Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,33

as I grew harder at the thought of her sprawled out on the bed in her bikini earlier. She’d let me touch her, and she’d been turned on, I could tell.

She hadn’t done a thing to lead me on, and yet I was fucking consumed with thoughts of her.

I tossed and turned on her couch as she tortured me asleep in her bedroom.

“Good morning,” I said to the most beautiful man imaginable who lay shirtless and sleeping on my couch. His hands were behind his head as if he was on display. I felt myself grow hot and leaned down to whisper to him again as I studied the hard lines of his body and then the smooth, etched planes of his face. His lips were so perfectly full, top and bottom, I could only imagine what they felt like.

“Morning, Rafe,” I whispered a little louder as I leaned in further. I saw the smile that crept over his lips as he opened his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he gave me a smirk when he realized how close I was. Like a mad scientist in love with a lab experiment, I was completely bent over him and realized what a fool I looked like. I stood up with a wince. “Better but worse?”

“Sounds about right,” he said as he grabbed his shirt off the floor. I grimaced at the loss of the bare sight of him.

“I want to buy you breakfast for...all that you’ve done. Or I can just catch a cab to my car.”

“I have an early meeting, but I’ll take you to your car.”

Disappointed, I sighed. “Okay.”

Rafe looked up at me and then down as he towered over me. “I’ve wanted to ask you a question all night.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, what the hell happened to your wall?”

After a silent drive filled with sideways smiles between Rafe and me, I thanked him again as he got out and started to unhook my board from the top of his Jeep.

“How the hell did you get it here?”

“I bought it from the shop inside. Want to hold onto it for me?”

“Sure,” he offered, leaving it where it was.

“Okay, so I’ll see you tonight?”

Rafe was in front of me now as I held my keys in my hand, my back to my Prius.

“Tonight,” he whispered as his head descended and I held my breath. He placed his lips next to my mouth and briefly touched the corner. Everything that was sore began to tingle.

“Thank you,” I said as his body pushed in further so there was no space between us.

“Friends, right,” he said as a statement, but it seemed like more of a question.

“Right. Good luck tonight,” I said as he slowly backed away and nodded. I sat in my Prius as I thought of the feeling of his brief kiss, his gentle way with me. He was laying it on thick, and I was gullible to every move he made. His touch was calculated and had thoroughly seduced me. He was breaking my resolve with every minute we spent together.

I spent the whole drive home wrapped in confusion.

Three innings in, Dutch and me stared at Rafe as he wound up and threw another crappy pitch. I shook my head as Dutch sat back with a sigh. “His game is completely off tonight.”

“He was fine this morning,” I said aloud. Dutch looked at me quizzically. “Not what you’re thinking.”

“Not my business, but something’s wrong.”

We saw Andy stand from his catcher’s crouch and walk over to the pitcher’s mound. Rafe shook his head as Andy spoke to him. Andy left the mound after what looked like a heated exchange, and after another inning, the Swampgators were down 2-0. I stood as Rafe made his way off the field and through the dugout. No one seemed to notice or even bother to stop me as I took the steps and hit the field to follow after him. I found him in the dugout hall, pacing.

“Rafe,” I whispered as he stopped his trek and looked behind me and then moved his eyes over me so slowly I became consumed by just his stare. “Is everything okay?”

A series of slow heartbeats followed before Rafe gripped and threw down his hat between us as he moved toward me. I saw his jaw twitch as fear crept through me but remained standing where I was. He looked furious as I waited for what I was sure was his wrath.

When he reached me, no words were spoken. My