Feels Like Home

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  Rafe couldn’t regret that, because if she’d stayed with Jonathan Chance, he and Wyatt wouldn’t exist. Still, he wondered what would happen if Diana, who was extremely high maintenance, descended on the festivities. Sad to say, he couldn’t see a good outcome.

  At long last, the gathering began to break up. Alex and Tyler left first. Then Jack and Josie started gathering Archie’s baby stuff. Sarah asked to hold Archie one last time, and Jack walked over and held out his hand to Rafe.

  “You’ve been a good sport.” His grip was firm. “I had my doubts about you when you drove up in that fancy-dancy car, but I think you’re going to be okay.”

  “Thanks. And thanks for being my dance instructor tonight.”

  Jack grinned. “That will go down in the annals of the family history, my friend. Just so you know, I’ve never danced with a guy before in my life.”

  “Couldn’t prove it by me. You seemed totally relaxed about it.”

  “I wanted to see what you’d do if I suggested it.”

  “And?”

  “And you called my bluff. That always gets my attention.” He clapped Rafe on the shoulder. “Welcome to the family, little brother.”

  To Rafe’s surprise and embarrassment, his throat closed up with emotion. He coughed to cover it. “I’m glad to be here.”

  “You haven’t heard anything from Diana, right?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You’ll tell me if you do, I hope.”

  Rafe nodded. “You’ll be the first to know. No, cancel that. You’ll be the second to know. If I hear something, I have to make sure Wyatt’s aware.”

  Jack sighed. “In some ways I’d like her to show up and get the drama out of the way. But it could be a real rodeo if she does.”

  “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  Jack’s eyebrows lifted. “You’d run interference?”

  “Of course.”

  “Good man.” He gave Rafe’s shoulder another squeeze. “See you at the party Thursday night. Wear your dancing shoes.” With a wink, he turned to walk with Josie out the front door.

  “That’s about all the fun Watkins and I can take for one night,” Mary Lou said. “We have a little tidying up in the kitchen, and then we’re off to bed.”

  Sarah yawned and stretched. “I think Pete and I are ready to pack it in, too.” She glanced over at Rafe. “You were terrific tonight. I haven’t seen Jack laugh that hard in a long time. It did my heart good to see you two getting along so well.”

  “The credit belongs to Wyatt,” Rafe said. “He’s the one who broke the ice and made sure that we got to know our half brother.”

  Sarah’s expression softened. “He did, at that. He’s a very special guy. He and Olivia have a bright future.”

  “They do.” As Rafe said that, he felt a pang of envy. Wyatt had found a woman who wanted to spend a lifetime with him and they were about to start that journey together.

  A couple of days ago, before Rafe had met Meg, he had thought settling down was a long way off for him. But since then he’d experienced life in a whole new way. Instead of being constantly focused on his career and the bottom line, he’d started thinking about how he would spend the money he was accumulating.

  He’d had no particular plan other than becoming wealthy enough that he wouldn’t have to worry about his future. But besides being a rich man, how did he visualize that future? He realized now that he’d never created a detailed picture of what he wanted. Or who he wanted to be there with him.

  His attention wandered, as it had all evening, to Meg. She was so full of life. Anyone lucky enough to spend time in her presence would find her a constant source of energy and inspiration. Yeah, she threw him off balance a lot, and he was learning to enjoy the slightly dizzy feeling that came from taking crazy chances.

  “I think it’s wonderful that you and Meg have discovered that you’re kindred spirits,” Sarah said. “That makes it very convenient, doesn’t it, since Meg and Olivia are such good friends?”

  Rafe thought of contradicting Sarah’s assumption the way he’d contradicted Jack earlier. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. “It does make it nice,” he said.

  “You have very good taste.”

  “You mean the necklace?”

  “No, the woman.” Sarah gave him a hug. “Be happy, Rafe. Oh, and turn out the lights before you go up to bed, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  With one last smile in his direction, she linked arms with Pete and they walked down the hallway toward her bedroom.

  Rafe watched them go. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother had hugged him. Sarah had known him a very short time, and yet she’d embraced him with warmth and affection, as if he were a long-lost son. For the second time tonight, Rafe found his chest tightening with emotions he wasn’t used to feeling.

  “Looks like everyone’s going to bed.”

  He turned around at the sound of Meg’s voice, which held a soft purr of sensuality that made his blood sing.

  She stood a couple of feet away looking incredibly beautiful. The lamplight on her fiery hair created an angelic halo, but her expression wasn’t the least bit angelic. Her green gaze burned with earthly lust.

  “How about you?” Heart thumping, he eliminated the distance between them and drew her close. Her heat fueled his fantasies. “Are you ready for bed?”

  She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve been ready for bed for hours.”

  He welcomed the warmth of her arms at the back of his neck. “Me, too. I thought the evening was going to last forever.”

  “Same here.” She wiggled closer. “But it was good, even if I was impatient to be alone with you.”

  His breath caught as she aligned her body with his. He tightened his grip, and allowed his gaze to travel downward, past the polished silver and malachite to the shadowed treasures beyond. The return journey brought him back to her incredible eyes. “It was good. Thank you, Meg. If you hadn’t challenged me to try the whole dance thing, tonight wouldn’t have turned out so well.”

  “I noticed that you and Jack had a few words before he left.”

  “We did.” He savored this moment of holding her close, knowing that soon, they would be closer yet. Anticipation built, teasing him with possibilities. “As you predicted, we’re allies now. And that’s important considering what may happen this week.”

  Sympathy flashed in her eyes. “Your mother.”

  “Yes. But now Jack and I, and Wyatt, too, for that matter, can present a united front if she does show up. Without this wild dance lesson, I don’t know if that would have been possible.” He reached up and caressed her cheek. “And it’s all because of you.”

  “No. You had to actually follow through. What you did tonight required a lot of courage. Now that it’s behind you, you might not think so, but—”

  “Oh, it required a lot of courage. I’m not about to minimize that. I was nervous as hell.” He stroked his thumb across her cheekbone. All the lipstick was gone from her pink mouth. It looked even sexier bare. “But as I’m learning from you, these are the risks worth taking, aren’t they?”

  “I think so.”

  “Proud of me?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Good.” His pulse rate skyrocketed as he leaned down and brushed his mouth over her pink, smiling lips. “Because it’s time for me to claim my reward.”

  “Finally.” Spinning out of his arms, she gr
abbed his hand and pulled. “Come on, Locke. We have a date.”

  Laughing, he ran with her up the stairs. Briefly he remembered that he was supposed to douse the lights. Oh, hell, he’d do it later. A hot woman was dragging him off to bed. A guy didn’t stop to turn off lights at a time like that.

  She dashed through his bedroom door first, and he barely had time to kick it closed before she leaped on him. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, she grinned at him. “I hope you know where your condoms are, big boy.”

  Cupping his hands under her perfect little ass, he carried her to the bed, kissing her cheeks, her nose, her mouth. “I know exactly where they are, sweet stuff.” He’d left on a bedside lamp in anticipation of this moment. “Time to get you naked so I can use one.”

  “I can hardly wait.”

  Neither could he, and judging from the pressure under his fly, he’d have a devil of a time holding off long enough to give her a good time. But he would do it because she deserved no less.

  Depositing her on the bed, he followed her down. Ah, glorious. He loved having his arms full of Meg. His feet were still on the floor, but he couldn’t be bothered with taking off his boots right now. He had a blouse to unbutton. Leaning over her, he started in on that job while continuing to kiss and nibble at her plump mouth.

  “Too slow,” she said between kisses as she pushed his hands away. “Let me.”

  “Then I’ll work on your jeans.”

  “No.” She struggled for breath. “You work on your jeans.”

  His breathing wasn’t any steadier than hers, and his heart hammered like a car about to throw a rod. “Bossy, aren’t you?”

  She laughed and gulped for air. “Horny.”

  “That’s my good luck.” The blood pounded in his ears as he unbuckled and unzipped. He had to interrupt his assignment when her jeans got stuck on her shoes. Kneeling, he pulled off both shoes and then figured he might as well finish the operation and tugged off her jeans and panties, too.

  “Almost done.” She whipped off her blouse, tossed it aside, unhooked her bra, and threw it on top of the blouse. “There.” She leaned back on her elbows.

  He went still. She was a work of art, and no matter how bossy she tried to be, he would take time to pay homage. Her breasts were lush—round and smooth, tempting him with wine-dark nipples. They were generous in comparison to her slender torso and narrow waist. The silver necklace gleamed against her bare skin.

  His cock throbbed as his gaze swept over the sweet curve of her hips, the graceful length of her slim legs and the fiery patch of curls between her thighs.

  “Rafe,” she murmured. “You’re not moving.”

  “No. I’m looking.”

  “Me, too, or at least I’m trying to. The view is seriously obstructed. Would you please do something about that?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Not taking his eyes from her, he reached down and pulled off a boot, shifted his weight to the other leg and yanked off the second one, which fell with a thud to the floor.

  She ran a tongue over her lips. “Your shirt.”

  “Right.” Still watching her, he grabbed both sides of the shirt and pulled. The snaps gave way like exploding popcorn, and she laughed in a low, sexy voice that drove him crazy.

  He started moving faster, dropping the shirt to the floor and shoving down his jeans and briefs. The belt buckle clattered to the floor as he stepped out of the whole shebang and kicked it aside.

  She took a long, shaky breath as she gave him the same top-to-bottom scrutiny he’d given her. “Awesome.” Her breasts quivered as she drew another breath. “Now bring that wonderful stuff over here, okay?” She parted her legs a fraction, in a subtle, yet tantalizing invitation. “I have a place you can put it.”

  He almost swallowed his tongue. Grabbing the handle on the bedside table drawer, he jerked it out with such force that the whole thing fell to the floor. He left it there, scooped up the box of condoms, and tore it open, destroying it in the process. Condoms flew everywhere.

  But he only needed one, and he managed to get a good grip on it. His fingers shook as he tried to tear the foil. He’d never wanted a woman so much in his life.

  “Here.” She took it out of his hand and in two seconds had that little raincoat ready to put on.

  He reached for it. “I’ll—”

  “No, I’ll.” Her gaze swept the length of his erect penis. “You wouldn’t deprive a girl of dressing up something that beautiful, would you?”

  “Meg, at this moment, I wouldn’t deprive you of anything. If you wanted me to buy you the Taj Mahal, I’d…” He clenched his jaw as she rolled the condom on. He was so close. Too damned close.

  “I don’t want the Taj Mahal.” Scooting back on the bed, she held out her arms. “I want you.”

  “That’s good, because that’s what you’re about to get.” He climbed onto the bed, grateful for the generous space that allowed them to lie across the mattress. That way he didn’t have to take the time to change position.

  As he looked into her eyes, he saw his urgency mirrored there. But if he responded to that, if he thrust deep as he longed to do and kept on pumping frantically, he’d come in seconds. “We’re going to take this slow at first,” he said.

  She grasped his hips and lust blazed in her eyes. “What if I want fast and furious?”

  “I can’t. You’ve turned me on more than I can remember ever being turned on. My control is shot, and I want to make sure that you—”

  “I feel as if I could come right this minute, just looking into your eyes.”

  “Me, too.” He drew in a breath. “Which is why we’re going to ease into the situation gradually.” Bracing his arms on either side of her shoulders, he probed her moist heat gently with his cock.

  She groaned. “You’re teasing me.”

  “No.” He fought the wave of his own climax. “I’m trying not to come. Help me.”

  “How?”

  “Lie still.”

  Slowly she relaxed against the bed. “I’m still.”

  “Don’t move.”

  “I won’t.”

  He slid partway in. So good. Too good. He closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. There. Better.

  “More.” She sounded desperate.

  Opening his eyes, he looked into hers and found the control he needed. “Yes, more.” With one firm movement, he thrust home.

  She gasped. Arching upward, she dug her fingers into his back. “Rafe, I’m…” With a soft wail, she came apart, shuddering against him, her spasms stroking his rock-hard cock.

  Somehow he held on without coming, and as she began to drift down from the heights, he withdrew slightly and rocked forward again, making sure he pressed against her clit. Instantly she tensed again. Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him.

  He smiled as he began a steady rhythm. “Let’s try that again, shall we?”

  “Oh.” Wrapping her legs around his, she rose to meet each thrust. “Rafe, that’s so… I can feel every…nerve ending… I…”

  Gazing into her eyes, he soaked up the pleasure he could see there. Her breathless murmurs spurred him on to give her all he knew how to give. Shifting the angle slightly, he wondered if he could locate her G-spot.

  When her pupils widened, he thought maybe he had. “Like that?”

  “Uh-huh.” She began to pant. “Certainly do. Oh, yeah. Magic…” She moaned softly with each stroke.

  He pumped f
aster, and her moans grew in volume. He wasn’t sure about the acoustics in this house, so he leaned down and covered her mouth with his. When she came again, he let himself come with her, and they swallowed each other’s cries as they rode the wind together.

  Gasping for breath, he lifted his head and gazed down at her in silent wonder. Making love to her had been everything he’d imagined it would be and more.

  Her lashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. A slow smile of satisfaction curved her kiss-reddened mouth. “That,” she said, “was seriously good.”

  “Yes, it was.” Her smile was contagious, and he hoped he wasn’t grinning like an idiot. “So what do you think? Should we quit while we’re ahead?” He thought he knew the answer, but it was fun to test her response.

  “Are you insane? Now that I’ve got you in my clutches, I intend to wear you out.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” Easing away from her, he crawled off the bed and grabbed a tissue to dispose of the condom. “Don’t forget, you recommended a hot bath for my poor aching muscles.”

  She rose up on her elbows again. “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Think I’ll go down the hall and run that bath right now.”

  “And leave me here sad and lonely?”

  “Hell, no. I need someone to wash my back.”

  She glanced around the room. “No bathrobe.”

  “So what? Nobody’s upstairs but us.”

  “Good point.” Scooting out of bed, she stood beside him and laced her fingers through his. “Come along, cowboy. Let’s have us some nice clean fun.”

  13

  FORTUNATELY THE TUB WAS the old-fashioned kind, which made it almost big enough for two if they were willing to get cozy. Meg was more than willing to do that. She hoped that she wasn’t being too obvious ogling Rafe’s body, but he was one ripped dude.