Seduced (Surrender #3)(25)
Author: Melody Anne

Rachel came fully alive again as she lifted her head and looked into his burning eyes.

“You didn’t think we were finished, did you?” he asked.

Ohh, this was a good, good night.

Chapter Fifteen

Ari

You are welcome to stay and look through the journal. There is cereal in the cupboard, fruit cut up in the fridge, and coffee brewing. I have to be out the rest of the day on business, but here’s my number in case you need it. I will drop everything for your call. By the way, it took every ounce of control I possess not to slowly strip you of your clothing and sink my constantly hard body deep inside your moist folds. I could practically taste you on my tongue as I pictured your beautiful hot pink flesh. I want you — need you — am incomplete without you. Just a simple yes from you and I will make you scream in ecstasy beyond anything you’ve felt before. Thinking of you right this minute. Hard for you. Ready to take you. Any time. Anywhere.

Rafe

Ari did not see that letter from Rafe. She didn’t know what he’d written in a growing frenzy driven by his immediate thoughts of her. His second thoughts had intervened. Here he’d just been telling himself that Ari was a romantic, that he should treat her as a woman should be treated, not as just an ornament for his bed. How had he screwed up so royally? That letter would probably have gone over like a lead balloon. It was crass and coarse and it treated Ari as little more than a much-desired body. So he’d put it through the shredder and started again. His second draft began with breakfast and business matters. And it continued —

I will drop everything for your call. You must know that it took every ounce of control I had to obey your request that I not touch you. You know that I ache for you in every fiber of my being. I want you — need you — am incomplete without you. Being in the same room with you last night was gloriously painful, and I hope that we can repeat it. Any time. Anywhere.

Love, Rafe

Ari looked at the handwritten note and single orchid lying on Rafe’s unused pillow and her gut clenched with need. No. No. No. What was he doing to her? She’d been down this road and it had been a complete disaster.

She couldn’t cave in to her desire. If she did, she’d be right where she was before and she’d never be free. But a voice in her head argued that this was different. He was different.

“They always say they’re different!” she shouted at herself, then looked around the empty room feeling like a fool. Now she was speaking to voices in her head. This wasn’t healthy, not healthy at all.

Ari rose from his bed, having known exactly where she was from the moment she’d awoken. Once you slept with a man like Rafe, his scent washed through you, never left your consciousness. Without opening her eyes, she’d known she was in his bed. She just hadn’t known whether he was in there with her.

Ari didn’t want to admit it, but she was slightly disappointed that his side had been vacant and unrumpled. She was so indecisive, and that angered her. She’d been strong two years ago — strong enough to walk away from him. But he’d been demanding and arrogant. It had been hard to leave, though clearly not impossible.

This new Rafe, intent on seducing her in a civilized way, was zapping her of willpower. She wanted to say yes and fall into his arms. It shamed her even to think this way, but she wanted him to take the choice away from her so she wouldn’t have a reason to feel guilty about what she’d chosen.

That made her weak — that alone should have made her feel guilty.

Ari found a change of clothes in the bathroom, in her size and something she was sure to love. He wasn’t holding anything back in this quest he was on. Her favorite shampoo and body wash were there, along with her well-loved lotion.

She should leave, gather her purse and briefcase and just go home, she told herself. But an evil grin spread across her face.

She’d been so busy playing defense, the thought of playing offense hadn’t even occurred to her. Rafe said he was intent on seducing her — OK, she’d just have to see how intent he really was. If she pushed him, would he become the same ruthless man she’d first met? Would he show her he hadn’t changed, and make her decision so much easier?

It was time to find out.

Stripping off her clothes, Ari let them fall to the ground, her panties billowing out as they floated on top of her skirt and blouse. Leaving them there, she turned the shower on, making it steaming hot, almost to the point of scalding her, then climbed in and used a generous amount of the shampoo and body wash that Rafe had provided.

By the time she’d climbed from the shower, her skin was red and his bathroom was filled with her scent. She applied lotion generously to herself, and even placed a touch of it behind the faucets to make his bathroom really smell like her, then she put on the clothes he’d left out.

With only a glance at her discarded clothes, she walked from the room and entered his living room. She wished she could sit down and pore over the pages of the journal once more, but she didn’t want to take a chance that he might show up early. With a longing look at the old leather cover, she walked out his front door.

Let the games begin.

* * * * *

Should he call or shouldn’t he? He could email. No. He’d said the ball was in her court. He’d left her a nice message, clothes, her favorite bathroom products, even food. It was only fair that she call and thank him.

Right?

Yes. Anyone would say thank you. He’d been considerate and kind — not demanding anything of her. Holy hell, he should receive a giant gold medallion for not touching her the night before. He’d certainly earned it. She wasn’t easy to resist, but he’d walked from the room.

He wanted a damn award!

Rafe continued gazing at his phone as if his will would make the electronic device ring. This was ridiculous. He paced his office, irritated that he was allowing this woman to affect him so much — to completely throw him from his normal cool, composed self.

“Mr. Palazzo, you have a call on line three.”

Rafe’s heart sped up as he gazed at the phone. He’d given her his cell number, not his business line. Not that his cell had changed in the last two years, but he didn’t trust that she still had it on her. He was sure that was the first thing she’d deleted from her phone when she’d walked away from him.

Maybe she had called him on the office phone.

“For criminy’s sake!” Rafe grumbled as he walked to his desk and picked up the phone. “Rafe Palazzo,” he snapped.