“And me, too, Emily. I want to be your friend, too.”
“Is he your boyfriend?” Emily leaned closer and whispered to CeCe.
CeCe chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you could call him that.”
Rafe’s smile grew impossibly wider, and he washed down the lump in his throat with a gulp of Coke. “Are you ready to go play?” he asked, gathering up their trash and dumping it in a nearby trashcan.
“Can you push me on the swing, please?”
“Sure, I’ll push both of you.” Rafe grabbed Emily with one hand and CeCe with the other and led them over to the swing set. He helped Emily climb onto the seat then slipped behind her to give her a push start.
“Do you know how to pump your legs to keep going?” he asked.
“Of course; I’m not a baby.” Emily stuck out her skinny legs and leaned back as far as she could as she sailed forward. Her tiny voice squealed out a “whee!” as Rafe pushed her higher.
CeCe sat in the next swing and gave herself a little push with her feet, but when she swung backwards, Rafe’s hand was on her lower back to push her forward. A thrill raced through her from the feel of his hand in such an intimate place.
Rafe reveled in the opportunity to touch her, and every time her face swung past him, he longed to lean in and kiss her. Her long hair fluttered behind her like a shiny gold banner.
“Can we go down the slide now, please?” Emily asked after several minutes, dragging her feet to slow her swing.
“Sure.” Rafe grabbed the swing and brought it gently to a halt, then took the hand Emily was holding out to him. His other hand reached out for CeCe’s, their fingers intertwining, and his heart filled to bursting with the sense of rightness. He gulped as he looked back and forth between them. Was this a glimpse of his future? Rafe could imagine nothing better.
Over and over, Rafe helped Emily climb the slide, and CeCe caught her at the bottom. She blossomed under their attention like a summer poppy, her personality unfurling like vibrant petals.
They moved on to the monkey bars where Rafe and CeCe took turns spotting her as she swung from rung to rung, eventually dropping into Rafe’s arms when she tired, the pads of her hands red and tender. He slung her over his shoulder and she giggled, so he dropped her even farther down his back, holding tight to her legs as she dangled, red-faced, arms swinging wildly. Her childish laughter was contagious, and it bubbled up out of him.
“I can’t go on anymore; I’m vitamin deficient!” He cried, lowering her to the ground slowly then plopping down beside her. “I need vitamin I!”
Rafe pulled CeCe down with him till she landed in his lap, and Dexter hopped around them, yipping, wanting in on the fun.
“What? I’ve never heard of that before!”
“You’ve never heard of vitamin I? Then you must be severely lacking. Let me see…” He lifted her arms and let them drop, then did the same thing to Emily. “Oh my goodness, you’re both deficient! We need an infusion, stat!”
“You sound like a doctor!” Emily giggled. Rafe gulped and held his breath, praying she wouldn’t make the connection.
“Yeah, so where do we get some of this vitamin I, Doc?” CeCe wiggled her eyebrows at him, and Rafe breathed a sigh of relief.
“There’s only one source of vitamin I, and that’s… ice cream!”
“Yay!!! Ice cream!” Emily squealed, and Rafe tickled her. Dexter woofed at them, confused but excited.
“You like ice cream, huh? When was the last time you had some?”
“I don’t remember,” she managed to gasp between tickles.
“Well, then you probably better get a double dose, huh?” Rafe scooped her up and plopped her on his shoulders then helped up CeCe.
Emily held onto his ears like handles, bouncing her feet against his chest. “I want a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of Superman.”
“That combination sounds… disgusting! But you get whatever you want, Em. How about you, CeCe? What do you want?”
You, CeCe thought, a thousand fireflies dancing inside her. They way he was treating her and Emily, no ice cream flavor could be sweeter or more appealing.
He drove them to an old-fashioned parlor and bought them sugar cones piled high with ice cream. They sat outside in the sunshine at a small, round table with a rainbow umbrella and bench seating, licking and talking, and CeCe scooted closer, hoping Rafe would put his arm around her. He took the hint and drew her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist as he offered her a taste of his ice cream.
“Looks delicious,” she said, wrapping her hand around his and pulling the cone towards her mouth. When she ran her tongue along the edge then stroked up the length of it before sucking on the tip, Rafe’s abdomen clenched, and his pulse began to pound till he felt it throbbing in every inch of his body. Rafe gasped when she smiled at him over the top of his cone and took one more lick before releasing it. He shook his head to clear the fog of lust, then growled, “My turn,” before running his tongue up the side of her cheek. “Umm, sweet as candy.”
CeCe’s mouth fell open, and she covered it with her hand as her eyes twinkled. “It’s a good thing she can’t see you,” she whispered in his ear, her breath cool.
“You started it,” he murmured back, his voice husky.
When Rafe glanced back towards Emily, he caught her offering a lick of her ice cream to Dexter. He gagged a little when she took back the cone and licked it, but he didn’t say anything. He probably did the same thing when he was a kid and had lived to tell about it.
By the time Emily announced she was full, her hands, face and shirt were covered in smears of ice cream. “You are a mess, little bug. We better clean you up before we take you home.”
“Why can’t I go home with you? I don’t like it at Miss Ann’s house.”
Why, indeed? He imagined tucking her in at night and waking her up in the morning, then shook his head clear of the fantasy. Emily must have hypnotized him with her puppy dog eyes. Why else would he even consider the possibility?
“Why don’t you like it at Miss Ann’s house, Emily?” CeCe’s voice was tinted with concern.
“The other kids are mean to me.”
“Do they hurt you?”
“No, they’re just not nice. Miss Ann says they have tissues.”
Rafe held in a chuckle.
“Yeah, sometimes when bad things happen to people, they get angry, and they might take it out on other people. You tell Miss Ann when they’re being mean to you, okay?” CeCe rubbed her back and smoothed her hair.
“Come on, kiddo, let’s go to the bathroom and wash all that ice cream off of you.” Rafe held out a hand to Emily, but she hesitated.
“I don’t want to go in the boy’s bathroom.”
“Hmm, good point. How about if CeCe goes with you, and I’ll just make sure she got it all afterwards?”
Emily agreed, and CeCe took Rafe’s elbow so he could lead them back into the parlor and down the hallway. A few curious eyes followed their progress, but he just smiled at them, proud to have two lovely ladies to escort.
CeCe took Emily into the ladies’ room and helped her use the toilet, then she wet some paper towels and rubbed them all over Emily’s face and arms. “I think we probably got most of it, well, except for your shirt. I can only imagine what’s on it, but kids are supposed to get dirty, right?”
“I love you, CeCe.” Emily suddenly wrapped her arms around CeCe’s middle and squeezed, and tears squirted from both their eyes at the pressure.
“I love you, too, Emily,” CeCe murmured, holding the little girl tight and reveling in the closeness. Memories of her own childhood swirled around her like floodwater, drowning her in empathy. She wished someone had been there for her when she first lost her sight, and she made a promise to be there for Emily.
When Emily finally let go, they both wiped their eyes, and CeCe took Emily’s hand to lead her out of the bathroom. Rafe was waiting for them in the hallway.
“You two okay?” He asked, conce
rned by their puffy eyes and sniffly noses.
“Just fine.” CeCe reassured him.
“Well, you did a good job cleaning up.” He didn’t mention the smudges of ice cream on CeCe’s skirt that had transferred when Emily hugged her. He figured Jessica could get it out later. “You ready to go?”
The drive back was quieter as they contemplated the day, enjoying the memories. When they arrived at the group home, Emily insisted on holding both of their hands as they walked up the driveway.
“Did you have a good time, Emily?” Ann asked, noticing the mixed emotions reflected in her smile.
Emily nodded, her tiny head bobbing exaggeratedly. “Can we do it again tomorrow?”
The adults chuckled, and Rafe ruffled her hair then leaned down to her level. “I have to work tomorrow, but I promise we’ll do it again real soon, okay?”
Emily reached out and hugged him, and Rafe buried his face in her shoulder and squeezed, his heart aching with compassion for her.
They said their goodbyes, and Rafe led CeCe back to the car in silence.
“That was…”
“Yeah, I know.”
“She’s so special, I just want to…”
“Me, too.” CeCe sighed.
He walked her to her door, hesitant to end the best day he could remember. “CeCe, thank you for inviting me today; I had a great time with you and Emily. You’re so good with her.” He ran his fingers down her arms, capturing her hands in his.
“So were you, Rafe. You were amazing. You’ll make a great father someday.”
The compliment thrilled him more than any other she could have offered.
“And you’ll make a great mother.” She blushed a little and dropped her chin.
He lifted it and kissed her, his mouth claiming hers softly but insistently. Pleasure coursed through his body as she wrapped her arms around him, her small hands scorching a path up his back. His own hands found her waist, and the flare of her hips enticed him to slide his hands lower. Their breath grew ragged between them as they nipped and sucked, and finally CeCe pulled away, her lips ripe and swollen like fresh strawberries.
She wanted to invite him in, offer to spend the evening curled up on the couch together, but her emotions were too overwhelming, and she wasn’t sure she could resist him. She didn’t think he was the type to try to take advantage of her, but she figured it was better to avoid temptation.
“Goodnight, Rafe; thank you for everything,” she whispered instead, and Rafe grabbed her head and kissed her one last time before walking away.
Chapter 8
Thoughts weaved through Rafe’s head like traffic in a bustling city, the concerns and questions careening left and right, in and out, barely allowing room for each other to pass on the crowded streets, each one revving and squealing as they sped around each other, vying for space, threatening to collide. His feeling for CeCe, her condition, and the secret that threatened to destroy their tender new relationship, Emily, her unfortunate situation, and the paternal feelings she inspired, even questions about Rafe’s own previously well-defined goals and aspirations all fought for the right of way in his mind.
He’d only known CeCe a short time, but he was already falling for her. It seemed too soon to have such strong feelings, but he couldn’t deny how his brain constantly veered towards her and he longed to be with her; his fingers ached to touch her. She made his heart pound with a rush of adrenaline and set his flesh on fire like a thousand bee stings every time he was near her, and the pain was intoxicating. He was addicted to the feeling of wanting her. Thinking about her soothed the craving at first but only made his desire to be with her even stronger. As a doctor, he wasn’t sure his reaction to her was normal; it seemed too intense to be healthy.
Forget healing the sick, molding young minds, or even his own personal desires. All of a sudden, making her smile was the most important thing in the world to him. He couldn’t stand the thought of her sad, or in pain, or even feeling discomfort, and he longed to eliminate any threat to her happiness.
Her blindness was an unresolved issue he struggled to accept. CeCe didn’t seem to mind her condition, in fact, she defended it as an integral part of who she was. But as a doctor whose mission was to bring healing, Rafe couldn’t see it as anything but an impediment. It didn’t detract from her appeal, but he couldn’t stand the thought of her suffering when there was a possibility that she could be cured. Maybe her condition was too severe to respond to traditional treatments, but Rafe had more supernatural tools at his disposal.
As a Celestia, he had an ace up his sleeve, an extreme measure that he could take to ensure healing when traditional medicine and his own supernatural touch weren’t enough. Celestia reserved their miracles for the most special circumstances, but he had quickly realized that, for CeCe, he would gladly offer up his undying love. But did she want it?
Thoughts of his gift reminded him of Emily, and his heart broke anew at her situation. He ached at the thought of an innocent child witnessing violence so intense it would send her into blindness. He longed to heal her, almost as much as he longed for CeCe, but what would happen if he did?
Falling in love was the typical response between a man and a woman, but the emotional reaction created during a miracle was too intense to elude a permanent bond, even if the recipient was just a child. If Rafe healed Emily, he wouldn’t be able to just walk away. He would have to become a part of her life. But Emily’s future was an unknown. What if social services decided to send her far away to live with a family, or in a different group home? The only way Rafe could guarantee that Emily stayed in his life was to adopt her himself.
The idea was radical, frightening, yet, after yesterday, tempting. Being with Emily felt almost as right and natural as being with CeCe. Loving her was easy, and the desire to take care of her overwhelmed him with a sense of paternal instinct. He always planned to have children someday, why couldn’t he start with Emily? She desperately needed someone to care for her, and who better than a half-angel doctor?
His busy lifestyle was a hindrance, for sure, with his double career as a doctor and professor filling every moment of his days. But, even though he enjoyed his job and had worked extremely hard to get where he was, he wasn’t so focused on his career that he was willing to forfeit everything else in life for the sake of it. He could work a few less hours at the clinic, teach a few less classes at the university. He wanted to have more time to spend with CeCe, anyway. The ideal solution would be if he could have both.
Could he and CeCe and Emily make a family? The idea was incredibly enticing. He imagined coming home to them after work each day — evenings filled with play and family time, and nights spent in CeCe’s arms. His heart thrummed with the possibility of it.
Was he crazy to think this was a possibility? Would CeCe even want a ready-made family like that? She was younger than Rafe; would she want to be saddled with a child she was hardly old enough to mother? Did she even feel a modicum of the love Rafe felt for her? She had her own goals and ambitions; who was he to assume she’d want to give it all up to play house with him?
Rafe barked out a laugh at his own naivety. They’d barely been on three dates. It was absurd to think that CeCe would even consider the suggestion. But it didn’t stop him from wanting it, all the same.
His future had always been so clear to him: he’d been groomed since childhood to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the family business. Teaching at the university had stemmed naturally from his love of learning. He’d always assumed that marriage and a family would eventually follow in a natural flow. He never expected the desire for it to overwhelm him like a hurricane, sweeping in, disturbing all his carefully laid plans and demanding his attention.
He’d never felt the need for guidance before, he always felt like he had his whole life mapped out, but now, he longed for someone to give him advice, to help him make sense of his confusing desires.
Dominion Connan was the person most Celestia went to
when they needed wisdom. His words were few, and sometimes seemed to bear no relation to the issue at hand, but he always left you feeling centered and encouraged, providing clarity with a dose of levity and wit.
For once, Rafe took umbrage at the aging process that had brought their leader to the precipice of death. Rafe knew that Dominion had elected Zeph Arella and his wife, Eve, as his replacement and had been preparing them to take over for him for the last several years, but Rafe had trouble seeing the young man as an authority figure, and going to a 20-year-old he’d known since they were both kids seemed uncomfortable at best.
Rafe decided to pay a visit to Dominion Connan in hopes that, even in his comatose state, a bit of his wisdom would flow out to Rafe. He pulled himself from the comfort of his bed and took a quick shower, throwing on his daily uniform — a dress shirt, slacks, and a bright blue tie with matching socks. His shift would start at the clinic in a few hours, so he might as well prepare for the day, even though it wasn’t even dawn.
The hospital was quiet that early in the morning, and Rafe’s footsteps echoed in the hallway as he strode determinedly into Dominion’s room. He was surprised to see there were other visitors. Zeph, the Dominion Futura, knelt by Dominion’s bedside, holding his withered hand. Eve’s hand was clasped in the other. As Rafe moved closer, he heard whimpers and saw Zeph’s shoulders heave, and he realized the young man was quietly weeping. The room was unnaturally quiet, and Rafe quickly noticed the ever-present beep and hum of machinery had been silenced. Dominion Connan was gone.
“When did he go?” Rafe asked quietly, padding closer.
“About an hour ago,” Eve answered, looking at her watch. Zeph was too absorbed in his grief to respond.
“You were here that early?”
She nodded. “Zeph woke me up, insisting we come. He sensed in his spirit that it was time.”
“Was he… did he… how…?” Rafe couldn’t seem to form his thoughts into words.
“He was unconscious when we got here, but he woke up, sat right up and looked at us like he was as healthy as could be.” Eve smiled, reliving the surprising moment, her hand on her pregnant belly.
Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4 Page 50
