That Hot Night

“Very good,” I responded in a voice that was huskier and sexier than my normal voice. Goodness the man was too potent by half, something I didn’t need when I was trying to work. No matter how much I appreciated it.

“How do you want me?” Rafe knew exactly the impact his teasing words would have on me so I ignored the blush staining my skin and focused my attention on the arm muscles highlighted by the way he held his arms out at his sides.

Naked and in my bedroom. The thought came immediately and I knew it was true because my pulsed raced, my belly clenched and my nipples were hard enough to cut glass. “Lie down.”

“Bossy.”

“You like it,” I tossed back and set my camera down once again to arrange him exactly how I wanted him.

“No I don’t. I love it.” His gaze was serious and the way he looked up at me with that sleepy smile was perfect. If I wasn’t being so mature and pragmatic about this whole sex with Rafe thing, I might be worried about that smile.

But I wasn’t.

“Perfect. Now keep looking at me. Just. Like. That.”

Rafe lifted both arms over his head, looking almost exactly the way he had in bed the other day and my whole body caught fire. “That was shot number fifteen. You owe me.” His smile was playful but when his pink tongue seeped out and swept across his bottom lip, the last thing on my mind was playing.

“Owe you?”

He nodded and jumped to his feet far too quickly for a man his size, particularly in a space as tiny as the top of the fire truck. “Yeah. You said twelve shots and I counted fifteen.” Rafe was so close that his scent wrapped around me and his breath fanned my face.

I looked up at him and willed my pulse to slow down to normal before I spoke. “Maybe it’s because you’re such a compelling subject.”

“Thanks, but try again.”

“Dammit.”

The sound Rafe’s laughter did nothing to cool my overheated skin or calm my frayed nerves. “Don’t worry Janey, I’ll think of some way you can pay me back.”

I had a few thoughts of my own on that topic. “And I’ll consider paying the debt.”

“Oh, you will.” His gaze was glued to mine, daring me to look away if I dared, but I couldn’t. Not when he was being playful and sexy and kind of brooding.

“Dammit.” He laughed again and leaned forward, brushing a soft kiss against my lips that pulled a shudder from me and my hands automatically went to his chest.

“I know, it’s becoming a problem isn’t it?” He spoke the words against my lips and I could feel his smile, at odds with his words.

I pulled back and looked up at him with a confused frown. “What?”

“Keeping our hands to ourselves.” To prove his point, Rafe let his hands roam down the last few inches of my hair, to my back and down to my ass. “See? A problem.”

Damn he was right again. “Yeah,” I agreed on a breathless sigh. “A really big problem.”

Rafe leaned in once again and tilted my head up to meet him, but the universe had other ideas.

“Yoo-hoo! Chief Montgomery are you around here?” Eddy’s smoky voice rang out loud, echoing in the space between Tulip’s two fire trucks. “Chief?”

My eyes went round and I looked up at him, trying hard to fight the laughter that was building inside of me. “Eddy,” I whispered and Rafe immediately put a hand over my mouth.

“She can hear you,” he mouthed and motioned his finger around the large cavernous area that held the trucks.

Crap. “We can’t stay up here all day,” I mouthed back, pleading with my eyes for him to do something. Anything.

The mischievous smile he flashed meant trouble but I only realized it too late. “Up here Eddy, I’ll be down in a second.”

My eyes went even wider, this time in outrage. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

“What are you doing up there? Don’t you have those hot young newbies to clean the truck for you, Chief?” I smirked at Eddy’s horrible attempt at innocence. “Need any help?”

“No ma’am. I was just doing a bit of community service,” he told her as he climbed down, reaching for my light and camera before he disappeared from view. “Janey wanted to give you girls some skin and she convinced me to do a few shots I shouldn’t.”

Eddy beamed a smile at me, but quickly turned her attention back to Raf’s bare chest and rippling muscles. And boy did they ripple. “Our Janey is quite persuasive when she wants to be.”

“Morning Eddy.” I flashed a quick smile and hurried towards my equipment before…well before anyone managed to say anything at all to me. I was being paranoid, I knew that, but the matchmakers had earned their reputations.