“No, I had a great time with you. Well, except for when you decided to brag on and on about how you are Brazil’s greatest swimmer.”
“We casually discussed our racing careers. You made that, probably correct, assumption all on your own.”
Chloe and Raul begin laughing at each other, both enjoying the joke between them. The air grows silent though, and Chloe feels her heart draw closer to Raul and the air around them grow thick. Chloe leans close to Raul and presses her lips against Raul’s.
It lasts for a second before Raul deepens their kiss. Chloe can taste the chocolate from the dessert they had. Her senses are filled with the aroma of Raul’s cologne and the feel of his hard muscles against the softer parts of her body.
They both pull back to take some deep breaths, never letting their gazes move from each other. Raul lets his hands explore the backside of Chloe and hers massages at the muscles decorating his arms and chest.
“Did you,” Chloe breathes, “want to come up?”
Raul answers with a kiss more intense then their last, his tongue dancing a samba with hers. Chloe pulls back and grabs Raul’s hand to lead him to the doors to her building.
They barely make it to the doors when Raul pulls Chloe back to him, kissing her the whole time. She responds in full, letting one of her legs wrap around his. Raul’s hand grips onto Chloe’s thigh, and he squeezes. Raul is the one to pull back now.
“We should head inside,” Raul manages.
Chloe nods her head and pulls the door open. She pulls Raul inside with her, but he takes the lead and takes her to the elevator. Raul pushes the button and Chloe kisses along his jaw while they wait for the lift to come down.
When the doors open, Chloe bursts through and presses the button for her floor. They momentarily end the kissing, yet their hands never leave each other’s bodies. It feels as if the elevator takes eternity for it to open up to Chloe’s floor.
The couple nearly runs down the hall, feeling each other the whole way. Chloe’s door looms in the florescent lighting, beckoning the couple inside. Raul takes the key from Chloe and opens it up for them. He tosses the key onto the small bedside table and pulls Chloe over to the bed.
Chloe starts the kiss again, letting her own tongue explore his mouth, taking in the pure flavor of him. She breaks away and pushes Raul down onto her bed, smiling down at him as she reaches for the zipper on the back of her dress. Raul has his eyes glued to her as she takes the dress off her shoulders and lets it fall to the ground. All that is showing is her nude bra and pantie set.
“You are very coordinated,” Raul jokes.
“Let’s see what you’re working with then,” Chloe smiles.
Raul nods and stands up. The first thing to come off is his sport coat and dress shoes. He turns in a circle with his arms out, making Chloe break into a laugh.
“I think you need to take it down to the underwear,” Chloe decides.
“I knew I forgot something today,” Raul jokes.
Chloe’s eyes go wide as Raul takes his shirt off, one button at a time. He finally has his whole chest and stomach revealed and is discarding his shirt. Chloe stares on, her own body growing excited at the thought of getting to touch the body in front of her.
Raul winks and takes the belt holding his slacks up off and tosses it onto the bed opposite of Chloe’s. Next, he slowly takes his pants off, showing a pair of SpongeBob boxers. Chloe loses it and breaks into a fit of giggles.
“Probably should have not worn any today,” Raul comments.
He takes the boxers off next and Chloe freezes at the sight of what is to come next. Deciding to fight fire with fire, Chloe kicks off her heels and undoes her bra. She holds it close to her chest before letting it fall, innocently, to the floor. Chloe pins her gaze to what Raul is growing below his belt while she slips her panties to the floor and kicks it to the pile she created.
“You were probably right,” Chloe murmurs.
Chloe takes the lead and saunters up to Raul, pressing their naked bodies together while giving Raul the deepest kiss yet. He responds and lifts Chloe up prompting her to wrap her legs around his waist.
Raul sets them down onto the bed, smiling as he breaks the kiss and moves onto kiss other parts of Chloe’s body to make her squirm in pleasure. She grips onto his hair as Raul moves lower and lower until he is at her core.
Chapter Twelve
There is a warm body pressed against Chloe, making it unbearably hot in the bed. She opens her eyes to see Raul sleeping face to face with her. Chloe smiles to herself as the feelings and images from last night come pouring in.
“What are you so happy about?” Raul murmurs.
Raul’s own eyes blink open and a smile takes over his face.
“Wait, I think I already know that answer,” Raul replies to himself.
He pulls Chloe closer to his body and she forgets all about the uncomfortable heat in the bed. Chloe initiates their next kiss, letting her body wake up all on its own.
“You are not helping my morning situation,” Raul purrs.
“Oh, I think I could help it,” Chloe whispers back.
“I really hope you don’t help it,” Kylie says.
Chloe nearly falls out the bed in surprise as Raul yells in return. They both look over and see Kylie eating a bagel on her bed. She still has her pajamas on and smeared makeup of her own.
“Were you in here last night when we?” Chloe asks.
“Next time put a sock on the door or something,” Kylie laughs.
“Seriously? You walked in on us?” Raul questions.
Chloe looks over and busts out laughing as she watches Raul try to cover his erection with the pillow they were sharing. Kylie raises a brow at Raul as well before throwing her pillow at him too.
“Based on the noises last night, it seems that you are well-endowed,” Kylie says.
“How would you… Never mind! I do not want to know how you came to that conclusion,” Chloe deadpans.
Kylie takes another bite of her bagel, a smug look finding its way onto her face. Chloe fights the urge to snatch the bagel and throw it out the window between the beds.
“You can imagine though, based on the fun you had last night,” Kylie jokes.
Raul takes the pillow that Kylie threw and uses it to cover his face. Chloe looks over at the exasperated man and breaks into giggles. He tries to swat at her, but misses each and every time. Finally, he sits up in the bed and glares at Kylie.
“You need to leave,” Raul announces.
“Why?” Kylie questions.
“Because I am naked, and I need to put my pants on.”
“It is not like I haven’t seen a penis before. Seriously, just last night,” Kylie stops.
“Last night? With whom?” Chloe accuses.
“What man do you think? The obnoxious one who apparently likes to be friends with your dream man over here.”
Kylie jumps off her bed and moves to go out the door. She glares daggers at Raul before sending a sweet smile to Chloe. Kylie grabs Raul’s boxers and waves them before leaving the room with them. Raul jumps out of the bed as soon as the door closes, giving Chloe a great view of his ass.
“She stole my underwear,” Raul exclaims.
“Do you really need underwear though?” Chloe asks.
Raul turns around and spots her admiring his figure. He smiles at her and saunters back over to the bed. Chloe smiles sweetly up at him, taking the covers over her body off and showing him her body.
“No sex. I am coming back in within two minutes,” Kylie calls from behind the door.
Chloe breaks into a fit of giggles as she grabs a shirt from the drawer in her nightstand. She slips it on and stands up. Raul is transfixed as Chloe slips on her panties from the night before.
“Aren’t you going to get dressed?” Chloe asks.
“You transfixed me, Chloe,” Raul admits.
Chloe picks up his pants and throws them at him. Raul reluctantly slips them on, just in t
ime as Kylie comes back inside the room. She looks at Raul’s chest and finishes off her bagel.
“Look at you, all supermodel-esque without a shirt on,” Kylie teases.
“And look at you, a toddler in her pajamas,” Raul gives back.
“And look at me, all perfume commercial sexy,” Chloe jokes.
Everyone in the room breaks into a fit of laughter. Chloe falls back onto her bed, and Kylie joins her. Chloe is shocked when Kylie suddenly jumps up, looking down at the bed and then back to Chloe.
“Wash your sheets,” Kylie interjects.
“It was just a little sex,” Raul comments.
“Yes, but I do not need certain bodily fluids on my person when Chloe and I bond over talking about where those fluids come from.”
“Do girls really do that?” Raul asks Chloe.
“She does,” Chloe says.
Raul shakes his head and puts on his shoes, pocketing his socks. Chloe picks up his belt and hands hit to him. Raul puts it on and then snatches his shirt from the ground. Kylie holds up the coat to him, acting as if it is diseased and she shouldn’t be touching it.
Raul takes it from her and folds it over his arm. He walks over to Chloe, sitting on her bed, and leans down. He gives her a deep kiss before pulling back and winking.
“I will see you later, Chloe,” Raul says.
Raul looks over at Kylie and gives her a passing glare before opening the door and leaving. Kylie immediately breaks into giggles. Chloe throws a pillow at her friend and finds one hitting her in the face as well.
“You did not need to antagonize him,” Chloe declares.
“But it was so much fun,” Kylie complains. “Plus, I got his underwear.”
Kylie holds up the SpongeBob covered boxers with a proud smile on her face.
“You can wash them and take them home as a souvenir.”
“Between everything you have bought and are planning to buy today, I think we are covered on the souvenir front.”
“Suit yourself,” Kylie says.
Chapter Thirteen
“So, do you think I could put some of my clothes in your suitcase?” Kylie asks.
“Why?” Chloe questions back.
“I may have bought too many things.”
Chloe laughs at her friend while rifling through a rack of colorful bikinis. She finds one that she thinks Raul would probably like, a bright blue one that compliments her tanned skin. Kylie is still blabbing on about how packed her suitcase is and that maybe she should just buy another suitcase to take home and bite the costs.
“I like that idea,” Chloe chimes.
Chloe picks her size of the bikini off the rack and smiles to herself. She moves onto another rack to look through cover ups. Might as we'll find one that matches the bikini to really impress Raul.
“Don't look now, but a demon is headed our way,” Kylie whispers at Chloe.
Chloe looks up and sees Natalie smiling and walking toward her. She fights the urge to run away and the urge to tell Natalie to just leave. No sense not standing up for herself.
“I saw your article this morning,” Natalie glows.
“What article?” Chloe ponders.
“Why, the one detailing your little adventure last night. You must not be focused on the race at all if you have time to smash your face against someone else's.”
Chloe tries not to slap the Englishwoman in front of her. She is mystified that there is even any article about her when she is not even that big of a name at the Olympics for the USA.
“I am surprised you have time to shop, I would have thought that practicing would be at the top of your list since you placed fourth last time we raced against each other. You know that this race is for the best of the best, and, well, you are not at your best.”
Chloe fires her shot and walks away from the newly silenced Natalie. She does not need that woman around harassing her when she is just out to have some fun before taking home a medal to hang in her classroom. Chloe picks up a white cover up in her size and walks her items to the checkout, Kylie following behind with her own loot.
The two friends check out, remaining silent with smiles spreading across their faces. By the time they make it onto the street they both break into tremendous laughs. Chloe calms herself down long enough to make the realization that there is an article about her out.
“There is an article about last night,” Chloe exhales.
“Let's just see how bad it is,” Kylie soothes.
Kylie pulls out her phone as the friends walk to a bench to sit on. They search for Chloe's name and find the article in question. The first thing they see is the picture of Raul and Chloe making out at the front of her building. Chloe loses the color in her face and all oxygen to her brain.
“This is bad,” Chloe manages.
“Let's just read what they have to say.”
“My face is the first thing they see.”
“Let me read,” Kylie demands.
Chloe sits in silence while Kylie reads over the article. It is rather small which gives Chloe some hope that it isn't terrible, but that could also be really bad because that means they don't know anything and are making stuff up.
“It is not as bad as you think,” Kylie comments.
“How so?”
“They are only talking about Raul. It looks like it is a Brazilian gossip site. They know your name, but they are wondering if you could be a fling or something that could cause the playboy, their words, to settle down.”
Chloe lets the breath she was holding out. There isn't anything bad there or Kylie would have said to worry. Now the main problem, telling Raul that there is an article about him that could prompt them to end things early.
“Let's just get some lunch, and then I am going to practice,” Chloe sighs.
“Perfect,” Kylie agrees.
The friends head further down the street with their shopping bags. Chloe can only think about calling Raul and telling him everything. Another part of her wants to wait and let herself blow off the steam during her practice; let it all flow into the water and away.
Kylie opens the door to a small café advertising fresh salads. Chloe is assaulted by the cold air, but now she can focus on something other than her own rambling mind. The women are escorted to a nice table near the window and sit. Luckily, it is not below a vent, so they will not freeze.
Chloe takes out her phone, sending a quick message to Raul, asking him to meet with her later at the beach. He sends one back almost immediately agreeing and asking what was up. Kylie is watching Chloe closely as she types away on her phone.
“You really need to just chill until you can talk to him face to face,” Kylie admonishes.
“That is exactly what I am trying to set up.”
Chloe sends a link to the article to Raul and then shuts her phone off. The next conversation they will have will be on the beach where they can talk about everything in full. Chloe focuses on having her lunch with Kylie.
“We need to pick up a suitcase for me on the way back to the Village, by the way,” Kylie interjects as the waitress comes to the table.
They order their food, and then Chloe levels a glare at Kylie.
“Are you serious?” Chloe breathes out.
Kylie just smiles and situates her napkin and utensils. Chloe mocks the movements and gets herself ready for her own meal that would be coming out soon.
Chapter Fourteen
Chloe looks up from her lap around a buoy to see Raul in the distance on the beach. He is waving an arm in the air with his other hand covering the sun from his eyes. Chloe starts heading back to the beach, ready to have a very serious conversation with a man she may not even be in a real relationship with. Swimming leaves her with too much time to think.
It takes her about ten minutes to make it back to shore. Raul is still standing there, next to her bag and towel, waiting for her. Chloe walks up to him and takes the towel from his outstretched hand. They are both rather silent as Chloe dries h
er body. Finally, she breaks the silence.
“So, did you read it?” Chloe asks.
She takes her swim cap off and settles onto the sand, waiting patiently for Raul to talk to her about everything.
“I don’t think we need to make a big deal about it all. I mean, it is our own business and not theirs.”
Raul joins Chloe in the sand and looks over at all the other people on the beach. Everyone is having a great time and are enjoying just being there. Raul slides a bag over to Chloe filled with some delicious-looking food.
“I brought you some dinner. Thought we could eat together,” Raul admits.
“Thank you,” Chloe answers, “I’m going to change clothes first.”
Chloe grabs her bag and heads to the public bathrooms. She changes from her training suit into her new bikini and a pair of cutoff shorts. Chloe sees herself in the mirror and takes her braids out from when she was swimming. She wants to look good for Raul, whether it comes out that this is just a fling or maybe something more.
Satisfied with how she looks, Chloe heads outside back toward Raul, who has the food out and set up on another towel. Chloe sits down next to him and takes one of the containers with rice and meat in it. She takes a bite and flavor explodes in her mouth.
“You mentioned that home cooking would be just as good to you, so I made you some dinner,” Raul admits.
“Raul, you are a truly amazing cook. I seriously am in love with this.”
Chloe and Raul eat a few more bites each before Chloe sets her food down and looks Raul in the eyes.
“What am I to you?” Chloe asks.
Her heart is pounding as she waits for Raul to set his own food down and answer her. It feels like a decade goes by before Raul finally clears his throat and matches Chloe’s gaze.
“I would like to see a relationship for us, because I like you. I really like you, Chloe.”
Chloe feels her heart jump in her chest. She cannot believe that her heart is jumping for a guy that she originally thought was an asshole, here on this beach. Chloe lets her smile stretch completely across her face.
Romance: The Bad Boy Affair: A Second Chance Romance Page 108
