His body tightened, his heartbeat thundered in his chest and Rafe had to fight every instinct he possessed to keep from grabbing her and yanking her close to him. He wanted his hands on her again. Wanted her under him, over him. Wanted her body surrendering to his.
He groaned then, knowing he couldn’t have everything he wanted right now. And the longer he kissed her, the less willing he would be to stop. So he pulled back while he still could and drew a long, shaky breath.
Resting his forehead against hers, he waited for control to slide back into his body, but it was a long time coming. Especially when he could feel her short, sharp breaths against his face. Well, he thought wryly, so much for her claims of not wanting to be with him again.
Several long moments passed before he gave her a smile, looked into her eyes and said, “There. Told you we weren’t done with each other.”
Katie shook her head, one corner of her mouth tipping into a reluctant half smile. “You really think now is the right time for I-told-you-sos?”
“What better time?”
“You’re impossible.”
“I like that.” He skimmed his fingers through her hair until his hand was at the back of her neck, kneading her skin with a sure, gentle touch.
“You would,” she told him, sighing at his touch.
“Are we going to argue again?” he asked. “Because I warn you, I’m getting to the point where I really enjoy our ‘disagreements.’”
“Maybe later.” She cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand.
“At least you admit there will be a ‘later.’”
“Yes,” she said with a slow nod, never tearing her gaze from his. “There will be.”
“Tonight.” Rafe caught her hand in his. “I want to see you tonight.”
“Okay,” she said. “Another barbecue?”
“Oh, I think this time we’ll let someone else cook. I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said, easing back behind the wheel.
“To go where?”
“That’s a surprise.” He shot her a quick grin as a plan formed in his mind while he steered the car into traffic. “All you have to do is dress up. Oh, and take a nap. I want you wide awake tonight.”
“That sounds intriguing.”
“Count on it.”
His mind was already racing with plans and he smiled to himself as it all began to come together.
That feeling lasted until he went home to change.
The minute he walked into his hotel suite, he knew someone was there. Didn’t take a genius, after all. There was a designer purse on his couch and a pair of black heels under the glass-topped coffee table.
Rafe’s brain raced frantically. Had he already set up a date for tonight? He didn’t think so. Hell, he hadn’t seen anyone since Selena the Self Involved Actress. So who…?
“Rafe? Is that you?”
The familiar, feminine voice sent a twist of old pain mixed with regret slashing through his middle, but he fought it down and managed to give his ex-wife a half smile when she came in off the balcony.
“Leslie. What are you doing here?”
The cool, elegant brunette flashed him a brief, wry smile. “Well, good to see you too, Rafe.”
Irritated at being called to the carpet on his manners when she was the one who’d shown up unannounced and let herself into his home, Rafe just stared at her. Waiting.
It didn’t take long. Leslie never had been the patient type. “I know I should have called before just showing up here.”
“That would’ve been good,” he said.
She stood with the balcony and the bank of windows at her back. Rafe was absolutely sure she knew that the sunlight streaming in through those windows was highlighting her to a beautiful advantage. Leslie always had known how to show herself off in the best way. She was lovely, self-assured and the only woman in the world who had ever told him that he wasn’t good enough.
That memory colored his tone when he spoke. “How did you get in here?”
“Oh,” she said, giving him a palms-up shrug, “Declan’s still the concierge here. He let me up so I could wait for you in private.”
Silently, Rafe told himself that he’d be having a little chat with Declan real soon. For the moment though… “I repeat. What are you doing here?”
Leslie frowned slightly, not enough to mar her brow or anything, but he got the message. She had never had any trouble letting Rafe know that he’d disappointed her in some way. Looking back now, he couldn’t even remember why they had gotten married in the first place.
“You always were a straightforward man,” she murmured.
“As I recall, that’s one of the things you didn’t care for.”
Her mouth flattened into a straight line briefly; then, as if she’d willed it to happen, it curved again slightly. “Look at us. It’s been years since we divorced and we’re still treating each other like the enemy.”
He shifted a little at that, since it was true and there really was no point in it. Leslie wasn’t a part of his life anymore, so why go on a forced march down memory lane?
“True. So tell me. Why are you here?”
“Honestly?” She shook her head in wonder and admitted, “I can’t believe I’m here, either. But I didn’t have anywhere else to turn.”
She took a small breath, covered her mouth with her fingertips and let tears well in her eyes. Something inside Rafe tightened as he remembered all the times Leslie had been able to turn on the tears. During an argument, to avoid an argument or just to make the point that he was a selfish bastard—out came the tears. When they were dating, he’d felt almost heroic when he could make those tears stop. Because she looked so damn fragile when she cried. Today though, he was no longer moved. Besides, she had a different husband now. Why wasn’t she home turning him inside out?
“Oh, Rafe,” she whispered brokenly, allowing the sunlight to backlight her to perfection. “I hated coming here, truly, but I had no choice.”
“Just tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s John,” she said and Rafe felt an instant stab of worry. After all, before he became Leslie’s husband, John Peters had been Rafe’s best friend.
“Is he all right?”
“Physically, yes,” she said with a little shake of her head. “But Rafe, he’s lost his job and I don’t know what to do.”
For one very brief second, Rafe felt a twinge of sympathy for his old friend. He and John had met in college and until Leslie had come between them, they’d been the best of friends. Truthfully, Rafe had missed John’s friendship more than he had missed being with Leslie.