Chapter 28
Raffi
She was in his car, safe, kissed, and beautiful. Ani insisted on ducking while they passed the mob of reporters, and Raffi threw one of those ? towels over her just to be sure. They’d made it out and no one had followed them. Ani was catching him up on everything, talking a mile a minute.
“—and then Galia comes forward and says she did it! The whole thing. The flowers, the dress, the menu, the hose. She cut it with some kitchen scissors!”
Raffi muttered angrily, “Jesus Christ, that family is trouble. Swear to God. If anyone needed an example of why not to spoil your kids, there you go.”
And then he had a clear image of himself and Ani, raising a family.
Teaching them respect for others, to work hard, to stay humble.
It seemed so natural. They were such a great team together.
One thing at a time, bro, he told himself.
He didn’t even know if Ani wanted kids. And he wanted Ani alone to himself for quite some time before potentially delving into that world.
“And then I have to tell you what happened with Kami,” Ani said.
She explained how Kami came to her room seconds after she’d finished changing, did the usual huggy compliment-bombing, and Ani was not having it. Raffi’s face split into a huge smile. “You actually said, ‘I’m not your friend’? Damn, girl.”
“I actually did.”
He was proud of her, so proud.
“Badass move by my badass girlfriend.”
She squeezed his hand hard, her smile unable to leave her face.
She sighed loudly. “It feels great. Can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner. Who knew one piece of negative press could bring this out of me.”
He rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb. “Seriously, Ani, you okay with all that? I read it, and I’m not kidding that I was this close to booking a nonstop flight to London to find that reporter.”
Ani chuckled, then said, “Yes, I’m okay. I wasn’t before, but I am now, because first off, it wasn’t true. I didn’t actually try to ruin the hinoum. Secondly, the person who did admitted it. And thirdly, Grace is going to call them up and fix it.”
“Damn, that Grace is a class act. Maybe she’ll eventually rub off on Kami,” Raffi said.
“One can hope.”
Raffi held up Ani’s smooth hand, kissed it, and rubbed it against his freshly shaven cheek. “Glad you’re all right.”
“More than,” Ani said, her voice softer now and edged with something he couldn’t quite place.
Then she shifted in her seat, crossing her legs slowly, deliberately. Raffi stayed quiet a moment, his pulse kicking up as he waited to see if she’d share what was clearly on her mind.
Then she did.
“I have an IUD, you know.”
His breath caught, sharp and immediate.
Damn. All right then.
Raffi had frozen, and he knew Ani could feel it in the way he was holding her hand. He tried to be relaxed, but it wasn’t working.
“And, um,” he said, concentrating hard on keeping his voice steady, “why are you telling me this?”
“Just in case,” she said, her voice smooth, dripping with meaning, “this piece of information might be interesting to you.”
Oh God. She was ready.
Heat shot through him, sharp and dizzying. Every muscle in his body went tight, his pulse hammering in his throat. He wanted to play it cool—really, he did—but the way she was looking at him? The way she’d just said that?
Jesus Christ.
Well, he’d been prepared in case this blessed day should somehow arrive.
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to breathe and not completely lose his mind. “I have something to offer in return, in that case.”
“Oh?”
“That I’ve got a clean bill of health over here. I haven’t so much as glanced at a woman besides you since we met.”
“Is that right?” she asked, smirking.
“Chris and I went out sometime in March, and all I could think was, none of these women were you. That was the problem with them. Not Ani.”
Her smirk deepened. “And yet it took you forever to kiss me.”
His hand slid along her arm, the feel of her sending shivers down his spine. “Far too long,” he murmured. “I’m not wasting any more time.”
Raffi shifted gears, punched the accelerator, and got them to his home in record time.
Once parked, Raffi dashed to open Ani’s door, picked her up by the bottom, and carried her upstairs to his bedroom.
He gently sat her on the bed and she blinked at him, clearly surprised he didn’t immediately pounce. God knew he wanted to—had wanted to for months—but instead, he crossed the room.
“I have something first,” he said. “It’s nothing big. Just…I wanted to give it to you now.”
Raffi grabbed a black gift bag from atop his dresser and handed it to Ani. She tilted her head, curious, as she reached inside. She pulled out a small photo frame—brushed silver and gold—and stared at it.
It was them. The second time they met, at ?. Right where the dome now stood. Caught in that split second when they were looking at each other, like the rest of the world had gone a little blurry.
“I know we have a number of selfies,” Raffi said, suddenly self-conscious, running a hand through his hair. “But this one…this felt like the moment I knew, or started to know. And we’re lucky enough to have it captured, so, I just wanted you to have a copy. I’ve got my own here, too.”
He gestured toward the photo’s twin, sitting by his nightstand.
Ani choked up. “I remember this. The way you looked at me. I—I’d forgotten the photo even existed until now. I love it.”
“I want you to know that almost from the very start, I felt you were special.”
Ani kept her eyes on the photograph a beat longer, then gently set it down and threw her arms around him.
She pressed her lips to his ear, making his heart race. “Thank you, my darling Raffi,” she whispered. “I love it…and I really, really can’t wait anymore.”
The air between them shifted—gentle turned urgent.
This was it. Raffi climbed atop her. She unbuttoned and ripped off his shirt while he stripped her naked, relishing the moment his hands touched skin.
She was open for him, blooming for him. The curves of her breasts and hips, her smooth skin from her navel to the bud between her legs—she was utter perfection.
He wanted to worship. Get down on his knees like the supplicant he was and pray to this goddess before him. This perfect woman who’d shown him sweetness, shown him what it meant to feel loved.
“To be clear,” Ani said, watching him watch her, “I want to have sex with you.” She lay back, parted her legs wide, and he almost lost it.
Raffi unbuckled his belt and tore off his pants, his erection springing up to make itself known. He crawled on top of her. “I’m not sure how slow and gentle I can go with you. I’ve been waiting for this for a while.”
“I’m not delicate,” she whispered, her voice thick with lust. “I can take you.”
That was all the invitation he needed. He pulled off his briefs and let himself free, rubbing the length of him at her wet entry. His eyes rolled back in his head, and a groan escaped him at the same time Ani moaned.
“Holy shit, you feel like heaven and I’m not even inside yet,” his voice rumbled.
Ani’s hand reached down to find him, running his inches back and forth, and he caught her looking down at what her hand was gripping. “Raff, oh my God.”
“I know,” he said, unable to stop himself from smirking, but only for a quick second, as it was extinguished by all-consuming lust, the feel of her hand on his sensitive skin.
“Let me taste you first,” she said, and he momentarily saw stars as she shifted down to meet him. “You’re not the only one who’s been waiting a long time.”
And with that, she took him into her mouth and Raffi felt the pleasure ring throughout his body, from his scalp to the tips of his toes.
He clawed at her hair while her mouth worked him, and he had to summon every ounce of restraint not to come, not yet.
Don’t you dare come, Raffi. She deserved a real fucking, after waiting for him so long, and he would give it to her.
“I’ve got to have you now,” he said, pulling himself out.
He hooked his hands under her arms and jerked her back to the top of the bed. “On your back so I can see your pretty face.”
Ani let out a surprised puff of pleasure.
Then Raffi held himself at her entrance, nipped at her neck while she gasped, and slowly, carefully, guided himself inside her. My God, the feeling. It was her. There was no one else but her, and there never would be ever again. Ani was it, the end, the beginning.
Then came her choked voice, “More. More…please.”
Her please was so insistent, how could he do anything but oblige her?
He pushed in harder, and she was so tight and warm around him, he could hardly take the sensation blaring inside his body. He rocked into her and she gripped him desperately, her body trembling under him, a symphony of moans pouring into his ear.
As he slid in and out of her, he was there, yes, and he was transcended, too. The way she stared into his eyes, wanting him the way he wanted her. She was entirely there for him.
This was not just sex; it was trust.
“Baby,” he said. He needed to tell her.
She moaned in response.
“You’re more than sex. You know that, right? You know I’d do anything for you. Whatever you ask. I’m yours.”
She gazed back at him, those giant pools of brown and black sucking him in, straight to her heart. “I know. I know. And I’m yours,” she said, breathless.
“My girl. Mine.” He thrust into her, and the combination of being buried inside her and knowing she was his was almost too much.
No way he’d be getting off before her. “What’s your favorite way to come?” he asked.
“Top—on top,” she panted.
Arms around her back, he flipped them, never losing his lock inside her.
She ground on him in a familiar way, like she had before, except this time they were tied together.
Her hair skimmed his face, anointing him with the scent of orange blossoms. Her moans grew louder, faster.
They started to turn to sobs as she rubbed hard against him, her insides clenching him so tight that his vision blurred and he gripped her ass with both hands.
Knowing she was close was pushing him over the edge.
“You’re almost there, baby. Show me,” he encouraged.
She sobbed out, “You’re making me—oh God, Raff.
Raff…” He felt her from inside, convulsing, heard her wails, and when she collapsed into his arms in spasms, and he knew he’d given her that feeling, that was it.
His muscles locked up, and months of tension released as he pumped his love and longing, his gratefulness and belonging, for this woman.
He held her, spent, more in love than he knew was possible. He closed his eyes, his body tranquilized. He ran gentle fingers through her soft, thick hair and kissed her temples and cheeks.
Ani’s voice was breathless as she murmured, “That was incredible. I’ve never— I don’t think I’ve ever come like that.”
“Same here. You are a marvel, my Ani.”
They rested there, wordlessly enjoying soft touches of each other’s skin.
After what could have been five minutes or fifty, he asked, “You want kids one day?”
She laughed, surprised. “Kids? I mean, yes. One day.” She stared at him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Just checking. Because I definitely do.” With you, only with you.
The first woman who has ever made me have that thought.
He’d be brave enough to tell her that eventually.
To tell her he loved her. He was too chickenshit now, though.
What if she didn’t love him yet? He couldn’t take it.
He needed a little more time, more reassurance.
She sat up on one elbow, appearing amused. “You proposing to me, Raffi?”
He brought her in for a quick kiss. “Not yet. And you won’t have to ask when I propose. You’ll know. It’ll be worthy of you.”
She blushed and covered her face. “Oh my God.”
He whispered, somewhat worried now, “That doesn’t scare you?”
She strummed fingers across his jaw. “Not in the least.”
The ease flowed through him, followed by a new rush of blood. They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon together, in bed, blissfully unaware of the rest of the world still at work.