Page 27 of Never the Best

There was a short time when I'd hoped that I could beattracted to Rafe. He was straightforward, accessible, handsome, intelligent…everything a girl could want.Butwe had no chemistry, which was such a pity.

"Well, well," Rafe remarked.

"Well, what?" I looked around to see what he was talking about when my eyes fell on Rhett, who was looking straight at us.

"Yeah, I've heard every variation of ‘Aren't Rhett and Josie a great couple?’ and ‘Are you doing okay about their engagement?’ Why does everyone assume I'd have a problem?" There was an edge to my voice. Rhett Vanderbilt was rattling meagain.

"He's not helping by staring at us." Rafe was amused. "The rumor is that he's not happy with Josie."

"Rafe, I'm appalled that you're indulging in gossip." I gently slapped my hand on his chest.

He grabbed the offending hand and kissed my fist. "When in Savannah, you know you mustpartakein the official sport." He then winked at me. "He's pretty pissed about seeing you with me.”

"Is that why you're being so physically affectionate?" I demanded.

"Absolutely," he replied silkily and drew me close to him.

I leaned into Rafe. He smelled of sexy cologne and man. "Why couldn't you and I have clicked?"

"Yeah, a pity that we didn't."

"In any case, you sleep with girls who're way too young, like Leonardo DiCaprio.”

"The young women I date areverymature," he protested.

"Please, they’reyoungand your students," I shot back.

"I usually wait until they're not my students," he corrected.

I watched Rhett as we talked. I couldn't help myself. He stood near the buffet table with Josie at his side. He was the epitome of the Southern golden boy, ready to go yachting in his light-blue button-down, and crisp white slacks.

Josie was everything a Southern Belle should be in her red and blue sundress cinched at the waist with a white belt that screamed effortless eleganceandIndependence Day. She smiled up at Rhett, her hand resting lightly on his arm, while his eyes…they were on me.

His eyes flicked briefly to Rafe and then back to me, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. For a moment, the world seemed to narrow, and the chatter and laughter around me faded into the background.

Rafe leaned in slightly, breaking the moment. “Now he wants to rearrange my face. Did something happen between the two of you recently that he's feeling so possessive?”

I shook my head quickly, forcing a laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Rafe raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but thankfully, Luna appeared before he could press the issue.

“Well, aren’t you two cozy?" She eyed Rafe, sizing him up with the kind of no-nonsense energy only Luna could pull off. “You hitting on my girl here, Rafe Rhodes?"

“Absolutely not. Scout's honor."

"You werenevera scout," Luna muttered.

"True." Rafe hugged Luna and then sighed as he looked over her shoulder. "I'm having no luck today."

"What?" Luna murmured, and turned around to see Dominic Calder. "Everywhere I go, he's there."

“And every time I touch a woman, a man is looking at me like he wants to fuck me up,” Rafe muttered dryly.

"Hello, Moonbeam." Dom slid an arm around Luna, which she tried to unsuccessfully shrug off. He brushed his lips against her cheek, and she looked part exasperated and well…a little giddy.

I’d been told that whatever was happening between Dom and Luna wasn’t a relationship…at least, not yet, but it was brewing, big time.

"You hitting on my girl, Rafe?" Dom asked the same question Luna had a few minutes ago.

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