by Donna Hill
Chapter 17
“Are you going to go?” Kerry asked as she walked alongside Avery in the corridor of their offices.
“I don’t know. I mean, I was actually ready to finally say the hell with my father’s demands and then Rafe pulls the same stunt.” She shook her head. “I deal with uncertainty every day with this job. I always have to be hypervigilant, on the lookout. I don’t need it in my personal life, too.”
“I hear you. He did say he needed to tell you some things. Maybe he’ll finally explain what’s going on with him. Worst-case scenario is that you get a mini-vacation out of the deal.”
“Very funny. I told him I’d think about it and call him.”
“Do whatever you think is best for you, girl. I have a meeting. Catch up with you later.”
“See you.” Avery turned down the hallway en route to her office. She was officially off-duty until the middle of next week. Getting away wasn’t the issue. The issue was the on-again off-again actions of Rafe. If she was going to finally take a firm stand against her father and for herself, she didn’t want it to be because of a man that she doubted, no matter how attracted she was to him.
When she’d heard his voice the night before her heart literally stood still. He had that kind of power over her without even trying. She was crazy about him, but she wasn’t ready to risk the uncertainty that came from being in a relationship with Rafe Lawson. From everything that she’d read about him, he was unable to commit to anyone. And if she had any doubts he’d proved them to her up close and personal. He lived for pleasure. How could she ever hope to compete with that? She didn’t want to be another notch on his belt, another tabloid headline, no matter how great the sex was or how whole he made her feel—when they were together.
When she got home she did what she’d been debating doing all day. She called Rafe. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed when he didn’t answer. She left a message telling him simply that she wouldn’t be going with him to Sag Harbor.
With that out of the way she settled in for a long relaxing weekend, even as she wondered if she’d made the right decision.
* * *
Even though she was off, she awoke with the rise of the sun as she generally did. She straightened up her bedroom, put on a pot of coffee, then went for her morning jog. She loved running when the world was still asleep and the light was beginning to peek through the treetops.
She ran for her usual half hour and by the time she rounded the corner to her street she felt renewed. She slowed as she approached her home and her racing heart had nothing to do with her jog.
Rafe was seated on her front steps. He stood when he saw her approach.
“Hey,” he said softly when she stood in front of him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I got your message.”
“I’m not going to change my mind.”
“Don’t want you to.”
“Okay. So then why are you here?”
He squared his shoulders. “I was hoping we could talk and the phone isn’t going to work.”
She pushed out a breath and stepped around him to the front door. She dug in her pocket and took out her key. “Fine,” she conceded. “Come in.”
“There’s coffee if you want some,” she said while she walked through her open-floor layout.
“Sounds good. Thanks.” He followed her into the kitchen.
“When did you get here?” She poured a cup for him and one for herself.
“About an hour ago. I left New York right after I got your message. Caught the last flight out.”
She threw him a look, but smiled inside. “Must be important.” She sat down. “So...what is it? What do you want to talk with me about?”
Rafe wrapped his long fingers around his coffee mug. He lowered his head, searching for the right words to explain what he’d struggled with for more than a decade.
“There was this woman...Janae,” he began.
Avery listened, envisioning the woman who’d captured Rafe’s heart, and her own broke as he told her everything from how they’d met to when he lost her and the aftermath—the guilt, the reckless lifestyle, his reluctance to become attached again.
“Until you,” he said quietly. He looked into her eyes as she wiped tears away. “I didn’t expect to feel the way I do. It shook me, reminded me that underneath the façade was an empty space. When you started to fill it, all I could imagine was that I would lose you, too. I figured the best thing to do was not let it go too far between us. So, I disappeared.” He snorted a laugh. “But I can’t stay away. Don’t want to.”
Avery sniffed. “You could have told me,” she said gently. She reached across the space and covered his hand with hers. “I don’t want you to stay away either.”
“You sure?”
“Very. But no more secrets.”
He nodded in agreement. “It’s not always going to be easy for me getting used to this relationship thing.”
Avery grinned. “Relationship thing, huh?” She slid down from her stool and stood between his parted thighs. She took his face in her hands. “What we have is brand-new for me, too. But I’m in as long as you are.”
Rafe slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I’m in.”
Avery took his hand. “Show me.” She led him to her bedroom.
* * *
When they finally emerged from her bedroom nearly two hours later they were both starved. They worked in tandem in the kitchen whipping up just about everything Avery had in her fridge. The island counter had an omelet, grits with cheese, biscuits, grilled turkey sausages, fresh fruit and orange juice.
“Since you declined my invitation to go to Sag Harbor, I have a better idea.”
Avery lathered her hot biscuit with butter. “What might that be?” She took a bite and chewed slowly.
“I thought we could get away for a couple of days. Just us.”
Her brows rose. “Oh?”
“I’m thinking Antigua. Stay at a resort, order room service, troll the beaches, hang out...make up for lost time.”
She tipped her head to the side. A smile played around her mouth. “I thought we just did make up for lost time,” she teased.
He leaned in and nibbled away a crumb from the corner of her mouth. He stroked her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. Avery moaned softly. He snaked his fingers through the tumble of her spiral curls and pulled her in. “Oh, no, darlin’. I still have a lot of making up to do and it’s gonna take a while.”
“I don’t think I have a bathing suit.”
He grinned. “Even better.” He kissed her slow and deep to seal the deal.
* * *
Clearly any kind of life with Rafe Lawson was going to be filled with surprises and extravagances that would make her eyes pop. He didn’t do anything halfway. She was accustomed to a relatively good life and never wanted for anything. She grew up in a good neighborhood, traveled and went to the best schools. Rafe was on another level. But even though he lived the kind of life many only imagined, nothing he did seemed artificial or driven by ego or the desire to impress. It simply was the way he lived, and he had no problem lavishing that lifestyle on her.
They flew by private jet to the Caribbean island of Antigua and checked into the Les Palmier on Jumpy Bay, which overlooked the white beach and incredibly blue water. The five-bedroom villa came with its own chef, housekeeper and butler, Olympic-sized pool and indoor spa.
Avery dropped her small carryall on the gleaming wood floor and turned in a slow circle to take in the expansive rooms that were decorated in shades of white and rich carved wood with splashes of bright island colors on the throw pillows, artwork that hung on the walls and the sculptures that dotted the glass and wood tables.
There w
as a separate sitting room with a mounted television that was bigger than any she’d ever seen, comfy overstuffed furniture and a state-of-the-art music system. The chef kitchen was to die for and she could easily spend hours in the spa bathroom. The four guest bedrooms were impressive, but the master bedroom took her breath away.
The king-sized four-poster bed, decked in a thick winter-white comforter, mounds of pillows and cocooned in sheer white drapery, was straight out of a fantasy. A full seating area with a bar, an en suite bathroom and built-in drawers finished off the room, which opened onto an intimate balcony that looked out onto the beach.
“You like?” Rafe asked, coming up behind her. He lifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck.
“I... I don’t even know what to say. It’s incredible.” She turned into his arms and bathed in the warmth of his smile that lit a fire in his dark eyes.
“Whatever you want is yours,” he said, his voice dipping down into her center. “This weekend is all about you.”
“Is it?” she said and leaned up to kiss his lips.
“Anything.”
“What are we going to do with five bedrooms?” she murmured, and fiddled with the belt buckle on his jeans and unfastened it. Unzipped. She stroked her tongue across his bottom lip while lifting his swelling member from the folds of his clothing.
“Test them all out, darlin’.” Rafe’s jaw clenched when her fingers wrapped around him. His right hand clawed through the back of her wild curls and pulled her fully into the possession of his mouth. With his free hand he snaked beneath her flowing skirt and was thrilled to discover that nothing separated him from his desire but air. He hummed in delight while he teased and coaxed her clit from its protective covering until it rose firm and hard. Avery trembled and gasped out loud when Rafe slid a finger inside her slick walls, then two.
Their kiss intensified as their bodies heated and dipped and curved into each other. Rafe kicked out of his jeans and shorts, pulled Avery’s sundress over her head and tossed it on the floor, then feasted on her exposed skin.
Avery felt the telltale flutter in the pit of her belly, the trembling of her inner thighs and the sensation that everything was spinning wildly around her.
Rafe suddenly turned her around and bent her over the back of the couch. He hooked an arm under her belly, forcing her pretty rear end up higher, and spread her thighs with a swipe of his knee.
Avery cried out and gripped the cushions of the couch when the force of Rafe’s entry shot the air out of her lungs. He groaned from deep in his gut as Avery’s hot, wet walls sucked him in.
Rafe held her firmly against him as he moved deeply in and out, showering her back with kisses while he caressed her breasts and taunted her nipples. Avery rose up on her toes and lifted her derriere even higher to eagerly meet the onslaught of his thrusts. The mixture of their escalating moans and sighs echoed along with the tide that rushed against the shore again and again until they were spent.
* * *
Rafe and Avery had dinner on the balcony then went for a long walk along the beach. The night was exquisite. The midnight-blue sky was sprinkled with stars and the warm air blew gently off the ocean.
“How many times have you been here?” Avery asked.
“Hmm, a few.”
She wanted to ask him with how many other women, but decided not to. If you looked for trouble you would be sure to find it.
“I’ve always come alone,” he said as if reading her mind. “Great place to just chill and unwind.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re the first woman that I’ve brought to my private getaway.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Avery could have floated the rest of the way. “Why me?”
He slowed but didn’t stop walking. “Honestly?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t really know.” He paused. “All I know for sure is that I wanted you to experience this with me.”
She glanced up at him, studied his profile in the starlight. Complicated. A mixture of contradictions. Hard, soft, distant, passionate, selfish, thoughtful, generous, reckless, protective, independent and needy. That was Rafe. For now, she was along for the ride.
Between making love at every opportunity, they did find time to tour the island and go speed boating around the reefs, which scared Avery half to death. They visited restaurants, historic churches and local shops. Rafe rented a car and Avery held her breath and kept her foot on an imaginary brake as they drove on “the wrong side of the street.” Whenever a car came in their direction or they rounded a blind turn, Avery screamed and Rafe laughed.
“I’m going to kill you!” Avery cried as they tumbled into the villa, exhilarated. “You drove like a crazy person on purpose.” She flopped down on the couch and pulled off her wide straw hat.
Rafe chuckled. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
“I’ve driven on the right side of the car before, but not on such narrow roads. And I’ve always been in the driver seat.”
He chuckled. “Not so easy riding shotgun.”
“Especially with you at the wheel.” She tossed a pillow at him which he caught in midair.
He went to the bar. “Want something?” He fixed a tumbler of bourbon.
“Glass of wine.”
He brought her glass of wine and sat down beside her. “Last night.”
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “Then back to the real world.”
“Hmm.” He sipped his drink. “I’ll need to head back to N’awlins.”
“Sure. Of course.” Her heart thumped.
He draped his arm across her shoulder and pulled her close. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Avery nodded, but his previous promises rushed to the forefront.
“We still have tonight,” he whispered and kissed her behind her ear.
Avery’s lashes fluttered. She would focus on the now and leave tomorrow in the future where it belonged.
Chapter 18
Avery still glowed from her weekend with Rafe. And she wasn’t going to let Mike’s overbearing presence dim her shine.
“Looks like you got yourself a little tan,” Mike said.
She ignored him.
They were assigned to accompany the vice president to the Capitol for a House vote and then to a dinner. The whole idea of having to spend her day with Mike Stone totally rubbed her the wrong way. But she had a job to do. That’s what was important.
“Got out of town for the weekend?”
“Why does it matter to you?”
They walked side by side down the corridor.
“Only making small talk.”
“I’d rather not.”
They stepped outside, got in the waiting car and headed to the White House to accompany the vice president to the Capitol.
As usual the vice president was in a great mood and as usual told very bad jokes for the short ride.
Mike and Avery exited the car first, as protocol, then ushered the VP into the Capitol.
The vote took all of two hours. For the most part Avery tuned out. Her thoughts kept jumping back to her weekend with Rafe, and in particular his phone call early that morning. He told her how much he’d enjoyed their time together and was looking forward to seeing her again...soon. He told her to have a good day “Secret Servicing” and that he’d call her later.
Inwardly she beamed. He’d kept his promise. There had been a part of her that was prepared for him to do as he’d done in the past—disappear. This time he hadn’t. Maybe, just maybe things could somehow work out.
She went through the motions of her day, went home to change and prepare for the formal dinner.
* * *
The dinner was held at the Kennedy Center. Managing the crowd and the entrances and exits were the pri
ority. Everyone had to be cleared to get in, no matter who they were.
Avery covered the right perimeter of the vice president, maintaining a visual of him at all times, even as he moved around the room. She spotted her father when he came in and hoped that he would keep his distance. The last time they’d spoken he’d all but threatened her and what she didn’t need was to be distracted by her father.
“Agent Richards.”
She turned. “Senator Lawson. Good evening.”
“On duty, I take it.”
“Yes, sir.” Without being rude she refocused her sights on the vice president.
“My son came to visit me a few weeks back.”
“Sir?”
“He mentioned that he was seeing you. Seemed to want to make a point of it.” He smiled benignly.
Her cheeks heated but her expression remained impassive.
“Let me give you some advice about my son. He’s a charmer. But he doesn’t stick with anything or anyone very long. Just the way he is.”
Avery’s temples pounded.
“Your daddy and I go way back. Did you know that?”
“No, sir, I didn’t.”
“Hmm, maybe you should ask him about it one day.” He glanced around the room. “I should mingle. It’s the whole point of these things,” he said in that deceptively soothing drawl. “You take care of yourself, Agent Richards. Thank you for your service.” He strolled away as if he hadn’t left behind several hand grenades waiting to explode.
Avery blinked rapidly to clear her vision and her head. What the hell was that about? What was his point? She lifted her chin and drew in a breath of resolve. She had a job to do. That must be her focus.
Mike’s voice came through her earbud. “Father checking up on his son’s girlfriend? Cute.”
Avery inwardly flinched. Her gaze darted over to where Mike was stationed. A shadow smile framed his lips. She wouldn’t dignify his comments with a response. Not here. Not now. But she would deal with Mike Stone once and for all.