Prodigal Son (16 page)

“Cara?”

“Um … yeah, everything’s fine.” She nodded toward the unopened cola in his hand. “That for me?”

“Yeah, I figured the coffee was cold by now.” He handed it to her. “I wasn’t sure if I should get regular or diet, but you take regular sugar in your coffee, so I took a chance.”

“I switch back and forth.” She popped the top on the can, using the momentary distraction to get herself under control.
He’d remembered how she drank her coffee
. The notion curled into her heart. Had any other man ever noticed the little things like he did? Even the man she’d thought she would marry?

“So.” He waited until she looked at him, then continued, “Was that Danny?”

“No.” She shook her head, tried to forget the smug condescension in Warren’s voice. Geez, what had she ever seen in him? “Someone from work.”

“You know, with people after us and all that, I’d suggest you keep your phone use to a minimum. Unless Danny calls you, that is.”

“Right. Good idea.” She took a chug of the soda, the caffeine and sugar giving her system a much needed jolt.

He finished his Coke, then walked over to pitch the can in the waste basket near the bed. “I guess we should talk about what happened before I left.”

Cara quickly swallowed her mouthful of soda and swiped away a stray drip while his back was still turned. “Okay. Yeah, I guess we’d better.”

He turned around to look at her, the rumpled expanse of bed—the scene of the crime—only a step away. “I’ve been trying to ignore this thing between us, but frankly I don’t think we can. Especially after what happened earlier.”

“It surprised me, too.”

He gave a laugh. “Well, you started it with that kiss. And now…” He gave her a quick, hot-eyed once-over that reminded her she was practically naked. “I don’t just wonder how you taste anymore. Now I know.”

Her breath fled her lungs in a soft whoosh. How was it he could seduce her with mere words?

“And now that I know,” he continued, “I want more.”

“I want more, too.” Was that her voice, all throaty and yearning?

He came toward her, taking his time, as if to give her the chance to flee if she wanted. “There’s about a hundred reasons why we shouldn’t be together.”

“I barely know you,” she whispered.

He gave a nod. “Yes, that’s one reason. Another is, I’m on a job. I don’t like distractions while I’m working.” He stopped in front of her. “And you, Cara Mia, are definitely a distraction.”

She gave a little shiver; the way he looked at her just melted her inside. “I don’t mean to be.”

“Yet here we are.” He reached out to trail a finger down her throat. “Most guys would take the fact you were waiting for me in a towel as an invitation.”

“It wasn’t on purpose.” She let her head fall back, giving him more access while keeping her gaze on his. “My phone was ringing.”

“Yet you’re standing here letting me touch you.” He stroked his finger over her collar bone, along the edge of the towel. “Who was on the phone, Cara?”

“Is this an interrogation?” She tried for authoritative, but her voice broke as his finger dipped briefly between her breasts.

“Not at all.” He smiled, tracing upward, grazing the pad of his finger over the pounding pulse at the base of her throat. Her insides softened; maybe from the tenderness of his expression or maybe from the arousing brush of his fingers on her skin, she couldn’t tell. “But something upset you between the time I left and when I came back. The most obvious thing that comes to mind is your phone call.”

“I’d rather forget about that.”

“Fine, but if you’re with me, I can’t have people upsetting you.” He cradled her face in one hand, caressed her cheekbone with his thumb. “If we start this, you have to understand that you’re mine while we’re together.”

Cara sucked in a breath at the masterful declaration. “Then you’re mine, too.”

He smiled. “Absolutely.”

She closed her eyes, tempted to throw off her towel and just give herself to him. But there were things that needed to be said before she crossed that line. “I know you’re going to take Danny in when you find him.”

“That’s true. It’s my job, and it’s the law. But if it wasn’t me, it would be someone else. If that’s going to come between us, then we stop now and walk away.”

“I don’t want to stop.” She tried to ignore the heat flooding her system as he cupped the back of her neck and stepped closer. “Just promise me you’ll give me a chance to talk to him before you take him in.”

He gave a nod. “If I can.”

“And once Danny is out of trouble, I have to go back to New Jersey. I can’t stay here; I have a company to run.”

“Let’s deal with that when we come to it.”

She shook her head. “I think it’s better if we talk about it now.”

He kneaded her nape, releasing some of the tension in the muscles. “Look, I’m not a long-term relationship guy. You should understand that right off the bat.”

“You’d better tell me what that means.”

He rested his forehead against hers, locking their gazes. “No other women for me while we’re together, no other guys for you, and no expectations of church bells and white picket fences. When one of us wants to end it, we end it.”

“Either of us?”

“Either of us. We both take the same risk here.”

“What if we find Danny tomorrow?”

“We can worry about that tomorrow. This thing between us … it’s strong. We can’t ignore it. And we have today.”

“What if today isn’t enough?”

“I like to live in the now. I’m not a settling kind of guy, Cara. If this isn’t right for you, then we walk away, no harm, no foul.”

“It’s that easy for you?”

“Hell, no. I want you badly.” He straightened and tried to smile, and the fierce need burning in those amazing eyes made her knees weaken. “But I’m a big boy, and this is about giving each other pleasure, not heartbreak.”

“I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“It’s your choice, Cara. We can try and ignore this thing like we have been, or we can give into it. Let it burn until it’s sated.”

“What if it’s not sated?”

“Everything burns out eventually.” His expression sobered. “I don’t want to hurt you, Cara. If this isn’t right for you, tell me now.”

She studied his features, the sun-bronzed complexion, the sharp cheekbones, the sensual mouth. And those eyes; she always came back to those stunning cobalt eyes that seemed to look right through her and see everything. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I could say the same about you. There’s something about you that calls me back even when common sense says to stay away.”

The hint of irritation in his words brought a slow, womanly curve to her lips. She’d always been the nerdy geek with her nose in a book, smarter than most of her peers and ostracized because of it. Never had a man looked at her like she was beautiful, sexy,
hot
. Yet that was exactly how Rafe was looking at her, and she reveled in it.

Maybe this
was
what she needed, a passionate affair with a man who reinvigorated her wounded feminine pride. Forget keeping a level head. Just once in her life she wanted to feel instead of think.

She leaned into him. “Let’s go for it, for as long as it lasts.”

“Are you sure?”

She never looked away. “Yes.”

Arousal swept his face, tautening skin over bone, narrowing his eyes and tightening his jaw. Her instincts collided—flee or yield. Panic or passion.

He kissed her. Hunger that had only smoldered now flared to a blaze. She closed her eyes, sinking into the fire, opening, giving,
surrendering
. He slid his hand behind her head, holding her as he took what he wanted from her mouth, offered more. She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, seeking the adventure.

Her towel slipped to the floor, and she didn’t care. A groan rumbled from his throat as he discovered her nakedness, smoothing his palm along the line of her back, over the curve of her bare hip, her buttock. She curled into his touch, her head spinning. Her insides bubbled like hot wax, and every stroke of his hand only turned up the heat.

He broke the kiss an inch at a time. While she was still catching her breath, he leaned back, taking in every detail of her nudity. Nearly dizzy from his regard, she swept her damp hair back with both hands. The motion lifted her breasts, and he followed the movement, his blazing gaze nearly searing her flesh. She let her fingers trail down her body, skimming her shoulders, breasts, waist, hips, thighs.

“You’re killing me,” he whispered, and held out a hand.

She twined her fingers with his and allowed him to lead her to the bed, where he urged her without words to lie down. She stretched out on the mattress, inspired by the intensity of his regard to stretch out a little, pose a little. His jaw tightened, and he tugged at the top buttons of his shirt.

“Do you want help?” she asked, arching against the mattress.

He pulled a chain from around his neck and laid it on the nightstand. She caught a quick glimpse of some kind of copper-gold metal and clear crystal, but then he stepped forward to block her view, spreading his hands in wordless invitation.

She scrambled to her knees and unfastened the rest of his buttons, spreading his shirt wide and sweeping her palms along the hair-roughened muscles. “Are you tanned all over?”

“Why don’t you find out?”

His teasing grin encouraged her to jerk the tails of his shirt out of his jeans, then tackle his belt. She fumbled with the buckle but finally unfastened it and popped the snap of his jeans.

“Wow. Bad idea.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his zipper. “We don’t have a lot of time,” he murmured. “You’d better let me lead today.”

She nodded, the hard flesh beneath her palm mute evidence as to her effect on him. Heat raced through her veins, leaving her shaking and hungry and wet. She rubbed her fingers against the bulge beneath the denim and he groaned, then pulled her hand away, putting it on her own female mound. “How about you rub this?”

She tried to pull away, but he kept her hand imprisoned with his own, guiding her fingers, gliding over her damp flesh. Her breath caught. Her eyes slid closed as arousal flared hot and wild. He kissed her, his tongue mimicking the movements of their fingers. Her head spun.

He eased her down on the bed, stroking her and kissing her and short-circuiting her normally busy brain. He caught her nipple in his mouth, sucking with a strength that sent need rippling through her and wrung a cry from her lips. She surrendered, allowing him anything, and he gave it all to her, caressing, nibbling, nipping. So many different sensations, so many surprises, so much emotion welling up inside her like a rising river until a final stroke of his fingers sent her soaring as her body exploded and reality faded away.

She came back to herself moments later. The rustling of clothing had her opening her eyes just as a naked Rafe eased down on top of her.

“My turn,” he murmured, then held her head between his hands and kissed her like he had all day.

She relaxed into a puddle again, lost in his kiss, her body humming with the echoes of climax. When he nudged her thighs apart, she welcomed him, thrilled in the gentle tug of her muscles, the sweet, slow stretching as he eased into her body and began to move.

For some reason she’d thought their lovemaking would be frenzied and uncontrolled, but the steady, deliberate coupling devastated any lingering uncertainties about her decision. He staked his claim in an utter, unmistakable
taking
that shattered her from the inside out, from the first moment he slid inside her until the instant he gripped her hard and groaned his own climax, burying his face in her neck.

She went with him this time, sliding over that precipice, stroking the rippling muscles of his sweat-dampened back as her body sang a new song and her essence exploded.

*   *   *

A few minutes later, he lifted his head, sweeping her hair out of her face. “Hey there. You okay?”

She nodded, still floating. How had she lived nearly thirty years and never experienced anything like this?

“I wish we could stay here all day.” He brushed a kiss on her lips, then gently disengaged their bodies. “But we’ve got people after us, and I can’t forget that.” He sighed and paused, resting his forehead against hers for a second. “I’ve got to get dressed and start loading up the car.”

“Okay.” At her nod, he left her, the cool rush of reality chilling her sweat-dampened skin as he climbed out of bed. She glanced at the clock. “Wow, it’s later than I thought. I’ll get dressed.”

“Good idea.” He dropped another kiss on her mouth and grabbed his clothes, heading toward the bathroom.

She watched him go, admiring his trim backside as he disappeared into the other room. Holy Hannah, the man was hot. And she could touch that hotness whenever she wanted.

At least until one of them decided to end it.

Shaking her head, she stopped her thoughts right there. She wasn’t going to obsess about the future. She was going to try to live in the now for once in her life. And the now required that she get her butt out of bed and get dressed. They still needed to find Danny.

By the time he came back out, cleaned up and dressed, she was standing naked in front of her carry-on suitcase, which she’d opened on the other bed. He came up behind her, trailing a hand down her back to rest on her butt.

“Don’t be long,” he said. “We’re still ahead of our buddies, and I want to keep it that way.”

She sighed. “I guess they probably got new tires, huh?”

“I would think so.” His expression and tone were all business, but his gentle squeeze of her derriere told another story. “You have five minutes.”

She laughed. “Good thing I already took a shower.”

He picked up his duffel bag and her suitcase. “You got everything you need?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right out.”

“Okay.” He gave her a stern look, spoiled by the spark of desire in his eyes. “If you’re not out there in five minutes, I’m coming in after you.”

“And then we really wouldn’t get out of here.” She made a shooing motion. “Go on. I’ll be right there.”