I moved against him, desperate for more of the delicious friction. A low groan tore from his throat. Sparks of pleasure exploded behind my closed eyelids.
I fumbled between us, trying to pull his shirt up. He reared back and yanked it over his head, revealing the broad expanse of muscle that I’d been admiring for the last fortnight.
“You are so hot,” I said.
He laughed, a low, sexy sound, and said, “Coming from you, that’s a compliment.”
“Coming from me?” I quirked a brow.
“The sexiest, smartest woman I’ve ever known.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, and I reached down to pull my shirt over my head. Any shyness was banished by the desire in his eyes.
He wanted me.
Badly.
I loved it.
Quickly, I tugged my bra off. His gaze followed my every move, and a low groan escaped him. He bent low to press kisses against my neck, trailing his mouth down to my breasts. I arched up against him, wanting more. The heat of his tongue dragged against my nipple as his strong hands gripped my waist.
“You’re incredible,” he murmured, pressing kisses against my stomach.
Happiness bubbled within me, followed by a streak of pleasure when he ran his tongue along the expanse of skin right above the waistband of my jeans.
He looked up at me, his fingertips at the buttons. “May I?”
My breath grew short as I nodded.
He had me naked in what felt like seconds. When he pressed his mouth to my center, hot and wet, I gasped. Pleasure exploded through me, and he was relentless, as if he couldn’t get enough of it. As if he couldn’t get enough of me.
I reveled in the feel of his strong hands gripping my hips as his tongue made me see starlight.
When I could take no more, I tugged on his shoulders, trying to drag him up along my body. He did as I requested, propping himself up on his arms over me. I reached between us, gripping his hardness through his jeans.
He groaned, pleasure rich in the sound, and I met his gaze. My voice trembled when I spoke, but I meant every word. “I don’t want anything between us. No clothes. Nothing but your skin against mine.”
Desire darkened his gaze, and his voice was rough when he asked, “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “I’m on birth control, and Tommy and I…well, it’s been a long time, actually. A very long time. So I think I’m good there.”
“Me, too.”
“Good.” I kissed him, my heart hammering with anticipation, my skin hot with desire. “Now hurry.”
He did as I commanded, and I watched, breath held, as he stripped out of the rest of his clothes. Fully nude, he was glorious. Every inch of him was perfect, and when he settled himself on top of me, I moaned, unable to bite back the sound of pleasure.
His body fit perfectly to mine, and when he filled me, it was the most glorious thing I’d ever felt. He moved, all heat and hardness and strength, and the pleasure nearly blinded me. I’d had so many orgasms already, and yet it seemed there was one more waiting to follow. It built and built, a delicious pressure that bound us together.
Rafe pressed his lips to my neck, his breathing quick and harsh as he drove me wild with the perfection of his body. Magic seemed to spark in the air as the waves of pleasure crashed over us, and I thought that I could follow him to the ends of the earth.——
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Isobel
I awoke alone in the bed the next morning. For the briefest moment, I thought it had been a dream. It had certainly been that incredible. Out of this world, even. Nothing in my past life had prepared me for what Rafe could do.
I groaned and stared at the ceiling.
There was no way that had been a good idea. If I wasn’t obsessed with him before, I certainly would be now. It was too soon after Tommy, and I couldn’t trust myself to put my own interests first. I had to find myself, damn it.
There was a fire under my butt as I climbed out of bed and dressed. As expected, I found Rafe in the breakfast room, sitting at one of the six small tables. No one else was in the room, thank fates.
He looked up at me, his expression guarded. It caught me slightly by surprise, but I barreled forward.
“Last night—”
“Was amazing,” he said. “But a mistake.”
“Yes. Exactly.” I sat across from him, trying to keep the blush from my cheeks. “I can’t be involved with anyone right now, so let's pretend it never happened.”
“Agreed.” His tone was stiff, and I couldn’t read it, but I shouldn’t even be trying. Attempting to get a better understanding of his feelings and motivations was exactly the opposite of the easy, lighthearted friendship we were supposed to have.
Fortunately, the B&B host came out of the kitchen at that moment, two large plates in her hands.
“I ordered for you,” Rafe said. “I figured you’d want to get out of here quickly.”
“You were right, thanks.”
“Two full breakfasts,” the host said as she set the plates on the table in front of us. We thanked her, and she headed back to the kitchen.
I looked down at my plate. Eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, toast, and a little square of something I couldn’t identify.
Rafe saw me looking at it and said, “Laverbread. Not bread, but a seaweed cake. A Welsh delicacy.”
As if we’d called her name, Poa appeared on the floor next to me. I looked down at her. “Really?”
Of course. Her nose twitched. I’ll have the sausage, please, and the laverbread.
“You’re familiar with it?”
I’m a world traveler, unlike some people. She gave me a look that made it clear I was the subject of her disdain.
I rolled my eyes but put the sausage and laverbread on the tiny plate that sat to my right, then lowered it to the ground for her. “You’re lucky it’s a big breakfast.”
No, you’re lucky.
I laughed, unable to help myself.
We ate in silence, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t awkward. Every time I looked at Rafe, I thought of last night. It had been incredible. So incredible that it proved it was a bad idea to get too close.
By the time we were finished, I was ready to get the heck out of there. I needed some space to breathe and a distraction so I wouldn’t think about the night before. We collected our bags and said goodbye to the innkeeper, then piled into Rafe’s car. Poa insisted on sitting on my lap, and she dug her claws in every time he took a turn.
We reached the coven headquarters right before our meeting was meant to start, and I gasped with delight. Unlike the Aurora Coven, which kept their headquarters on Charming Cove’s busiest street, the Ceridwen Coven was situated deep in the woods. The small stone cottage sat in a clearing in a tangle of rosebushes. A pretty creek burbled by to the right, and a fawn leapt over it.
“How beautiful,” I said as I climbed out of the car.
Rafe followed. “I want to be skeptical, but this place feels fine.”
“Skeptical?”
“It’s too perfect.”
A dog waddled around the side of the house toward the front yard. He was the sort of creature that was so ugly he was cute, with a lolling tongue, heavy jowls, and a tuft of fur on his head that looked like a toupee. As soon as he saw us, he stopped and farted. Quite loudly.