‘Bit more cleavage, maybe...’ Charlie gave her outfit a cool, assessing eye.
‘The neck doesn’t go like that. Anyway, what happened to being a woman of mystery?’ Mimi pulled at the lace-edged top of the dress.
‘There’s something you need to learn about men, Mimi. Cleavage is always better than mystery.’
‘You think I don’t know anything about men?’
Mystery was going to have to do. She had too many imperfections now to consider anything else, and Rafe was going to have to take her as she was. Mimi pulled on her coat and got to her feet.
It had been ten weeks since her accident and, now that the cast was off, it was a lot easier to get around. She couldn’t walk very far and still needed elbow crutches to support her, but every day she managed a little more.
Charlie held up his hands in an expression of surrender. ‘Not getting involved, Mimi. I’m just giving you a lift.’
‘Good. Thanks. Let’s get going.’
* * *
Rafe’s road was a nice road. Nice houses. If he’d had to spend all this time away from her, Mimi was glad that he’d found somewhere pleasant to live. Charlie drove slowly, pulling up outside the house on the brow of the hill.
‘Oh...!’
‘Told you.’ Charlie looked at the path, sloping upwards with a couple of steps along the length of it, and three more leading to the front door. ‘Not all that accessible.’
‘Well, what do you do then?’
‘I go round the back.’ Charlie pointed to the concrete slope where Rafe’s car was parked. There was a passageway in between the house and the garage, just wide enough to take a wheelchair.
It was bad enough turning up at his front door; the back door was out of the question. And if she could get this far, then a few steps weren’t going to stand in her way. Even if they did look virtually insurmountable from here.
‘Why don’t you just call him? That would be much easier.’
As if the rest of this was a walk in the park. ‘I’ll manage. I’ll take it slowly.’
Charlie shrugged. ‘Okay. I’ll wait.’
‘It’s okay. Thanks for the lift.’ Mimi grabbed her handbag, looping it across her body, and got out of the car, pulling herself upright.
‘Call me when you want me to come and get you...’
Charlie waited anyway, while she laboriously made her way up the steep path. The last three steps looked pretty much impossible, but she could reach the bell from the bottom if she stretched up. Turning around, she flapped her hand at Charlie in a signal that he was going now, and the car moved off.
This was it. Charlie had mentioned more than once that there were easier ways of getting to see Rafe, but she’d been determined. It was going to be just her and Rafe. Away from the echoes of their past which haunted her own cottage, and certainly not anywhere else. What she wanted to say needed to be said in private.
She reached for the bell and rang it. No answer. Rafe’s car was there and, anyway, Charlie had called to make sure he was in, on the pretext that he might drop round at some point in the morning.
Perhaps he’d gone out for a few minutes, knowing that Charlie would let himself in at the back. Maybe he’d forgotten. Or maybe there was some kind of emergency at the hospital and he’d been called in. But then he would have taken his car.
Mimi tried again, this time keeping her thumb on the bell for long enough to make sure that Rafe was out. Then she carefully made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn and sat down on the front steps.
There was just one cloud in the sky, but it was a big one and it was coming this way. The breeze was fresh and she drew her coat around her, wishing she’d brought her umbrella. It didn’t matter now. However long she had to wait, she wasn’t going to call Charlie and get him to come back for her.
She waited and then saw him, turning the corner at the end of the road, the Sunday paper tucked under his arm in a thick wad. There were a few moments to appreciate his long stride, the way his dark woollen sweater mimicked the shape of his shoulders. She could just see that he hadn’t bothered to shave this morning. She’d always thought that a couple of days’ worth of stubble suited Rafe.
She wondered if she should stand up or remain sitting, and decided to stay where she was. The long stretch of front path seemed horribly steep from this angle and she was afraid of falling.
So very afraid of falling. But she was here now, setting herself up for whatever Rafe could dish out. Cold distance, uncertainty, outright rejection. Or the terror of hearing him say yes. She’d deal with it when it came. She clasped her hands together tightly, wondering if she’d know when he saw her. Maybe he’d pretend not to for a few strides, to give him time to work out how he was going to let her down easily.
He saw her. The precise moment was clear and unequivocal because he dropped his paper and started to run. When he reached the front path he slowed and suddenly stopped, his gaze on her.
‘Mimi. What...?’
‘You...you said that if there was anything...’ She gulped the words out.
He took the path in long strides, stopping in front of her. ‘Come in.’
She swallowed hard, trying to remember the words that she’d rehearsed so many times. Suddenly her courage deserted her. ‘I...I can’t.’
He sat down next to her on the step, one arm planted on the paving stone behind her, his face a mask of concern. He was being careful not to touch her.
‘Okay. We’ll stay here, then.’
She wanted this moment to last. Even the tearing uncertainty was something she wanted to hang on to because she was here with him.
‘Mimi...?’ He craned around to look into her face. ‘What is it? Why won’t you come inside?’
‘Because...’ Suddenly it all came tumbling out. ‘Because there’s something I want you to do for me. I believe in you and I want you to believe in me...’
He opened his mouth to speak and she waved him into silence.
‘I believe that we can make it work between us, if we just trust enough to help each other change. I’m daring you to try.’
‘You...’ He gasped out the word, turmoil showing in his face. ‘You’re daring me?’
‘Yes.’ She was twisting her fingers so tightly together that they hurt.
‘Then I dare you back, Mimi.’ He was closer now, his mouth an inch from hers, his gaze all-encompassing. ‘I dare you to come inside.’
‘You might be sorry...’
‘I won’t be. I’ll make sure you aren’t either.’
‘Then I accept.’ She held out her hand to shake on the deal, and he pulled her trembling fingers to his lips.
Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he put them into her hand. Then he lifted her in his arms and turned towards the door. In a dream—no, this was far too good to be a dream—Mimi opened the door.
‘Last chance, Mimi.’ He was smiling down at her. ‘If you come inside then you stay until we’ve seen this one through.’
‘I know.’
He stepped over the threshold and the warmth of the house tingled against her cheek. Rafe kicked the door closed and let her down, his arms around her waist, supporting her against his body. She dropped her handbag and slid her coat off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.
‘Aren’t we going to go and sit down?’ He wasn’t moving, just staring at her.
‘I have to do something far more important first.’ He held her close, kissing her. Tender at first and then the connection between them snapped into place, something hot and wild flooding through them both.
She’d lived for this. Dreamed of it, every moment that they were apart.
Rafe was showing no sign of wanting to move and she kissed him again. Yesterday was gone and tomorrow wasn’t here yet. And today was turning
out to be just perfect.
‘Maybe we should...talk?’
‘Not yet.’ He smiled down at her. ‘There might be a few constructive arguments along the way...’
‘I imagine so. I’m almost hoping there will be.’
‘In which case I want to remind us both how sweet it’ll be when we make up.’
That sounded like an excellent plan. ‘And this is the best you can do?’ She knew for sure that it wasn’t.
He kissed her again and her legs started to tremble. He felt it and supported her the few steps to the stairs, sitting down before he pulled her on to his lap. ‘Better?’
‘Much.’ She could feel his body against hers. Wound tight, like a coiled spring. ‘Rafe, I’ve missed you so much.’
‘Me too...’ He grinned. ‘I’m not dreaming, am I?’
‘If you are, then we’re both dreaming together.’ Maybe this would shatter the dream. She had to trust him enough to believe it wouldn’t.
She swung her feet up, looking at her mismatched footwear. Suddenly her swollen, discoloured leg seemed so much worse than it had looked this morning when she’d got out of bed and her fingers itched to pull her dress down and cover as much of it as she could. But being in his arms gave her courage.
‘I feel a mess, and I’m afraid that’s all you’ll see. I want you to be honest with me...’
‘Mimi...’ His fingers brushed her cheek, almost finding the healing scar on her face and instinctively she flinched. When his gaze found hers again, tears were glistening in his eyes.
‘Mimi, please don’t ever feel that you’re not the most beautiful woman in my world. Please don’t ever think that I’m judging you.’
‘You don’t care, do you? About my leg...the scars...’ Finally she could manage to say it.
His chest heaved as he sucked in a deep breath. ‘I care about them, but only because they hurt you. I love you.’
‘And love is blind?’
‘Never.’ His finger was under her chin, tipping her face up towards his. ‘I see every part of you. And I love every part of you. Please don’t be afraid, sweetheart, because there’s nothing for you to be afraid of.’
‘And I...’
He laid his finger over her lips. ‘There’s more I want to tell you. Your turn in a minute.’
She couldn’t help smiling. Rafe was clearly taking this decision to change seriously and it looked as if she was going to have difficulty in shutting him up. ‘Okay.’
‘I stayed away because it was what we’d agreed, and I thought it was best to let you recover properly without having me around. I wanted to let you make this decision, but I hoped every day that you would.’
‘Yes...’ It made Mimi feel so good to hear him say these things.
‘I want to love you and take care of you, but I want to let you take care of me too.’
‘Yes.’
‘When you were arguing with me, that night on the sofa when you climbed on top of me...’ She felt him shudder.
‘That was a mistake. I know.’
He chuckled. ‘It was challenging. And, in or out of bed, that’s the thing that excites me about you most. I want you to love me, but I need you to challenge me, and I need you to make me hear it.’ He dropped a kiss on to her cheek.
‘Because I’m always right?’ She giggled.
‘No. Because neither of us is always right. But together we’ve got a fighting chance.’
‘You’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you?’
‘All the time. Every day, honey.’
He kissed her again. Rafe had always known all the right things to do to make her body crave him and to make her heart thump with longing for him. An emotion that she couldn’t name shivered through her. Desire, happiness. The feeling that she was coming home... No. The knowledge that she was home.
This was all she needed. Everything else could take its time.
‘Maybe we should take things slowly.’ She waited for his agreement.
It didn’t come. ‘What? Don’t you agree, Rafe?’
‘What things?’
She dug him in the ribs. ‘You know what things. Sex. Leave the gymnastics until later.’
He shrugged. ‘Yeah, I can do without the gymnastics. If you honestly want to know, then the sex is going to be a bit harder.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘I’m not going to pretend that I don’t want you. Mimi, I’m done with that. But I’ll wait until you’re ready, however long that takes.’
He was making this very hard. Mimi wanted him too, but the thought that she might disappoint him held her back. ‘I just think... Well, I get tired easily. And my legs are still weak. I can’t do all the things we used to.’
‘Would it be all right if I just kissed you?’
She looked up into the warmth of his eyes, wondering how she could have lived this long without having him close. ‘Yes. It would be more than all right.’
‘Hold hands. I’d like to do that.’
She took his hand in hers, kissing his fingers. ‘How’s that?’
‘Wonderful. You want to try something new?’
She grinned. ‘What sort of new?’
He kissed her cheek again, working his way round to her ear, and Mimi shivered. ‘I’ll kiss you and touch you. I’ll make you burn for me, the way I do for you, only I’ll take it slow. Very slow. Very gentle.’
She could almost feel him doing it. Her fingers clutched convulsively at his sweater. ‘Yes. Only you don’t need to be all that gentle. I’m not going to break.’
He kissed her, his hands tender and his mouth hot, almost savage. ‘Oh, yes, you are, honey. You are going to break...’
* * *
Rafe had carried her upstairs in a move that seemed romantic rather than a response to need. Mimi sat down on the bed, looking around. Cream walls, cream curtains, cream linen. It was...
It was neat and tidy, but the room could do with some loving care. It felt like a place where you just crashed out to sleep.
‘This is...nice.’ The bed was large and the mattress comfortable. It was a bit like a high-class hotel room.
He chuckled. ‘Needs a woman’s touch.’
‘Ah. Well, maybe I’ll...’ Mimi suddenly forgot all about soft furnishings as Rafe pulled his sweater and shirt over his head together in one fluid movement.
‘Maybe you’ll what?’ He knelt down in front of her, gently taking off her shoe and sock.
‘I’ll touch it later. First I’ll touch you.’ She ran her fingers lightly over his chest, feeling the muscles quiver and tense. ‘I tried so hard to hold you in my imagination, but I couldn’t. I was too angry, and you’re too beautiful.’
‘No more of that now, sweetheart.’ He kissed her, smoothing her hair back from her face. ‘I want to look at you.’
Suddenly she wanted that too. With all the frailties, the scars, the red blotches on her leg. Even though he was flawless, smooth skin rippling over muscle and bone. ‘Help me...with my dress.’
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HE UNDRESSED HER SLOWLY. Lavished attention on her, trailing his fingers across every inch of her body. When Rafe took his jeans off, she gave him a little gleeful look and he knelt in front of her, holding her close.
‘I don’t think I ever said this before...’ He kissed her lips lightly. ‘You make me feel so loved. So wanted.’
‘You are loved. You are wanted.’ It felt good to say it, and even better to have him hear it.
‘I thought...’ He seemed to give up any pretence of thought for a moment, in favour of the sweet sensations that his caress, and her answering touch, engendered.
‘What did you think?’
‘I thought that taking it slow was going to mean a bit of self-restraint. But I want this so much, Mimi. I w
on’t be cheated out of a single moment of it.’
They kissed for a long time. Talking, caressing, both knowing where this was leading and in no hurry to get there. When he finally lifted her on to the bed, Mimi didn’t care that he could see all her imperfections, all the injuries that she examined every morning in the mirror. In his eyes, she was beautiful.
‘Comfortable?’ He put an extra pillow behind her back.
‘I’m fine.’ She caught hold of his hand, pulling him close, feeling the heat of his skin. ‘Where were we?’
The list of things they liked about each other, with a caress and a kiss for each one. He nuzzled against her shoulder, his lips brushing her ear.
‘Breasts...’ He paused. Hesitation wasn’t Rafe’s style and he was just letting the thought sink in while his fingers traced across her ribcage. Stopping, just as she began to tremble with anticipation.
‘You are such a bad man...’
‘Yeah?’ His grin confirmed it. ‘Is that something you like, or just an observation?’
‘Something I like...’ She caught her breath as he ran his tongue across her nipple, lavishing slow attention on it.
They moved past the point of mere arousal to a place where every touch sent sensation spinning through their bodies. Every breath, every word, tangling in a web of pleasure which captured them both.
When the time came, there was no need for Rafe to ask if she was ready. He reached for the condom and handed it to her. Mimi ran one finger down his length, making him groan. Then she rolled the condom down carefully, in an exercise of sensuality triumphing over practicality.
He couldn’t believe that this was really happening, but it was much too good to be a dream. Mimi was in his arms, making love with him. More than that, they were at one in a way they’d never been before. Carefully, he propped her leg on to a pillow, then levered his body over hers.
She was staring into his eyes and when he pushed inside her, she murmured his name. Rafe held still for a while, feeling the tremble of his limbs match that of hers. She reached up, her fingers tracing over his face and lips, and he allowed a little of his weight to press down on to her, pouring all his furious need into one kiss.
Rescued by Dr. Rafe Page 15