Bonus Kisses - Freya Barker Page 0,36

and the first thing I see is Rafe crouched beside the couch, his blue eyes inches from mine.

“I was about to let them out.”

“Okay,” I mumble, stretching my body the moment he picks up the dogs. “I’ll make us some coffee.”

Padding into the kitchen, I catch a glimpse of Rafe bending over one of the dogs, probably praising it for doing its business. It isn’t the first time I’ve noticed his firm ass, especially in those well-worn jeans, but what holds my attention is how low they ride on his hips. There’s a wedge of pale skin visible instead of the customary waistband of his boxer briefs.

My body is instantly awake.

Jesus.

I blow out air between pursed lips and force myself to turn away from the window, but that doesn’t stop the fantasy playing out in my mind.

By the time the coffee is brewing and the back door opens, my face is flushed.

“You okay?” Rafe says, clueless I’ve just mentally had my way with him.

“Yup.”

I can feel him staring as I pull down our mugs, until the restless pups finally draw his attention, wanting food. Listening to him fill the dog bowls I keep my back turned, trying to force the blood to slow down in my veins. A hiss escapes me at a slight brush against my hip and I feel his heat as his arm reaches around me, grabbing his coffee from the counter. Just like that my body runs hot again.

“We need to talk.”

Those words are like an ice bath, instantly cooling me down. “About what?” I turn to find him leaning against the kitchen island.

“We never finished our plans for the kids this summer. There’s only two weeks of school left.”

Right, I was supposed to give that some thought. “Well, I got my work schedule on Friday and I have shifts three days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”

“Okay. I can ask Lisa to schedule me in on Saturdays, so I can have Sunday and Monday off.”

“That leaves two days,” I point out. “What about camps? You mentioned something about Sofie being in day camp last year?”

“I asked her about that last night,” he says, a shadow sliding over his face. “It caused a bit of a meltdown.”

“Oh, no.” I instinctively cross the space separating us and touch his arm. “What happened?”

Rafe’s blue eyes turn a dark indigo, and as if burned I immediately pull my hand back. I don’t get far when his fingers snap firmly around my wrist, holding me in place.

For what seems like an eternity, we stare into each other’s eyes. Rafe’s face is impassive, but his eyes swirl with emotions I can’t even begin to identify. Worried about what he might recognize in my own, I finally lower my gaze. Unfortunately that has me staring at the front of his jeans, where a substantial bulge is pressing against the fabric.

Holy shit.

I swing around, ripping out of his hold, and take two wobbly steps to brace my hands on the counter.

My sister’s counter.

In my sister’s kitchen.

In my sister’s house with my sister’s husband—my dead sister.

I drop my chin down and draw in a shaky breath through the pain ballooning in my chest. I’m going to hell.

“Taz…” His deep rumbly voice too close behind me skitters like a dose of voltage over my skin.

I shake my head sharply. “Summer camp,” I grind out, determined to pull us back from what surely would be a disaster.

There’s a long pause before I sense him stepping back. “She doesn’t want to go. Sofie,” he unnecessarily explains. “She was pretty adamant, even though she couldn’t really explain why.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I point out without turning around. “I’m sure she is feeling a lot of things she can’t really explain. Grief is like that; attaching itself irrationally to random things or experiences without real rhyme or reason.”

I know, because I just had a moment like that.

I squeeze my eyes shut at the realization that no matter what my body tells me—what my heart wants—it will always be stained with the grief of Nicky’s loss.

“I’m going to grab a shower,” Rafe says behind me before I feel a light tug on my dreads. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”

I listen to his footsteps disappear down the hall and up the stairs, wondering what exactly he proposes we figure out.

Rafe

The house smells incredible when I walk in the back door.

After my cold shower this morning, I was almost grateful to be called out for an emergency. Nothing sobers you instantly like