A Beautiful Distraction(26)

“I’ve followed and broken my fair share of rules. But you’re right—the only ones I’m concerned with following are my own.”

Mischief gleamed in his eyes. “And you’re breaking your rules for me?”

“Don’t get cocky. You needed a distraction, and I gave it to you. Besides, my bartender had called the cops and you were about ready to turn an ass kicking into involuntary manslaughter. I can’t be having an investigation at my club because you decided to play the hero.”

“He wasn’t that bad.”

She arched her brows. If that wasn’t denial, she didn’t know what was.

He laughed, tilting his head back toward the ceiling. “Well, he had it coming.”

“You want to tell me about her?” Fallon asked as he looked back down at her.

“Who?”

She crossed her arms. He knew exactly who she was talking about. Not too many reasons a man like him is the way he is, and a woman was undoubtedly the reason. “The one who flipped you inside out. The woman you’re attempting to forget at the bottom of your glass.”

“No.” The volume of his voice lowered and the finality of his tone told her that little topic of conversation wasn’t up for discussion.

“Ah, the suffer-in-silence type. Sexy,” she said, trying to ease some of the sudden tension that hardened his expression.

Standing up from his chair, he picked up his glass and drank the remaining liquor, the glass clanking against the wood bar as he set it back down.

She studied him curiously as his demeanor transformed again. Anger, heartache, guilt—all whirring mutely through his posture.

Capturing her gaze, Rafe took a step toward her, and she swallowed hard. His intensity returned and she willingly shrank beneath it, reveling in the way his masculine stance made her feel crazed and delicate at the same time. His hand fell to her knee and she swore a fire lit on the surface of her skin and ricocheted all the way down to her toes. Long fingers curled around her knees as he pulled her legs apart, pushing his thighs between hers. Her legs instantly closed, the insides of her thighs pressing against the outside of his. Arching her back, she leaned away to look at him, but he only advanced into her, preventing distance from growing between them.

God, he smelled so good. She wanted to coil her fingers into his shirt and pull him to her face so she could inhale. But she was frozen. Motionless by the sheer power of his focus as his velvety dark eyes inched closer to her own.

“You mentioned a distraction,” he whispered, lips lowering to the sensitive skin below her ear, waiting for her to answer.

“Yes,” she replied softly. His hand dropped down and his palm flattened against her hip—and if she hadn’t been so determined not to, she would’ve shuddered.

His fingers grazed up her side until the tip of his thumb brushed beneath her breast. “You’re right. I do need one.” Warm breath bathed the side of her neck, causing her to involuntarily close her eyes. “And I want you to be that distraction for me tonight.”

With his right hand on her side and his left hand latched onto the edge of her barstool, she was trapped between his powerful arms. Arms she imagined would feel incredible wrapped around her.

She wanted to be that distraction for him, which was probably reason enough to say no. She didn’t have flings or random one-night stands. When she was with a man, it was planned and on her terms. It kept her in control. Sex that was brought on by intense sexual tension, desire, and pure wanton need was way too risky. Sex that was planned and initiated for raw, unadulterated pleasure with no other emotions attached was what she liked. Not spontaneous lust.

Yet that was exactly what this was. Lust.

She was helpless against her body’s response to him, imprisoned by his eyes.

Curiosity and an unfamiliar longing swayed her, impulse overruling her. She would give him the distraction he needed. Just this once.





CHAPTER SEVEN


The fresh air whipped across his face as Rafe stepped out of the bar, once again leading Fallon by the small of her back. Her steps were slower now, and he wondered if she was reconsidering his proposition. Fuck, he hoped not. When he’d watched her eyes close as his mouth lingered above her skin¸ he about fucking lost it. It took all the restraint he could muster to refrain from showing her the other ways he could make her feel—show her the other reactions he could set off with his mouth alone.

Fallon pressed the unlock button on the key fob as they reached her car, but before she had an opportunity to open the door, he pinned her to it. His body collapsed against hers, her ass nestling against him as her chest pressed into the car. Inhaling deeply, he breathed her in as he leaned his lips down to the curve of her shoulder.