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  Her taste buds exploded as she carefully swallowed and then dove further into her meal, appeasing her hunger. When she cleared everything from the tray, she realized her head wasn’t pounding at all anymore, though exhaustion was quickly consuming her. She didn’t care. She could sleep a while longer, and when she woke, it would be a new day with hopefully no pain, and definitely no Rafe.

  Carefully, she laid back down and closed her eyes. Just as Ari began drifting to sleep again she heard Rafe on his phone. She barely heard his last words, thinking they weren’t anything other than a dream.

  “Ari, we have to move to my place. I have work I have to attend to, and I’m not leaving you by yourself. The pills I gave you take the pain away, but they also make you drowsy, so I don’t want you shocked when you wake up in a new bed… Ari… are you listening?”

  Ari mumbled something, though she had no idea what. Thankfully sleep took over and she passed out, not having to feel any further pain.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ari awoke feeling better, but still not at a hundred percent. Stretching her arms above her head and arching her back, she didn’t realize she wasn’t home until she turned and felt the cool satin beneath her fingertips.

  There was no way she was sleeping in her own home. Had she died and was now feeling what heaven was like? The sheets were amazing and she felt like she was sinking into a vat of cotton, the bed was so comfortable.

  Opening her eyes, Ari was bombarded with natural light as she looked across the huge room and out the opened curtains of at least eight foot high window panes.

  “I was beginning to think you were going to sleep the entire day away. ”

  Ari jumped at the words and whipped her head around to find a young woman in her mid-twenties, standing next to the bed.

  “Um, where am I?”

  “You’re at Mr. Palazzo’s residence. He said you may still be a bit unsettled when you woke, that you’d been drugged. I’m so sorry you've had to go through this. The doctor looked at you again this morning and said your fever is down and you’re almost back to full health, but he also said you needed to be looked after for another twenty-four to forty-eight hours. ”

  “Forty-eight hours? What day is it?” Ari asked as panic began to set in.

  “It’s Monday, just past ten in the morning. You’ve been here for two full nights, but you spiked a fever yesterday and the doctor gave you a heavy dose of pain relievers and antibiotics. Your coloring looks much better now. ”

  “I have to go! My boss is going to fire me,” Ari exclaimed as she jumped from the bed. The room began to spin slightly with her quick movements and she found herself falling back, thankfully landing on the soft mattress.

  “Whoa, slow down. Mr. Palazzo already called into your work and they know you’ll be out for a few days. ”

  “He doesn’t have the right to do that. He certainly doesn’t have the right to abduct me from my home!”

  The woman looked at Ari like she was mentally ill. Maybe she was, but she was angry that he’d swooped in and taken over her life. She refused to be in debt to the man. Thinking back over the events of the last few days, and the hospital incident, she couldn’t seem to get away from him. She couldn’t afford to owe him anything more.

  “It’s okay, Misty. I’ll take care of Ms. Harlow now. ”

  Ari’s head turned sharply and her breath caught at the sight of Rafe standing in her doorway. Without giving her eyes permission, they drank in his massive frame. How she could despise everything the man stood for and still feel attraction for him – she didn’t understand – but every time she was in his presence, she found herself fighting just a little more to keep her hormones at a neutral level, especially after that dream.

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  With a quick pep-talk, she tore her gaze from his mesmerizing eyes and focused upon a button on his shirt instead. She had to remain calm, and then get back to her apartment and the real world before she began to think she could accept his indecent proposal.

  “I appreciate you taking care of me the last few days but I need to get home. I have a job that I happen to like, and a life waiting for my return,” Ari told him, proud of the false bravado to her tone. Inside, she was shaking like a leaf in a fall breeze.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Ari,” he said before pausing. “Doctor’s orders. ” As if his doctor giving an order was going to stop her.

  “Where are my clothes?” She’d learned enough about Rafe by now to know that arguing with him was useless. She wouldn’t bother with a battle she knew she’d lose. She’d simply get dressed and walk out the front door. She didn’t think he’d go so far as to physically hold her.

  “You have a fresh change of clothes in the bathroom – that door on the right. Why don’t you take a shower and then meet me downstairs for lunch. ” As if the matter was settled, he turned and exited the room.

  Ari really wished she was quick enough to come up with a sarcastic retort, but of course she didn’t think of anything witty until she was locked in the guest bathroom.

  She looked around the space with awe. How she’d dreamed of having such a wonderful bathing area as she’d watched romantic movies all her life. She hadn’t been poor, but the modest home she’d shared with her mother had been efficient, not luxurious.

  The room she was standing in could be classified as a spa it was so spacious and ornate. She glided across the heated tile, then ran her hand along the marble surrounding the large tub. She hadn’t planned on taking a bath, not wanting to follow any order Rafe commanded, but the tub was calling her name. He’d told her to shower, anyway so taking a bath wasn’t exactly doing what he’d said.

  The gold handles of the taps were smooth and well-polished and pushed on with no effort at all. A giggle escaped her as the water flowed out of the spout, cascading down like a waterfall. Several bottles of bubble bath sat clustered in a basket on the corner of the tub, and Ari’s hardest decision in that moment, was which amazing scent to use. She finally settled on peach and honey, then inhaled as the expensive aroma surrounded her.

  As Ari stepped into the tub and sank down allowing only her face above the water, a content sigh escaped. With a satisfied smile, she decided she could stay in this exact spot for the next hundred years or so. Rafe could just go ahead and wait on her to show up for lunch. Hopefully, he’d get so frustrated that he’d just leave, making it easy for her to escape.

  As she laid her head back on the soft cushion of the bath pillow and closed her eyes, she ignored the small voice inside saying that she was crazy to want to escape a secret haven such as this. It wasn’t the incredible spa bathroom she was running from – it was the rules Rafe insisted on if she were to accept his generosity.

  She was no man’s mistress – not for any amount of luxury or security. Part of her wished she could just say yes and let him take the weight off her shoulders, but a greater part of her knew that wasn’t who she was.

  Her mother had raised her to be independent, to earn what she wanted in life, and to never let anyone make her feel cheap. Being with Rafe would slowly suck away her soul – everything about who she was. It may feel like heaven, but in reality, it was just a very disguised hell.

  When she turned on the quiet jets and they began gently massaging her body, Ari’s mind shut off and she drifted to sleep, fully enjoying the magical ambiance of Rafe’s guest bathroom.

  *****

  Rafe’s irritation grew as an hour passed with still no sign of Ari. He knew the girl was stubborn and wanted to do the exact opposite of anything he asked of her, but he found it exceptionally rude for her not to show up when he was being so hospitable.

  Never before had he brought a female to his home. It was a huge jump for him, and as his temper flared, he was beginning to understand exactly why he didn’t invite women over. This was the reason he chose not to enter into relationships.

  Having a contract with a woman, making sure she knew the score, was far smarter than playing games and walking on pins and needles. He wanted his women to do what he said when he said it – not fight him each and every step of the way.

  He should’ve just hired a nurse for Ari. He didn’t quite understand why he’d felt the need to take care of her, himself. He still couldn’t believe he’d spent time in her horrific apartment.

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  He’d offered her a nice place to live, a great salary, and luxuries he was sure she’d never seen before. Why would she turn her nose up at all of it?

  When another fifteen minutes passed, Rafe lost his last ounce of patience. Not allowing his irritation to show, he slowly stood from the table and sauntered down the hallways of his large home.

  It took him several minutes to reach the guest room Ari had been placed in, but he didn’t allow himself to change the speed of his steps. He wanted to reach her quickly, which made him stay cool and steady.

  No woman would control his actions.

  “Mr. Palazzo,” Misty said as she jumped from the chair in surprise. “Ms. Harlow hasn’t emerged from the bathroom yet. Do you want me to hurry her along?”

  “No. You’re dismissed. ” Rafe didn’t stop his forward movement to the bathroom door, nor turn to make sure his maid followed orders. Everyone who worked for him followed orders without question. He really should quit trying to hire Ari. It couldn’t possibly end well.

  He reached for the doorknob and found it locked. A wicked smile crossed his features. Did she honestly think she could keep him out of any room in his own house? His pulse quickened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a master key. Training Ari to surrender to him would be more fun than he could remember having in years.

  The sensual fragrance of the bubble bath filled his nose the instant he entered the room. It sent his pulse racing as his eyes zeroed in on Ari in the tub. The bubbles had mostly faded, leaving plenty of her nearly perfect figure for his visual pleasure.

  Ari, covered in water and a thin veil of bubbles, was going to cause a few fantasies over the foreseeable future. He felt himself begin to harden as he stepped closer, then sat on the edge of the tub and let his hand sink into the still warm bath.

  When his fingers brushed along her ribcage, she twitched and then her eyes slowly opened, connecting their gazes. His stare was hot and hungry, hers was slowly waking, desire quickly filling their sleepy depths.

  “I don’t like to be kept waiting, Ari,” he whispered as his fingers danced along her slick torso.

  She opened her mouth to respond, but no words drifted out as she was caught up in this strange chemistry they shared.

  It was time he showed her how good it would be between the two of them if she decided to agree to his terms. Obviously patience wasn’t working, and he still couldn’t seem to get her from his mind. Now it was time for persuasion.

  He reached into the water and pulled her dripping figure easily from the tub, setting her na**d form on his lap, soaking his suit.

  With a startled gasp, she pressed her hands against his chest, intending to push him away.

  “What do you think you are doing?”

  “What we both want. ”

  His mouth dropped and he broke his 'no kissing' rule – devouring her mouth in a seemingly never-ending hunger that tore right through him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  As Rafe’s mouth captured hers, Ari remained stiff for several seconds, thinking that she could possibly resist him. As Rafe’s tongue slipped past her teeth and caressed the contours of her mouth, her resistance became futile.

  Thought was wiped from her mind as sensation exploded inside her body. What was it that she was feeling? She’d never experienced anything of such magnitude before. Her stomach was fluttering, and she felt a swelling sensation in her core.

  Ari pressed her legs together, trying to relieve the building pressure. As she attempted to gain the willpower to push Rafe away, his mouth slowly moved down her jaw, trailing soft feather kisses along her slender neck as his tongue traced her skin and his teeth gently nipped her shoulder.

  A shudder passed through her, and she was shocked when he effortlessly lifted her with the smoothness only strong muscles could support and then walked into the bedroom, laying her upon the mattress, her body sinking into its comfort.

  “I don’t normally have sex without the contract being signed first – without a mutual agreement, but I can’t seem to get you out of my mind. I have to have you, and I’m tired of resisting the pull. I’m not stopping unless you tell me to, so if you have protests, give them now,” Rafe demanded as he slipped off his suit jacket and began unbuttoning his soaked shirt.

  Ari knew now was the time to tell him this wasn’t going to happen. She needed to get the words past her tight throat and demand he leave her alone. As his contoured olive chest was exposed with the release of his last button and his dress shirt fell open, she forgot exactly what she’d just been thinking.

  The sight of his ripped abs and narrow waist sent more sensations through her body. She felt a pinch in her br**sts, and her ni**les hardened, causing desirable pain. She lifted her hands to her br**sts, her palms squeezing over her peaked pink skin, trying to relieve the ache.

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  The brush of her own hands sent more sensation coursing through her, making her involuntarily spread her thighs. Her eyes never left Rafe’s as he shed the rest of his clothes, standing beside the bed, gloriously naked, looking like an Adonis statue.

  He was pure perfection from his dark, slightly mussed hair, to the soles of his feet. His body was covered in a fine layer of muscles and his large erection was proudly standing, ready to penetrate her body. Fear should be rolling through her system, but all she felt was need.

  “No regrets, Ari. It’s too late,” he murmured as he caught her hands and raised them above her head. Before she could protest the movement, his mouth descended, capturing her aching nipple, sucking her deep inside the warmth of his mouth.

  Her h*ps rose from the bed, turning in his direction, seeking the warmth of his body. He threw his leg over hers, trapping her as his mouth devoured first one aching bud, and then moving over to the other.

  He released her hands and she immediately moved them to his head, her fingers running through his thick hair, tugging on the short strands, trying to hold him in place as he relieved the aching in her br**sts, but caused new awareness to spread lower in her body.

  Her stomach trembled as she felt warm heat spread through her core. Moistness spilled from her body, readying her as his hand ran up her thigh and his fingers traced the edges of her slick opening. He was easily able to slip his fingers inside her, and the smoldering fire that was burning ignited into a raging inferno.

  She pushed against him, not understanding the changes coursing through her, but her body instinctually taking over as she sought relief. This was nothing like the clumsy fumbling of the college guy from her only prior sexual experience. She was on fire, and she had no doubt that Rafe could quench her raging thirst.

  His mouth trailed down her stomach, causing her to cry out as he touched every inch of her throbbing torso. She was reaching toward something she’d never thought to experience. She couldn’t believe something so amazing was possible and that she hadn’t tried to find it before this moment.

  She couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen, finding it hard to breathe as her heart thundered, and her airways closed. A building pressure had begun in her core, and she was close to tears as her head whipped from side to side as Rafe took his time devouring her body.

  “Please, Rafe, please make it stop,” she cried as she pressed her h*ps upward, causing his seeking fingers to plunge deeply inside her saturated folds.

  “Oh Ari, we’re only just beginning,” he murmured before he spread open her knees and his tongue swirled around her inner thighs. She moaned in pleasure as his fingers moved swiftly in and out of her swollen heat while his mouth skillfully circled the area.

  When his tongue descended onto her engorged bud, the pressure spiked dangerously high. She felt a tingling sensation begin to flood her entire body as it began building higher and higher. His tongue swirled around her wet folds as his fingers pumped inside her faster and faster, making her reach for relief.

  She threw her head back and let go, relinquishing all thoughts of her brain telling her what they were doing was wrong. It certainly didn’t feel wrong. It felt like the single greatest thing she’d ever done. She wanted relief, but at the same time, she never wanted the moment to end. She wanted to solely exist in this pleasurable moment.

  Suddenly, his tongue pushed out, and she exploded. As his lips encircled her throbbing bud and his fingers pressed deeply inside her body she began to shake, her flesh throbbing as it contracted, pulsing over and over again.

  She felt lightheaded as fire ripped through her, her br**sts heavy, her lower body burning. He slowed the movement of his tongue as he gently sucked on her wet skin, making her spasm in his hands.

  As the last of her tremors began to cease, his fingers started moving again, making her pull her thighs together. No! She was done. She couldn’t take anything more.

  “It’s not over, Ari. Trust me,” he murmured. She wanted to protest. She couldn’t possibly do that again. The pleasure had been unlike anything she could imagine. It would surely send her into cardiac arrest to experience it twice in a row.

  Amazingly, as his fingers gently penetrated her swollen folds, she felt a stirring of heat begin to return. Tiny sensations started flooding her core, drifting out through her legs and stomach. Joy filled her as her ni**les responded, that pleasurable ache returning and her body immediately awakening to his touch.

  Oh, she could do this all day and night!

  She heard Rafe’s low sexy chuckle before his mouth dropped down and he slid that masterful tongue along her dripping heat, then nothing but moans of pleasure could be heard in the sun-filled room.

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  Rafe moved up her body, taking his time as he lathered her stomach in sweet kisses before his mouth rose over the mounds of her br**sts and he gently bit down on her erect ni**les. Her hands again gripped his hair, this time pulling him upward, wanting his lips on hers.

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