By the time desert was served, Rafe was done visiting with his family. He had to get Ari to his bed – it was beyond desire – pure need was gnawing at the zipper of his pants.
“I hope you all don’t mind the surprise, but I’ve told the Captain to keep us out to sea for the night. I thought you’d all enjoy spending the night aboard the ship,” Rafe announced, not turning toward Ari when out of the corner of his eye he caught her head whip around in his direction.
“I… uh… can’t. I have to get home,” she stuttered.
“Oh, do you work tomorrow, Ari?” his father innocently asked, not sensing her tension.
“No,” she responded with hesitancy. “I don’t actually work, but I have laundry to do and other stuff to get ready for the week,” she finished feebly.
“Don’t worry, Ari. We’ll get in early,” Rafe said, making sure she knew the discussion was closed.
“I’m delighted with the surprise, Rafe. It will give me a chance to see how I sleep aboard the ship. I guess I should try it at least once before purchasing one of my own,” his father said.
“We’re going to go get some rest,” his mother said as she rose from the table with his father’s assistance. The two of them left the room practically giggling, before the girls took a clue from Rafe’s look and then made their own excuses and shuffled out after their parents.
“It looks like it’s just you and me now,” Rafe said as he scooted his chair back and gripped Ari by the waist. He moved quickly and had her straddled across his lap before she knew what was happening.
“This is kidnapping, you know,” Ari warned him breathlessly.
“All you have to do is say no, Ari,” Rafe promised as he pulled her forward against his straining erection, ending any protest she may have.
Chapter Twenty
Ari knew she should climb off Rafe’s lap and run as fast as she could to the nearest door, shutting and locking it tightly behind her. She knew she’d regret making love to the man again. She also knew that if she were to command him to let her go, he’d do just that.
Knowing he’d let her leave made her want to stay even more.
She could handle one more night in his bed, or at least at his dining table. She forgot about his staff who could wander in, as well as his family members who were just down the hall. She practically forgot her own name as his lips overtook hers, and his tongue dove inside her mouth.
Rafe’s hands slid through her hair, untying the band at the base of her neck and releasing her dark strands for his fingers to run through. He softly moved his hands across her shoulders, taking the straps of her gown and pulling them down her arms.
The material slipped against her sunburn, making her gasp, but the pleasure warming her body was so good, it far outweighed any discomfort.
She felt the air hit her br**sts, the bikini top barely covering her now. When Rafe stopped moving the straps as they reached her elbows, she struggled against him. She wanted the dress brought all the way down, needed to pull her arms up and grip his head.
“What’s the matter, Ari? Are you feeling trapped?” he whispered as his mouth moved across her cheek and made contact with her ear.
“What are you doing?” she gasped as he sucked her lobe inside his mouth.
“Pleasuring you…”
His hands next ran up to the front of her neck and splayed across her chest bone, before his fingers slipped inside the material of her bikini top. He edged first one side over, and then the other, causing her br**sts to slip free of the material and press together.
As the cool air hit her ni**les, a stinging sensation rushed from the dusky pink peaks, all the way to her core. They tightened even further as she opened her eyes and saw lust burning in his expression as he gazed in appreciation at her body.
She moved on his lap, arching her back, silently begging him to take her br**sts into his mouth and ease the ache throbbing inside her.
“Patience, Ari,” he teased as his fingers circled the dusky peaks, but didn’t touch her the way she needed.
She didn’t like this new game he was playing. She wanted satisfaction, and he wasn’t giving it to her. A rush of breath slipped free as she struggled to move closer to him, need burning her, impatience evident in her actions.
“Don’t you know that it’s the anticipation of what’s to come that heightens the pleasure when I eventually do touch you… just… like… this…”
Finally, he bent his head forward and licked her nipple, pulling back quickly to blow his warm breath across the wet surface. She cried out at the exquisite pleasure, but still he took his time, leisurely moving his tongue up her breast and across her neck, his tongue swirling around her quickly fluttering pulse, before his teeth scraped the edges of her skin.
Every place he touched soothed her for the barest of seconds, before the raging fire leapt another notch in her core, making her squirm on his lap, her core pushing against his hard manhood, the stiff flesh digging into her body.
The knowledge of how badly he desired her sent her own desire through the roof. His pants were bulging from just the sight of her since he wasn’t allowing her to touch him back. The knowledge of her control over him made her dizzy with euphoria. If she could speak, she’d demand he take her, but words wouldn’t come out, only heated gasps of pleasure.
Trailing tender, light kisses down her neck to the top of her swollen br**sts, she sighed as he circled his tongue around her ni**les. With a gentle pressure, his teeth gently bit the sensitive skin before he moved to the other side to offer equal attention. She wiggled her back, trying to lead him to take her tight buds into his mouth, but he was taking his time, and no amount of whimpering seemed to have an effect on him.
Just when she was ready to scream out in absolute sexual frustration, he latched on to one tight nipple, and the sensation that traveled through her made it all worth the wait. The buildup he’d brought her to nearly sent her over the edge of reason.
She shook in his arms as his tongue lavished her nipple while his teeth scraped the swollen bud. He feasted on her br**sts, making her head light with the pleasure, before he eased back up her throat and once again connected their mouths.
“You taste so good, Ari. I could dine on your body all night long.”
Ari moaned into Rafe’s mouth as his tongue caressed every crevice he could find. Her throat caught when his hands moved down her sides, brushing against her still bound arms and then moved to her exposed thighs. Quivering with excitement, she opened her mouth again, trying to get the words out.