“You sure you’ll be okay until I get back from ’Nawlins?” He wiped off the countertop with a damp cloth.
She shimmied onto the barstool at the island counter and extended her hands to Rafe. He took two long steps and was in front of her. He raised her hands to his lips and kissed the insides of her palms.
“I’ll be fine, and right here when you get back.” She leaned in to kiss him.
“Hmm, I can change my plans,” he said against her cheek, “and stay here, which is what I’d rather do.” He caressed her hips.
Avery giggled. “Me, too, but you’ve been gone long enough. Take care of your business.”
He stepped deep between her legs. “Business can wait.” He threaded his fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck, dipped his head and kissed her collarbone.
Avery sucked in a breath of desire and instinctively tightened her legs around him. “You’re going to be late,” she whispered.
He brushed his lips along her neck, nibbled the lobe of her ear. “Privilege is the perk of owning your own plane. Can’t leave without me.” He covered her lips with his and drew her tongue into his mouth.
Avery untied the belt on her robe and then looped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for perks,” she said, as Rafe lifted her from the stool. She wrapped her legs around his waist while he walked them into her bedroom.
Rafe eased her down on the bed and braced his weight above her. “Say the word, darlin’,” he whispered in her ear while he stroked her hip and then lifted her left thigh and draped it over his arm, “and I’ll stay.” He nuzzled her neck, dipped his head down to suckle the peaks of her breasts.
Her heart raced. “Rafe...” she moaned.
“Tell me what you want.” He slid his hands beneath her and pushed deep inside.
“Ahhh...” She clung to him. “You...only you.”
“You got me. Always,” he said from between his teeth and let his body prove it.
* * *
“I can drive you to the airport,” Avery dreamily offered as she stretched her naked body beneath the twisted pale blue sheets.
Rafe glanced over his shoulder, lifted the sheet and peeked underneath. “Naw, darlin’, this is how I want to remember you while I’m gone.” He lightly swatted her lush bottom and pushed up off the bed. “Gonna shower and dress. Want anything while I’m up?”
“Hmm,” she moaned. “Nope.” She tugged the sheet up to her chin and closed her eyes.
Rafe chuckled and padded off to the bathroom.
Avery distantly heard the rush of shower water, soon followed by Rafe’s rendition of The Temptations’ “My Girl.” She smiled and burrowed into the overstuffed pillow. How would she manage without Rafe? They spent their days talking, debating, laughing, investing in each other’s happiness, and their nights consummating their love. This would be the first time they’d be apart...since Paris...
The scent of smoke filled her nostrils. Her heart raced. Blackness. Screams. Pain. Sirens. The sheets clung to her damp body. Sinking. She was sinking. Falling. Had to get out.
“Avery!” Rafe gently clasped her shoulder and sat next to her on the bed. “Cher...”
Her eyes flew open. Her body trembled.
Rafe gathered her up in his arms. “Sssh, just a dream, cher.” He rocked and held her until the shaking stopped.
“I’m ok-aay.” She forced a smile and pushed her damp hair away from her face.
“No, you’re not. And I’m not going anywhere. Not leaving you.”
Avery pushed herself into a sitting position. “I’m fine, Rafe. Really. Just a dream—like you said. The doctors said to expect flashbacks. That’s all it was. Period.” She took his face in her hands. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll ask Kerry to stay over until you get back.”
A deep line etched itself between sleek, dark brows. “No. Kerry has to work. You’ll be alone all day.”
“Rafe, it’s just a headache and some bad dreams. I’m not an invalid.”
“I’ll go on one condition only.” He looked hard into her eyes.
She folded her arms and pouted. “What?”
“You stay at my house in Arlington. Alice is there. She can get you whatever you need, keep you company.”
“You mean keep tabs on me,” she said with an arched brow.
“Well, yeah. That, too,” he conceded with that slow smile.
Avery huffed, pondered the offer. “Okay. If that’s what it’s gonna take to get you on that plane.”
“That’s exactly what it’s gonna take. I’ll call and let Alice know to stock up. Make a list of anything special you want and I’ll let her know.” He pointed a finger at her. “List. Pack.” He winked and then turned to get his clothes and dress.
By the time he’d finished dressing, Avery was ready to get into the shower. She’d left a list on the bed. Rafe grinned. Martini mix and taco fixings. He placed a call to Alice and let her know company was coming. Alice was delighted that Avery would be staying at the house and promised to take great care of her while he was gone.
“Got everything?” Rafe asked while he carried her bag to the door.
Avery stood in the middle of her living room and took a slow, deliberate look around. She drew in a deep breath. Every move that she’d made since she graduated high school was to establish independence. After she lost her mother in her teens and spent almost the next decade eating her way through life, before she hit her own near-life-or-death moment, she finally turned all her energy into gaining control over every aspect of her life—from healthy eating to religiously exercising, to a laser focus on rising up the ranks of the Secret Service. She cherished the life that she’d built for herself, by herself, even as her father worked tirelessly to keep her reined in.
This packing up and going to stay at Rafe’s place, under his direction, went against every instinct of self-preservation that she had. She gritted her teeth. “I think so,” she finally said. She hiked her oversize zebra-print tote over her shoulder, snatched up her keys from the table by the door and walked out. “What about my car?”
Rafe opened the passenger door to his Navigator and froze when he caught the look of panic in her eyes. He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “Cher,” he crooned, “we’ll take your car if you want, and leave mine here. I’ll take a cab to the airfield.”
The burn of tears threatened to spill. She blinked rapidly and nodded in agreement. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. “I know, darlin’,” he said in his easy drawl. “This isn’t what you want. But I promise, it’s going to be all right. Trust me.” He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “Trust me.”
Avery swallowed over the dry knot in her throat. “I do.”
“Good.” He shut the passenger door of his Navigator, took her keys, walked around and opened her car door.
Avery tossed her tote on the back seat while Rafe stowed her bags in the trunk and then got in behind the wheel.
“Listen...”