haven’t slept together or anything, but I really like you. And I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything if I had to worry about your safety all the time. Please, stay.”
She nodded. Dumbfounded. She would think he was only being nice if he hadn’t kissed her senseless.
“I have workout equipment in the basement. Mason and I will do our thing down there. You don’t have to meet him if it makes you feel weird.”
“I think I’ll take a shower.” She couldn’t think what else to say.
Rafe kissed her again and then released her to grab the plates and carry them to the sink.
“I can clean up. You cooked.”
He turned and winked at her. “You’re my guest. I’ve got it. Go. Take your shower. You’ll feel better after.”
Katy backed out of the kitchen, hoping she didn’t collide with anything and fall on her ass. Never had she been as discombobulated as she was this morning. Perhaps her brain had been jarred inside her head when that guy punched her. She didn’t breathe until she was out of his sight and heading down the hall.
“Good one, Katy,” She muttered under her breath. “So smooth.”
Whatever Rafe’s story was, he still hadn’t made a move to take things to the next level and that confused the hell out of her. What kind of red-blooded, twenty-first-century guy didn’t try to get into a woman’s pants by this stage of a relationship? Especially a woman who was nearly throwing herself at him and now sleeping under his roof.
She couldn’t reconcile the incongruence of his dual personalities. On the one hand, he appeared to be really attracted to her. And then two minutes later, he treated her like a close friend.
Whatever his deal was, she vowed to give him about two more days of this strange dance he performed and then go all in. Even if she totally embarrassed herself and he turned her down, at least she could move on and stop pining away over his sexy body. It would hurt, but better sooner than later.
•●•
Rafe didn’t hear Mason come in. He was so intent on beating the tar out of his punching bag that Mason was standing directly in his line of sight before he knew he’d entered the basement. He grabbed the bag to steady it. “Shit. Sorry. Didn’t hear you.”
Mason smirked. “You do realize that punching bag is inanimate, right?”
“Ha ha.” Rafe reached for his bottled water and took a drink.
“So you have a woman upstairs?” Mason raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never known you to bring a woman home. Let alone keep her.”
Rafe set his water down and took a deep breath. “Long story, but yes.”
“What’s her name?”
“Katy.”
“Shit. Isn’t that the woman that distracted you so badly I knocked you on your ass a few weeks ago? Joe’s niece?”
“That’s the one.”
“That’s serious. She looked very high class. She’s into the D/s scene?”
Rafe took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“Oh my God. You haven’t told her?” Mason chuckled.
“The timing hasn’t been right.”
“That’s so unlike you.”
“She’s got a lot on her plate. That’s why she’s here actually. Some asshole is stalking her. He smashed her face in last night.”
Mason gasped. “Are you shitting me?”
“No. And I really like her. I mean really really like her.”
“No wonder you brought her home. But that’s no excuse for misleading her. Dominance is in your blood, dude. I can’t see you leaving the lifestyle for a woman, no matter how hot you think she is. How long are you planning to string her along before you tell her? You can’t continue sleeping with a woman who doesn’t know the score.”
Rafe glanced down and shuffled his feet.
Mason froze. “Now I know you’re shitting me. You haven’t slept with her?”
“She’s not that kind of girl, man.”
“Oh, God. This is serious.” Mason sat on the chair at his back and leaned on his knees. “Should I get my tux rented now?”
Rafe lifted his gaze. “I don’t think so. Like you
She nodded. Dumbfounded. She would think he was only being nice if he hadn’t kissed her senseless.
“I have workout equipment in the basement. Mason and I will do our thing down there. You don’t have to meet him if it makes you feel weird.”
“I think I’ll take a shower.” She couldn’t think what else to say.
Rafe kissed her again and then released her to grab the plates and carry them to the sink.
“I can clean up. You cooked.”
He turned and winked at her. “You’re my guest. I’ve got it. Go. Take your shower. You’ll feel better after.”
Katy backed out of the kitchen, hoping she didn’t collide with anything and fall on her ass. Never had she been as discombobulated as she was this morning. Perhaps her brain had been jarred inside her head when that guy punched her. She didn’t breathe until she was out of his sight and heading down the hall.
“Good one, Katy,” She muttered under her breath. “So smooth.”
Whatever Rafe’s story was, he still hadn’t made a move to take things to the next level and that confused the hell out of her. What kind of red-blooded, twenty-first-century guy didn’t try to get into a woman’s pants by this stage of a relationship? Especially a woman who was nearly throwing herself at him and now sleeping under his roof.
She couldn’t reconcile the incongruence of his dual personalities. On the one hand, he appeared to be really attracted to her. And then two minutes later, he treated her like a close friend.
Whatever his deal was, she vowed to give him about two more days of this strange dance he performed and then go all in. Even if she totally embarrassed herself and he turned her down, at least she could move on and stop pining away over his sexy body. It would hurt, but better sooner than later.
•●•
Rafe didn’t hear Mason come in. He was so intent on beating the tar out of his punching bag that Mason was standing directly in his line of sight before he knew he’d entered the basement. He grabbed the bag to steady it. “Shit. Sorry. Didn’t hear you.”
Mason smirked. “You do realize that punching bag is inanimate, right?”
“Ha ha.” Rafe reached for his bottled water and took a drink.
“So you have a woman upstairs?” Mason raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never known you to bring a woman home. Let alone keep her.”
Rafe set his water down and took a deep breath. “Long story, but yes.”
“What’s her name?”
“Katy.”
“Shit. Isn’t that the woman that distracted you so badly I knocked you on your ass a few weeks ago? Joe’s niece?”
“That’s the one.”
“That’s serious. She looked very high class. She’s into the D/s scene?”
Rafe took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“Oh my God. You haven’t told her?” Mason chuckled.
“The timing hasn’t been right.”
“That’s so unlike you.”
“She’s got a lot on her plate. That’s why she’s here actually. Some asshole is stalking her. He smashed her face in last night.”
Mason gasped. “Are you shitting me?”
“No. And I really like her. I mean really really like her.”
“No wonder you brought her home. But that’s no excuse for misleading her. Dominance is in your blood, dude. I can’t see you leaving the lifestyle for a woman, no matter how hot you think she is. How long are you planning to string her along before you tell her? You can’t continue sleeping with a woman who doesn’t know the score.”
Rafe glanced down and shuffled his feet.
Mason froze. “Now I know you’re shitting me. You haven’t slept with her?”
“She’s not that kind of girl, man.”
“Oh, God. This is serious.” Mason sat on the chair at his back and leaned on his knees. “Should I get my tux rented now?”
Rafe lifted his gaze. “I don’t think so. Like you
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