“So they were able to just put it all behind them?”
“No, I wish it had been that simple. But — no. Some took their own lives after the war because they couldn’t live with what they had done, and people seeking revenge sometimes committed murder. That the South surrendered doesn’t mean all its people did. It would take years before our nation healed. To this day, some people still have hard feelings and are essentially still fighting the Civil War, though it’s been almost a hundred and fifty years since the last battle. Plus, we now had a nation of free men, but a lot of prejudice left against everyone on both sides. Former slaves had trouble getting work, and they no longer had homes; and in the North, the side that had fought for their freedom, many people weren’t happy when they wanted to live there. All of this would take decades to work through. It is still being worked through. These are all good reasons to study this monumental time in our history.”
Ari continued teaching and before she knew it, the class ended, and the students piled from the class. Ari knew Rafe would still be there, but she went about gathering her belongings. She had a long night ahead of her, and she was unsure whether she was more excited or nervous about the upcoming conversation.
“You did a great job today, Ari. I’m impressed.”
When she looked up, she saw Rafe was sitting on the edge of her desk. Why did he have to look so devastatingly handsome in his tight jeans and polo shirt? If she hadn’t been attracted to him, this would have all been so much easier on her.
“Thank you. Considering you have a master’s degree in business, I don’t see why you’re taking a two-hundred-level history course,” she returned.
“Ah, it’s never a bad thing to learn. I love history, especially the Civil War. You know I had some relatives who fought in it.” She wouldn’t know he was actually bored while reading the material. When she spoke, he was mesmerized.
She didn’t want to be interested in what he was saying, but she found herself intrigued. She loved stories from the Civil War, how brothers fought each other, how lines were divided. So many lives had been lost, and so many families had been torn apart.
“I hope they made it through,” she responded softly after a long pause.
“I have one of their old journals, if you’re interested.”
Oooh, the man was good. Really good. She could feel her palms practically itching to get her hands on such a treasure. Not wanting to ask, but knowing she was going to, she stopped fighting herself.
“Is it a journal from when the war was going on?”
“Yep. My great-great-something-grandfather wrote in it. He was fighting for the North and his bride-to-be was in the South. It tells of the pain and heartache that the two of them went through, a night they were together and got caught, how she was captured, and… Oh, I’m sorry, I’m probably boring you.”
Rafe waved his hand in the air as he turned to look at a poster on the wall. She wanted to wring his neck. Bored? Not in this lifetime. Should she let him know how eager she was to read this? What would he expect from her in return?
“Have you read it?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound too eager.
“No, I haven’t, but my grandmother used to tell me the stories in it. She was quite the romantic,” he said with a shrug.
“I wouldn’t mind looking through it,” she said, trying to keep her voice casual, but unable to disguise the excitement she felt at poring over such a find.
“Why don’t I take you to my place and you can see it?” he asked casually.
She knew the invitation was anything but casual.
Ari was torn. She really wanted to see that journal, but she knew it wasn’t a wise idea to go back to his place — the house she’d found the most exquisite pleasure imaginable in — the house she’d had her heart broken in.
“I…um…have a lot of work to do,” she hedged.
“What if I promise not to push you…for now? You can come look at the journal, pore over the pages, take notes, whatever you like, and I’ll give you space…for tonight, at least.”
She didn’t miss the emphasis on tonight.
He was giving her the chance to see a real gold mine, and agreeing to back off, but not agreeing to do it permanently. Even if he did back off, that wouldn’t make her stomach any less nervous. Though he wasn’t attacking her outright, pushing her up against a wall and ravishing her, that didn’t mean she didn’t have the urge to rip his clothes from his body and take him right where he stood.
Ari’s eyes lowered over the contours of his muscled stomach, and she found herself gazing at the bulge in his pants. Even at rest, he was impressive to behold. She desired him as if a single day hadn’t gone by. Why did she have to have such urges? Life in a convent would be so much simpler — OK, OK, simpler, but not nearly as satisfying. Not that she was satisfied at all right now.
“Well…” She knew she shouldn’t cave. If you gave Rafe an inch, he’d take a mile — and a hell of a lot more. If she set foot in his house, she had the feeling that it wouldn’t be long before she was lying beneath him.
“There’s even a part where he was shot, left alone in abandoned slave quarters. He almost didn’t make it through, but by the grace of God, he was saved by a woman on the run. She fell in love with him, and… Oh, sorry, I don’t want to ruin it.”
Ari wasn’t fooled at all! He was making this too enticing for her to resist.
Fine! He’d won this round. She waited a moment before speaking. She couldn’t let him know how eager she was to get her hands on the firsthand account, because he’d be using it for leverage forever.
“I wouldn’t mind taking a look at the journal. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for me to come over. I won’t be able to stay long, though. I have a lot of preparation for Monday’s class,” she said, hoping her voice showed a relative lack of eagerness.
By the huge grin crossing his features, she didn’t think she was fooling anyone.
“Right this way, Ari,” he said as he placed a hand behind her back.
“Stop right there, Rafe. You said there would be no touching,” she reminded him.
Rafe slowly pulled his hand away before bending very close to her face, taking the breath right from her lungs. “For tonight,” he reminded her, then waited, keeping only a few inches of space between them.
This is a bad idea, a very, very bad idea, she thought as she followed him from the classroom.