by Donna Hill
“Because you needed to talk or cuss him out or whatever, and I didn’t need to be there. So...what happened?”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Nothing.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“He asked me to dinner...to talk.”
“And?”
“I told him, no.”
“W-what? Why?”
“He walked out of my house almost a month ago. I haven’t heard a damned word from him. Yet he’s running all over the place with one woman or the other.” She shook her head vigorously. “No, I’m not going down that road with him. Rafe Lawson...he’s not...”
“Not what? When did you all have a conversation that you were exclusive?”
Avery’s lips tightened.
“Well?”
She huffed. “Whatever. Look, it could never work for all kinds of reasons.”
Kerry stared at her for a moment. “Okay, girl.” She got up. “I’m on duty in twenty minutes. I’m on overnight.”
“I have to escort the VP to a congressional hearing at three. Then I’m done.”
“We’ll talk later or tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
Kerry walked out.
Avery shoved her purse into her desk drawer then kicked it shut. Why the hell did he have to show up? Just when the dreams of him were getting dim and the scent of him was finally out of her pores he turned up as if nothing had happened, as if he’d never said “I’ll call you.” But she’d known, she’d sensed that he wouldn’t even while she’d hoped that she was wrong.
Her desk phone rang.
“Agent Richards. Yes. I’ll be right there.” She checked her service weapon in her shoulder holster and her backup, grabbed her suit jacket from the hook by the door and walked out.
“Avery.”
She slowed and glanced over her shoulder. “Boss wants to see me, Mike.”
He fell in step beside her. “Everything good?”
“Yes. Fine.”
“I see you’re covering the VP this afternoon.”
“Committee meeting.”
“Doing anything later...for dinner?”
“I... I have plans for this evening.”
He bobbed his head. “Maybe some other time.” He turned off and walked down the opposite corridpr.
Avery shook her head. She didn’t know what to make of Mike these days. She thought she liked him better when he was an obnoxious pain in the ass. This Mike she couldn’t put her finger on.
She tapped on the director’s door.
“Come in. Close the door.”
Avery came fully into the room.
“Please sit, Agent Richards.”
Director Fischer was a decent enough guy. Not a people person, but he knew every angle of the job. He was a master at moving agents into just the right spot, giving them the assignments that were perfect for their temperament. He knew the law inside out and the personalities and proclivities of everyone the agents were assigned to cover.
“I asked you here to talk with you about your assignment.”
“Yes, sir.”
“How are things going with your new detail?”
“So far everything is fine. The VP has had a pretty light schedule.”
“That’s what I want to speak with you about.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve been with the service for...” he turned to his computer screen, “six years.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Your reviews have been exemplary.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He leaned back and linked his fingers across his stomach. “You were former Director Paulsen’s protégé. She thought very highly of you, said you had the potential to rise high up in the ranks.”
Where was this going?
He cleared his throat. “Your father and I don’t always see eye-to-eye, but he’s a good man, very influential.”
Avery shifted a bit in her seat.
“I mention your father because I don’t want you to think that who he is will influence any decisions made.”
“Decisions, sir?”
“As you know the agency is expanding as the need has presented itself. As a result there will be an Assistant Deputy Director position available in the coming months. You are being considered for that position along with two other candidates.”
Avery’s stomach fluttered. “Thank you...”
“There will be an extensive internal review and vetting. With all of the divisiveness in Washington and accusations of cronyism we want to make certain that we cross every ‘t’ and do not leave any room for questions about who is in a leadership role here at the agency.”
“I understand.”
“Well.” He flattened his palms on the desk. “That will be all, Agent Richards.”
Avery stood. “Thank you, sir.” She turned and walked out, breezed by Director Fischer’s secretary and out into the main corridor. Her thoughts raced around in her head as she replayed the conversation. Assistant Deputy Director. Although there were others who held the title, they all reported directly to Fischer and they oversaw their own teams of agents. Yes, yes, yes! This is what she worked her ass off for. From Assistant to Deputy to Director. She could see it in her future.
She pressed for the elevator. The doors opened and Mike stepped off.
“We have to stop meeting like this.” He stepped out and held the door for her. “He in a good mood?” Mike asked.
“Who?”
“Fischer. Just got a call to come up and see him.”
“Oh.” She stepped onto the elevator. “His usual self.” She pressed the button for her floor.
Mike let the door close.
Avery stepped back and leaned against the far wall. Mike going to see Fischer could only mean that he was being considered, too. Damn!
* * *
Rafe returned to his home in Arlington and was relieved to see that the fridge and cabinets were stocked, fresh linens were put out and a handwritten note from Alice told him that she’d made his favorite, a pot of jambalaya, and it was in the fridge. She had to take her mother to the doctor but assured him that she was available if he needed her.
He smiled, folded the note and stuck it in the kitchen drawer. Alice was a pure gem.
He moved through the rooms and realized that even though it felt lived in, it was empty. A four-bedroom house with no one but him in it. The sad reality of it hit him unexpectedly. A wave of despondency swept through him.
What was he doing here? What was he doing with his life? He pretended that he didn’t care, that living his life out loud was “his thing.” He knew the truth. Everything he did was some form of rebellion, a middle finger, all designed to keep any real feelings at bay. The booze, the women, the risk-taking. All of it.
Then all of a sudden there she was and the safety nets that he’d wrapped around himself began to shred. So he did what he’d always done. He created distance to give himself a graceful out. And he was still doing it when he purposely went to see his father and dropped Avery’s name.
He wasn’t even certain what it was about Avery that had him twisted in a knot and questioning his motives, second-guessing his actions. It had been nearly sixteen years since he’d opened himself up to anyone and with good reason. He never wanted to feel that kind of pain again and the only way to ensure that was to not feel, at least not feel below the surface. He’d been successful. He’d lived his brand of happy. But looking around, hearing the echoing emptiness he realized that perhaps he really had not lived at all—only existed.
Avery was to blame for this rude awakening, and the only way to return to his comfort zone was to get Avery Richards out of his system once and for all.
Ch
apter 13
Avery slept in, thankful for a weekday off. She’d had a restless night, her thoughts swimming between Rafe’s sudden appearance and her meeting with Fischer. Her temples still throbbed and she wasn’t sure which bothered her most, seeing Rafe or the idea that she and Mike may very well be up for the same job.
Her meeting with Director Fischer replayed in her head and the smug look she received from Mike the prior afternoon didn’t help to allay her concerns about her chances at the position. Neither of them mentioned the details of their meeting, but she was certain that he’d been advised as she was.
The hard truth was that it was difficult even under the best of circumstances for women within the agency. The Secret Service was holding on tooth and nail to the old boys’ club. Director Paulsen made a crack in the ceiling but in terms of hierarchy within the agency it stopped and went with her when she stepped down—especially under the cloud of the security issues that happened under her watch. She assumed a tough position when she was appointed by the president, having to take over an agency that had major budgetary issues and personnel cuts, and was faced with unprecedented threat levels. It was almost as if she was set up to fail and in doing so, would seal the fate of any other woman who aspired to ascend the ladder.
But in the three years since she’d left, the agency had been retooled, the agents retrained and the departments reorganized. Now that the foundation was strong again the climb might not be as difficult.
The one bright light in this tunnel was that concentrating on her career would keep her mind off Rafe and the fact that she’d let him walk away. Every time she thought about it she could kick herself.
Avery opened the fridge and took out some eggs and English muffins. She prepared her eggs for a simple cheese omelet when the bell rang.
Perfect. She’d scheduled the cable company to come out and switch out her router. That would hopefully resolve the issue of why her reception was so spotty. They’d actually arrived at nine instead of five. Miracles still happened.
She wiped her hands on a towel and went to the front door.
“Your assistant said you were off today.”
Her pulse galloped in her veins. She wanted to be pissed off and at the same time, she wanted to release the bubbles of joy that rose from her center.
She placed her hand on her hip. “I am definitely going to have to report the help.” She held on to her smile.
Rafe held up two cups of coffee. “I came bearing gifts.”
When he looked at her like that with that glow in his eyes and the smile on that mouth, she knew she was pretty much helpless against it.
“Fortunately for you, I haven’t had my morning coffee yet.” She accepted one of the cups from his hand and stepped aside to let him in.
Rafe strolled into the living room. He set his cup down on the side table.
Avery drew in a steadying breath and shut the door and followed him inside.
Rafe turned toward her. “I’m sorry.”
The words were so soft, so heartfelt that it sounded like a prayer. Avery’s heart fluttered. She bit down on her bottom lip.
Rafe took a step toward her. “I should have called you. I shouldn’t have let you think for a minute that what happened between us that night was anything but extraordinary.” He reached out and touched her cheek. Her breath hitched. “Because it was, Avery. At least for me.”
Her throat tightened. “Me, too.”
There was that slow drag smile, rising easy like the sun and warming her from the inside out.
He held her face in his hands. “Let’s start again.”
She bobbed her head.
“Yeah?”
“Yes,” she managed.
He brushed his thumb across her bottom lip and she shivered.
“I’m going to kiss you. Is that all right, cher?”
“Yes,” she said on a breath.
But it wasn’t a kiss. It was a conquering. It eased in on her, slipped around her, weakened her defenses and left her wanting to do whatever was needed to please her captor.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against her mouth.
She hungrily swallowed the words and they gave her soul sustenance. They guided her arms around his neck and melded her body into his. Damn, she gave in easy, but what the hell. She hummed her joy against his mouth.
Rafe eased away and looked into her eyes. He tenderly brushed a curled loop of hair away from her face. “How ’bout we really start again, darlin’.” He subtly rocked his pelvis against her.
Avery grinned. “Okay.”
Rafe straightened and dramatically cleared his throat. “I’m Raford Beaumont Lawson. My friends call me Rafe.”
“Avery Michelle Richards,” she said, biting back a grin.
“My pleasure, darlin’.”
“Beaumont?” she teased with a sparkle in her eyes.
He chuckled lightly. “After my granddad, Clive.”
“It fits you,” she said, giving him the once-over.
“Is that right,” he said and moved in on her.
She sucked in a breath.
“Now that we have formalities out of the way,” he said and stroked her neck with his lips, “maybe we can work on getting to know each other better...this time.”
Her body shivered. “What do you suggest?”
“Tell me your plans for today.”
She craned her neck back and looked up at him. “Plans?”
“Yeah, what were you planning to do today on your day off?”
Was he punking her? “Weeeell, finish fixing breakfast, wait on the cable guy, ummm, clean out my fridge, go to the gym and...maybe watch a movie.”
“Cool. Sounds like we have a full day.” He headed toward the kitchen. “What do you want for breakfast?” he called out.
All she could do was laugh and go with the flow. He was settling down in her heart and making it very hard not to love him.
* * *
They worked together whipping up Rafe’s breakfast specialty and this time he added cheese grits that had Avery salivating. He’d said it was his mother’s recipe and one of his favorite comfort foods.
Even though they’d been out of each other’s space for a month or more it was as if no time had separated them. The conversation was easy, the laughter so natural, the light touches and the smiles genuine.
“How is the music coming?” Avery asked while she loaded the dishwasher.
“Hmm, made a little progress. Still not where I want to be.” He wiped down the table with a damp cloth.
“Progress is progress. Big or small.”
He grinned. “Yeah it is, isn’t it? Every little bit,” he said, easing up behind her. He slid his arms around her waist. “I’ve been distracted.”
Avery closed the dishwasher door and turned into his embrace. “Why? Distracted by what?”
“You, mostly.” He pushed up against her, pinning her between his body and the dishwasher.
Her eyes widened. “Me?”
“Besides trying to find my creative mojo... I had you on my mind, darlin’, and how I’d screwed things up.”
She studied his expression then cupped his cheek in her palm. “Now that you’re here, maybe you can start making it up to me...for screwing up,” she said on a husky whisper.
His eyes darkened as the hint of a smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “How much time you have?”
“As long as it takes.”
“My mama always said give a lady what she asks for. So, tell me, cher, what does the lady want?”
She leaned up. “You can start with this?” She brought her lips to his and it was all the encouragement that he needed.
Rafe hugged her to him, cutting off the air and space between them, more tha
n happy to comply and will her body to succumb to his will, his every touch, kiss, murmur in her ear. He played with her mouth and teased her lips with his tongue.
Avery moaned. She felt his desire for her and still he held back, intent on the slow game of seduction.
His hand slid up under her T-shirt, caressed her heated skin, raised goose bumps of desire on every spot he touched. The tips of his fingers outlined the undersides of her breasts before sneaking around her back to unsnap her bra. Her breasts seemed to sigh in relief and rose to enjoy the thrill of his caress.
Rafe lifted her shirt, tugged it over her head and tossed it onto the counter. Her bra followed. He captured one peak between his lips and stroked it with the very tip of his tongue. Avery’s body shook. He did it again and again before sharing the pleasure on the other side.
Avery’s fingertips pressed into his shoulders.
He tugged on the string of her sweatpants and inched the elastic down across her hips, taking her panties with them. Down on his knees he tasted her, and a sudden powerful orgasm tore through her.
“Ahhhh...ahhhh.” Her entire body trembled as he delved deeper and release swept through her in waves.
Weak in the aftermath, all she could do was hold on when he easily lifted her and draped her legs over his arms. He ripped open a condom and sheathed himself before he entered her.
Bright lights popped behind her lids with each powerful thrust that threatened to take her over the edge once again.
Avery kissed his cheeks, his mouth, held his head as he moaned, each stroke deeper and stronger. This was purely for him, she realized as his grip tightened and the pace quickened. She turned her body over to him completely, totally opening her spirit to let him in.
“A—very!” Again...again...again, until he was spent. His head dropped to her shoulder as the last of his essence pulsed out of him. “Damn, darlin’,” he groaned. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. He sucked her bottom lip, trailed kisses along her neck.
Her walls contracted. Rafe groaned. She offered him the fruit of her breasts and he hungrily feasted, setting off the rippling inside her that gripped and released him.
Tears of rapture sprang from the corners of her eyes as he began to move inside her once again. All she could do was surrender to the pleasure that he gave her.
