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31

Lauren Dane

“Good. I fight dirty, Gabe. I want Belle Taylor and I’m willing to share her with a job she loves and deserves. But I think she deserves more than what she’s got. I think she knows it too.” Rafe shoved his hands in his pockets. “I have to go clean up. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

Rafe drove the short trip to his house and thought of Belle. Thought of the way she’d been the night before. Of her taste and the sounds she made as she came. Of the passion in her eyes and the way she’d touched him. Of her revelation that she’d had a crush on him for ages. He’d known of course, that she looked up to him when she’d been younger and yeah, he’d caught a few of those fifteen-year-old moony faces but he hadn’t given it much thought. He was four years older than her so she’d not been on his radar at the time.

Even the way his heart had felt when she’d fallen into sleep after he’d gone down on her.

Protective. Satisfied
he’d
been the one to relax her and help her rest.

Still, the idea that she’d had teenaged fantasies about him really turned him on.

They’d have to explore that one in detail. In the meantime, he needed to go home, shower and change to get rid of the smell of the dairy before he went back over to his parents’ for dinner.

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Chapter Four

Belle sat, her legs tucked beneath her, and looked at the long garland of dried apple slices and cranberries her nephews, aided by her father, had hung on the tree. She’d made garlands like this for the Taylor Christmas tree since she was three and the act of doing it every year, of that ritual, calmed and comforted her.

The house smelled like cookies and fresh pine, Nat King Cole sang Christmas carols in the background and all was right with the world exactly in that moment.

How she’d missed this kind of thing! Her family had done this without her for the other holidays and birthdays and the idea made her stomach clench. On one hand, she was happy they had each other but on the other, she wasn’t there to share it and it happened anyway.

“Want some more gingerbread?” Scott held the plate in her direction, making her groan.

“I will burst apart and make a mess if I eat another bite. I need to go running tomorrow, I think, or I’ll gain fifteen pounds before I go back to work.”

She knew he wanted to say something but he simply snorted and left it at that.

“I’m actually going to head on back to Brian’s. I’m tired and since we’ll be doing the big decorating stuff tomorrow night, I need my rest.” She stood and kissed everyone before heading out.

“I’ll be home in a bit, I need to stop over at the hospital to check on one of my patients,” Brian called out.

“Tell Rafe we expect him for dinner if he’s not having it at his parents’ tomorrow,”

her mother absently said as she wrapped up a platter of goodies Belle had promised to bring home to him.

“I’m having lunch over there tomorrow, by the way. But if he’s home when I get there, I’ll tell him.” Belle did her best to sound nonchalant about him but knew she failed.

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33

Lauren Dane

Her mother’s eyes came to rest on her, razor sharp and not missing the sound of Belle’s voice. “I’ll walk you out.”

Crap, she was in for it.

“So…anything you want to tell me before I start getting phone calls?” Her mother stood in the path of her car door, preventing her from making a quick getaway.

“About what?” Belle put the platter of baked goods on the passenger seat and tried not to look directly at her mother.

“Annabelle Louise Taylor, don’t you try that with me, young lady. You know what.”

She sighed. “I’m not sure, to be totally honest with you. But in some way, Rafe and I are involved. Other than that basic thing, I don’t know. I don’t know what it means, what it is, what he thinks about it. It was unexpected. How did you know, anyway?”

“Good Lord, Belle, do you think I’m an idiot? I raised five children, one of them being Kevin! I know all sorts of things based on what they say and how they say it. Your voice when you said you were going to lunch and then if you’d see him tonight, it changed, softened and your eyes lit up. I suppose that’s why you had such a bounce in your step this morning?”

“All right, this is officially making me uncomfortable. I’m going to go now. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” Belle tugged on her door and her mother made a show of slooooowly moving out of the way.

“I expect to hear more about this. I like Rafe. He’s a good man and he’s part of our family already. You can count on a man like him.”

“He
is
a good man. I’ve liked Rafe a very long time and I’ll talk to you later.” Belle closed her door firmly, locked it and drove away.

He
was
a good man. Handsome. Solid. He believed in things, made a difference, was committed to his family and community. That was rare. And he was hot in bed.

His truck was in the driveway and the lights blazed in the house. Her heartbeat quickened once she knew he was there.

When she walked into the large living room, she caught sight of him stretched out, long legs propped up on a side table, watching television. But when he heard her, he 34

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turned, giving her all his attention and the look he gave her nearly knocked her to her knees.

“I brought you some cookies and gingerbread. My mother said you need to try the new shortbread recipe and tell her what you think.”

He stood without saying anything and stalked to her. Her heart thundered in her chest as he took the platter and put it down. One of his arms banded around her waist and pulled her close while his mouth sought hers, capturing it, taking and giving.

Pleasure unfurled low in her gut and drifted outward until she was lazy with it, warm and nearly purring.

Giving in, she relaxed into his body as she wrapped herself around him, needing to touch him. Her hands greedily slid through his hair and down the muscles of his neck, so hard and strong. Heat from his body buffeted her, wrapping her in his scent and presence.

His tongue lazily stroked along hers, sending his taste spiraling through her. The kiss seemed so laid back on the surface but his arm held her to him tight and his cock pressed into her belly. When she nipped his bottom lip between her teeth he groaned.

Her nipples stabbed the front of her sweater, her pussy slickened and bloomed. A low throb of need settled in tandem between nipples and clit and she realized he’d taken her to nearly begging with just a kiss.

“You taste like spiced cider,” he said against her lips as he broke the kiss. “I like it.”

His tongue slid over her lips and the act sent a burst of giddiness through her.

She paused, looking for the flirty banter to return his with. “I have nothing at all.

Sorry. You’re way better at this than I am.” She had to tip her head back to see him better.

“You have everything, Belle. But thank you. How was dinner?” He drew her back to his chair and settled her into his lap facing him.

“It was good. We wrapped what seemed like three thousand presents, did the garlands, baked cookies, frosted them, made colored sugar. Brian’s new girlfriend stopped by for a few minutes to drop off presents and suggested very brightly that we all www.samhainpublishing.com

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Lauren Dane

go sing carols. I sort of felt sorry for her because you’d think my family would be all over that sort of thing but I get the feeling they don’t like her much. How was your dinner?”

“Wow, did you even take a breath?” He laughed. “No, I don’t think Sissy is much liked by your family. She’s too young for Brian and everyone can see it but him. She tries too hard and it only makes people want to avoid her more.” He kissed her quickly and she snuggled into him. “Dinner was good. Mom is baking like a fiend, my dad is just staying out of the way. Gabriel snuck off to meet someone, he’s playing it close to the vest. My mother asked me pointed questions about you.”

“Me?”

Rafe loved the way her voice squeaked when she asked. Loved the look of worry and also pleasure on her face.

“Yes, you. And us. She didn’t miss the kiss this afternoon of course. She loves you, always has.” He wanted to tell her he loved her too but he was still unsure about how to approach the situation. He didn’t want to scare her away or make her feel like she had to choose. At the moment he thought it might be the best strategy to let her know he was interested in a relationship but not push overly hard. Then he’d do everything he could to remind her why having a job where you didn’t work eighty hours a week and be away from your family for a year at a time was a good thing.

“My mom cornered me in the driveway.”

Mrs. Taylor always had been a very astute woman. “Oh yeah? Did she catch you writing a note asking Gabe to ask me if I
liked
you liked you but not to say you were asking?”

The way she blushed and coughed made him realize her crush on him had been a pretty big one. He grinned as he stood, still holding her.

“Let’s get somewhere private. Brian may walk in and that would really just kill my libido.”

She nodded eagerly and wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her up the stairs and into his room. Once the door was closed and locked he tossed her on the bed.

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She immediately smoothed the blankets and he laughed, remembering he’d forgotten to make it that morning.

“So, Belle, I get the feeling I starred in lots of teenaged fantasies and I didn’t even know it. I was a lot older so I was blind but I find the idea of you writing my name on your folder quite interesting. What did you think about me?”

She blushed again and he used the remote to turn the stereo on. He switched off the overhead light and instead used the small bedside lamps.

He wondered if she’d tell him but she surprised him when she got to her knees and sat back on her haunches, her hands clasped on her thighs.

“I was young, you know, when I first started crushing on you. It was like at fifteen when it became something real. Even so my fantasies about you usually involved a lot of tongue kissing and you taking me places and other people seeing Rafe Bettencourt was my date. I knew about sex and all, but I hadn’t had it so that part was sort of murky. Later though, when I was older, that wasn’t so murky.”

His cock twitched at the way she wet her lips nervously.

“Go on.”

“Take off your shirt.” She tipped her chin in his direction.

Random. Okay, it was one step closer to naked anyway so it’s not like he suffered or anything.

She looked him over once he’d removed his shirt and sighed. “I remember once, right after I got my license, I had to drive over to the dairy to drop something off for your mom and you were playing hoops in the driveway with the guys. You were obviously the skins. So I sat in my car for like five minutes in the boiling heat, watching you all sweaty and shirtless playing basketball. I thought I’d die at how sexy you looked and I never wanted anything more than I wanted you to notice me right then. Only Brian teased me about something when he saw me and you looked at me the same way Brian had.” Her voice was wistful and he reached up to pull her hair free of the braid she’d captured it in.

“Did you ever masturbate when you thought of me?” he asked, his voice loud in the quiet of the room.

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37

Lauren Dane

Her breath caught and a wave of desire so strong his own breath caught, rolled over him at the realization she had.

Slowly, she nodded and he swallowed. “When you were younger?”

“Yes, then. But last month too.” She criss-crossed her arms and pulled her sweater up and over her head. Her small breasts were free of a bra and he leaned in to drop a kiss on each nipple. When he sat back she squirmed out of her pants and the black lacy panties before laying back and continuing to look up at him.

The balance had shifted and suddenly she had control again. He raised a single brow in her direction. Her answer was to trail her fingers up her belly and around her nipples.

“You’re doing that on purpose.” He nearly panted as he watched her.

“Genius deduction.” She quirked up a smile and caught her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment.

He liked this lighter side of her. He knew she had a sense of humor, had seen it many times as they grew up, but he’d never imagined this woman behind the suit existed.

Teasing, sexy, in charge without being a control freak.

“So you were about to masturbate for me while telling me what you fantasize about while doing it.”

“I was? Hmm, well, perhaps if you do it too. I’m shy.”

He barked a laugh. “Anal retentive? Yes. Shy? Not even.”

“I am not anal retentive. I am detail oriented!” Her eyes sparked and he sobered. Sort of.

“Annabelle, at the risk of sidetracking what has been a very promising interlude, you are the most anal retentive person I’ve ever met. You have your shoes arranged according to season, color and heel height. Who does that? You have a thing about eating food, I’ve watched you! You eat one bite of each thing in a very precise order with timed sips of beverage. Even the way you cut your meat is like a feat of modern engineering.”

“How do you know about my shoes?” she demanded, still looking hotter than the sun as her breasts heaved with indignation. “And anyway, it’s easy to find what you need when you’re organized. I’m organized, not anal!”

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“The shoe story is an old one, everyone who knows you and your family knows about your shoes, honey. They also know you iron tea towels and anyone who’s ever been with you when you put flowers into a vase knows about how
organized
you are.”