Her ni**les pebbling in response, Anya did as he had done, sliding her arms around him, moving even closer until their bodies touched and then she was pressing against him, giving herself over to the kiss, feeling every ripple of his muscled torso stamped into her chest.
But then he shifted and just as he tilted her head to deepen his kiss she felt a whole lot more than rippling abs. When her leg brushed against Rafe she felt a hardness that told her she wasn’t the only casualty of this rising tidal wave of passion.
When Rafe finally relaxed his hold, releasing her from his embrace, he was breathing hard. He closed his eyes for a second and it looked like he was trying to regain his composure. “I’d better let you go, little one,” he said, his voice husky, “or else I won’t be able to stop.”
Anya nodded and let out a soft sigh. “And there I was,” she said with a smile, “planning to invite you in for a cup of coffee.” At his look of disbelief she shook her head and laughed. “Just kidding.”
He chuckled. “You’d better be. You wouldn’t be that reckless. Now go inside. I want to see you safely in with the door locked.”
Anya sighed again. She really did want to invite him in but she knew when to stop. It would be stupid to tempt fate.
“All right, boss. Whatever you say.” On an impulse she stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Goodnight,” she whispered then turned, unlocked the door and slipped inside.
Rafe did not walk away until she’d locked the door behind her and he did not drive away until she was upstairs and had turned on the light in her bedroom. Only then did she hear the engine turn over and the car drive away.
And as Anya sat on her bed to take off her shoes she was smiling. She’d been defensive and a little bit annoyed when he’d acted protective but now she was loving it. He’d come all this way just to make sure she was safe.
She’d been thinking of him as father material but now it seemed he was a whole lot more. Rafe was definitely husband material, too. She would bet her money on that.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The tension was almost too much. After their date Saturday night Rafe waited anxiously for Sunday to pass so he could see Anya again. Big mistake. Instead of cooling his desire to be with her, seeing her at the school only heightened it. It was hell, seeing her in the staff room and the teachers’ lounge and only being able to give her a simple greeting and make small talk. Every time he saw her he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her again. With nowhere on the compound where they could even find the privacy to have quiet conversation all they could do was smile, nod and exchange a word or two.
Rafe knew he could have asked to see Anya somewhere off campus during the week but he wouldn’t go there. She was a busy woman, a teacher with tons of responsibilities. It would be unfair to ask her out in the middle of the week. This weekend, though, he was determined to spend time with her.
And so when Friday came around he made sure to make her understand that she was already booked for Saturday at five so she shouldn’t make any plans.
“Is that an order, Herr Kent?” she asked cheekily.
“It’s an order, Fraulein. And this time we’re not driving separate cars. I’m picking you up. Be ready by five. Or else.”
That made her raise her eyebrows. “Ooh,” she whispered. “Laying down the law, are we? Don’t you worry. I’ll be ready.”
“Oh, and dress casual. We’re going to a movie.”
“No problem.”
On Saturday Rafe was at Anya’s door, banging the knocker at exactly five o’clock. Within seconds she was opening up like she’d been hanging around nearby, just waiting for him to arrive. Wishful thinking, probably, but it felt good to even think that she was as anxious to see him as he was to see her.
“You’re ready, I see. Good. I came prepared to mete out punishment if you were late.”
She gave him a crooked grin. “And what kind of punishment were you planning to mete out?”
“Don’t ask,” he said, deciding to be coy. If he ever told her what he had in mind she would probably seek refuge inside her house and never come out. Better to keep that one to himself.
To his surprise Anya didn’t bother to take a handbag or purse as she went out this evening. “I’ve got everything I need right here,” she said. She dug into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out her cell phone. From the other pocket she pulled a few euros then she patted the breast pocket of her jeans jacket. “Cell phone, keys and money for a taxi just in case you get fresh and I have to dump you on our date.”
“Good thinking,” he said, not the least bit perturbed by her contingency plan. “The way I’m feeling tonight you might very well need that taxi money.” He threw her a crooked grin. “But it will be all your fault. You look delicious.”
“In these old jeans?” The twinkle in her eyes told him she was enjoying their joshing.
“Especially in those jeans,” was his answer. There was hardly anything sexier than a woman in a pair of form-fitting jeans.
As the sun dimmed with the coming evening they hopped into his BMW and drove off to Weserpark. “I chose this mall because there’s a movie that’s showing that I think you’ll like.” Rafe steered the car into a parking spot.
“Oh? What is it?”
“It’s an old movie but it made me think of you. I was surprised it’s still showing anywhere but one of the movie theatres is having an old school weekend.”
“So what is it? Tell me already.” Apparently Anya didn’t like being kept in suspense. She was looking like she wanted to pinch him to hurry him up.
“Okay, just hang on. Before I tell you what the movie is I just want you to know it’s not my usual thing. It’s a girly movie but I think you’ll like it.”
Now she was looking like she wanted to punch him so he knew he’d better talk fast. “Okay, it’s called ‘The Bodyguard’, a nineties movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner.”
“So you’ve cast yourself in the role of my bodyguard?” she asked, her tone teasing.
“Just the opposite,” he said. “I was casting you in the role of my bodyguard. You’re the only person I know who’s a karate expert.”
“Oh, you.” This time she really did punch him but she didn’t do too much damage. Just a tap on the biceps. Maybe she was just going easy on him.