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because I don t plan on wearing this for long. I put on the garters and stockings, deliberately without panties, because I want to blow Rafe s mind. Last comes a pair of red stilettos and matching red lipstick. There s no making my wrist bandage sexy, so I tie a bit of lacy ribbon on it. My bullet wound is two spots bandaged on my front and my back, and a lot of bruises. There s nothing I can do about that except hope that it doesn t detract from the overall picture. I ve also invaded Mendoza s room. The bed has newly washed sheets, and I ve straightened the place up since there was laundry everywhere. It s obvious it s a guy s room, because there s almost nothing on the walls except for a shelf that holds a bunch of sports video games. I fix up the bed and dust it with rose petals, then set a few strategic candles in the room and light them. I turn on soft, sexy music. Then I recline on the bed and wait. According to Bennito, the men should be home any minute now, and I m a bit nervous. Is Rafe going to think I m too presumptuous? Too forward? I eye the handcuffs I ve put on one corner of the bed. They re part of my plan. If he doesn t want to listen to all the reasons I think I should stay, I m going to tie him down (sexily) and show him (also sexily) how good it will be if I stay. The door opens, and I fluff my hair, waiting for Rafe to get a look at me. The man that walks in is . . . not Rafe. He s tall, blond, and surprised to see me. Behind him is another man, good-looking, pale . . . also not Rafe. I squeal and rip the blankets up, covering myself just as Rafe steps in behind the guys. Their eyes are wide. The blond grins. You must be Ava. Rafe looks shocked to see me. That s all right, I m pretty freaking shocked myself. I hold the blankets over my pelvis (God, I am totally shaved and they ve seen everything) and try to think of something to say. Um . . . yes. I thought you d be gone, Rafe says in a low voice. He s staring at the rise of my tits as they spill out of the bra. I probably should have covered them. Nah, he can look his fill. His friends can, too, so they can see what he s getting in his bed. I arch and fling my hair back over my shoulders, recovering my groove. I decided I was going to stay, and I thought I d try and convince you why it was a good idea. I wiggle my eyebrows at him and hope he s not noticing my bullet wound, and staring at my sexiness instead. He adjusts himself and nudges both the blond guy and the new guy. Quit fucking staring at my girl. You re nailing that? the new guy says. Damn. I tilt my head at Rafe. He can if he wants to. I pat the bed, ignoring the fact that I ve probably strewn rose petals everywhere. Wanna come and talk about it? Rafe, my man, those are handcuffs on the bed, one of them whispers. If you pass this up, you re a goddamn idiot. You guys get the fuck out of here already, Rafe growls. He moves forward and tugs the sheets over my breasts. Quit goddamn staring. The blond grins. We just came to get the new Madden game. He moves to the wall and plucks a few of the games off the shelf. Though we ll stick around if Go, Rafe snarls. They laugh, elbow each other like a pair of frat boys, and exit the room. Rafe shuts the door behind them quickly and then locks it. He turns to me. Ava. Rafe, I say, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing upright. I m at my full height now, and he can see my bra, my garters, my lack of panties, and my freshly bare everything. I strut across the room in my red heels toward him. You and I need to talk. That s what this is about? he asks. Talking? Nope, I say, and grab him by the front of his shirt. I tug him toward the bed and he follows willingly. This is about me saying that I missed you. I direct him to the edge of the bed and he sits down with a thump. I unbutton his shirt, revealing a wifebeater undershirt and lots and lots of hard, brown muscle. I sigh with pleasure at the sight. Man, I ve missed looking at him. He s gorgeous. I even dig the scars. I strip off his shirt, and his gaze flicks down to my bare pussy, inches away from his mouth. His hands move to my ass, to cup me and drag me forward, but I shake my head. Lie back. He does, and I crawl over his body to retrieve the handcuffs, then take one wrist and cuff it to a bedpost. This causes my wound to twinge with pain, but I m more interested in seduction than a few aches and pains. Besides, Rafe s not putting up a lick of protest as I crawl all over him, which excites me. Instead, he s gazing up at me. What s all this for, Ava? Persuasion, I tell him. Then I move down his chest and start kissing skin. I need to convince you of all the reasons why I need to stay here on the island. He groans. Baby. I failed you. I sit up straight, just before I m about to lick his belly button. Is that what all this is about? How did you fail me? His gaze is hungry as it feasts on my body. He looks me up and down, as if he doesn t know where to rest his gaze. It s probably a sensory overload for him, which makes me proud. He s not talking, so I straddle him and rub my pussy on his bare stomach. I m wet already, because seducing him turns me on. Talk and I ll let you touch me, I say, reaching between my legs and beginning to play with my clit as I sit on top of him. He reaches for me with his free hand and I slap it away. Nope. You haven t earned that yet. Talk to me. Tell me why you keep trying to send me away. Rose, he says gruffly. I know you were with me because you wanted to save her. And I failed you. I sigh and shake my head at him. Rose got herself into trouble, and I m the one that failed her. And if you think I slept with you because of bribery, you re an asshole. I lean forward and jab a finger into his chest. I slept with you because I thought you were sexy and I wanted to. Because I m crazy about you. Still am. And Rose? he asks. Boy, he s so sure that he s impossible to love, isn t he? My jabbing finger trails down his chest, and my other hand is sliding up and down against my clit. I m still processing her death, you know? It doesn t feel real to me. Like I might turn the corner and there s Rose, flirting with some old businessman. My breath catches and I have to stop for a moment. Crying over my best friend while I m sexily straddling my guy is not the look I m trying to achieve. I just . . . I m torn between being devastated that I lost my best friend and furious that she was such an idiot. And I do feel a bit lost without her, and it doesn t help that you keep pushing me away when I need you the most. The look on his face is stricken. I m sorry, baby. He reaches for me again. I just . . . you don t belong here. You d be miserable and feel trapped. Are you kidding? I love you. The words choke from my mouth. Wherever you are, I want to be there. Even if it s back in the jungle. Say the word and I ll go there with you. I just want to be at your side. Showing you that you re worthy of being loved. I lean forward again and press a kiss to his mouth. Because I love you, Rafe Mendoza. All the bullshit aside, all the people and the bargains and the islands and the jungles and jobs and whatever other crap you think might stand in our way, I love you, and without you, I m just sad, lonely Ava. And I m tired of being her when Rafe s Ava is so much better. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR RAFAEL I stare wordlessly at her because she s struck me mute and dumb. I press her face into my neck because I can t look at her and say what I need to. There are no nightclubs here. You can t want to stay. What about the city? And parties? And [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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