My Bachelor

  Rafe kissed me as he moved inside of me, slowly and luxuriously, and determined, it seemed, to bring me to climax again.

  He lowered his mouth to my ear. “I want you to come again, baby.” His words in that familiar deep tone sent me back to the state where every inch of my body was alive with wanting to be touched. My pussy ached as he moved deep inside of me.

  He raised up on his arms. The tattoos stretched and twisted with his muscles as he moved his hips so that his cock moved deeper, finding places that had never been touched. My entire body shuddered as he found a dark, undiscovered place deep inside that shook me to my core. I held tightly to his arms as he took me over the cliff. My entire body shuddered. “Rafe,” I mewled on a whispery exhale.

  “Fuck, the way you say my name with your pussy wrapped tightly around me—” His movements sped up. I held tightly to him with my arms and legs as he thrust into me. The lingering ache from my orgasm sent explosions of pleasure through me.

  Rafe’s grip on me tightened and a deep, low groan rolled from his mouth as he came.

  I reached up and pushed his hair back off his face as his eyes slowly opened.

  “Are you all caught up to speed now?” His perfect white smile followed.

  “Well, I’m not too sure.”

  He rolled over next to me and pulled me into his arms. “Is that right?”

  I turned toward him and kissed his chest. “I’m thinking a little more practice might be needed.”

  “All right,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. “If you say so, but you’re going to have to give me a few minutes.”

  I laughed. “A few minutes? Is that what they call wishful thinking?”

  “Nope. That’s what they call cocky fucking confidence along with an incredibly hot, naked woman lying next to me.”

  Chapter 27

  Rafe

  The faint sunlight had disappeared completely, bathing the room in shadows. Eliot was sleeping tightly in my arms. Her long, dark lashes fluttered with a dream and her body wiggled. She was so busy with work and school, I wondered how often she managed to get in deep enough sleep to conjure up a dream. When she talked about saving just to put tires on her mom’s car, all I could think was that I wanted to help. I wanted to make things easier for her any way I could.

  It was a strange fucking situation I’d gotten myself into. I was stuck in a contract where I was legally bound to propose to one of the bachelorettes. They were all amazing, beautiful, likable women, but none of them had found their way into my soul like the woman in my arms.

  Eliot stretched in her sleep and made a soft, purring sound as she turned around. Then still fast asleep, she nestled her bottom against me. My cock, which was already hard from her nearness, pushed back against her perfectly rounded ass.

  I smoothed my hand along her stomach and over her breasts. She purred again and pushed her nipple harder against my hand.

  “More practice?” she asked sleepily.

  “Your fault. Those sweet sounds you make in your sleep are so fucking hot, it’s almost as if they floated from your lips and swept right down and around my cock.”

  “I did all that in my sleep?” She giggled and wiggled her ass against my erection.

  I reached over her to the dresser for a condom and then tucked in behind her again. I slid my hand down between her legs. She opened her thighs for my touch. A soft moan followed as my fingers found the sweet spot between the folds of her pussy. I massaged her clit as I slid inside of her.

  “God, baby, even sleepy, your pussy is so fucking sweet. I never want to leave it.” I moved against her while I stroked her clit. The shadows of the room unfurled around us as her body moved in rhythm with mine. “I’ve found my reason for being here, El. You’re my reason for being here. It’s all making sense now.” My voice trailed off as my body inched toward orgasm.

  Eliot pushed against my thrusts and held my hand tightly between her thighs. Her fingers clutched at the blanket as she braced against me. “Oh, Rafe, please, yes,” she cried out as her pussy clenched around my cock, milking me to orgasm.

  We lay there in the dark for a long time, listening to the sounds of night. She held my arms closed around her like a warm coat. “A girl could sure get used to these arms,” she said, her voice still trembling from the last few moments.

  “Then I guess you’ll just have to stay the night. Besides, we’ve got a lot more practicing to do.”

  “I can’t stay.”

  I tightened my arms. “Yes you can.”

  “Jackson will know if I’m wearing the same clothes for work in the morning. He has this sixth sense about stuff. Especially when it comes to me.” She spun around in my arms. “And then there’s the tiny matter of the outdoor security cameras. Shit, it’s dark.” She sat up.

  “Yes, that’s what happens in the evening when our side of the hemisphere rolls away from sunlight.”

  “Funny man. Although, you are some serious stuff when it comes to the sex, mister.” She leaned down to kiss me. “I’ve got to go. It’s already going to look strange that I’m leaving here so late.” She swung her legs off the bed. She hopped up and searched around in the dark for her clothes. “I’ll have to come up with an excuse if anyone asks.” She pulled on her panties and shorts. “Which will only happen if they think the union is going to come down on them for giving me overtime without pay.”

  I got up from the bed and walked over to her side. I pulled her into my arms. “Are you sure I can’t coax you into staying a while longer?”

  “I have no doubt you could coax me.” She popped up to her toes and kissed me. “It wouldn’t take much more than that smile of yours. But I really have to go. I have homework.”

  “Homework. Is there an uglier word in the whole damn language?” I pulled on my jeans. “I always hated homework.” I followed her as she scurried down the hallway with her shoes in hand.

  “How am I going to get through this whole night without you, El?” I took hold of her hand and spun her back around to face me. I pushed the curl off her forehead and lifted her chin to give myself full view of her lips. They were swollen from kisses, but that didn’t stop me from kissing her again.

  She peered up at me. “You are making this extremely hard.”

  “That’s my plan.”

  “I can’t stay. You know I can’t, Rafe.” She headed out to the front room and sat on the couch to put on her shoes.

  I flipped on a light and sat next to her.

  She placed her foot on the edge of the coffee table to tie her shoe, and it landed on a piece of paper. She stared down at the list.

  Her fingers slowed as she tied the shoelace.

  “Doug said he needed a list for the one on one dates. I had to give him four names.” For the last few hours, we’d been two people starting a new relationship. The show had fallen away, as if it never existed.

  Eliot dropped her feet to the ground. “You don’t need to explain, Rafe. I know how the show works, and you are part of it.” A sad laugh followed. “In fact, you are the central figure. I need to go.” She stood up quickly.

  “Eliot, you know how I feel, right? You know—”

  She nodded weakly as she picked up her keys. “It’s all right, Rafe. I’m fine. I’m a big girl, and I can handle just about anything. I shouldn’t have done this, but I’m not going to waste a minute on regret.”

  I reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said as she slipped out the door.

  Chapter 28

  Eliot

  I couldn’t have been more relieved to have reached the end of a work day. Rafe had been busy on set all day. We’d had no more than a few minutes alone, and, even then, I worked hard at keeping it professional—just an assistant and her bachelor. The only prob
lem was I kept thinking of him in those possessive terms, like the new viral #mybachelor. It seemed a large swath of the viewing audience, and according to Kiley it was massive, had decided that Rafe was theirs too. But in reality, he didn’t belong to me or the viewing audience. He was going to belong to one of the women on the show. The list of four names on the table had brought me back to Earth like a slap in the face. No regret, I reminded myself. Of course, it wasn’t so much regret that was making me feel as if my entire insides were filled with cement. It was heartbreak. Pure and simple. But I’d done it to myself. As Jackson liked to point out, I was always my own best saboteur.

  Jackson came up next to me. We both watched as the crew started dismantling the obstacle course, or as Doug had called it, the gauntlet. It had been one of his brilliant ideas, a physical challenge for the women, a grueling competition to win the heart of the bachelor. Naturally, the women had all shown up for filming in the skimpiest workout gear they could find, most likely at the request of the director. It had been a particularly hot day, and there had been plenty of skin and sweat and tight spandex purposely splashed with cold water. I had gotten lucky enough to be sent on several errands and thankfully got to miss most of the taping.

  “Look at our boss,” Jackson snorted. “He’s got a smile as wide as the crack on my ass.”

  “Jeez, that’s a pretty analogy.” I’d been forcing a cheery mood all day just to keep my best friend off the scent of my true feelings. Jackson was just a little too damn good at reading my mind. I didn’t want him to know what I’d done. I wished I could wipe it from my mind too.

  Jackson lifted his sunglasses onto his head. “I think they got enough semi-erotic footage today to give the ratings another kick. Not that they need it this season.”

  “I don’t know why Doug didn’t just have them set up a bunch of stripper poles and put on some dance music.”

  “Snap.” Jackson looked at me. “Someone’s in a judgmental mood today.”

  “I mean it. Each season he tries to push the envelope on the shock and awe stuff a little more. Why not just film the whole thing in a hotel room? Lock them all up with booze and food and silk sheets and put the cameras on.”

  I could feel Jackson staring at the side of my face. I’d been stone faced all day, and now, I’d nearly let it all slip with one rant.

  I shook my head. “Sorry, it’s just so damn hot out here, and I’ve got to study before I go to Sparky’s. I’m just feeling grumpy.”

  “Grumpiness forgiven.” Jackson crossed his arms to watch the work on set. “I’m glad I’m not involved with taking down the obstacle course. Especially because I have to work tonight to set up for the invitation party. It’ll be down to just eight girls tonight, and I think it’s pretty obvious who the eight will be. Who do you think he’ll send home?”

  I shrugged. “Haven’t given it much thought. I’ve got too much else on my mind. I’m going to help the caterers clean up, or we’ll never get out of here.” I walked away quickly before Jackson realized something was up.

  One of the many things Rafe was highly skilled at was finding me alone. I hadn’t even heard his footsteps as I busied myself wiping off empty trays behind the caterer’s truck.

  His hands went around my eyes. I dropped the tray. It clattered with no small noise against the other trays.

  “So much for our stealth meeting behind the food truck.” Just hearing his deep voice sent a curl of warmth through me.

  I spun around and stepped back from his touch. His smile faded.

  “What are you doing back here?” I glanced around. Everyone was busy with their own tasks.

  “I just needed to see you.”

  “Looked like you were having a good time out there today.” I couldn’t keep the lacy fringes of jealousy from my tone.

  He stared at me. “I had to be out there. I signed a stupid fucking contract. In fact, I’ve learned my lesson the hard way. Never sign your name to anything. Ever.” He took a step closer. I couldn’t will my feet to back up. I wanted nothing more than to walk straight into his arms. But I froze to the spot like a confused and completely smitten rabbit, knowing full well I should run from the wolf, but unable to make it happen.

  “Come see me tonight.”

  A slightly unhinged laugh shot from my mouth. I looked around again. No one was in earshot, and there wasn’t one person on crew who would ever guess the conversation that Eliot, the safe assistant, would be having with the bachelor. “I can’t. Besides, I’m working tonight.”

  “What time are you off?”

  “You are persistent.”

  “Only when it’s something I really want. And I really want you. What time?”

  I sighed. “I’m off at ten tonight because I have school in the morning.”

  “Great. So I’ll expect you around ten thirty.”

  “Maybe you missed the last part of my sentence. I have school at seven in the morning.”

  “We’ll have you up and out in plenty of time for school. Unless I find that I can’t let you leave my bed. Then you might be tardy. Do they still call it tardy?”

  “How do I explain my car driving up to the house late at night and driving away from the house early in the morning?”

  His unshaven jaw slid back and forth as he worked up a scheme. “Got it. Meet me behind the house. That way you don’t have to worry about being seen. I can get you through the backyard out of camera view. Whoever set up security in the back must have been high. There are all kinds of gaps in the coverage.”

  The lyrical sound of the contestants’ laughter inside the food tent brought me back to the real world. “I can’t come, Rafe. This is—eventually I am going to feel regret. A lot of regret. Life changing regret. Especially when you ride off into the sunset with Janelle or Nina or one of the other amazing women on the other side of this canvas.”

  “Eliot, just come. My sister’s husband is a lawyer. When I called her the other night, I told her to have him comb through the contract just to see what my options are.”

  “Your options? Are you familiar with the term iron clad? Doug has had his lawyers perfect that contract, including the part that says you must stick it out, or at least look like a couple, in the public’s eye for six months after you leave the show. Too many couples were calling it quits right after. It was making the whole thing a joke.”

  He raked his hair back with his fingers and looked around. “Sure did get myself into one hell of a mess.” His gaze fell back on me, and my resolve not to see him tonight crumbled a little bit more.

  “Ten thirty. I’ll wait for you. If you don’t show up, then I won’t bother you again, Eliot. We’ll just go back to bachelor and assistant. It will kill me, but I’m letting you decide.”

  I watched him walk away on his long legs with his incredible mane of hair and his broad, confident shoulders and all I could think was I’d never meet a man like him again. That realization sucked big time, and yet, it fit ever so perfectly into my not so perfect life.

  Chapter 29

  Rafe

  “That’s it. I’m out.” Leo threw down his cards. His two buddies had already folded. “You sure you want to have five phone minutes instead of my cash?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  Leo couldn’t hide his smile. “Fine by me. I’ll save that twenty for a pitcher of beer.” He pulled out his phone and slid it across the table toward me. “Five minutes. And remember—no talking to anyone about the show and no telling anyone that you used my phone. If someone asks, I’ll tell them you snuck it away from me.”

  “Got it.”

  I stood up from the chair.

  “That Janelle, she’s a looker, eh?” Leo commented before I managed to escape his security booth.

  “Yes, she is.” I stopped and looked down at him. “You’ve got your money
on her?”

  “Yep. Sure do. Just thought I’d put in a good word for her.”

  I lifted the phone and pointed to the door.

  “Five minutes,” he called.

  “Yep.” I dialed Jill’s number, hoping to hell I’d catch her near a phone. She answered on two rings.

  “Hey, it’s me. Did Terrence get a chance to look over that contract?”

  “He did. He’s sitting right here. I need to help Brian with his math homework or he’ll walk away and turn on video games.” Jill handed the phone over to Terrence.

  “Big Rock, how’s it going in bachelor land?”

  “Just great. I’ve only got five minutes phone freedom. Did you look over the contract?”

  “Yes and it’s pretty damn tight. No wiggle room. You need to offer a proposal of marriage to one of the bachelorettes. Jilly is leaning toward Nina, the teacher. Thinks she’ll make a nice sister-in-law.” I could hear Jill laughing in the background.

  “You two are a regular comedy duo. So, they’ve got me by the balls?”

  “Yep. Both of them. And you’re required to put up at least the pretense that the relationship is strong and the wedding inevitable for at least six months.”

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck. I must have been temporarily brainless to have gotten into this.”

  “It’s quite the conundrum, Big Rock. Here’s your sister. She wants to get in a few terse words before you hang up.”

  “Just what I need.”

  “Damn right,” Jill said sharply into the phone. “Look, Rafe, you signed on for this. I’m not sure what’s going on in that terrified of commitment head of yours—”

  “I’m not terrified of commitment.”