“I’ve hardly seen you since I got back.” He slowly approached her.
“Do you need something?” She glanced at his hand, that he’d been tapping, and he stilled it.
“I need a lot of things.” Rafe was so nervous he couldn’t quite look at her.
“How can I help?”
Rafe swallowed and shifted his shoulders. He would do it, declare his feelings for her. But what if she wasn’t interested?
“Have you heard something from Bill?” she asked.
He blinked, confused. “No, why?”
“Because you seem . . . nervous?” she asked, hesitant.
“You read me like no one I know.” Rafe looked up to heaven, pleading for help. He heaved out a breath and glanced at her again. “I’m just going to say it and get it off my chest and hope that you don’t take it wrong.”
Ahri’s complexion paled.
“I’m really attracted to you, and I want to take you out when you don’t work for me anymore.” Rafe said the words in a rush. “There, I said it.” He felt a little sick and had to force himself not to tense up, the memory of Tess’s rejection echoing in the back of his mind.
Ahri stared at him for a few seconds, her expression inscrutable.
“Do you mean like a date?” she finally asked, the words airy, like she couldn’t breathe. Was he imagining the hopefulness in her voice?
“Exactly that.” The tenseness in Rafe eased, and he grinned. “More than one date.Lotsof dates. I should have said something to you sooner, but I didn’t want to make things awkward between us here. So, I ran away to London instead.”
Ahri grinned back at him. They stood staring at each other stupidly.
“I’d like that.” She reached up as though to touch his face but started to drop it.
“Don’t.” Rafe captured her hand and pressed it against his chest. He tried to cup her face with his other hand but was blocked by her armor. “Why did you wear all this?”
“Because a true warrior maiden isn’t going into battle dressed in lingerie.” Ahri scowled at him through her visor.
“Ilovethis about you, but the helmet’s got to go.” He removed it and tossed it aside.
“Hey. Be careful with that.”
“I’ll be careful withthis.” Rafe cupped her face in his hands, his heart full and his pulse nearly deafening him. “I’ve wanted to do this for averylong time.”
He slowly lowered his face to hers, watching her beautiful eyes to make sure she knew his intent and had time to pull back if she wanted to. She didn’t, instead closing her eyes as she lifted her chin. He touched his mouth to hers, slowly to savor the feel of her warm, soft lips.
His heart swelled like to burst from his chest, and he deepened the kiss. He wanted to hold her, taste her. Rafe moved his hands around her clunky armor. Ahri responded by pressing into him. Something sharp stabbed into his chest.
“Ow.” He stepped back and rubbed his right pec.
“Oops. Sorry.” Laughing softly, Ahri ran her fingers over the spot. “I hope it didn’t break the skin.”
“I’ll find out later.” Rafe took her hands in his and kissed her again.
“Well, I guess that answers that question,” came Cass’s familiar voice behind him.
Rafe spun around, keeping himself a little in front of Ahri, his neck turning dark. “It’s the first time I’ve kissed her, and she won’t be working for me tomorrow.”
“Then I won’t report it to Orianna,” Cass said, mockingly stern.
Ahri moved fully beside him, and he asked, “What question is answered?”
