Dirty Score, A Rough Riders Hockey Novel(52)

Holy shit. She couldn’t remember the last time all three of these men were focused on her. On her life. On advancing her career. Mia was overwhelmed. Aside from that, selling her jersey designs was so out of her current realm of possibility, the thought added more stress. She was having a hard enough time getting her brain around the move to California and working in freaking Hollywood. Taking this leap into selling her designs was another world she knew nothing about and wouldn’t have time for with her new job. Then there was Rafe and this crazy revelation that he wanted time with her.

A girl could only take so many learning curves at once.

“It’s settled.” Joe clapped and swung an arm around Mia’s shoulders. “You and I will fly out together. We’ll talk business on the flight and catch up with the boys at the hotel.”

She should probably be more excited about the business opportunity, but her mind was on Rafe.

Rafe and a hotel.

Rafe and a hotel, and what an absolutely delicious thought that was.

Only… Yeah. Reality.

“Thanks for thinking of me, guys. I’d love to watch you play and check out LA, but I can’t. My budget’s already stretched tight with the move. I can’t do another plane ticket and hotel right now—”

“I’ll take care of it.” All three men said it at the same time. When they looked at each other, Mia laughed. Her face heated, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks. Rafe might be right about Mia being fiercely independent, but she was also grateful for all their generosity.

Rafe was the first to look back at her. “We all obviously want you there. Let LA burn to the ground for a change, Mia.”

Tate gave him a look. “Huh?”

Rafe shook his head. “Something we were talking about earlier.”

Oh Lord. The thought of three days and two nights with Rafe… Of course it wouldn’t be just Rafe. And with Tate and Joe and the Rough Riders so close, there would be a lot of sneaking around, but she couldn’t deny the excitement and hope this little revelation had created—for her relationship with Rafe, to smooth things over with Tate…

Nerves whipped up in her belly, and she pressed a hand to her stomach.

Tate laughed. “That’s her nervous tell. She’s gonna do it.”

Rafe smiled and nodded at Mia, and his expression was filled with a sort of intimate pride. “I’ll make the call.”





12





Rafe stopped at Mia’s hotel room door, blew out a breath, pulled at the cuffs of his shirtsleeves, and knocked. He let his eyes drift to the ceiling, set his feet, clasped one hand over the other. Then took another breath. And let it out slowly.

I’m going to be good.

This is about her business.

This is an important meeting.

The fun stuff can come later.

His teeth clenched, and his eyes closed. God, he wanted the fun stuff now. He hadn’t felt Mia in days, and he swore he was going to go insane.

The door handle clicked, and as it opened, Rafe solidified his vow to stick to business for Mia tonight. To win her some confidence with Silver. Maybe even a little business gig on the side. Nothing major. Just a step in the right direction.

“Hey.” Her voice dragged his gaze down. “You look as handsome as always.”

He saw the flash of a red dress before she opened the door wider and stepped aside to let him in.

“Nice,” he said, looking around at the mini suite.

“Joe says they automatically upgrade him because of his frequent-traveler status.”

Rafe turned toward Mia at the same time she stepped toward him. Her fingers slipped under the lapels of his blazer, and her body pressed against his. His surprise melted in the warm, curvy, soft feel of her against him. And she smelled like sex on cloud nine. Like wildflowers and passion and heat and desire and… God, he wanted her.

“Wow,” he said, stroking his hands over the silky fabric covering her shoulders. “This is a nice surprise.”

She let the door close, then slid her hands up to his shoulders. Rafe walked backward, trying like hell to remember the fun stuff was supposed to come later. But his back hit the door, Mia eased against him, and all his blood rushed south. While he was fighting to pull some back to his brain, her hand wound around the back of his neck and pulled his head down.

And as soon as her mouth opened under his, all those great intentions of Rafe’s went straight to hell. He groaned, cupped her head, and kissed her back. Licked into her mouth, ate at her lips. God, it felt like he hadn’t kissed her in forever. And he didn’t realize how hungry he was until he’d tasted her again.

Before he knew how it happened, he had her pinned against the opposite wall, her legs wrapped at his hips, his erection rubbing between her legs. He broke the kiss and pressed his mouth to her shoulder. “Mia,” he said, breathless. “Jesus Christ. You make me…insane.”