“Stick with me, baby, and you’ll always have your way,” he promises, and as he presses a quick kiss to my lips, I realize I believe him.
I know I’m already in way over my head, but right now, I’m not even sure I care.
EVER SINCE RAFE AND I had sex in the trailer, we haven’t been able to get enough of each other—at least, not physically. He’s proven to be the perfect rebound. Most people would probably say that it was too soon, but Rafe Matthews is exactly what I needed to get over Adrian.
Three weeks later, I feel like a brand-new woman. Or, well, I feel like myself again. My old self, that is. The one who was happy and without a care in the world. The grief of my parents’ death has faded, and I’m finally allowing myself to live again. It’s an incredible feeling.
Even I can see the glow on my face when I look in the mirror, and I couldn’t be happier. Every time he slides into me, my confidence builds, and it’s been a rejuvenating experience. In such a short time, he’s done the impossible. He’s somehow coaxed the old me from her hiding place and let her know that it’s okay to be free again. I’ve never felt more me. I’ve never felt more alive. I haven’t felt like this since before my parents died, and I know I owe it all to him.
Still, every night when we say goodbye, I wish I were leaving with him. Our days are spent together in the trailer, stealing kisses and moments here and there for fast, frenzied fucks when he can get away from the site. But we haven’t moved our relationship—if it can be called that—away from there. It’s like the trailer is our haven, our safe place to be together, and I’m uneasy about moving beyond those walls.
As each day passes, however, it’s becoming increasingly harder to stay at Adrian’s house, even if I have moved out of his room.
I know that it bothers Rafe, too, but he doesn’t mention it. His eyes speak volumes, though, every time he gives me a lingering kiss goodbye. I know he wants to ask me to come with him again, but he doesn’t, I’m guessing, out of his respect for me, not wanting to push things. Even though I can feel things between us changing, I still haven’t said that I want anything more than something physical. Instead, I’m just trying to live in the moment and not complicate what we’re doing. It’s definitely easier said than done.
The truth is that, as happy as I am, it’s still baffling. I thought I was happy with Adrian. I thought I loved him. So why does Rafe, a man who should’ve just been a rebound, have me feeling so revived? I’m too scared to trust my feelings because it shouldn’t make sense that he’s evoking such happiness within me. Yet, at the same time, it’s that very fact that makes me want something more than physical.
I have no idea what I’m doing, but with each day that passes, the harder it is to remind myself that he’s just a fling.
Meanwhile, all is quiet on the Adrian front. It’s been almost four weeks since he left, and no more gifts from him have arrived. The texts have waned, which isn’t unusual for when he’s gone. Part of me is relieved, yet part of me is apprehensive about the silence. The other part, the part that’s growing stronger every day, no longer cares, because as far as I’m concerned, we’re over, and it’s a freeing feeling.
The freer I feel, the more I want out of this house. The reminder of Adrian’s eyes and ears is always in the back of my mind. While Rafe and I appear as nothing but client and contractor outside the confines of the trailer, anyone would be able to see the way he looks at me when we’re inside.
Rafe, however, hasn’t brought the topic back up, and I’m not sure how to do so either. Am I ready to take that final step and put Adrian out of my life permanently, even if it means the possibility of repeating this whole vicious cycle?
I’m finishing a phone call when the door opens and the object of my desires appears. An instant smile crosses my lips, and my heart leaps at the sight of him. Sweaty, sexy, and all mouth-wateringly male. Arousal pools low in my belly as his hands brace the top of the door. The muscles of his biceps bulge, his shirt riding up to showcase his delicious abs and that glorious V I love trailing my tongue down before taking his cock into my mouth.
Inadvertently, I lick my lips, which elicits a low rumble from his throat. His eyes watch me, the gleam in them unmistakable, and I know he’s remembering how I sucked him off just this morning—you know, the proper greeting. I should feel ashamed that I jumped from one man to the next, but Rafe’s given me myself and my confidence back, and I can’t bring myself to feel guilty. I won’t feel guilty. I’m going to enjoy this for as long as it lasts.
His long legs bring him closer in three quick strides, and my cheeks flush as he leans over the desk, giving me a quick kiss. When he pulls away, he presses his palms flat on the surface of the wood, his intense gaze staring down at me. I squirm in my seat, wondering why he’s watching me so intently, but he doesn’t say a word.
“Wh-what?” I stammer.
He watches me for a beat then swallows hard, his Adam’s apple slowly bobbing up and down. “Go out with me,” he says, his eyes not leaving mine.
“Like, a date?” I ask, sounding like an idiot.
We haven’t done this, and I’m not sure I’m ready. It’s one thing to have quick dalliances here and there, but an actual date? Can I do this?
A slow grin forms on his gorgeous face as his blue eyes dance with amusement. “Yes, exactly like a date. I haven’t had the chance to spend time with you like I’ve wanted to, and despite what you may think, I want you for more than your body—as gorgeous as it is. I want to get to know you outside of here, away from this place.”
My lips quirk up as my heart soars at his admission. “Hey, have you heard me complain?”
“Come on, Brie. Get dressed up and let me pick you up to take you out on a proper date. Let me show you how I’d treat you if you were really my woman.”