Chapter 29
twenty-nine
. . .
Rafe
I’ve never been a man who worried about time. I’d been too busy living my best life.
But time was suddenly my worst enemy. A brutal reminder that everything good comes to an end.
Not everything was meant to last forever.
Lulu was leaving in a week. We’d prepared for it. We’d talked about it too many times to count. How we’d remain friends after she left. How we’d go our separate ways as we’d be living across the world from one another.
“Do you think you’ll want to get into a more serious relationship after I leave?” she asked, as if we were discussing the weather.
We were sitting on the couch, looking for a new TV series to binge.
We couldn’t pick a series with too many seasons, because we only had a week to finish it.
I glanced at her wearing her cute white flowy crop top and jeans. We just had dinner with Henley and Easton, which ended down by the water. Henley had insisted on snapping a few photos of us as we splashed around in ankle-deep water, almost as if she knew it was all we’d have left to hold onto.
“I wasn’t looking for anything serious before you arrived in Rosewood River, so I don’t know why that would change when you leave.” I shrugged as I moved to thrillers and mysteries and continued scrolling.
“I think you’d be a great long-term boyfriend, Rafael. You know, for someone looking for that.”
I chuckled and looked over at her. “Thanks. You, too.”
I tried not to let my irritation show. She was always inquiring about what I’d do after she left. For someone who wanted to make sure I knew she was leaving, she was awfully concerned about what I would do after she was gone.
“Do you think you’ll be sad when I leave?” she asked.
I set the remote down on the couch and pulled Lulu onto my lap. “Something on your mind, Wildcat?”
“You know I’m an inquisitive person. I’m just wondering how you’re feeling about everything. We obviously had this plan, and I just want to make sure you’re still okay with everything.”
“I’m okay. I mean, I wish you were staying longer, but I knew it was coming, and I know that going to Paris is important to you.”
Her gaze narrowed, and she ran her fingers through my hair. “It’s important that I stay focused, you know? It’s a big opportunity for MSL. For me.”
“I know that. I’m excited for you.” I cleared my throat. “Not going to lie, I wish Paris and Rosewood River weren’t so far away from one another.”
She smiled. “Yeah, I know. But I did a long-distance thing before, and it was a disaster. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“I agree. I don’t think relationships work if you can’t spend time together. They’re hard enough as is. And we knew what this was when we started.”
“Exactly. It was always the plan to call it done when I left.”
I could see the relief on her face that I was agreeing with her, and it felt like a kick to the gut.
A reminder that she was leaving, and she was happy about it.
I’ve never been in this position before, so it was foreign to me. Loving someone so fiercely but knowing that I shouldn’t tell her. It would only complicate things.
So instead, I’d show her.
Sometimes, when you loved someone enough, you had to let them go.
So, I’d let her go and love her from afar.
Because that’s what she wanted.
“So, we’ll call it done, Lulu,” I said, reassuring her. I tugged her head down and kissed her.
Our nights together were always intense.
The sex. The intimacy. The conversation.
Even sleeping with this woman was a mind-fuck because she’d always sleep curled into me, fitting beside me like she was made for me, like she couldn’t stand to be even a few inches apart.
I tipped her back on the couch, hovering above her now.
“I need to taste you right now.” I smiled down at her as her chest rose and fell.
The truth was, I wanted to memorize everything about her.
Every curve and feature on her gorgeous face.
Every inch of her beautiful body.
“You won’t get an argument here,” she whispered, her lips parted and eyes heated.
I kneeled between her legs and peeled her leggings down her body, taking her lacy panties with them.
“Arms up,” I said, and she knew exactly what I wanted.
I wanted her bare for me.
I tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor, pleased to find she wasn’t wearing a bra beneath. I ran my thumbs over her hard peaks before leaning down and kissing her.
Slowly at first.
Her lips. Her neck. Her collarbone. Her tits.
I moved down her stomach, to the apex of her thighs.
And then I buried my face between her legs and licked her from one end to the other.
She groaned as she bucked against me.
And I fucking loved it. Loved the way she responded to me.
“I want you to come with me,” she said as I continued licking her. I raised my head, eyeing her curiously. “Touch yourself while your head is buried between my thighs.”
Fuck me.
I tugged my joggers down, my dick throbbing as I wrapped my hand around it.
And I stroked myself as my tongue slipped inside her.
She tangled her fingers in my hair, grinding up against me as my tongue slid in and out.
She fell back onto the couch, and I watched as she arched her back, her tits bouncing just slightly, nipples hard enough to cut glass.
Her thighs squeezed the sides of my head, and I knew she was close.
I moved faster.
My tongue.
My hand.
Everything a blur.
I was so lost in this woman that I couldn’t see straight.
She bucked against me before crying out my name as she went over the edge. I continued moving between her legs as she rode out every last bit of pleasure.
I was so turned on, it didn’t take much.
One more stroke. “Fuck,” I hissed.
I leaned forward, unloading myself onto her stomach as she watched, her honey-brown gaze sated and sexy.
We were both panting, and I let my head fall back as I caught my breath.
Once our breathing slowed and my eyes found hers, she smiled up at me. “That was much better than Netflix.”
I barked out a laugh before moving to my feet, pulling up my joggers, and going to the bathroom to get a towel and cover it in warm water. I made my way back to the couch and cleaned her up before pulling her onto my lap and wrapping my arms around her.
“Hey, Rafe,” she whispered as we sat in silence in the dark.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t think you should date Jolie. You’re way too good for her.”
I chuckled because this was Lulu’s way of dealing with what was about to happen.
“You got it.” I intertwined my fingers with hers. “And I’d like you to stay away from rock stars.”
“That’s not going to be a problem.”
“It’s our last weekend together,” I said, reminding her that tomorrow was Saturday. “Is there anything you want to do?”
She pulled back to look at me. “You’re keeping your horses out at Axel’s stable, right?”
“Yep. I’ve got three, and they’re gorgeous.”
“I’d love to go riding. I don’t think I’ll be horseback riding in Paris,” she chuckled. “How about you? Do you have anything you want to do?”
“I’d love to fuck you on a horse.”
Her head fell back in laughter. Lulu Sonnet’s laugh could end wars. It could cure diseases. It was that damn good.
“I’m a fairly adventurous girl, but that sounds a little challenging.”
“I’d settle for the stables,” I said.
“Done. We’ll ride the horses, and then I’ll ride you, Rafael.”
“Sounds like a perfect Saturday to me.”
I carried her down the hall and made our way into the bathroom off the primary bedroom. I brushed my teeth and pulled on some pajama bottoms before kissing her forehead and heading for the bedroom. Lulu took a lot longer to get ready for bed than I did. She used a ton of creams and oils, from what I could tell.
I grabbed my laptop and sat down on the bed to work on the numbers for my new client. Some possible investments that I was hoping he’d consider. He told me he had a few friends who were looking for a new advisor, so I was hoping to impress the hell out of him.
My phone vibrated with a text from my boss.
Joseph
Hey. I know it’s the weekend, but Denise booked us a last-minute trip to Cabo, and I’m flying out in the morning. I’ve got three meetings scheduled tomorrow that I’ll need you to lead. I sent the files to your email for you to review tonight.
This was classic Joseph. He didn’t do the prep work for anything. He was the king of delegating. I glanced at my email and noticed he’d just sent the files now. At 9:00 p.m. for an 8:00 a.m. meeting tomorrow, followed by one at 10:30 a.m. and another at noon.
I’d be up all night if I even wanted to attempt to prepare.
I’d never treat my clients the way he treated his.
He did this often, and even though it pissed me off, I always came through for him.
He was my boss, after all.
Lulu strutted out to the bedroom, her hair tied up in that blue thing she called a scrunchie. She was wearing lingerie, a lacy, white one-piece contraption that didn’t cover much.
Holy shit.
She had on a pair of black high heels, and she leaned against the doorway, taking
me in. Her eyes scanned my laptop and phone.
“Do you need to work tonight?” she purred, and my dick sprung to life eagerly.
It was my last weekend with Lulu, and I wasn’t going to spend it working.
I closed my laptop and typed out a quick response to Joseph.
Not around this weekend. You’ll need to find someone else to cover for you.
I didn’t apologize because I wasn’t the selfish asshole who passed off my clients at the last minute.
I realized in that moment that Joseph Chapman was never going to help me break off on my own. He needed me too much. And if I kept doing my job and his, I’d never break off on my own either.
I silenced my phone and set it on my laptop as I placed them both on my nightstand.
“Hell no. I’m all yours, Wildcat.”
I saddled up the horses and helped Lulu up. She hadn’t been on a horse in years, but she was stubborn when it came to accepting help. She liked to prove that she could do everything on her own.
“Hey,” I said, wrapping my hand around her boot that she’d just slipped into the stirrup. “This is my area of expertise. So stop fighting me on it and let me lead, all right?”
“Oh, there’s nothing sexier than an alpha cowboy,” she said.
Axel barked out a laugh as he grabbed a bale of hay off the back of his truck and dropped it on the ground. “That’s going in the group chat. We’re all going to start calling you Alpha Cowboy.”
“If the boots fit,” Lulu said over her laughter.
“Thanks for that.” I shook my head and climbed onto Hank. I’ve had him for about four years, and he was a stunning stallion. Lulu was riding his brother, Bucky, because he was much easier to keep in check. “You ready?”
“I’m ready, Cowboy,” she sang out excitedly, and I could hear my cousin laughing as we took off.
The mountains were gorgeous out here, and she hadn’t gotten to explore this side of Rosewood River a whole lot.
I took her down my favorite trail that very few people knew about, and she surprised me when she stayed right behind me through the narrow passes. We’d been out for over an hour, and I used my hand to motion for her to come up beside me as I came to a stop. “This is my favorite spot out here. You’ve got the perfect view of the river and the mountains, and the smell of pine makes it even better.”
“Wow. It’s stunning. It feels good to be outside today. I missed riding. Henley and I used to ride all the time at boarding school.”
She told me about her high school experience, and we laughed at how different ours had been. She went to boarding school, and I was here in Rosewood River, attending a school that all my siblings and cousins attended, as well.
“I try to ride as often as I can. It clears my mind,” I said. “Haven’t been riding much with keeping the horses out at Axel’s ranch.”
“You seem a little distracted this morning. What’s on your mind, Cowboy?” she said, her voice laced with humor, but when I looked up, I saw the concern in her eyes.
Obviously, I was more than aware that this was our last weekend together, and that was weighing on me more than I thought it would. We still had several days until she left. I was being a pussy, and I wasn’t proud of it.
But I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell her that I was struggling with our brutal reality.
“I’m starting to think that Joseph is never going to support me leaving him. In fact, I would bet all the money I have in the bank that he’s doing all he can to keep me right where I am.”
“Yep. He’s a professional cockblock,” she said with a shrug.
I leaned forward on a laugh. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You know what a cockblock is. He’s just doing it professionally. He’s interfering with you breaking off on your own.” She shrugged. “And there’s only one reason that he would do that.”
“And what is that, ole wise one?”
“It’s because he knows how good you are. He needs you because if you leave him, people will follow. Employees and clients. So, in reality, he wants to hold you back because he fears you.”
“Damn. You appear to know a lot about this.”
“People have been trying to hold me back most of my life. I just see it more clearly now.” She shrugged. “And you know what?”
“What?” I chuckled.
“Fuck Joseph Chapman. He’s shown you who he is. The big question is, are you going to believe him?”
“It’s not that simple, Lu. It’s not the perfect time to jump. I need to get a few more clients to commit to me first,” I said. I’ve been crunching the numbers and saving for this day, but I kept changing the number I’d need to pull this off the closer I got.
“A very wise man once said, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth.”
“Did you just quote Rocky Balboa?” I barked out a laugh.
“Damn straight. That man has helped me through half the decisions I’ve made in my life.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I stared out at the water.
“I have a better idea. How about I take your mind off of things and race you to your stables? Then I’ll let you have your way with me.”
“Now you’re speaking my language, Lulu Sonnet.”
And she took off on Bucky, in the direction of my house.
This was definitely better than covering Joseph’s ass for the millionth time.
And this was definitely my favorite way to spend a day off.