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  She searched her memory, trying to figure out what they’d documented on film. She’d been having such a fun time, she hadn’t worried much about it. What should have been on her mind now was what he’d been doing going through her phone. That was a clear invasion of privacy, and if the situation had been reversed, he’d have been furious. But now wasn’t the time to bring that up.

  “Just pictures of our girls’ night out,” she answered with a weak smile.

  “Why in the hell were there pictures of men with their hands and mouths all over you?” he snapped.

  “There weren’t!”

  “That’s crap. I saw the pictures, Ari. Some man had you locked tight in his arms with his lips right on yours,” he growled.

  “We were winning. He just grabbed me. It wasn’t anything. I didn’t know the girls thought it a Kodak moment,” she said, thinking she would repay both Lia and Rachel with a slow and torturous death.

  “You are mine! Get that? No other man can touch you. ”

  “I wasn’t cheating!” she snapped, starting to get irritated by his interrogation. He’d done far worse things in his life than kiss a stranger while playing roulette. How dare he try to belittle her!

  “That’s not what it looked like. Do I need to remind you what it means to belong to me?”

  Oh, yes! Ari wanted to shout, but she decided it might be wiser to let him get through his tantrum.

  Ari attempted to wriggle away from him and find a more comfortable position than spread out before him while he fired off ridiculous accusations.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” he informed her as he threw off his bathrobe, then lay over her. The heat from his skin nearly seared her as his h*ps settled between her thighs.

  Even in his temper, he was highly aroused, his thick shaft poised at her quickly moistening entrance. She pushed up toward him, willing him to plunge inside. How could she be so angry with him and still desire him at the same time?

  “You don’t deserve rewards, but I can’t keep from showing you who you belong to. ”

  Rafe’s head descended and he took her lips. His tongue demanded entrance, and she willingly opened to him, wanting to taste him deep inside her mouth. As his hands gripped her wrists tightly, and his mouth plundered hers, she fought to catch her breath.

  Though with little seduction, she was melting beneath him, ready for his touch across her heated skin. In a matter of seconds he brought her body alive as only he could do.

  Rafe groaned as he pushed his h*ps against hers, his considerable length rubbing along the line of her wet heat, but not entering. She wanted to demand he take her hard and fast, but she kept her thoughts to herself, too afraid he’d pull away as punishment. She hated it when he left her aching, resented the way he used it as an effective tool to prevent disobedience.

  When Rafe’s head moved from her mouth to her throat, she shuddered. He was so masterful with both his tongue and hands. She couldn’t get enough of his sweet touch. Engulfing her br**sts in his palms, he kneaded the soft flesh before squeezing her swollen ni**les.

  Ari reveled in the sight of his dark hair brushing her light skin. As he held his mouth back and ran his tongue along her nipple, she tried to move, tried to reach for him, but couldn’t, for he had her trapped. Not being able to touch him was torture.

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  When his mouth finally captured her tight pink bud, her back arched into the air, her body straining against his as he devoured her skin. The nip of his teeth made fire spread through her core, intensifying her need to monumental proportions.

  He moved his head and she groaned in protest, and then nearly panicked when he lifted his head before turning over onto his back. She would hate him if he left her unfulfilled again. How could a man bring a woman so much pleasure only to deny her the ultimate satisfaction?

  When Rafe’s arms stretched out and gripped her to him, her br**sts flattening against his hard chest, she greedily sucked from his lips. Feeling a need to taste the salt of his skin on her tongue, Ari moved down his body, sliding open mouthed kisses along the firm ridges of his stomach, as she moved toward his straining erection.

  But before she was able to reach his satin covered steel and pull his hardness into her mouth, he leaned forward and grabbed her by the hips, lifting her over him, and sat her body down on his chest. She was just a couple of feet too high up on his body. She tried to inch down, but he held tightly to her behind and began tugging her forward.

  “I want to taste you,” he cried as a guttural groan rumbled from his chest. Ari looked down in embarrassment as he positioned her spread legs over his face. Before she could protest, his tongue slipped out and moistened her heat, making her cry out. She forgot her discomfiture and leaned forward, gripping the headboard.

  Rafe’s fingers kneaded the flesh of her behind as his mouth devoured her heat, his tongue igniting sparks that shot through her limbs. Without conscious thought, she moved her h*ps in rhythm with his tongue, seeking more pleasure.

  When he sucked her swollen pearl into his mouth and caressed the flesh with his lips, she shot over the edge, and continued to crash over and over again, her body shaking with the intensity of her release. He slowed his movements, drawing out her pleasure as she cried out, giving her much more than she’d expected considering his state of anger and agitation.

  Before the last of her spasms ended, his strong arms lifted her up before he slid out from under her, leaving her gripping the headboard as her body continued to quiver. When he stood she thought he was done with her, but instead, he gripped her legs, twisting her body around so her back was flat against the mattress as he tugged her to the edge of the bed. His pulsing erection poised at her very wet entrance as he loomed above her.

  “Don’t ever kiss another man. Not in roulette,” he demanded as he plunged forward. “Not in blackjack. ” He slammed hard inside her again. “Not in poker. ” He forced his entrance again as she tensed for his anger. “And certainly not for Any…Other…Entertainment. ” He bore into her with a momentum unlike anything before, emphasizing each word he spoke with his powerful thrusts — filling her to absolute capacity, rocking her entire body. He pushed her legs up high, exposing her core fully to him as he plunged in and out of her swollen flesh.

  “I won’t,” she promised with a moan of painful pleasure.

  “You are mine. I want to hear you say it!”

  “I’m yours,” she gasped, the pressure building higher within her.

  “Say it again!” His movements were furious as he buried himself deep inside her again and again.

  “I’m yours, Rafe — only yours,” she cried and her body shattered, the orgasm even more intense than the first.

  “I want your beauty all to myself,” he called out as he shuddered, and his body collapsed on top of hers. She knew now how he felt — she felt as if she’d been ripped to shreds and was still searching for the pieces. Being with Rafe was like surviving a class five tornado. They would destroy either everyone and everything around them or each other — maybe both.

  “I don’t ever want to find out you’ve been out with another man — do you understand?”

  “I already said it was a freak occurrence. I didn’t mean for it to happen,” she answered with exasperation. How many times was he going to bring this up? She just wanted to enjoy the afterglow of some incredible sex, not fight with him over a triviality.

  “I’m a possessive man, Ari, and I’m used to controlling my world. You are not making my life easy. You break every rule I set, ignore my wishes and then flaunt your freedom in my face. With you, I do not feel in control, and I’ve had it. I want you to understand that this won’t happen again — or there will be consequences. ”

  Again, his overbearing attitude just rolled off Ari’s back. Instead of shaking with fury, her body stirred to life, to her utter amazement after two incredibly electrifying orgasms.

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  As his body melded with hers, the message behind Rafe’s words hit her. Between what his sisters had said and his bizarre behavior, her heart cracked open a bit. Maybe he had been wounded more deeply than she’d thought possible. He did a great job of presenting a cold, calculating face to the world, but in rare moments with her, his mask slipped.

  Could it be that he did want love? Was he afraid of being hurt? Could she open up her heart and give him a chance, or would that only end up making her a fool?

  All Ari knew was that, in this small moment of time, she was satisfied, mentally and physically. She ran her fingernails across the damp skin of his back, breathed in his spicy scent, and felt her heart beat strongly against his.

  She didn’t know how things would progress, but somewhere along the line she’d started to develop feelings for this man of steel. She’d started to let her guard down. He’d been a downright bully, but she couldn’t help but get back to her old habit: dwelling on what ifs…

  “If this is your idea of consequences, then maybe I should go look for another drunken bachelor party and have some more pics taken,” she said with a relaxed laugh.

  With a furious growl, Rafe pounced, his body pinning her to the bed, the fire blazing again in his eyes. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as he tried to sear her with his gaze. What brought her joy was the laughter behind the ire. He might have wanted to be angry, but he seemed to be enjoying their moment as much as she was. It appeared that Raffaello Palazzo had a sense of humor.

  “You are nothing but trouble,” he accused with a smiling glare.

  “I never promised to be anything but trouble,” she reminded him as she pushed her chest against him, loving the feel of his muscular chest rubbing against her peaked ni**les.

  “Let’s shower,” he said, surprising her. Before she could agree or refuse him, he was out of the bed and lifting her into his arms.

  As the hot water cascaded over them, and her soapy hands massaged his rapidly recovering arousal, Ari couldn’t remember ever being happier. If only this small moment would last forever.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “Hurry up, Ari. You are really dragging today. ”

  “That’s because you kept me up half the night, and then your brother woke me up way too early, Lia,” she answered grumpily.

  “It’s two in the afternoon. You’ve had plenty of time to sleep. We’re in Las freaking Vegas. You can recover once we get back home to our boring lives,” Rachel said.

  “I have to go back to work as soon as we’re home. I won’t get to recover even then,” Ari replied, though they did have a point. When would she get to come back to Vegas again? She didn’t see it happening anytime soon.

  “We know your boss. We’ll put in a good word for you so you have adequate time to rest,” Lia assured her. If anyone could convince Rafe to give her a day off, it would be one of his sisters. They were the only two she could envision getting their way with Rafe. Ari certainly didn’t win rounds with him often — not once that she could recall.

  “OK, let’s go for coffee and then I promise to be in a better mood. ”

  The three girls made their way across the casino and found a coffee shop; Ari guzzled down her first cup there, then ordered one to go before she let the girls drag her to who knew where next.

  “Do you know what Rafe and Shane are up to today?” Lia asked.

  “I don’t have a clue,” Ari answered. Rafe had been gone when she woke up. She assumed their fight was over, but she never knew with him. He ran hot and cold too often for her to be a good judge of his character.

  “Why, Lia? Are you wanting to see Shane?”

  “No! It’s not that; I was just curious,” she answered defensively.

  “Oh, the heck with them. You promised me we’d get to go swimming. It’s a hot day, and I can use the sun, so let’s just relax. I’m sure Ari’s all for that. ”

  “Yes. That sounds perfect. ”

  “Good, then its settled,” Rachel said. “Let’s run to the room and change and then get some sun. We can explore after dark. ”

  “OK, the two of you win. I want you to know that I’m going against my will. ”

  “Quit being such a sore loser, Lia. I’m sure you’ll see your lover boy, Shane, again real soon. ”

  Rachel took off running as Lia went to smack her. Ari hung back laughing at the sibling rivalry. The two were so charming and full of life.

  It didn’t take the three of them long to change into their swimsuits, and soon they were off to the pool. As they stepped outside, music could be heard drifting toward them. There were a few pools at the hotel, but as soon as Rachel found out which one had a live DJ, she tugged them in that direction.

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  “This looks like a scene from every spring break special I’ve ever seen,” Ari grumbled as she looked around at the bikini-clad women dancing alongside the pool, with shirtless guys trying to decide which girl was catching their eye the most.

  The pool was filled with nearly na**d bodies playing a round of volleyball, and it looked as if there wasn’t any available space anywhere. Ari had planned on a nap, but she didn’t think she was likely to find a lounge chair in the massive crowd.

  As if Rachel could read her thoughts, she turned and gave Ari a wink. “Don’t worry, darling, I’ll get us lounges. ” With that, she sauntered through the crowd, and Ari had no choice but to follow behind.

  As she and Rachel went in search of a comfortable place to sit, Lia went to find them drinks. After her headache last night, Ari didn’t want to taste another alcoholic drink again, but as the sun beamed down on her, she was willing to give up her ban on liquor just as long as it was icy cold.

  “Right there,” Rachel said with a Cheshire Cat grin. Ari followed her gaze to where three young guys were sitting on lounge chairs chatting.

  With an exaggerated swing to her hips, Rachel approached them, gaining all three of their eyes as she walked right up without any lack of self-confidence blocking her goal.

  “Hey, boys. How’re you doing?” she asked as she gave each of them a direct look before trailing a manicured finger across her stomach. Ari had to hold in the laughter as their eyes took in her petite yet luscious figure.

  “Great. How about you?” one of the guys finally responded after putting his tongue back inside his mouth.

  “Oh, I’m OK. It’s just so hot out here and my feet are killing me, but my two girlfriends and I just got here. It’s too bad we might have to leave for the other pool, though,” she said with an exaggerated pout.

  At her words, the guys looked up and connected eyes with Lia before their heads whipped back to Rachel, and then bobbed between the two of them as if they couldn’t figure out whom to keep their eyes on. Ari shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she tried to hide behind Rachel, but her friend turned around and grabbed her arm, yanking her forward before turning back to the guys.

  “You don’t have to go. We’d be glad to share our lounges with you,” one of them said as he jumped up and placed his hand against Rachel’s back to lead her to his spot.

  “You don’t have to do that…Wait, I haven’t even gotten your name yet,” Rachel said as she trailed her nail between his pecs.

  “It…it’s Lance,” the guy stuttered. The poor kid couldn’t have been older than twenty-one.

  “Mmm, I like that name…Lance,” she cooed. “What are you doing in Vegas?”

  “It’s my birthday weekend. These are my fraternity brothers, Alan and Dixon. ”

  “Wow, all of you have such sexy names. I’m so glad to have run into you today. This heat is killing me…” she pointedly said as she looked over toward the bar.

  “We’ll get some drinks. What would you like?” Alan piped in.

  “Ohh, such a tough choice. How about you surprise us? My sister should be back any minute now
. ”

  The three of them practically tripped over themselves as they made a rush to the bar, arguing about who got to buy the drinks.

  “Have a seat, Ari,” Rachel said as she lay back with a huge smile of satisfaction on her face.

  Ari had to close her mouth before she guiltily dropped down into her stolen lounge. “I can’t believe how good you were at that, Rachel. You had them willing to do anything you asked,” she finally gasped.

  “I was the baby of the family and learned quickly that guts and guile got me a lot further than crying or begging. It’s helped me a lot in life. ”

  “You’re terrible, but this lounge does feel pretty nice. ”

  “The best part is that there are countless females all over here, so after a few more beers, the frat boys will lose interest in us after I suddenly become boring. Then, they’ll run off and play with girls their own age. ”

  “Nice chairs, sis. How did you manage this?” Lia said as she came up and handed them each a tall glass with fruit floating in it.

  “Your sister’s unbelievable flirting ability,” Ari replied as she took a sip and then sighed in pleasure at the sweet, cold taste.

  “Yes, Rachel is better than anyone I know at getting what she wants from men. I don’t know how she’s still single. ”

  “Because I don’t want to settle down with just one guy. I want to flirt with them all and then leave them wanting. ”

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  The three of them laughed while they sipped on their drinks and soaked up the sun. Soon, the guys were back, and panting at their feet. Surprisingly, Ari found herself laughing at some of their stories. She did grow bored with them after a while, but that’s when she laid her head back and tried to tune out the crowd and get some rest.

  *****

  “You have got to be kidding me!”

  “What’s wrong, Rafe?”

  Rafe didn’t even notice that Shane was looking around for a threat. Rafe’s eyes were tuned in to Ari, who was clad only in a skimpy bikini while some guy was sitting on her lounge chair practically drooling over her. The thing that made it even worse was that the guy could barely be older than a kid. Was she that desperate for male attention?

  He knew damn well that she’d been thinking of no other man but him as he’d made her scream out in ecstasy this morning.