set the knife down and pushed her hands through her hair. She glanced down at her outfit, then toward the living room. Rafe had seemed shocked when he saw her, his expression going from a look she’d seen men give Chloe all the time to disbelief.
Had she changed that much since high school? She shook her head. She didn’t think so. She was still the same old Piper, more comfortable making things happen behind the scenes than being the one in the spotlight.
She kept makeup simple and her hair long and boring. She supposed the only thing that had really changed was her outfits and that was a recent development. Which meant Rafe’s attention wouldn’t change either. She looked down at her heart and poked it.
“Don’t be stupid. You hear me?” Please let her heart listen.
Rafe’s partner walked through the living room and out the front door. Piper jerked back to work. If she could play it cool, she could get through the next few days without any more embarrassment. Rafe and Chloe’s laughter filtered into the kitchen from the porch. His still held the joy that always made her heart expand in her chest every time she heard it. Too bad for her he liked to laugh.
“You’re not a teenage girl, but a woman,” she muttered to herself as she tossed onions into a saute pan to brown. “Rafe is first and foremost a friend. Don’t screw that up and make things awkward by being a ninny.”
She added sausage to the onions. As that cooked, she cleaned the mushrooms. She would do this and prove to herself once and for all that she could behave like the woman she had become, the woman who worked tirelessly to push her cousin’s career into stardom.
It’s what she and Chloe had talked about for hours in the hospital their senior year. It’s what Piper had spent the last six years researching, studying, and transforming herself into a promoting machine to men and women that could give them their next big break or slam the door tightly shut in their faces. Managing Chloe was demanding and fulfilling, and Piper did a great job at it. She just needed to translate the confidence she had in her job to her ability to manage her attraction.
She squared her shoulders. She could do this. She’d just slide those emotions she’d tied to Rafe into the back of her mind, just like she slid her jumble of nerves when she was contacting recording studios. If it worked then, it would work now.
His laugh sounded again from outside, and her heart jumped. Maybe. Hopefully. Her twisted stomach didn’t agree with her head.
Three
“Chloe, I can’t believe we let you talk us into this.” Rafe laughed as he shook his head and stared out the front window of the vehicle at hot air balloons being set up.
He didn’t know when she’d scheduled the balloon rides. She’d been busy with threatening notes, panty bonfires, and packing her hundred pounds of clothes for the move. Somewhere in all of that
, she had called and set up an early morning balloon ride.
“It’s going to be amazing. Just you wait.” Chloe opened her door and got out.
Jake followed, but Piper didn’t. Rafe had been hyper-aware of everything that Piper had been doing since he got here the day before. Little things like the way she had chopped vegetables deftly with her long, slender fingers, her throaty laugh that had never spiraled in his belly before, or how her eyes twinkled when Chloe told stories of what they’d been up to the last six years.
She’d walk past, and whatever perfume she wore would tease up his nostrils and zap his brain cells. It was like the stuff was made to lure him in, then hook him in the mouth. Except he, being the idiot he was, swallowed the entire stinking hook.
Davis’s sister. Davis’s sister.
The chant didn’t work well.
When she’d come down for a glass of water in her PJ pants and t-shirt the night before, he’d about said some stupid joke. Yet, when he’d looked up from the computer screen in his search for the stalker, her make-up free face and hair knotted in a messy bun had dried all joking up in his throat. Brain cells evaporated and leaked out his ear.
She was gorgeous—a goddess. He would’ve bowed at her feet and kissed her teal painted toenails if his brain hadn’t shut down in a full system failure. Which saved him from doing something stupid like slipping her hair from the knot to see if it would slide through his fingers like water.
He shook his head. Davis’s sister. Act normal.
“Pipster, everything okay?” He turned in the seat to look at her.
Her hair flowed down her back from under her stocking hat, the deep brown contrasting with the light blue of her winter coat. She’d put some make-up on, not much, but just enough to draw attention to her dark brown eyes that had flecks of gold in the center. How had he never noticed how beautiful she was? Because he shouldn’t be noticing that kind of stuff.
Discovering Rafe Page 2