Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Rafe chuckled and shook his head at Gio, who merely grinned and kept whistling.
“Jesus, man,” Rafe said. “You could at least try to tamp down some of that just-got-laid obnoxiousness.”
Gio kicked back in the passenger seat and shrugged. “You could be feeling the same way, but you took the let’s-think-it-to-death route.”
“Nope. I chose to be a gentleman. The poor woman had been run through the ringer last night between that prick JT, the fight, the broken phone, the twisted ankle, the two of us blackmailing her for a date while breaking the news we wanted to share her in bed, and those damn ghosts. I think she deserved to have more than two hours of restless, freezing-cold sleep before we both jumped on her.”
Gio’s smile only grew wider. “You’re not going to make me feel guilty. Because it was too fucking perfect.”
Rafe rolled his eyes but didn’t keep the debate going. Guilt hadn’t been his intention anyway. He’d just been trying to explain his actions. The problem was, he wasn’t sure if his justifications were for Gio or lies he was telling himself.
Nope. He knew the answer.
Lies.
They were lies.
He’d lain there with Keeley and Gio, in bed in the wee hours of morning, overwhelmed by a sense of belonging. It wasn’t something he’d ever experienced—and it had freaked him out.
Rafe had grown up with a single mother who was always busy with her job and current husband, a workaholic grandfather, and a rotating door of stepfathers.
He had a family, but he’d always felt a bit like an afterthought, like something there just hovering in the background.
That love of family that Gio and Keeley always described wasn’t something he’d ever really felt.
And while he’d been included in the greatest group of friends a man could ever have, Rafe had never been able to shake the feeling that he was the one who didn’t truly fit.
The Morettis, Rhys, Kayden—they were all confident, impulsive, fun-loving guys who’d never met a stranger or doubted themselves.
They knew their place in the world, in their families, and they attacked life with energy, vigor, and joy.
In contrast, Rafe questioned every decision he made. He was quiet, slow to laugh, and, at the moment, terrified.
Because Keeley and Gio were making him feel things he had no experience with. Things he’d sworn he would never feel simply because he’d been so sure he couldn’t.
He pulled up to the curb in front of Keeley’s building, parallel parking before shutting off the engine.
They’d driven Keeley to her car, still parked outside the restaurant where she’d started her date with JT a little after noon.
None of them had stirred before midday, thanks to their sleepless night.
They’d both kissed her goodbye, then promised to pick her up for their date at six.
Gio reached for the door handle, but Rafe reached out and gripped his forearm, holding him back.
Gio looked down at his hand and shook his head. “No more fighting this. No more excuses. The cat’s out of the bag and we’re not putting it back in.”
“I know that. I just…” Rafe was perfectly aware that things were different with Keeley, but he and Gio hadn’t really discussed exactly how. “You care about her,” he said.
“Of course I do. I…” Gio gave him a lopsided grin, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed to admit the next part. “I’m crazy about her, bro. Shit. More than that. I’m falling hard for her.”
Rafe nodded. He knew that. Knew that Gio wouldn’t walk away from Keeley even if—when—Rafe did. He’d thought hearing those words would help, knowing that Keeley wouldn’t be left alone at the end of…
Fuck.
And there was the truth…the KO punch. The thing that had him putting on the brakes this morning despite the fact he’d been hard and hurting and so fucking desperate for her, he thought he’d lose his mind with it.
Because Rafe wasn’t sure he could walk away from her. He only knew he should. For her, for Gio. He wasn’t a good bet. Love was uncharted territory for him, and it should remain that way, if for nothing else than his own peace of mind.
His life had changed too fucking much in the past few months, and he had the chronic stiff neck to show for it. One more upheaval and he’d likely lose the ability to turn his head completely.
Rafe couldn’t let this last domino fall. He’d help his mom pick up the pieces too many times, vowed he wouldn’t go there, do that, open himself up to…fuck…desertion.
He released Gio’s arm and got out of the car, desperate to escape before his friend saw the confusion on his face or—God forbid—asked him about his feelings.
Gio, too anxious to see their girl, joined him on the curb and slapped him on the back. “Nice to be here at the beginning of the date instead of having to crash midway through,” he joked.
They hit the buzzer to Keeley’s apartment, and she pressed the button to unlock the building’s door. Then they climbed the three flights of stairs—Gio taking them two at a time—instead of bothering with the elevator.
Keeley was waiting for them with the door open, leaning on the jamb, and grinning as widely as Gio.
She looked gorgeous. They’d told her to dress up because they wanted to take her someplace nice to show her off.
Keeley had taken them at their word. She wore a gray-and-white print dress that wrapped around and tied at the side.
It showcased her breasts and her legs, the hem ending a few inches above her knees.
Her hair hung loose with big, full waves and her makeup—as always—was minimal, natural looking.
She was pretty enough to go without, so Rafe was glad she didn’t go overboard.
Gio wolf-whistled his appreciation, and Keeley laughed with delight when he pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. She wanted romance, and Gio was determined that was what she was going to get it.
“Come inside a minute. I’ll put these in water and then I just need to switch handbags. I was running a little late.”
They walked inside, but before they’d made it more than a few steps from the front door, Gio took the flowers and put them on the small table in her entryway. Then he closed the door and pushed her against it, kissing her hard.
Gio’s hands slid down her sides until he reached her ass, neither of them breaking the kiss, consuming each other like people on the brink of starvation. Their tongues touched. It was hot and heady, and Rafe couldn’t have looked away if his life depended on it.
Keeley’s hands were everywhere, on Gio’s chest, his shoulders, in his hair. She seemed to want it all, and at the same time. Finally, she closed her fist in his thick hair and deepened the kiss, a silent demand for more.
Gripping her ass, Gio lifted her, and Keeley followed his lead, wrapping her legs around his waist, grinding herself on his dick as her breath turned ragged.
Rafe had been sporting an erection since he’d seen her in the doorway in her short dress. Now the hem shifted upwards with their position, which meant there was nothing between them right now except Gio’s pants and her panties.
Rafe knew his friend well enough to see that Gio was two seconds away from unzipping, pulling her panties aside, and giving in to his desire to fuck her. He was a passionate, insatiable lover, something Rafe had witnessed before. Just not…
Not anywhere near this level.
He reached out and put his hand on Gio’s shoulder because if he didn’t stop this now, they weren’t going to stop at all.
Gio might have been out of his mind with arousal, but the simple touch worked. He slowly broke the kiss.
It took Keeley a few seconds longer to regain her wits, her eyes still closed, her face flush, her pelvis grinding against his friend in a way that told him just how much she wanted him.
She blinked a few times before she was able to focus. “You stopped,” she whispered, the words an outright accusation.
Gio nodded as he released her ass and her legs dropped back down. He retained his grip on her until he was sure she was supporting her own weight.
“I’m not the only one here,” he reminded her before taking a large step to the side.
Keeley followed his progress only until Rafe moved forward to take his place.
“Rafe,” she breathed, smiling. “Missed you.”
Rafe ran the back of his hand along her flushed cheek. “You look beautiful tonight, Keeley.”
Her blush deepened.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he said. “Just a kiss. Then the three of us are going on our date before we take this too far.”
Keeley tilted her head playfully, her tone pure seduction when she said, “I’m okay with skipping the date and going too far.”
Rafe shook his head. “No. That’s not how tonight is going to play out. We still have things to discuss, remember?”
Keeley considered Rafe’s words, then nodded her assent. “Okay.”
He lowered his head to kiss her. The second his lips touched hers, every excuse, justification, every lie and every truth fell away until there was only her.
He was already laying his weapons down.
But only for tonight, he thought to himself.
He pushed her lips apart with his, plundering her mouth with his tongue, determined to steal every taste, every breath.
Keeley moaned, her fingers fisting in his button-down shirt, wrinkling it. He didn’t give a shit.
Like Gio, he needed to feel more of her. His hands reached for her ass, but he didn’t lift her. He had a different goal in mind.
He reached beneath her dress, his fingers sliding to the front, finding her damp panties.
She gasped. “But you said…” she whispered, her words falling away when he burrowed his fingers beneath her panties—a thong—and found her clit.