by Cat Mason
“Morning guys,” I say, heading straight for the coffee pot.
“Morning,” Dad and Ray reply in unison.
“Thought I’d stop by here and help load up,” Ray adds, giving me a smile.
I reach into the cabinet for a mug, and though I can’t see him watching me, I feel the heat of his eyes on me. Ray’s eyes rarely leave me when we are together. Glancing over my shoulder, I meet those blues, burning up every inch of me they take in, then they stop. Right on my ass.
The searing heat and tension between us crackles in the air around us. Frozen in place, with my fingers wrapped around my coffee cup, my eyes are locked on Ray’s.
“Come on, Alyssa, let’s check on Auntie Kate and Grandma; they have to need our help with something.” Dad blurts, sounding uncomfortable. Pushing to his feet, he quickly carries her from the room.
Breaking eye contact, I turn and pour my coffee. The chair scrapes against the floor, the creaking of the wood making me jump. Turning around, I sip my coffee as Ray makes his way around the island to me. “Hi,” he purrs sweetly. Crowding me against the cabinet, he cups my face in his hands. Licking his lips, his eyes drop to my mouth. “You’re going to want to put that mug down now, Rachel.”
The second the mug hits the counter, his lips are on mine. A hungry growl rumbling from his chest when I push up onto my toes to deepen the kiss. Our tongues tangle, my hands fisting in his black t-shirt, pulling him closer. The constant war that has been raging in my mind between pushing him away and letting him in, has been silenced for now. Every part of me is sick of fighting the sparks between us; right now, I just want to feel.
Stepping back, Ray’s hands move down my sides as he lifts me onto the counter. Stepping between my thighs, Ray takes control of the kiss. It feels like his hands are everywhere at once. Unable to help myself, I wrap my legs around his waist. I rock my hips into him, needing to feel as much of him as possible.
“Well, now. If that doesn’t say ‘good morning’, I don’t know what does.”
Ray and I both jump. Glancing over his shoulder, I meet Kate’s smug expression. My overly dramatic sister is fanning herself as she clutches onto the doorway like it is the only thing keeping her upright. “Whew, you two… That was hotter than any of the books I’ve read in weeks!” I blush, making her laugh. Clasping her hands together, she smiles innocently. “Please, don’t stop on my account. I’ll just sit over here, quiet as a church mouse. You’ll never know I’m even here, or my camera crew.”
“As tempting as that sounds, Kate, I think we’ll have to pass on becoming the next YouTube sensation,” I snap.
“No biggie,” she says with a shrug. “Does this mean you’re ready to go? Or you want to finish up first?”
“I think we’re good, but thanks,” I toss out as Ray helps me down onto my unsteady feet. After kissing my baby girl goodbye, we head out the door to get on the road. Ray climbs into the backseat once Kate assures him it is a waste of time to take both cars. The entire ride, I find it hard to think of anything other than his body pressed against mine and how long it will be before he does it again.
Chapter 6
The Auction this week is being held at a foreclosed bed and breakfast. Lugging a heavy cooler, I stand dumbfounded at the huge Victorian house. Three stories, and according to the pamphlets being handed out, over two hundred years old. The red siding is set off by a beige trim making it warm and welcoming, but the best part is the sprawling gardens. Paths of nearly seven-foot-tall hedges act as fences, contrasting against the beautiful rose bushes and lilacs. It is spectacular.
Walking up to me, Ray grabs the cooler from my arms. “Hey, they gave us the whole kitchen to use.”
Cocking my head to the side, I smile at him. “Good thing. I’d hate to fall on my ass while screwing around with some extension cords again,” I tease, remembering the night we met. “I’d hate to embarrass myself in front of some guy.”
“I don’t know. If you ask me, I think that worked out pretty well.” Leaning over, he kisses my cheek, before turning to climb the steps. I shake my head, but can’t help watching his jeans stretch across his ass as he walks. The way his shoulders bunch and flex against the fabric of his shirt has my mouth going dry.
No, I admit to myself, it did not turn out so bad at all.
Being able to work in the kitchen makes setting up much easier. It takes no time before everything is ready to go. Coming up behind me, Ray wraps his arms around my waist. His lips trail kisses along my throat, making me shiver. “Come with me for a minute?” he whispers into my ear. When I nod, he snatches me away, leaving a very pissed off Kate to manage concessions alone.
Ray leads me down the path away from the house. While he is glancing around, I take in all the blooming flowers. It surprises me when he stops in front of three men talking. An older man with blue eyes smiles at me. Oh God, those eyes! It is Ray’s Dad!
“So, this must be Rachel?”
Smiling, Ray tucks me into his side, “Yeah. Rachel, this is my Dad, Bob. This old man here is my Uncle Jimmy, and this arrogant shit is my cousin, Zack.”
“You have no idea how good it is to see his girlfriend isn’t a blow-up doll,” Zack says shaking my hand. “Hear you have a beautiful daughter, I have no doubt,” he winks. Zack’s frame is much like Ray’s, good genes I assume, but his black hair is shaggy and wild. It honestly looks like he just yanks his hand through it all day long.
Smiling at the mention of my daughter, I nod. “Yes.” Patting my pockets, I realize I’ve left my phone in the car. “I don’t have my phone or I’d show you.”
“Here, I’ve got one,” Ray chimes in, yanking out his phone. He passes it around like a proud Papa would. A pang of sadness tugs at my heart thinking about how Tim would never have done this. I force it back when Ray kisses my hair and slips the phone into his front pocket again. “Beautiful, huh? Just like her mom.”
“You make sure you bring Rachel and Alyssa to the house. Let them meet your Momma,” Bob says patting my arm. “She’s going to be pissy when she finds out I’ve met her first.”
“Will do, Dad. See you guys later.” Ray guides me back up the path and into the house. Turning down a hallway, he looks around before climbing the stairs so fast I can barely keep up. “I need to talk to you about something,” he says, pulling me behind him.
“Whoa! Ray, slow down. I wouldn’t want to fall on my ass again.”
Stopping mid-step, he turns and hoists me over his shoulder. “You’re right, baby. Can’t have that,” he teases, climbing the rest of the steps effortlessly before shoving into an empty bathroom. Kicking the door closed, he settles me on the counter. Stepping back against the door, he eyes me greedily. That same feeling from this morning is back. It feels like his eyes are lighting a fire along every single inch of me. Right now, I want nothing more than to burn with him. My chest heaves as I try to force myself to breathe normally.
“I want another date,” he blurts, taking a step closer to me.
“Um, what have we been doing the last two weeks, Ray?” I ask, amused at him.
Running a hand through his hair, he takes another step toward me, “Spending time with you; I look forward to that every day,” he admits, running his fingers along my cheek. “I realized down there with my family that I don’t even get to call you my girlfriend. Rachel, we spend every day together. I’ve held you while you’ve cried, I kiss you, touch you,” he says stepping between my legs like earlier this morning. “I know what we said before, baby, but I want to call you mine. It’s all I think about. You’re all I think about.”
“I… You…” Nothing I try to say is coming out. My mind spins rapidly. I can barely manage to breathe let alone arrange them into a rational thought. Tim’s voice bounces around in my head, telling me that no one will want me, and reminding me how useless I was to him.
Ray sensing the conflict in my eyes, steps so that his body is flush with mine. Cupping my face with both hands, he gently forces me to meet
his eyes. “Stop overthinking everything, baby. I’d rather cut off my own damn arm than to ever hurt you. Get out of your head and stop letting your past interfere with what is right here in front of you, Rachel. It’s not like you haven’t been mine all along, I just want you to see it. I need to hear you admit that you want to be with me just as badly as I want to be with you.”
“Okay,” I blurt, taking a deep breath. “But, Ray, you should know,” is all I get out before his mouth collides with mine. Our tongues and teeth clash, his hands gripping my thighs, clinging to me. Wrapping my legs around his hips, he trails kisses along my collarbone and down my chest. Desperately, my body grinds against his as if on its own.
My nipples harden, pressing against the fabric of my blouse. Ray’s hand moves up, cupping one of my breasts. “Mmm,” I moan breathlessly.
A vibration pulses against my thigh. Cursing under his breath, he breaks the kiss, steps back from me, and yanks his phone from his pocket. “What,” he barks, making me feel a little sorry for whoever has shittastic timing. Only a little though, because I was enjoying the hell out of him.
“Don’t you get snappy with me, mister,” I hear Kate screech through the phone, making me giggle. “Where the fuck are you two? The moon?”
Ray arches a brow at me, amusement spreading across his face. “No, Kate. We’ll be done in a minute.” His eyes are glued to me as he listens to Kate bitch through the phone.
“Done?” she shrieks so loud I can hear her voice echo from downstairs as well. Ray freezes, realizing what he has just said. Grabbing the phone from his hand, I end the call.
Burying his head in my chest, he groans. “Did I just—” he stops, unable to finish his sentence.
I laugh loudly. “Yes, you did.” His face is blood red when he meets my eyes again. Jumping off the sink, I straighten my hair and clothes while Ray paces the bathroom. “Come on, let’s go serve some food.”
The minute we walk into the kitchen, Kate glances up at us with an amused grin. “That was fast,” she snickers, handing a woman an order of nachos.
“You need to learn to mind your own business, Kate,” I snap, punching her arm.
Looking between us as she rubs her arm, Kate’s eyes widen. “You mean— Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fuck up your trip to O’ville. I was only busy with every damned person in a ten-mile radius needing food and drinks.” Throwing her hands up, she gasps. “How will I ever live with the guilt?”
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, bitch,” I tease as her eyes travel down to Ray’s zipper, her smile widens.
“Now that’s a shame,” she admits, turning to me. “A man gets only X numbers of erections in said lifetime before he has to take a magic pill to make his jean’s stalk grow,” she teases. “Rachel, how many of Ray’s are you prepared to waste?”
Holding his hands up in surrender, Ray pleads. “Could we please not discuss the shelf life of my dick like an algebra lesson?”
I can’t help giggling at him as he adjusts himself before sitting in the chair. Bending, I add more ice to the cooler. Ray groans painfully, making Kate laugh hysterically. “Well, this is fun,” she teases, slapping my ass before moving around the table. “But, I’m taking a break.” Kate tosses over her shoulder as she walks out the door into the yard.
“I’ll give her fifteen minutes,” Ray says, arching a brow at me. “Then I’m going to start callin’ her ass.” Patting his leg, he waits for me to walk over to him. Sitting on his lap, I smile when his arms wrap around me, pulling me close. “I’m convinced she has super powers,” he continues, blowing out a breath. “From now on, I’m calling her the O-liminator.” When I laugh, he smiles a big, sexy grin. “No, seriously, she can stop impending orgasms in a single bound. I believe she has super human cock-blocking skills.”
“Would you look at the cute little concessions boy?”
Ray groans as Zack leans against the doorjamb. Running a hand through his shaggy black hair, his green eyes dance with amusement. “Hi Zack, what can I get you?” I ask scrambling off Ray’s lap.
“Nachos and a cola,” he answers, flashing me a smile. “Oh, and that other chick’s number who’s helpin’ you today.” Zack points out the door, where Kate stands watching the auction.
“You want my sister’s number?” I ask in disbelief, handing him his nachos.
“Hell yes, I do. She hit on me but wouldn’t give me her number,” he explains shaking his head. “Told me to get creative. God, what a woman,” he groans, scrubbing a hand over his stubbly jaw.
“My sister, Kate…” I start,
“Man,” Ray interrupts, jumping from his seat. “I’ll be more than happy to help work some magic out for you. Like a double date or somethin’?”
“Have at it, Houdini,” Zack replies. Grabbing his stuff, he heads out the door to the yard, whistling to himself.
Ray wraps an arm around me, smiling smugly. “What are you smiling about? Fifteen minutes ago you were ready to kill her, now you wanna play matchmaker for the O-liminator?” I ask, curiously.
He shrugs, pulling me close. “The cock-blockers belong together.”
Turning to face him, I inhale his scent and smile. “So that’s your plan, huh? Distraction?”
“Whatever it takes,” he replies, kissing my hair.
Chapter 7
Ray and I stay busy the next four hours, however; Kate remains missing in action. Together he and I break down everything and clean up. Miraculously, Kate hops into the car the moment everything is done, ready to go. Secretly, I wonder if she was hiding in the bushes again while waiting for the rear access door to shut.
“Follow my lead.” Ray whispers, climbing into the backseat. “Hey, Kate; how ‘bout you come out to a club with us tonight?”
“Got you a sister fantasy; do you, Ray?” she asks, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. “I can appreciate your freak side, but I don’t get down like that. Now, if you’ve got a friend for me, consider me there.”
“Actually, I have the perfect guy.”
Kate thinks for a minute, eyeing him skeptically. “Deal.”
“Ray, I haven’t asked my parents if they can keep Alyssa,” I whisper, knowing full well this plan could be shot to shit if my parents have any plans for tonight.
Ray smiles knowingly, “I already checked with Grant.” Of course he did. I should have known Ray would think of everything.
I am going to a club tonight with Ray. On a double date with Kate and Zack? The way things have been between Ray and I today, there is no doubt in my mind where this is heading. The thought has me nervous. Tim was my first. He started out sweet and attentive, but having sex changed things. A lot. What would I do if it changed what was happening between Ray and me?
Once we get home and unload everything into the garage, Ray snatches my hand and tugs me out to the driveway. “You okay with this?” he asks, watching me carefully.
“Yeah,” I breathe. “It’ll be fun.”
Leaning down, he brushes his lips over mine quickly. “I’m going home to change. I’ll get everything lined up with Zack; you girls be ready by seven.” Kissing me once more, he turns and gets into his car. “Bye, baby.” Leaning back against my Mom’s car, I watch Ray pull out of the driveway and drive out of the cul-de-sac.
After some spending time with Alyssa, I am attacked by Kate. She dresses me in a pale pink mini-dress and white heels. After straightening my hair, she threatens to tie me down until I agree to let her do my make-up. My eyes are framed with silver and pink, and clear glaze applied on my lips. She is the complete opposite of me tonight. Her tight red halter dress and black stilettos make us look like yin and yang. Her hair, which is a bit darker than mine, is pulled up with messy curls teasing down her back. “I put your lip gloss in your clutch along with condoms.”
“We look like an angel and the devil,” I giggle.
“What? Some men want the fairy tale,” Kate says pointing to me. Gesturing to herself, a wicked grin spreads across her face. “Ot
hers want to be ruined.”
“Zack is in so much trouble,” I laugh. Grabbing my bag from the counter, I leave the room.
“Wait,” Kate exclaims from the top of the stairs. “Zack?”
“Yep,” I toss over my shoulder. “Ray’s cousin is your date,” I add, heading into the den where Dad rocks in the chair singing to Alyssa.
I stand at the doorway, watching him as he sings Brown-Eyed Girl. Right now, I would give anything to record this moment. Watching him with her has me choking back emotions. “You look beautiful, Rachel,” he says, meeting my eyes.
“Thank you,” I reply, then point to my sleeping baby. “That song works every time.”
“Always did with you too.” Standing to his feet, he walks over to me. “You’re an amazing woman, Rachel. I want you to know how proud I am of you.”
A stray tear escapes, running down my cheek. “I’m finding my way, but it’s still an everyday battle.”
“Tim has so clue what he gave up,” Dad says lowering his voice. “Find someone who loves you and that person will love Alyssa as his own because she is all of the best parts of you,” he shrugs. “That could be Ray. Who knows?”
“I’m not ready to think that way, Dad,” I reply, “I do know that Ray makes me feel better.”
“I like the guy,” he informs me, as if I didn’t already know this. “Rachel, not many men would be okay with someone’s father calling to give him a playbook on how to date his daughter. He wouldn’t put up with the hoops he’s had to jump through if he were only about a good time either. He’s one of the good guys.”
“I know, Dad,” I reply.
“Do your old man a favor, would ya? Just live a little. No, live a lot,” he says running his thumb over my cheek to catch another stray tear.
I nod my agreement as the doorbell rings, “I’ll get it!” Kate exclaims. Running past me, she flings the door open. “You!” she shouts. “What are you doing here?”
