Page 27 of Rafferty

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use the restroom,” Tempe says, releasing my hand.

I look around and Tansy has melted into the crowd. I know very well that Tempe can handle herself, but I don’t like the possibility of Tansy accosting her in any way, so I rise from the table to pull out her chair. “I’ll go with you.”

Tempe doesn’t argue and instead slips her hand back in mine.

“Christ, you two make the cutest couple,” North teases with a laugh and everyone else joins in, including Tempe.

“World’s greatest actors,” Atlas quips and while our friends keep laughing, I don’t.

“Come on,” I say, tugging her by the hand.

We weave through other revelers, thankfully avoiding Tansy in the throng. With the help of an attendant, we find the restrooms, a line of four unisex facilities, and Tempe chooses one with a green vacant tag on the door. She enters, flips the latch and the sign turns red with the wordOccupiedshowing.

I wait outside for Tempe, leaning casually against the wall and nodding as other people I know go in and out of the bathrooms. It doesn’t take her long and she exits, letting another woman swish past her to enter.

I straighten, offer my elbow to her. “Ready to go back and get some food? I’m sure there will be dancing not long after, and we’ll need our energy.”

Tempe grins, sliding her hand into the crook of my elbow, and I find I like it there very much. But then she glances to the left and whispers under her breath, “Shit. Here comes trouble.”

I know she means Tansy and I tense, prepared to turn around and face her with bared teeth if necessary because I’m sick of this shit. But before I can move, Tempe throws her arms over my shoulders, going to her tiptoes and locking me in a blistering kiss that sends fire racing through my entire body.

This is more than the other two kisses we’ve shared, because Tempe presses her curvy body into mine. There’s not an inch between us as her fingers sift into my hair and my hands drift to her waist.

She lifts her mouth slightly, lips still brushing against mine and whispers, “Go all out on this one, Raff. Let’s make her believe it right here.”

And then I almost groan when her fingers latch onto my wrist and she drags my hand down to her ass.

My palm burns and I clutch involuntarily, then voluntarily as I squeeze the round globe, pulling her tighter into my body. My dick gets hard, but I don’t give a fuck because Tempe’s tongue is back in my mouth.

A tiny moan bubbles out of her throat, a kitteny purr, and it inflames me further. I spin us around and walk her into the wall I’d been leaning against. She gasps as I drive my hips against hers to pin her in place and then I check out just how handy that long slit is in her gown by sliding my hand inside, grasping the back of her thigh and pulling her leg up over my hip.

“Fuck,” Tempe groans and I think perhaps I’ve gone too far, but she demands, “More.”

I don’t know how much more I can give without sticking my hand down her panties or pulling her into the bathroom for a quickie.

Yes… one of those bathrooms.

That will work.

And as ifserendipitywere a word created just for me and Tempe, one of the rooms opens and an older woman comes out in a cloud of perfume. Without thought, without care about who is watching but hoping just a tiny bit that Tansy is, I grab Tempe’s hand and pull her into the restroom before the door swings shut. I twist the lock, hear the snick that announces to the rest of the world this room is occupied, and turn to face Tempe.

She stands there, eyes wild and chest heaving, staring at me with an intense yearning that ensures I won’t talk myself out of this.

“Getting ready to cross a line,” I say in a thick, gruff voice. “This won’t be about trying to trick Tansy.”

The corner of Tempe’s mouth lifts, one dimple contracting. “She could be outside that door right now with her ear pressed against it.”

“Could be,” I say softly, advancing on Tempe. “But let’s not think about her. Instead, tell me if you meant it when you saidmore.”

Tempe’s teeth dig into her lower lip, her fingers fluttering near her throat as she contemplates my question. There’s no describing the relief—nor the lust—I feel when she nods. “I meant it.”

CHAPTER 11

Tempe

The sound ofthat lock clicking echoes all around me, and I’m surprised I can hear it over the blood rushing in my ears. I press my palm to my chest, the erratic gallop of my heart tapping out a rhythm I’ve never felt before.

“Getting ready to cross a line.” The intensity of his stare has my legs shaking. He looks like he’s going to devour me whole, and I feel like I’m going to beg him to not be gentle about it. “This won’t be about trying to trick Tansy.”

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