Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,57

back to the bar, “you’re a fucking idiot.”

Oh God, what did I just do?

There should be some sort of electric muzzle or shock system available for women who have no filter. I’d just practically told Rafe and a table full of men that I was in love and damned close to worshipping him.

And it wasn’t far from the truth.

No matter how much I wanted to be that cool, calm, and collected woman at times, I just couldn’t swing it. At the bar, I ordered champagne. I stood with my glass and stalled for time. Maybe he’d already forgotten about it, or maybe he wouldn’t even care.

“Want to dance?” a tall man in a tuxedo jacket with a red tie asked. It only took a moment for me to see it was Rodriguez, Rafe and Andy’s teammate. I was relieved at the invitation. Any time I spent away from that table was a blessing.

“Yes, thank you,” I agreed as I took his hand. Rodriguez had the perfect athletic build and moved gracefully across the floor. I followed pretty awkwardly, but he was patient. Canopy lights graced the high ceilings of the hotel ballroom, and aside from the candlelit dinner tables, the room was littered with red and yellow balloons. The fundraiser was put on to raise money for the little leaguers of Charleston to upgrade the current sports complex. It seemed the whole team had been invited and quite a few had shown up. I was so busy studying the room around me that when Rodriquez spoke up, I almost jumped.

“What were you doing alone at the bar?”

“Just getting some champagne,” I answered absently. When the crowd parted slightly, I looked toward our table and caught a glimpse of Rafe. His eyes were cold, deadly, and his fists were clenched on the table. Andy was rapidly speaking to him in his ear.

“I...better get back to my date.”

“Let Rafe sweat. He deserves it, I promise.” I looked up to see a genuine smile on his face. “And why is that...?”

“Benley,” he answered.

“And why is that, Benley?”

“Well, I was going to get married, but now I’m not.”

I looked back at Rafe, confused, and then at Benley. He seemed nice enough. I didn’t get that vindictive vibe from him at all, yet I knew something was up. Rafe stood suddenly as Andy gripped his arm, still speaking to him urgently.

“I don’t understand. Why would...oh.”

“Yeah,” he whispered as he looked down at me. “She wasn’t as innocent as I thought. But you seem...different.”

Suddenly, I knew the reason Rafe treated Rodriguez like a disease. It wasn’t poor sportsmanship. It was utter human stupidity.

“I am different,” I snapped as I studied Rodriguez closely. “You want to ruin his night, possibly his relationship. I’m not an idiot. This isn’t my battle.”

Rodriguez gripped my hand and kissed it as Rafe approached. “You deserve to know what type of man he is,” he said, and for the first time, his accent came through. He stared down at me, thick black hair, dark eyes, and began to move again.

“What he did, is not who he is,” I whispered to an unaffected Benley. “Just like what you’re trying to do now probably isn’t you.” I looked over to Rafe as he closed in, blinding fury written all over his face. “I think you’ve made your point.”

I pulled away from Benley and stopped Rafe only a foot away.

“Dance with me,” I implored as Rafe stared past me at Rodriguez with murder in his eyes.

“Rafe,” I said with my hand on his chest. His face remained stone as I pulled his arm around my waist and clasped our hands.

“Rafe,” I begged in a low whisper. He finally looked down at me with the same hatred in his eyes as he began to move and gripped my hand tightly.

I felt him began to relax as he broke eye contact with me and started to roam the room with his stare.

“You’re dancing with me. The least you could do is look at me,” I scolded as his posture remained tight.

Still furious, he glared at me and I let out a deep breath. “Fine, we won’t dance.” I let go of his hand as he pulled me tighter to him and regripped my fingers.

“Let it go, Rafe,” I muttered as my whole body tensed at his grip on me.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing, Alice?”

I slowed my feet, stunned. “What?”

“You knew I didn’t like that son of a bitch so you were...what...trying to play