Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Rafe Whitman’s dark head was buried beneath my thighs, and he was feasting on me.
His fingers dug into my thighs as he expertly licked and sucked at my clit. To tease me, he’d take a break from there to push his tongue inside me, then when I was growing desperate, he’d return to where I needed him at that bundle of tormented nerves. My body tightened, my thighs closing in on him, my chest heaving and shuddering as the tension spiraled tighter and tighter toward explosion.
“Rafe!” I reached for his head, my fingers threading through his silky thick hair and curling tight. He growled at the tug on it and thrust his fingers inside me, the sensation of fullness overwhelming. That was all I needed, apparently. The tension shattered inside me and I couldn’t have stopped my cry of release even if his family had been outside the door listening. I shuddered and shook against his mouth as he lapped up every drop of my orgasm.
Then he was on his feet and I was in his arms, his face buried in the crook of my neck as he held me tighter than anyone had ever held me. His hands soothed down my back as mine caressed his and we shook against each other.
I felt safe.
I felt sated and safer than I’d felt in a long time.
Tears burned my eyes and I swallowed them back as that familiar fear filled me, trying to singe away the beauty of the moment.
Rafe lifted his face from my throat and cupped my cheeks in his big hands. He kissed my lips lightly. When he gently helped me back into my underwear, his touch affectionate, caring, like I was precious to him, I wanted to cry again.
“What about you?” I asked to distract myself.
“Oh, that was for me too, trust me.”
“Rafe . . . I don’t . . . I’m not sure—”
He pressed his thumb to my lips. “Don’t decide right now. Promise me you’ll think about it.”
I couldn’t deny him that, so I nodded.
Rafe released my lips, curled his hand around my nape, and then brushed the gentlest, most tender kiss against my forehead.
A different kind of ache filled that hollow in my chest.
I was so freaking screwed.
Chapter Nineteen
Once Rafe and I made ourselves presentable, we returned to the party hand in hand and I tried to look composed. However, my body still throbbed with arousal and my mind spun, unsure of what to do with Rafe’s proposal.
I didn’t want to be the person who panicked at the thought of giving Rafe a chance. However, giving him a chance meant making myself responsible for someone else’s feelings. What if I disappointed him? What if I truly couldn’t remain monogamous?
Rafe deposited me beside his mom and dad and another couple. “Wait here. I’ll be just a second.” His expression was reassuring before he stalked across the room. To confront his brother.
Oh boy.
Jen sweetly put her arm around me and gave me a little squeeze. “Everything okay?”
I knew my smile didn’t reach my eyes. “I didn’t dress appropriately,” I lied. Like I actually cared.
Yet Jen bought the lie and tutted, “Oh, don’t be silly, sweetheart. You look beautiful, you always do. I like that you have your own sense of style.”
One more reason to give in to the idea of something real with Rafe was his family. Except for Hugo, the rest of the Whitmans were pretty darn lovable and I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about lying to them anymore.
I thanked her and tried to look inconspicuously at Rafe, who followed Hugo out of the room.
Greg appeared at my side as Jen turned away to engage their friends in conversation again. “Are you having a nice time, Star?”
“Uh, yeah, thanks. You?”
He nodded, but his gaze moved to where Hugo and Rafe had disappeared and he sighed. “Jen and I raised two very different sons.”
Understatement.
“And I know Hugo can appear . . .” He gave me a wry smile. “Well, he can act like an ass.”
I tried to cover my chuckle and failed.
“But he isn’t, underneath it all. There is a good man there.”
Hmm, I’d have to see it to believe it.
“Even so, I’m sorry if he said something to make you feel uncomfortable tonight.”
My eyes flew to Greg’s, and I knew he’d witnessed our confrontation.
Greg’s expression hardened. “Rafe won’t stand for it. And I want you to know that I won’t either. You are welcome in this family and we’re over the moon that you make our son so happy.”
Wow.
It was the most Greg Whitman had said to me in the months I’d been fake-dating Rafe.
Pressure, crushing pressure, weighed heavily on my shoulders, and I tried to control my breathing so his father didn’t witness my anxiety. My voice hoarse, I forced out the words “Thank you. That means a lot.”