by Ashley, Ava
Kara comes out of the house in a tank top, skinny jeans, and heels. The tank top is more Lily’s style. They might be rubbing off on each other. And this might be a little strange because they seem to be getting closer. I try to smile but don’t feel it. Lily and I have been connecting and clearing out the hurts and miscommunications. We should explore it more but here I am, taking out four other women this week.
The limo is waiting for us and I let her go first.
“Right this way, milady,” I say.
“Thanks.” She slides in quickly. I get in, curious just how much Lily shares with her. We make small talk as the limo takes us to a posh restaurant with outdoor seating. There’s a light breeze and music playing, making for a nice atmosphere, but we just look over the menu in silence. It’s not romantic, especially in the middle of the day and all. Did Kara think about that? I order a bottle of wine with our food, to see if that lightens things up. I want her to enjoy herself, even if I’m not feeling this.
“So... lunch overlooking the beach,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “You could have picked just about anything. Skydiving, surfing, a day of shopping or something. ”
“I know.” She smiles and it comes across sad. “I want to leave the show.”
“What?” I sit up, surprised.
She bursts out laughing. “What, you’ve never had anyone stop chasing you before?”
“Why?” I actually want to know. Honestly, after Lily, she’s the one I’d mesh with the best. Kara is tough, too, so this is strange.
Kara’s laughter and smile fade. “I know the deal, Rafe. I see what’s happening, and Lily’s my friend.” She gazes out at the ocean and shrugs. “I know when to throw in the towel, that’s all. I want to leave after today, and then in four days when you kick someone off, pick me.”
I’m stunned, but I can’t blame her. I respect her for it. Damn, it takes balls to come out and say it and take care of things like this.
What would Liam think of it? I glance around for the cameraman. We’re being taped, but the camera is too far away to catch what we talk about. Suddenly I realize she said everything quietly, maybe even so quietly that it didn’t get caught on tape. She’s smart and beautiful and I’ve liked her from the beginning, but now I know I’ve seen her more as Lily’s friend than someone I want to be with.
“If that’s what you want,” I say, but I’m relieved.
“It is.” Her eyes and expression are still sad though.
“Then we can be friends,” I say as our wine arrives. I hold up my glass and we clink.
“To being friends.”
I have to admit I’m relieved that it won’t come down to Kara and Lily, just to avoid the hurt feelings and awkwardness of that.
“You know she loves you, right?” Kara asks, surprising me for a second time.
Yeah, I knew that, didn’t I?
She raises an eyebrow at me. “And you love her, you’re just too stubborn and stupid to see it.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m being stupid or stubborn. Love’s a powerful word,” I tell her carefully. “Not one I want to throw around.”
She nods. It’s a much bigger issue, but not one I can discuss with her. My own parents never said “I love you” to me. The only person I’ve ever said it to was Lily...and then she betrayed me. Or at least, I thought she did. Now I know it wasn’t like that, but I still have this huge mountain blocking me from going into the “love” zone. It’s not something I can do easily.
I set my glass down slowly. “Wow, this is not how I expected today to go.”
She laughs and picks up her fork. “You don’t have to admit anything to me, Mr. Alpha.”
The problem is, I’m not ready to admit anything to myself yet either. It’s a big fucking deal if Lily is my soul mate.
Chapter Seven
Lily
Kara really just wanted lunch and that’s it.
I flop on my bed and stare at the text from Rafe for several minutes. Is he surprised she didn’t want more from him? Or worse, is he disappointed? Geesh, I’m seeing green over this whole thing. I shouldn’t. Rafe has shown he cares about me. It seems like he’s falling for me. It seems like it’s a trust issue in the way, but I’m not sure on that either.
It’s only two. I wonder if his text means they’re done already. I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. Being here in this house to tape this show means a lot of waiting around. Sure, the beach and pool are nice, but I don’t like waiting on life. I want to fix things with Rafe.
Another text dings in.
She’s done with the show.
Done, what does he mean, done? I text back, what, really?
I’m full of questions, like did she just leave or what? I can’t bring myself to ask Rafe if she’s angry.
I’ll tell you about it on the phone.
So that’s why she just wanted to have lunch—get it over with quickly. I’m still surprised she actually told him that.
Damn. I wanted him to kick Mel off. After what she did, Rafe might have been planning to. But why would Kara actually ask him to kick her off?
For me?
I sigh. What will I say to her? I should let her bring it up, if she’s going to. It sucks to think about being here without her.
Out of curiosity, I ask Rafe, Is it awkward now? Are you spending the day together still?
He answers a minute later, saying Kara left already. I text with Rafe for a while longer until I hear her come up the stairs.
“Hey,” I say when she walks in the door. I sit up to face her. “How’d it go?”
She doesn’t look upset, which makes me feel better about talking to her.
My conversation with Rafe must be written on my face because she laughs and says, “It looks like you know already.”
I sit up. “He didn’t tell me much, just that you’re done.” I shrug and wait for an explanation.
“It’s for the best, don’t you think? You and I both know Rafe is in love with you.”
“But...”
“But you don’t want me to leave the show?” she asks, and she’s right on. I sigh.
“But what about your contract? Don’t you have a huge penalty payment if you leave the show?”
She grins. “Not if Rafe kicks me off.”
I mouth “oh” as understanding hits. She shrugs like it’s nothing.
“In the beginning, I thought Rafe would never come around and talk to you again. But I was wrong. And it makes sense now. He was angry you were here because he still loves you.”
I drop my gaze. Is that possible? Could Rafe still love me after what happened? I know deep down I’ve always loved him, but until this show came along, I didn’t think we had any chance of ever fixing things.
Kara saw what was going on and didn’t turn on me.
“You’ve been really good to me,” I tell her.
She shrugs. “I see the way he looks at you. I’ve been trying to figure out how to leave, and then it hit me. Rafe needs to kick me off.”
I don’t know what to say. Thankfully, my phone buzzes with a text.
“That’s him, isn’t it?” she asks.
I try not to smile. It is.
I want to take you out. I’ll be there in an hour.
I laugh and text back, Aren’t you bossy?
A minute later, he replies. This show calls me the alpha, remember? Now get ready. ;)
I decide to let him get away with that because he added the winky face, but before I race off to the bathroom to get ready, I send one last text. Are you going to spank me if I don’t?
My heart pounds into overdrive as I hit Send. It’s bold and flirty for me, but I’m feeling daring right now.
Kara watches me grab a dress out of my suitcase and hurry out. I have a moment of feeling bad—she’s stuck here at this house, and there’s not much to do. I mean, you can only swim in the pool and play on the beach for so long by yourself. I lean back in the doorway.
She looks up. “I�
��ll find something to do. Go get ready.”
I walk down the hall wondering how I found such a good friend. We were supposed to be competitors, after all. While I’m doing my makeup, I get another text from Rafe.
I’ll spank if you like it...
While I’m getting ready, we flirt back and forth, so I’m trying to put makeup on while grinning ear to ear. Finally, I’m ready. I tell Kara good-bye and walk downstairs a few minutes early in a tight black skirt and a red top that goes off one shoulder.
Voices drift from the kitchen. Mel is ripping me apart, which makes me smile. She has to be jealous if she’s talking about me. Let her talk! I stand outside the kitchen and listen. But I listen so hard that I don’t hear Rafe walk up behind me.
His hand touches my arm and makes me jump. He laughs when he sees my startled face, but his smile falls right off his face as Mel’s words register.
“He probably thinks she’s easy because she was a stripper.”
Rafe takes three fast steps into the kitchen. “What the fuck!”
Everyone jumps. Then no one says a word. I stay right where I am too. In the silence, I hear Kara walk downstairs. She pauses beside me, then leans into the room.
“Why do you care what Lily has done? And why do you need to gossip? You think I’d want to date someone who acts fifteen and tears other women apart like that?”
“You’d rather date a no-name tramp? Someone who hasn’t done anything with her life?”
Before this, Mel has saved that tone of voice for when Rafe wasn’t around to hear it. I walk into the room and confirm what I suspected: Mel’s standing there with a hand on her hip and her lips all twisted up. Mel flicks a nervous glance my way but doesn’t apologize. The funny thing is, she’s wearing a skimpy summer dress that hardly covers her chest. In fact, she’s the one that has dressed like a tramp this entire show.
“Leave Lily alone,” he says, taking a step closer to Mel. “If you can’t act like a civil human being, I don’t want you here.”
Sam and Heather back up but Mel stays where she is.
“You must want me, or you would have kicked me off.” She lifts an eyebrow. It’s sickening how self-assured she is.
Rafe folds his arms. “Consider this notice then, Melinda.”
She’s confused for a second. Sam and Heather are doing double takes, looking between Mel and Rafe. Kara and I exchange a look and her expression is pure glee. She might want off the show, but she’s enjoying this more.
“Fine. I quit. I don’t want to be here with a loser like you.” She flips her hair over her shoulder and marches past Rafe and toward the door. Kara and I are in the way but we don’t move. She rams into both our shoulders on her way out.
“Good riddance!” Kara says.
Sam starts to call out to her but cuts herself off when she notices everyone watching her. It’s actually comical to watch her expression change from worry to aha and then to pleased with herself—when she realizes she just got rid of her biggest competition.
“She’s the one that put me up to that question on the talk show,” she says suddenly. “You know I wouldn’t do something like that, right?”
You did, I think, but keep it to myself. She’s obviously trying to get back on Rafe’s good side.
Kara rolls her eyes. “We all know that.”
“And we’re all better off without her here.” Rafe leans against the counter and pops his neck. He’s staring at the floor hard, and I can’t tell if he’s thinking or extremely pissed off still.
“Can she do that?” I ask. “I have a huge financial penalty if I quit. I thought we all did. It seems like she would too.” Does she really have that kind of money to throw around?
“Her rich daddy will pay it,” Sam says with surprising bitterness and air quotes around the daddy part. “He always forks over whatever she needs. That’s why she’s so spoiled and expects everyone to bow down and give her what she wants. It’s also how she made it so far in her TV career.”
Sam and Heather start talking and Rafe turns around, his dark eyes landing on me. I mouth “thank you.”
Of course the cameras will probably catch it even if the people in the room didn’t. I know there’s one up in the corner and at least two others, but I don’t know exactly where. This is where the screen will fade to black for a commercial break, I realize, a funny oddball thought. Maybe it’ll be the cliffhanger at the end of an episode. When we turn to leave the kitchen, Liam is standing in the doorway. He’ll probably want each of us to talk about it on camera.
“Wow, everyone okay?” he asks, which is a little odd for him. I glance at Rafe and see the veins bulging on his arms. He’s wound up all the way.
And just as expected, Liam motions to the cameramen behind us and sets Heather and Sam up to talk.
“You two can go next, okay?” he says in our general direction before turning and pulling out his phone. I have a feeling he wants to tell Mike about this fun new development.
“Maybe we should get out of here,” I say quietly to Rafe. He’s wearing nice pants and a black, short-sleeved shirt. I love when his biceps show and I can trace the muscle and his tattoos.
We’re looking at each other, trying to decide how to slip out, when Heather says, “So if Mel leaves, does that count for the next person? I mean, why would Rafe have to kick someone off then?”
“Tell you what,” Liam says, covering his cell phone, “let’s all relax tonight and I’ll let you know in the morning.” He goes back to his conversation. There’s a quiet pause in the room before Sam and Heather continue their mini interviews. That’s when I notice Kara has disappeared. Rafe walks into the hallway and I follow. As soon as I do, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me.
A minute later he steps back and holds me at arm’s length, his gaze sliding down my body. The pleasure in his eyes makes it clear he likes what he sees. Finally he reaches to twirl a lock of my hair around his finger. I suddenly remember how much he used to like my thick, curly hair.
“Go get your ID. I want to get out of here and have some fun.”
“Sounds perfect.” I hurry upstairs and grab my bag. Kara’s not in our room so maybe she already headed out to unwind for the rest of the day. It’s almost five so things will be picking up in town soon.
Rafe is waiting for me outside and says a taxi is on the way. It pulls in just a few minutes later. We get in and Rafe tells the driver to just go. Oh my God, it feels good to drive away and leave all that drama behind. Rafe squeezes my leg and leaves his hand there.
“Where to?” the driver says.
“Do you know a fun bar, out of the way? Something more... downtown where we can unwind.”
“Yeah, I know a place.” The driver takes a turn and heads in another direction.
I lean my head back and gaze up at Rafe. The city lights stream in, dancing off his smooth skin and gleaming eyes. He looks less strained now. We both needed to get away.
“You were really mad back there,” I say. His brows come down in question so I add, “At Mel.”
He shakes his head and pulls in a breath. “I was just about shaking. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten that mad at a woman before. Holy shit. She thinks she can act any way she wants and I’ll want her?”
“Pretty much.”
He slides his fingers through mine, our entwined hands resting on my leg. My head is still resting back on the cab seat with Rafe watching me. The corners of his mouth twitch and a smile slowly takes over his face. It’s about as sexy as you can get, but instead of smiling back I feel myself having a completely different reaction.
“You’re biting your lip,” he whispers. “And I know what that means.”
His words only make it worse, and then he reaches down with his free hand to squeeze my thigh again. Oh my God. His smile widens. “So that still does the trick, huh?”
“How on earth do you remember that?”
“I remember a lot more than that.”
“Like what?”
“Like how you really, really wanted to have sex on the beach, sand and all.”
He does have a good memory. He’s giving me that sexy smile and I notice he just shaved. His skin looks so touchable and his light and spicy cologne is drifting to me, making me want to get closer.
“Well,” I counter, “I remember how I can drive you crazy by running my fingertips up and down your back.”
He chuckles. “I’m not the only one with a sensitive back, Lily. In fact, I seem to recall that your back is way more sensitive. Because if I lean over like this... and talk by your ear, I know you’re getting shivers down your back. And if I happen to drop my hand and rub a little circle... right here...”
My back arches, bringing my mouth right up next to his.
“Imagine if my mouth was on your skin right there.”
He does know how to make me lose it still. I close my eyes because his breath is on my neck and his hand is touching my back, and I’m thinking about his mouth teasing me and kissing up and down my back.
I’m too turned on to talk and Rafe takes full advantage, whispering in my ear while I try not to squirm.
“And I bet we’d have even more fun now,” he says, his other hand sliding up my leg. That thought about sends me over the edge. We’re not teenagers anymore, and if Rafe can slow down now and take his time it might be the death of me. I can’t help but picture our night together.
“We did... at the cabin,” I manage to say, my mind picturing him standing in front of me naked.
“That was just a warm-up.”
I open my eyes to find him watching me.
“We’re here,” the cab driver breaks in. I feel my face grow warm. Hopefully he wasn’t paying attention to us. Actually, he probably sees much more than that in his backseat. Rafe gives him a generous tip and we step onto the sidewalk in front of the bar. It’s milling with people, and music blasts out in waves with the swinging door.
“Now this looks like a good time,” he says, grabbing my hand again and leading the way inside. People are dancing, and the bar and most of the tables are full. In the back I can see people playing pool, darts, and pinball machines. Several large screens are showing different games. I’m taking it in and Rafe leads the way to the bar and finds us two seats.