As he trailed his lips down the side of her neck Anya gave a soft sigh and when he moved even further down to nibble at her collarbone her sigh morphed into a moan. He slid lower still until his lips tickled the tops of her br**sts and that was when her soft moan deepened into a tortured groan.
Not wanting to move too fast he shifted his lips, moving back up toward her collarbone but her words stopped him.
“Please, Rafe,” she whispered. “Don’t stop. That feels so good.”
Taking her plea as license to explore, he trailed a path back down to her br**sts, feathering kisses along her heated skin, making her breath quicken and her fingers dig into his arms. When he slid his fingers up between them and began to loosen the buttons on her shirt she did not object. Instead, she arched her back and moaned again.
Soon Rafe had Anya’s blouse open wide enough where he’d exposed her lace-covered br**sts to his hungry gaze. In her jeans he’d thought she was delicious but now she was mouth-watering. And he meant that in the literal sense of the word.
Ravenous now, he hooked his finger at the top of the right cup and drew it down until her precious pink bud popped into view. He lowered his head again but slowly, ever so slowly, tormenting her until she arched her back again and reached her hands up to press his head down toward her. It was only then that he eased her misery, lowering his lips to her prettily puckered pebble, drawing it smoothly into his mouth, making her writhe in pleasure.
“Aah.”
The relief sounding so sweet in that soft sigh, Rafe wanted to please her even more. He suckled at her nipple then nibbled until she was gasping then panting in the pleasure from his lips.
“God, you’re driving me crazy.”
If only Anya knew that the words she’d whispered so fiercely described his own feelings exactly. Having her in his arms, his lips on her, his tongue tasting the sweetness of her skin, he knew he was in trouble. The hardness between his legs was painful testament to the torture he was enduring, wanting her so badly but knowing he must hold back. He wanted desperately to devour her but not yet, not now. This was Anya, his sweet, trusting Anya, and he knew if he moved too fast it could spoil everything. He couldn’t take that chance.
Reluctantly, Rafe released Anya and drew back and when he gathered the fabric of her shirt in his hands this time it was to cover her and hide her from his gaze.
As he buttoned her shirt Anya stared up at him, her eyes cloudy with confusion. “Why did you stop?”
Rafe smiled and shook his head. “It’s late,” he said gently. “Time for little girls to get to bed.”
He saw the look of disappointment in her eyes but he didn’t let it sway him. No matter how much he wanted her he was a grown man and he knew when it was time to exercise self-control…no matter that it hurt in more ways than one.
And just so she would understand, he leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. “You’ve had enough for one night, little one. Now go get some rest.” Then before she could object Rafe got up, gave her a little wave of farewell, then saw himself out.
Later as he drove back to his apartment, the car eating up the Autobahn, Rafe could not help but think of how Anya had gotten off easy this time. With the way he felt about her he knew that next time they found themselves together in an intimate setting like that, she would not be so lucky.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rafe felt like groaning out loud. He was sitting at the desk in the staff room so that was not an option.
When they’d gone out on the weekend why hadn’t Anya mentioned that she would be away at a four-day teacher conference? He’d arrived at the school Monday morning, eager as a puppy. He couldn’t wait to see Anya again. Instead, all he’d seen was her empty desk. When he’d enquired after her it was only to be told that she wouldn’t be in until Friday. Four whole days of waiting and by day three it was driving him crazy.
He had to stop thinking about Anya. Sure, he liked her...a lot…but this was past normal. This was an obsession. Clenching his teeth, he dug down in the work on his desk, trying desperately to lose himself in the preparation of his lesson plans. Not that it was working. He almost wished something would go wrong with his business back in the States so he would have reason to call and chew someone out. He needed distraction, anything to take his mind off missing Anya. But no, he would get no help from that end. Just when he wouldn’t have minded a problem everything with his business was going A-okay.
Thirty minutes later, his class full of children long gone, Rafe was still at his desk but he’d gotten through most of his work and was now just working on the supplemental information for his lesson plan. He was surprised when he heard someone call his name and looked up to see the principal approaching, a woman with a familiar face close behind her. It was Mrs. Kaufman, Albert’s mother.
Immediately, Rafe stood up to greet the ladies.
“Keep your seat,” Mrs. Coleman said, waving him back down. “I just finished meeting with Mrs. Kaufman and the way she sang your praises I just had to bring her over so she could tell you herself.
Rafe shook his head. “Please, there’s no need-”
“No,” the woman said, raising her hand to silence him. “I want to speak.” A myriad of emotions flitted across her face and she bit her lip and shook her head. When she finally spoke her voice was raspy like she was close to tears. “I feel like I have a new child,” she said. “I don’t know what you’ve done to my son but he’s so different. It’s like I have my old Albert back. Thank you. Thank you so much.” This time she lost her grip on the emotions she was trying to keep under control. Rafe heard her hiccup and then her hand flew to her mouth and she bit down hard on her knuckles. Still, a sob escaped her throat and a lone tear made its way down her cheek.
And if there was one thing Rafe couldn’t stand it was to see a woman cry. “Please,” he said and despite his boss’s order he got up from his chair. “Don’t do that. I only did what any other teacher would have done.”
“No,” she said, giving her head an emphatic shake. “You did more than that. You showed interest in my son and it unlocked his heart. Now he’s not scared to love again.” She folded her hands in front of her. “There’s a difference between duty and genuine interest, Mr. Kent, and children can tell the difference.”
Mrs. Coleman smiled. “I don’t see you finding an answer to that one, Rafe. Just accept the praise and say thank you.”