by Ashley, Ava
Two women walk by and pause to turn Rafe’s way, flirty smiles on their faces. I’m starting to roll my eyes when Rafe nods at them. Shock rolls over me, enough that I lift an eyebrow at him, but he doesn’t notice. Does he think it’s okay to flirt with other women? We’re not together, but I’m right here all the same.
“How about a good old-fashioned beer?” he asks me, touching my arm and flashing a smile. It’s impossible to stay irritated when he’s looking at me like that.
“Sure.”
A fortysomething woman in good shape is tending the bar. She’s in a black tank top that shows off a full-sleeve tattoo plus an eagle on her other upper arm.
“Something local from the tap,” I say.
“You got it. Try this.” She offers up a small sample of a local IPA. Rafe and I both take a sip and ask for more.
Rafe turns to me to say, “This feels more like home compared to the ritzy places the show has been sending us.”
“References to home aren’t always good,” I say, “But it’s comfortable here. No judgment.”
He nods. “Just people having fun together.”
“Can you imagine Liam in here?” I wave a hand out toward the scene and wonder if Liam would actually look uncomfortable for a change. Rafe starts talking, but someone yells his name.
“Rafe Maddox!” It’s a big guy on his other side, asking for an autograph. Rafe turns around to talk to him. People have recognized him everywhere we’ve been since starting this show. I wait for a minute, sipping my beer, but then someone else comes up to Rafe, followed by those two women who eyed Rafe when we walked in. One even runs her hand up his arm. I expect Rafe to disengage himself at some point, but he seems to switch into celebrity mode, talking to the group as more people come over.
I try to step into the crowd so Rafe will include me. He doesn’t. My beer is gone so I walk away and order another one and drink it on a stool at the end of the bar. So much for relaxing and having fun together. Another five minutes pass and I’m so angry I think about leaving and heading back to the beach house. But then the pinball machines in the back catch my eye. I might as well use my anger for something, and maybe Rafe will come looking for me while I’m playing.
They even have my favorite game, the Twilight Zone game. I get change and go back to play. I’m not as good as I was before, but I still make it to the replay. I’m not sure how much time passes—maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. When my game is finally over, Rafe is still talking to all those people. As I watch, I realize he might have bought them all a round of drinks.
I’ve had enough. I pull my jacket on and weave my way through the crowd and out the front door. Screw it. I’ll just go home, and if he ever misses me he can figure it out. I’m seeing red by now so I start walking fast. I have to move. I pass other businesses and people on the sidewalk as I power through. I just want to get some distance and clear this pounding frustration out of my head. It doesn’t seem to help and I walk faster and faster, accidentally bumping into a few people.
“Lily!”
My steps stutter but I don’t stop. So at least he finally noticed I left.
“Lily!”
I can hear his feet pounding the pavement behind me as I hurry on. When he catches up to me, he’s breathing hard. He really sprinted down the sidewalk.
“Lily, hold up, will you?” He touches my arm and falls in step with me. “I’m sorry.”
I throw a glance his way.
“They were fans.”
“I know.” My words are clipped. I might be overreacting, but no matter the reason he still completely ignored me.
“I’m sorry I let myself get distracted like that.” He touches my arm again. “Why are you so mad?”
I glare at him, incredulous. “You just went off and forgot I was there, Rafe. Were you planning to spend the rest of the evening hanging out with those two girls?”
“What? No. You’re jealous because other women talked to me? It wasn’t anything but talk. I do have to engage with fans sometimes.”
I shake my head, wishing he hadn’t come after me. “Were you even going to check that I had a way home?”
“Lily, please.” He tries to step in front of me. “I guess I’m not used to having someone special in my life. This is new for me.”
I slow down and cross my arms. I’ve walked a ways from the bar now so I stop and look back.
“Listen, I can just call a cab and you can go back to your fans.”
“I don’t want to!” He runs both hands through his short hair. “I got caught up and I’m sorry. I’m really sorry I hurt you. I didn’t realize how long I was talking to them. Let me make it up to you.”
“Is that how you’re going to treat me whenever we go out and people recognize you?”
The question throws him. He’s finally getting it.
“No, Lily. I just didn’t think about it, but now I know better. We’ll figure out how to handle situations like that from now on, okay? We’ll figure it out together.” His chest is still rising and falling fast, but now it’s from our conversation and not his race down here. Rafe’s hazel eyes are pleading. I can see he didn’t mean to hurt me, but how do I know he won’t treat me like that again and again?
I start walking again at a slower pace. He walks beside me. We come up on another bar.
“Want to step in here for a bit?” he asks. “We can get a back table and talk.”
My anger has simmered down to hurt and doubt, but I can think now. I nod and we go inside. Rafe finds us a little table in the corner. It’s quieter here. We order a drink and while we wait, he takes my hand.
“I’m really sorry. I’ve gotten used to that, but I know it’s new for you. And I know I should have included you or got myself away. Next time I will, okay?”
I nod.
“And if something bothers you, just let me know. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on you.”
Our drinks arrive. I’m still feeling emotional but I’m listening to him. It surprises me how much that hurt me. Rafe leans close to say, “I want you to feel special and taken care of. I want you to know you can count on me. I messed up, but now I know how to do better.”
He traces my lower lip. We’re gazing into each other’s eyes when a slow song starts. “Hold Each Other” by A Great Big World.
Rafe kisses my hand. “Will you dance with me?”
I can’t stay angry any longer. He’s melting my heart. I smile. “Yes, I’ll dance with you.”
He leads me to the dance floor and turns to me, pulling me against him and wrapping his arms around my waist. I slide my arms around his neck and move to the music with him.
“You’re very special to me,” he says in my ear. “I really didn’t mean to act like such an ass. It was a stupid mistake that I won’t make again.”
“You’re forgiven,” I say, and the words make my heart feel lighter.
Rafe’s hands slowly slide up and down my back as we move to the music, our bodies as close as possible.
“You’ve been teasing me like crazy, but I bet you’re accidentally teasing yourself even worse. Aren’t you? Thinking about all the places and ways you want to touch me. What you want to do to me.”
His lips touch my neck and all my thoughts fly out of my head.
“Want to head back to my place?” he asks.
“Hell yes I do.”
Chapter Eight
Rafe
Goddamn! It’s all I can do to keep my hands outside of her clothes in the cab on the drive back. I want us to be skin to skin, and I want to run my hands over her bare hips and ass. But I restrain myself so she won’t get embarrassed.
Her fingers sink into my hair when I kiss her neck and I hear her whisper my name.
“I want you,” she adds, and my entire body tightens even more.
“Damn, I need you!”
Lily was right. Teasing her was teasing myself to breaking point. I couldn’t keep my eyes or my hands off her in the bar, and it was making m
e want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.
I kiss my way down her neck and collarbone. Her shirt leaves one shoulder bare, and I can’t stop myself from kissing that shoulder, tasting every inch of soft, bare skin that I can reach.
She moans softly and I lift my head to look at her. She’s watching me, her eyes clouded with desire, a small smile playing on her lips.
We make out all the way back and I pay the driver twice the fare because I’m not waiting for change. I pull Lily inside the house, shut the door, and back her against it to kiss her more. I want to grab handfuls of that gorgeous curly hair. Her hands are in my hair too until I pull them above her head, tangling our fingers together.
“I want you bad, Lily,” I growl against her neck. She gasps and I feel her shaking against me. She wants me in the worst way too. I kiss her until she’s panting, her body begging for me, then I grab under her butt and lift her up.
I pull her against me and carry her to the bedroom—there’re a few cameras in the rest of the house but not here, and Liam has to have my approval to air anything that happens in my house. I made sure Mic took care of that in my contract.
In my room, the blinds are open and there’s moonlight and an outside light shining through the big windows. Perfect. I want to see her. It’s just the dark beach out there so I plan to leave them open.
I set her down, ready to toss her on the bed, but she stops me with a hand to my chest.
“No.” She steps around me and pushes me back.
I laugh as I land, then rise up to pull my shirt over my head. She straddles me and traces my tattoos and glides her hands over my biceps, sculpting me like clay or something. Her hands drive me crazy, and it’s even more sensual because she’s not trying to tease me this time. She’s lost in touching me and exploring every inch. Her hands slide over my stomach muscles and I can’t take it anymore. I reach up and pull her shirt over her head and quickly take her by the arms to flip us over.
Before she can catch her breath, I slide my hands under her and undo her bra. It’s my turn to explore her. And I don’t give in, even as her body rises up into my hands and she tries to guide my hand down. I lightly touch all over with my fingers and mouth, around her breasts and stomach.
“You look so fucking hot in this skirt... and this one-shoulder thing.”
“Take it off! Everything off!” she begs, squirming, but instead I roll her over and slide up so I can breathe on her back. She arches under me, bringing her head up, and I nibble on her lower neck. I nibble and kiss her neck and shoulders and the top of her back until she’s thrashing under me, gripping the blanket, screaming my name.
I finally let her roll over while I grab a condom.
“Rafe!” She’s breathless and her skin is damp. “I’m so hot for you.”
“Oh, really? I wonder if I can turn you on more.”
She protests but I make my way down her stomach and between her legs and make her scream some more, teasing with my tongue and darting inside her. Meanwhile I run my hands up and down her thighs and over her stomach. By the time I’m ready to be inside her, she can hardly move.
I crawl over her and meet her eyes. Then I slowly slide into her and watch her eyes glaze over.
“Keep looking at me,” I say, moving faster. It doesn’t take much. She arches again and I can see her orgasm building. Then it breaks and her fingernails dig into my shoulders and her legs wrap tight around me.
A minute later her eyes close and she relaxes against me.
“Had enough?” I whisper.
“More,” she whispers back.
“Good, because I’m not anywhere close to done with you.”
Her eyes open and she smiles. “Promises, promises.”
That sounds like a dare to me.
***
I wake up and feel Lily’s hand on my chest. She’s fast asleep, lying next to me with a peaceful almost smile on her face. Her lips are swollen, her hair fluffy and wild. I just lie there for a while, watching her sleep. Eventually, I slide carefully out from under her hand and out of bed.
My plan is to make up for the last morning we woke up together. So I fry some bacon and set the coffeepot to percolate. When the bacon turns brown and crispy, I pluck the strips from the pan and fry up two eggs. When I carry a tray into the bedroom, Lily is lying in the same spot. It makes me smile. She looks so happy. I consider just letting her sleep, but she senses me and opens her eyes a crack.
“Good morning.” I bring the tray over.
“Oh.” She slides up in bed. “Wow, this smells good.”
“I wanted to spoil you.”
She eyes the coffee and I hand her a mug. She cups it and inhales the fumes before taking a sip. We’re quiet for a minute while she wakes up. Suddenly she gets a funny smile on her face.
“I have to get up.” She slides out of the covers naked and walks to the bathroom. I know she’s feeling shy but I can’t force myself to look away.
When she comes back she pulls on my shirt. I’m just in my boxers that I pulled on when I got up. We settle into the bed for breakfast, and we eat and stay in bed talking, lying side by side.
“Last night... that was amazing,” she says in a breathy voice.
“I know. Believe me, I know! Mind-blowing.” I trace my fingertips over her arm and collarbone and down, and watch her breathing quicken and her body lift up into me.
Then she swats my hand away, laughing. “We don’t have time for that.”
“We could make time,” I say, smirking as I think of blowing off the event at the beach house.
“Rafe! Obligations, right? We gotta do our jobs still.” Her smile fades. “So if someone has to leave, it’s Kara?”
“She asked to.”
Lily sighs. “I know, and I would want off too in her shoes.”
I gently pull her to me so she lies on my chest. “This show will be over soon. And you know I’m here for you. Anything you need.”
“You have been here for me, actually. Somehow you’ve been making a lot of time when there’s all this other stuff going on.”
“Yeah, it’s been fun sneaking around with you, but I don’t want to anymore. I don’t want to hide.”
That thought lingers in my mind, and Lily gets quiet too. We really need to get ready and head back over to the beach house.
***
Just a few minutes late, I walk inside with Lily and find everyone in the big room. It’s a much smaller group now: Kara, Sam, Heather, Liam, Mike, and the camera crew.
“Oh, good, Lily, you found Rafe on your way in,” Liam says with a bright smile. Sam and Heather are both watching Lily and me too closely. Lily sits down next to Kara and I stay by Liam.
“Morning,” is all I say to him before nodding at Kara, Sam and Heather.
“Well, as we’re all aware I’m sure, we’re nearing the end of the show,” Liam starts, and I get the feeling he’s leaning toward sending someone home even though Mel left. “So I think it’s best we send another contestant home at the end of this week.”
Sam and Heather both sneak a sideways glance at each other. They were in two different groups when there were groups. Now it’s apparently them against Lily and Kara, except I saw that competitive look. It doesn’t matter, but maybe they don’t realize that yet.
“But in brighter news, it’s your day, Samantha. What do you want to do with Rafe?”
She breaks into a wide, beaming smile while everyone stares at her.
“I want to paint on the beach. We could start this afternoon so we’re ready when the sun sets.”
Heather leaves the room so quickly I don’t see her face, but she must be jealous or upset that Sam is going to do something so romantic with me. Tensions are starting to run high, and in a different way from the beginning of the show.
“Okay, great!” Liam likes the idea. He motions for his assistant and starts setting it up, then checks his watch. “How about a two-hour break first? That should give us enough time to get the sup
plies.”
Sam nods and runs over to me and throws her arms around me. “I can’t wait.”
Liam is waiting to talk to me, but I hold up a finger. “I’ll be right back.” I leave and let them think I’m going to the bathroom or something but Lily knows to follow me a minute later. I keep going through the back door and out to the pool house.
She walks in and I pull her against me.
“Didn’t get enough this morning?” she asks, teasing.
“Never enough,” I say into her hair. “Tell me what you want to do for your day.”
It’s been on my mind, and I had meant to ask her last night. I want to know ahead of time to make it really special. She’s being so patient to wait through all the other date days.
“I want you to pick what we do.”
“Uh? That’s not the point.”
“It kinda is. You’re spending a day doing what these other women pick out, and you’ve been stuck doing all these events for the show. It had to be boring for you since you weren’t competing in them.”
“Yeah, well, it brought us back together, so I’m not going to complain.” I brush her hair back from her face and plant a kiss on her forehead.
“But I want you to have a day where you get to pick.”
All kinds of possibilities come to mind.
“Something fun, outside of the bedroom.” She lifts an eyebrow, her expression letting me know she can clearly read my thoughts. “And you don’t have to tell me right now.”
“Okay, I’ll come up with something great, something you can’t guess.” I kiss her mouth. “I’ll miss you today. I’ll be thinking about you all day.”
I see sadness creep across her eyes so I try to kiss it away. We both know I need to get back to talk to Liam before getting ready for my day with Sam.
I let her leave first and I head back to the big room. Painting? It’s really not my thing at all. And I guess I didn’t know that about Samantha either. We’ve talked some, but I guess I’ve thought of her as Mel’s tagalong or a smaller version of Kara, because they both have straight dark hair. Guess it might be an interesting day.