by Kali Argent
“No, and I didn’t ask.”
“She’s probably with that idiot, Daniel. She doesn’t think. Why doesn’t she ever think?” Finding her purse on the corner of the nightstand, she snatched it up and dug her phone out of it. Before she could locate Melissa’s number, however, Rafe plucked the device from her fingers and backed out of reach. “Hey! Give that back.”
“What exactly do you plan to do?”
“Call my sister, of course.” He hadn’t seemed that thick, but perhaps she’d misjudged him.
“No.” Rafe inspected the phone as though he’d never seen one. “You plan to fight with her.”
“That’s up to her.” If Melissa wanted to be irrational, Cecily couldn’t stop that. “Besides, I really don’t think it’s any of your business.”
“You’re probably right. Still, I don’t see what that has to do with your need to control your sister.”
“I’m not controlling her.” No one could control Melissa, not even her parade of lovers. “You wouldn’t get it.”
“You’re probably right about that, too.” A long, uncomfortable silence stretched between them, but eventually, Rafe sighed as he passed the phone to her. “Try to get some rest and stay off that foot for a few days.”
“You’re leaving?” She’d been ready for him to leave twenty minutes ago, but this didn’t feel right.
“It was a pleasure rescuing you, Cecily Baker.” Leaning over the bed, he brushed the hair away from her face and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to her forehead. “You are unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”
He continued to stare down at her as if he wanted to say more, but no words ever came. Eventually, he straightened and turned for the door.
“Rafe,” she called when he’d reached the doorway.
She didn’t know why she’d stopped him or what she meant to say. She just knew she wasn’t ready for him to leave.
Straddling the threshold, he looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Goodbye, Cecily.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Standing on the welcome mat in front of Cecily’s apartment, Rafe lifted his hand for the third time but stopped once again before knocking.
She probably didn’t want to see him, especially after he’d forced his way into her personal affairs. He couldn’t blame her, but for three days, he’d done nothing but eat, sleep, work, and think about that beautiful, pigheaded woman.
He really needed to get a grip. Sucking in a deep breath, he held it for a heartbeat, then exhaled through his nose. If his hand trembled slightly when he knocked, at least there was no one there to witness it. Damn, it had been a long time since a woman had twisted him up in so many knots.
The door swung open almost immediately, and Melissa Baker looked up at him with a devilish grin. “Well, well, well. Back for more? I didn’t think there’d be anything left once Cecily finished with you.”
Ignoring the attitude, Rafe tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and smiled. “Speaking of your sister, is she around?”
“Of course. She never goes anywhere or does anything. Ever.” Opening the door a little wider, she stepped to the side, clearing a path into the living room. “Come on in.” She pointed down the short corridor that led to Cecily’s bedroom. “She’s in her room. I’m sure you remember the way.”
Clearly, the pair hadn’t made amends since the last time he’d seen them. “Yeah, I remember. Thank you.”
“I’m meeting a friend for lunch. Maybe you can keep the Ice Queen occupied so she doesn’t have a coronary that I left.”
“Have a nice lunch.” No way was he getting in the middle of that.
“I’m a grown woman.” Melissa spun toward him, making the skirt of her pink sundress flare out around her. “She’s such a control freak, and she thinks I can’t blow my nose without her supervision.” Her bright green eyes flashed with a mixture of ire and dejection. “Who acts like that?”
Pulling double duty at the club as a bouncer and a bartender, Rafe had broken up a number of disputes and listened to countless drunken rants. Melissa felt suffocated and misunderstood. Cecily felt unappreciated. Unless someone was willing to bend, they were both going to end up miserable.
“She just loves you and wants to protect you. That’s not such a bad thing.”
Clearly, that wasn’t the answer Melissa wanted to hear. With a dissatisfied snort, she snatched her purse off the counter and stalked past him, slamming the door on her way out with enough force to rattle the wall.
“Nice to see you again,” Rafe muttered to the empty room.
“Melissa?” Footsteps shuffled down the hallway, and a moment later, Cecily limped into view. “Rafe? What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d drop by and see how you’re feeling.” Lame. “I mean, I was already in the neighborhood.” Lamer. Rafe carded his fingers through his hair and chuckled. “I was thinking about you, and I wanted to see you.”
When in doubt, tell the truth.
“I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking about you, too.”
“Is that right? It’s the superhero thing, isn’t it?”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt.” When Cecily smiled, it transformed her entire face, giving him a glimpse behind her cool exterior. “I wanted to apologize for the way I acted the other night, about Melissa and everything else. I shouldn’t have dragged you into my drama.”
Even without makeup or her hair twisted into artful curls, she was beautiful. Maybe more so. Rafe had always appreciated a woman’s natural beauty, and Cecily had it in spades.
“I like a good scandal as much as the next guy, but I’d also really like to get to know you without all the distractions.” He’d been working up to this part for days, but his preparation didn’t make it any easier. “Would you like to have lunch with me? Or maybe coffee? Nothing too serious and no pressure.”
Cecily stared at him for a long time before her lips finally curved at the corners. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she bit down on her bottom lip and nodded. The innocence of the action, the vulnerability in it, shattered all of his preconceptions.
In that moment, she wasn’t the strong, independent, stubborn woman he’d met on the sidewalk. She was shy, insecure, and just as nervous as he was, transformed into a teenager once again because a boy had asked her out on a date.
“I’d like that. Just let me get dressed.” She tugged at the hem of her holey, red T-shirt as she scuffed her toes across the carpeted floor. “I guess I really should get some new lounge clothes.”
The wide-necked shirt hung off her shoulders, and the cotton shorts were literally coming apart at the seams. “I don’t think you should change anything.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. You look adorable, and more importantly, you look comfortable.” Rafe plopped down on the sofa and dug around in the cushions for the remote. “I can entertain myself. Go get dressed.”
“There’s water and soda in the fridge. Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute.”
“Take your time.” He’d wait as long as it took.
~
“You work from home, right? What exactly is it you do?”
The afternoon sun glinted off the windows of the Canal Walk Café, warming the small patio despite the chill in the air. Cecily had changed into a pair of jeans and a white, long-sleeved blouse that dipped low between her breasts. She’d left her hair loose, and other than a touch of mascara, she’d foregone any makeup.
Rafe couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“I’m a graphic artist and illustrator.” She stopped there, as though that explained everything, and stuffed half a beignet in her mouth with a cute moan of appreciation. “These are fabulous.”
“Graphic art, like video games?”
“No, no, nothing like that.” She waved her hand around as she took a sip from her coffee mug. “I do freelance work with privately owned shops in the area. I create all sorts of things for them like fliers, banners, brochures, and different
promotional stuff. Mostly, I do cover designs for self-published authors.”
“And you draw these designs?”
“Not usually, but if they want something specific, I can do that.”
Rafe couldn’t draw a straight line, let alone create an entire book cover. “Color me impressed. I’d love to see your work sometime.”
“Really?”
Resting his elbows on the tabletop, he curled his fingers around his own mug of steaming coffee and tilted his head to the side. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Okay, well…” Cecily shifted in her chair and pointed to a bar and grill across the street. “Benjamin’s? See that logo on the awning? I designed that.”
Hearing about her art had impressed him, but seeing it, even in an ordinary logo, awed him. “No shit?”
“No shit,” she answered easily. “Okay, your turn. How long have you been a bouncer?”
“I mostly tend bar, have for about eight years now.” It wasn’t a long story, or even a particularly interesting one. “A couple of months ago, the summer guys left to go back to school. The owner needed someone to work the door a few nights a week, and I needed the extra shifts. Everyone wins.”
Cecily watched him thoughtfully, a shallow valley forming over the bridge of her nose. “See, now I find that impressive. I can barely mix a Jack and Coke.” She brought her mug to her lips again. “So, do you have a specialty drink?”
“Naturally.”
“Are you going to tell me what it is?”
Taking a chance, he reached across the table, taking her hand in his own, and stroked his thumb across the knuckles. “Nope, but if you come into the club on Friday, I’ll make it for you.”
Cecily arched an eyebrow, but her lips quirked on one side into a playful smile. “Okay. Sure. Why not?” Easing her hand out his grasp, she settled it in her lap. “I should get back.”
Unsure of how to read her mixed signals, Rafe decided to focus only on the positive. For all intents and purposes, she had agreed to a second date, and even though he’d be working, he’d do what he could to make it special.
Leaning to the side, he pulled his wallet from his back pocket and shifted through the bills until he found a twenty, then slipped it under the salt shaker, along with their check.
“Come on.” He pushed his chair away from the table and stood. “I’ll walk you home.”
Cecily used the golden, cloth napkin to brush powdered sugar from her blouse and fingers before joining him. “Do you live close by?”
“A few blocks from here.” He didn’t offer more, and she didn’t press. “How’s your ankle?”
“It’s still sore, but better. At least I can put weight on it now.” She led him across the street to the canal and along the walkway by the water. “This is one of my favorite places in the whole city. Sometimes, I sit out on my balcony and just watch the people down here.” Leaning sideways, she bumped against his arm. “Do you have a favorite place?”
“I guess I’ve never thought about it.” Other than Electric Mist and his crappy one-bedroom apartment, he didn’t get out much. “I like Victory Field. Does that count?”
“Definitely not.” Cecily’s dark hair bounced around her face when she shook her head. “You’re a baseball fan? I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”
“What do you have against baseball, sweetheart?”
She opened her mouth but paused, likely working through how she felt about the endearment. The seconds ticked by, and apparently, she’d decided she could live with it, because a blush stained her cheeks when she spoke again.
“I don’t know.” Her words were slow and measured, and her button nose crinkled as she jerked her shoulders in a manner that suggested a shrug, just with more attitude. “I think baseball is boring.”
“Sacrilege!” Pressing his right palm over his heart, he used his other hand to give Cecily a gentle push. “You’re right. We really can’t be friends anymore.” Honestly, he didn’t much care for baseball, either, but it was something to do in the city he could actually afford. “Begone, heathen!”
She laughed, a rich, genuine laugh straight from the belly, and the pure joy in it made Rafe laugh as well. He loved finding these hidden layers of her personality, and it always made him feel special when she let him see them.
People in general, he understood. For the most part, they all wanted the same things, and he considered himself a fairly decent judge of character. In his line of work, he had to be. With Cecily, though, she never did what he expected. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she always did something to surprise him.
The more he learned, the more he wanted to know, and somehow, he was sure he’d only begun to scratch the surface.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Honey, I’m home!”
Rolling her eyes, Cecily saved the progress on her latest project and pushed away from her desk. Rafe had been by almost every day for the past three weeks. Even when she’d ditched their “date” at the club without explanation, he kept showing up.
“Melissa, what did I tell you about bringing home strays?”
“I didn’t,” her sister protested around a fit of giggles. “He just followed me here.”
Ignoring them both, Rafe crossed the room in three long strides to place a kiss on Cecily’s cheek. “What’s the story, Morning Glory?”
“What’s the word, Mockingbird?”
“You two are terrible.” Bouncing up on her toes, Melissa placed a quick peck on Rafe’s cheek, then turned to give Cecily the same treatment. “I like you better when he’s around, so I guess we can keep him.” Then she sashayed out of the room, humming off-key under her breath as she went.
“Ignore her. She’s an idiot.”
“I don’t know. I kind of agree with her. We are terrible.”
“The worst.” Hell, it even nauseated her when she thought too hard about it. “I meant the part about keeping you. We’re not.”
Rafe puffed his lower lip out in an exaggerated pout. “But…I’m useful. I can lift all the heavy stuff.” Raising both arms, he curled his fists inward to flex his muscles, seriously testing the elasticity of his Indianapolis Indians T-shirt. “Granted, I’m not good for much else, but if you have a couch that needs moving, I’m your guy.”
Secretly, Cecily found it refreshing to meet a man who didn’t feel the need to posture or prove his masculinity at every turn. Rafe never took himself too seriously, but he could also be sincere and compassionate. He made her laugh, and he listened, really listened, when she talked. In a short time, he’d broken through her wall of cynicism and distrust, and she found herself looking forward to spending time with him.
For the first time in a long time, she was…happy. Not just content, but actually happy.
“If I ever decide to move, you’ll be the first to know.”
“You can help me move,” Melissa interrupted as she strolled back into the living room.
“Sure.” Rafe shrugged. “When are you moving?”
“Couple of weeks.” Dropping her purse on the kitchen bar, Melissa folded her hands together and beamed. “I’m moving in with Daniel.”
“Oh, well…” He rubbed the back of his head, clearly fumbling for what to say next. “That’s great. Congratulations.”
“No, it’s not great, and she definitely will not be moving in with Daniel.” Why Melissa insisted on acting like a lovesick twit, Cecily would never understand. Her sister obviously needed someone to save her from herself. “When are you going to grow up?”
“I’ve been grown for a while now,” Melissa countered. “When are you going to start treating me like it?”
“Shacking up with some guy you met at a bar a few weeks ago is not responsible, adult behavior.”
“It’s my life.” Melissa jabbed herself in the chest with her forefinger as she pressed in between Cecily and Rafe. “Is it a mistake? Maybe, but you know what? It’s my mistake. Why can’t you just be happy for me?”
&n
bsp; “Because who do you think is going to have to pick up the pieces when this all falls apart?”
“Ladies—”
“Butt out.” Melissa poked Rafe in the stomach before rounding on Cecily again. “Who says it’ll fall apart? Maybe things will work out with Daniel, and maybe they won’t, but that’s not for you to say.”
“It always falls apart!”
“Ladies, please—”
“Rafe, go home.” Cecily didn’t need witnesses for the murder she was about to commit. Besides, the poor guy didn’t deserve the abuse being hurled in his direction. “I’ll call you later, okay? Or just come back tonight.”
“This is what I’m talking about.” Melissa waved an accusing finger in Cecily’s face. “How do you two know it’s going to work out? How do you know nothing bad will happen? Maybe you’ll break his heart.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder and shrugged. “Maybe he’ll break yours. You won’t know unless you take a chance.”
“We’re not talking about me.” Though they’d spent almost every day together since meeting, she and Rafe had yet to share even a simple kiss. Yet, there Melissa stood, talking about broken hearts. “The problem is that you take too many chances.”
“At least I’m not going to end up alone and bitter.”
“Okay, okay.” Taking Melissa’s purse off the kitchen bar, Rafe stuffed it into her hands and steered her toward the door. “You were going out, right?”
“Yeah, I’m meeting Daniel at the park.” She slung the bag over her shoulder and huffed. “I’m probably going to be late now.”
“That’s good. You go meet Daniel.” Rafe opened the front door and practically shoved her through it. “Have fun. Take your time. Maybe have a nice dinner later.”
“We were just going to walk through the—”
Slamming the door in her face, Rafe hung his head and groaned. “Do you two ever not fight?”
“She just drives me so crazy. I mean, you see how she acts.” What the hell was she doing? She didn’t have to defend herself or justify her actions. “I think you should go, Rafe.”
