Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Rafe woke refreshed and filled with joy. Brianna lay in his arms, sound asleep. She’d awakened once last night, confused. He gently reminded her of where she was and why. She shook her head and fell right back asleep.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could smell roses. Must be her shampoo. He hadn’t had a relationship in years. Having Brianna here reminded him that he needed that connection. And now, because of her, he wanted it. Craved it, even.

She might fear fire, but she didn’t fear him or what he did. Carefully he slid her out of his arms and onto the pillows, then slid out of bed, making sure to keep her covered.

He had a morning routine, and he liked sticking to it. He grabbed his running clothes, socks, and shoes and made his way into the bathroom. Once dressed, he found pen and paper, leaving Brianna a note before he went for his run.

The morning air was crisp. After warming up, he started out. It was Saturday, so he hoped, Brianna would spend the day with him. They could go to the club tonight and relax, no play. Then spend the night in his bed, and this time, maybe they’d make love.

Don’t get ahead of yourself. He needed to give Brianna time. Their relationship was fairly new, and it wasn’t like him to move this fast. Or was it? He’d had one-night stands before, but the other party knew the score. And he hadn’t had one in a while. Rafe wasn’t sure he knew what fast or slow meant in a real relationship.

Brianna meant more to him than a one-night stand. His heart was involved, and it had happened quicker than he expected. He let his thoughts wander as he ran. When he hit the park, he turned for home. By the time he arrived back at his house, he was hot and sweaty. He stepped into his house and groaned.

Fresh coffee teased his senses. “Brianna?”

“Hey.” She popped her head around the corner of the kitchen. “Did you have a good run?” She sauntered up to him, looking bright and cheery this morning. She was wearing her street clothes from last night. Did she still have the thong on? His dick twitched.

“I did.”

“I made coffee; I hope that’s okay.”

“It smells great. You can do whatever you want in my place.”

“Good, because I took advantage of your absence and raided your fridge and pantry. What do you say to pancakes and bacon?”

“Perfect. Let me go get a shower.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek before walking down the hallway. Inside his bathroom, he noticed a towel missing, and the inside of the shower was damp.

He grinned. Brianna had made herself at home. Good. That’s what he wanted. He wanted her to be comfortable here and with him. He stripped and dropped his clothes in the hamper, then climbed in the shower and turned on the water.

Rafe made quick work of his shower and dressed. As he approached the kitchen, he could hear Brianna talking. “Okay, those are good. In the oven to keep warm, now for the bacon.” She sighed. “You can do this; it’s just a gas stove.”

“Why don’t you let me do that?” he asked. She was apparently uncomfortable with the appliance.

“I have it under control.” She waved the package at him. “I poured you a cup of coffee.” She tilted her head to the other counter where the mug sat.

He picked up the mug and took a sip. “Perfect. I’m sure you can handle the bacon, but let me.” He took the bacon from her. “You did the hard part with the pancakes. I’m positive they’re much better than mine.” Rafe took another long drink of his coffee before setting it down.

Brianna laughed. “I wouldn’t bet on that. I’ll set the table then.”

Rafe opened the bacon and turned the fire on under the pan. Brianna had used the electric griddle for the pancakes. While she could have done the bacon on the griddle, he preferred it on the stove. “Plates to the right of the fridge, silverware in the drawer below. Napkins in the holder on the breakfast bar.” Brianna had moved away from the stove.

Rafe frowned. He had a gas stove. Was she that afraid of fire? He shook his head. She’d told him open flames bothered her. He turned his attention to the bacon.

“Got it.”

There was a companionable silence as Rafe cooked the bacon, and Brianna set the table. “Do you want juice?” she asked.

“Not this morning, thank you. But feel free.” He kept juice on hand for the mornings when he took his run and had to get to the firehouse. The juice helped him power through until he had breakfast with the guys.

“I’m good. I’m guessing butter is in the fridge, what about syrup?”

“Yes, butter in fridge. There’s syrup in the pantry, second shelf toward the back.” He glanced at Brianna as she walked into the pantry and came out with the bottle, shaking it at him, before grabbing the butter and putting the items on the table.

When she returned to the kitchen, she refilled both their coffee mugs and set them on the table, after adding milk and sugar to hers. Then she leaned against the doorframe to the pantry, close, but not too close, and watched him finish cooking the bacon. “You do that so effortlessly.”

“What?” He placed a piece of bacon onto the paper towel to drain.

“Flip the bacon. I’m always afraid of getting splattered by grease.”

“I’ve found the trick is to keep the fire on medium to low and use tongs instead of a fork.” He finished removing the bacon from the pan and turned the burner off.

“Pancakes are in the oven. I put it on warm and covered them with foil so they wouldn’t dry out.”

“Great.” He grabbed a platter, put the bacon on it, and then pulled the tray of pancakes out of the oven. Taking off the foil, he transferred them to the platter. He didn’t mention the shape or color of them.

“I’m used to cooking on electric stove. The griddle was a little easier than the gas stove.”

He glanced at her, and her cheeks were pink. “Even an electric griddle takes time to learn. Gas can be more efficient for some people.” He carried the food to the table and placed it in the middle. “My lady.” He held out a chair for her.

“Why thank you, kind sir.” She sauntered over and sat.

Rafe barely contained himself when she said kind sir. They weren’t in the bedroom or the club; the sir shouldn’t cause his dick to pulse, but it did.

“Let’s eat,” he said, taking his seat.

* * * *

Brianna watched Rafe dig into the food. He didn’t seem to mind that some of the pancakes were a little dark. If she was honest, they were almost burnt. When she woke and found herself alone, her first thought was that Rafe didn’t like sleeping with her.

But then she saw his note, and her heart warmed. After cleaning up, she went into the kitchen. It took her a few minutes to figure out his complicated coffee maker, but once she did, she made a pot and then started looking around to see what she could make for breakfast.

At first, she felt like she was snooping, but in his note, he’d said, make yourself at home. Brianna had wanted to make breakfast for him. Rafe had calmed her when she woke in the middle of the night confused. He talked to her quietly, and she’d fallen back asleep, listening to his quiet voice.

Surprised at how energized she felt this morning, Brianna was ready to take on the world. Did that come from being with a man who put her needs first? Maybe. Rafe was tender, caring, and oh, so dominant.

A shaft of excitement shot through her veins. She hadn’t expected to feel so much from their scene. She’d have to talk to Ellie and ask her if this is how all women reacted.

“Brianna.” Rafe’s voice brought her out of her musings.

“Sorry.”

“You were deep in thought. I asked if you would spend the day with me.”

She bit her lip. Oh, how she wanted to say yes, but she had things she needed to do around her apartment, and she needed to complete her lesson plans for next week. “I want to, but unfortunately, I have work to do.” The light in Rafe’s eyes dimmed. Damn. “How about this.” She leaned to the side so she could see the time on the microwave. “It’s just ten. Take me home, and I’ll come back at three. We can spend time together then. Will that work?”

“It will. Are you good with going to the club again tonight?”

“Sure.”

“Good. Pack a bag.”

“For what? I’ll have clean clothes for the club.”

“Because you’re going to spend the night.”

Her heart fluttered. Sure, she’d spent last night in his bed, but she had a feeling tonight wasn’t going to be platonic. Was she ready for that? Her body screamed yes, but her brain told her to think about it. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course. I meant to ask earlier but was distracted by this wonderful breakfast. How are you feeling after last night?”

“Rested and ready to take on my day.” She glanced at him. “And you can be honest about breakfast.”

He sighed, stood, and crossed over to her. His hands were gentle when he pulled her from her chair and held her in front of him. “Look at me.”

Brianna raised her chin; their gazes locked. She swallowed at the tempest in his gaze.

“It was wonderful because you made it for me.”

“But I burnt the pancakes.”

“I’ve done that a few times myself. I don’t want you being upset over a few semi-burnt pancakes. You cooked for me, and I am appreciative.”

She took a breath in surprise. “Thank you.”

“Now let me get the dishes in the dishwasher while you gather your things.” He brushed a kiss over her lips before releasing her.

Brianna watched him for a minute before she went into the bedroom to grab her bag. She’d put her club clothes in the bag earlier when she’d showered. Thank goodness she’d put a spare pair of underwear in.

When she walked back into the kitchen, Rafe had almost finished loading the dishwasher. “You’re fast,” she commented.

“That I am.” He flashed her grin and shut the dishwasher before sauntering over to her. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?” he asked as he slid his arms around her waist.

She wanted to stay. That surprised her, but she shook her head. “I’ve got to get lesson plans done for next week, and if I don’t do them today, they won’t get done.” She was aware if she spent the night with him tonight, she probably wouldn’t get home until late tomorrow.

“All right.” He kept an arm around her waist as he guided her to the garage after grabbing his keys off a hook next to the garage door.

The drive to her apartment was quiet. Once there, he parked in a visitor spot and walked her to her apartment. Funny how quickly she got used to him checking her place out before he’d allow her in.

“I’ll pick you up at three,” he said, pulling her close.

“I can drive to your place.”

“I know, but please indulge me.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say okay, but what if she wanted to go home tonight instead of spending the night with him?

“I feel your hesitation. Am I moving too fast?”

“Yes, no…” She didn’t know what she meant anymore. “What happens if I want to go home tonight?”

“Then I’ll take you home.”

“As simple as that?” Would he really do that? She’d heard horror stories about men abandoning a woman when she refused to go home with him.

“Yes.” He cupped her cheek. “If you choose not to spend the night with me, I’ll take you home. I promise you.”

Brianna leaned against him. “I don’t know what to think anymore.” Her mind tried to sort out the pros and cons.

“Sweetheart.” His voice was low. “I promise to be honest with you, and I always will be. You tell me you want to go home, I take you home. End of discussion.”

She looked up at him. “So different.”

“Better believe that.” He brushed his lips over hers, but this time, she captured his mouth with hers. She wanted his kiss. A real kiss.

Rafe started in surprise but then took the kiss over. Her lips parted to allow his tongue to delve into her mouth. Oh yes, this was what she wanted. His kisses. His touch. The world melted away as they continued to kiss on her doorstep.

The slamming of a door made them jump apart. Brianna’s face heated when she saw her neighbor walking down the hall.

“Good morning,” Rafe said as the older woman passed them.

“Morning.” The woman kept walking.

“That was embarrassing,” Brianna commented.

“Why?” He kept her close.

“I…” She thought for a moment. “I have no idea.”

“Good. But it’s natural for us to kiss.” He gave her another scorching kiss. “Go do what you need to do, and I’ll be here at three.” Her turned her in his arms and gave her a nudge into her apartment.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Bossy.” Her voice was filled with laughter.

“Later.” He pulled the door shut, and Brianna stood there, listening to his fading footsteps. It took her a few minutes to shake away the after effects of his kiss and head for her desk. She had things to do.

* * * *

Rafe parked in Sweet Savory’s parking lot. After leaving Brianna at her apartment, he called Max. He needed to talk to someone who enjoyed the lifestyle with a partner. Max had been in the longest relationship and was sitting at a table in the corner when he arrived.

“Can I get you something to eat or drink?” he asked, since he’d asked Max to meet him here.

“I’ve already ordered.”

“Be right back.” Rafe went up to the counter and ordered a cup of coffee. He was still full from breakfast, but coffee was always welcome. He returned to the table and sat down.

“What’s up? You said you needed to talk to me about the lifestyle,” Max said.

“Yes.” Rafe cradled the coffee mug between his hands. “Here’s the situation.” He outlined to Max what had gone on between last night and this morning. “Am I moving too fast?”

One of the servers walked up to their table and set a plate in front of Max along with a bottle of water. “Anything else?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Max said.

“More coffee?”

“I’m good, thank you,” Rafe said, and the server left.

Max took a bite of his sandwich and then looked at Rafe. “Rafe, we all move at our own pace. I can’t tell you if you’re going too fast or not. What did Brianna say?”

“She wanted to think about it.” Rafe twirled his empty coffee mug.

“Not unusual. She’s relatively new to the lifestyle in a practical sense.”

“Yeah. But…” Rafe gathered his thoughts. “I don’t know if this is normal in the lifestyle, but I have feelings for Brianna.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“What?” Rafe stared at Max.

“Rafe, I studied your questionnaire and hers before I gave them to you. You two fit well together. I knew you’d hit it off.”

“Are you playing matchmaker?” Somehow, it didn’t surprise him. All the women Max had paired up with Doms so far were in committed relationships.

“No. Most of the guys were already interested in their subs before they were put together at the club.”

“I was interested even though Brianna and I had only met once before we met at the club.”

“You did? Where?”

“Logan and I gave a talk at the elementary school where she teaches.”

“I didn’t know that.” Max polished off his sandwich. “I’m going to tell you what I tell a lot of the Doms who come to me for advice. Be open and honest with Brianna. I watched your scene last night; you two have a connection that is rarer than you think.”

“I’m being open and honest with her.”

“And encourage her to be the same. My experience with Sierra was once she became comfortable with me and the lifestyle, things fell into place. Also, you say this whole relationship thing is new to you. Maybe it’s new for her too.”

Rafe nodded. He’d never considered or asked if Brianna had been in any long term, committed relationships. Though just the thought made him want to snarl.

“I talked with Zeke and Gabriel. They believe they’ll have your fire play room ready in two weeks. Can you do a final walk through with them?”

“I can do it on Thursday after work or anytime on Friday when they’re done.” Anticipation flowed through Rafe. He was excited about this new venture with Max and the club.

“Okay. Do I need to provide you with any equipment?”

“Outside of what we’ve already discussed, no. I have all the supplies I need. I do have a question for you. What if there isn’t enough interest in fire play? You went to a lot of expense to create the room.” Rafe didn’t like the idea that Max might have wasted his money.

“There’s enough. Even if it’s just to watch. I’ve had more than a two dozen members ask me about it. Even more since the room has been modified.”

“You were always against it, so why now?” It had been part of the rules when he joined, which is why he only did it with his mentor or with specialized parties.

“Members were asking, and one of them is my wife. I reconsidered my stance, plus I spoke to King, and he made me aware how careful you are. That was enough for me.”

“I’d forgotten you talked to King.” Rafe shouldn’t be surprised. A lot of people knew of the others in the lifestyle.

“Yeah, we go way back.” Max grinned. “King mentioned to me he mentored you in fire play about two years ago so when the request came in, I decided it was time to chat with you.”

Rafe shook his head. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I like keeping my finger on the pulse of my members and my club. Once we expanded, I knew members would start asking for other things. Especially when more people were interested in Anthony’s knife play.”

“He handles knives the way I do fire. With finesse and care.”

“Which is why I asked you. Having the special room to do it in makes sense. I want us to be as safe as possible.” Max sipped his water. “That also reminds me, are there any areas of the club that you see need attention?”

Rafe thought for a moment. “Not really. You have fire extinguishers around the club; there will be two in the fire play room. Lara is extra careful with the hot food and the small hot boxes to keep the food warm. You also keep tape over the cords so no one trips. Are you concerned about something you want me to look at?”

Max shook his head. “Not really, but let me know if you notice something. Since the expansion was never part of the original house, I wanted it to be seamless. My great-grandfather used the original as an illegal gambling den. When I inherited the property, I knew it would be great for a club; it just took some years to get it up and running.”

“I’m glad you did. It gives us a safe space to play and has become quite popular.”

“I know.” Max rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “People have asked me to open a second one.”

“Are you?” That would be interesting.

Max shook his head. “I don’t have the time or the resources. Not that I would stop anyone who wanted to open a club. There are more than enough people in the lifestyle to go around.”

“But not everyone would run a club like you do.” Max was very safety conscious. While there had been incidents, most were in the first months after Wicked Sanctuary had opened.

“Maybe and maybe not. This last thing with Ward has kind of made me wonder if I’m doing something wrong.”

Rafe stiffened. “Ward was not your fault. I was there, Max. I’ve seen Ward in the club; nothing screamed predator. Some men are really good at hiding that side of themselves.”

“As my wife keeps telling me.”

“She’s right. Max, you did all the right things when you found out. By the way, what happened with him?” Rafe knew there had been an arraignment but hadn’t had a chance to check in with Logan.

“His arraignment and hearing didn’t go well. He went off at the judge, and the judge determined he was a danger to the community and kept him in jail. I believe his trial will be next year.”

“And Emily seems to have bounced back.” He’d seen her with Noah in the club.

“Emily is a lot stronger than any of us think. Hell, all the subs are. I think we Doms forget they have to be to put up with us.”

Rafe laughed. But Max was right, subs were some of the strongest people he knew—and that included Brianna. He needed to remember that.

“Thanks, Max. I needed this.”

“Anytime.”

* * * *

Brianna stood in her bedroom, staring at her closet. Rafe asked her to pack a bag to stay at his house. Was she ready for this? Maybe that wasn’t the right question. She’d already spent the night at his house.

Was she ready to make love with him? Her head screamed yes, but her heart was more hesitant. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been in a relationship before, but nothing like what she had with Rafe.

She’d heard the other subs talk about a connection between them and their Doms, and while Rafe was technically her first Dom, she’d felt the connection with him before she knew he was going to be her Dom.

That day at the school. Her entire being lit up when she made eye contact with him. Heck, she’d forgotten anyone else was around and where she was. But it still came back to whether or not she was ready to be intimate with Rafe.

A laugh escaped her lips. They’d already been intimate; they just hadn’t had sex. He knew her body better than she did. Plus, he turned her on. His caring nature, the way he touched her body, and how he never expected more than she could give. Blowing out a breath, she grabbed a pair of sweats, jeans, and a shirt out of her closet.

After throwing them in the bag, she grabbed a night shirt, underwear, socks, and her cosmetic bag from the bathroom. That was enough. She glanced at the clock. Two-thirty. Not bad. She’d cleaned her apartment, made her lesson plans, and showered. Laundry could wait until after work next week.

Next, Brianna switched out the contents of her club bag. She grabbed a clean pair of boy shorts and a sports bra. That would work for tonight. Rafe hadn’t mentioned what he wanted to do. She tapped her forefinger against her lips and threw a thong in there, as well.

She wasn’t ready to go completely nude in the club yet but was surprised at how comfortable she felt being topless. Not that anyone had seen her topless, but it was less of a concern now that she’d done it. No one in the club judged others’ bodies.

She’d always been a little self-conscious of her body. It would take time to get over her phobias, but Rafe was so good at working with her. She zipped up both bags and carried them to the front door.

Twenty-five minutes until three. Ugh. Going into the kitchen, she started making a grocery list. At least, she could get that out of the way. Next week after work was going to be busy, but that was okay. She’d rather spend time with Rafe.

By the time she’d finished her list and checked the fridge and what she had on hand, it was five minutes to three. The buzzer for entrance to the building went off. “Hello.”

“Hi, beautiful, it’s Rafe.”

“Come on up.” She buzzed him in, unlocked and opened her door, and waited for him. In a couple of minutes, he strode out of the elevator and down the hall to her.

“Ready?” he asked after brushing a kiss over her lips.

“Yes.” Her lips tingled from his kiss. She leaned down to pick up her bags.

“I’ve got them.” Rafe picked up the two bags.

Brianna grabbed her purse, then shut and locked the door. “So, what are we going to do this afternoon?” she asked. He hadn’t said much, only that he wanted to spend the afternoon with her.

“Did you eat lunch?”

She shook her head. “I was still full from breakfast.”

“How about a late lunch/early dinner? Then we can go to my place, relax, and change before we go to the club.”

“Works for me.”

“Where to?” He glanced over at her as he drove.

“I’d say Sweet Savory, but Lara closes at three.”

“She does, but she’s catering the club tonight. Let me call and see if she’ll let us stop by.” Rafe stopped on the side of the road and pulled out his cell.

“Don’t you have Bluetooth?”

“I do, but I prefer not to use it while driving unless it’s an emergency.”

Brianna nodded. “I don’t want to put her out. Everyone needs time off.” She didn’t like the idea of putting Lara on the spot.

“We won’t.” He dialed her number. “Hey, Lara, Rafe. I know you’re closed, but is there anyway Brianna and I can stop buy and grab some food?” The was a pause. “Great, thank you.” Rafe hung up and looked at Brianna. “She’s there along with Sierra, Crystal, and Regina and told us to come on down.”

Within ten minutes, Rafe was pulling into the parking lot. Brianna reached to open the door when Rafe made a tsking sound. She pulled her hand back. Rafe stepped out of the SUV, jogged around and opened her door.

Brianna was still trying to get used to how Rafe always wanted to help her in and out of his vehicle. She turned toward the front door when Rafe stopped her. “Lara said to knock on the back door.”

Brianna nodded. Rafe knocked, and a smiling Regina opened the door. “Hey, you two, come on in.”

They made their way into Sweet Savory, and Brianna almost burst out laughing. Sierra and Crystal were at the counters as if helping, but instead, their hands were in the air, and Lara was standing there, hands on hips with a frown. Regina stood behind Lara with a big grin on her face.

“Hey, Rafe, Brianna,” Sierra said when she saw them.

Lara turned.

“You didn’t need to stay open for us,” Brianna said.

“It’s fine.” Lara waved her hand. “I’m just getting things ready for tonight, so I’m here anyway. Now, if I could just get these two to stop trying to help me.” She glared at Sierra and Crystal.

“Sorry.” They both backed away.

“You can get the stuff out of freezer. You’ll see the boxes labeled for the club,” Lara ordered.

Crystal and Regina scrambled off. Sierra grinned. “I’ll take care of the paper products.” She went into the other room.

“Now, what can I get for you two? And do you want it to go or eat here?” Lara asked.

“If it’s not too much of an imposition, can we eat here? Brianna and I are going to chat about tonight over lunch, and it would be nice to do it without having to watch every word,” Rafe said.

“No problem. Go grab a table wherever you want, but first, tell me what you want to eat.”

“I want to keep it simple, what do you have that’s easy?” Brianna said.

“The easiest right now would be the beef, bean, chicken wraps or bagel dogs.”

“I’ll take two bagel dogs,” Brianna told her.

“Two chicken wraps for me,” Rafe commented.

“You got it. Drinks?”

“Water, please,” Brianna said.

“Same.”

“Okay, go sit down, and I’ll bring it over to you.”

“You don’t have to do that, Lara,” Rafe said. “Just yell when ready, and I’ll come get it. You’re doing us a big enough favor.” Rafe took Brianna by the arm and led her to a secluded table.

Brianna sat, and Rafe sat across from her. “I’m sure you’re wondering what we’re doing tonight?”

“A bit.”

There was excitement in her eyes, and Rafe was glad to see it. Some subs needed more time to recover from subspace, but Brianna seemed to have bounced back. “We’re not going to scene tonight.”

“We’re not?” The surprise in her voice made him grin.

“No. You’re still new to the lifestyle, and after going into subspace last night, I want to give your mind and body time to reset.”

“I think I can understand that.”

“We didn’t talk a lot this morning. How are you feeling? Any aches or pains? Feeling out of sorts or anything like that?” He wanted to make sure she wasn’t experiencing any negative aftereffects.

“Nothing hurts, and mentally, I feel great.” She smiled. “I was energized when I got home; my apartment is sparkling clean, and my lessons plans for next week are done.”

“That’s great.” He’d heard that some subs had lots of energy after subspace, and it looked like Brianna was one of them. Time would tell.

“Hey, Lara, do you have a fire extinguisher?” Sierra yelled.

Rafe jumped out of his seat as Lara pulled the extinguisher off the wall. “Where’s the fire?” he asked.

“Dumpster outside the back door. I just went to throw the boxes in.” Regina pointed at the door.

Rafe took the extinguisher from Lara. “Call 911.” He bolted out the back door. Oh yes, they were going to need the fire department. Thank goodness, the dumpster was away from the building. After pulling the pin, Rafe directed the spray at the dumpster.

Within a few minutes, the fire truck pulled up. “Can’t take a day off, can you, Lyons,” the captain said.

Rafe backed away as they doused the fire. Had someone been careless and tossed a lit cigarette inside? It seemed odd to him that dumpster caught on fire. Within minutes, it was out; the guys poked around to make sure there were no lingering embers.

Lara, Crystal, Regina, and Brianna stood by the doorway. Brianna’s eyes were wide, and the other women looked worried.

“All taken care of,” Rafe said. “Lara, I can get the extinguisher refilled for you.”

“Thanks, Rafe. I have extras just in case. I’m so glad I moved that dumpster away from the building.”

He nodded. “You okay?” he asked Brianna.

“Fine. Just a little startled.” She wrapped her arms around her waist.

“All is fine, ladies,” the captain said. “Fire is out. Probably someone walking by dropped their cigarette in or a match.”

“Thank you for responding so quickly,” Lara said.

“We’re here to serve.” The captain nodded in Rafe’s direction, climbed into the fire truck, and off they went.

“Well, that was exciting,” Crystal commented.

“A little too much,” Regina muttered.

“Agreed,” Brianna said, her voice quiet.

“Let’s all go back inside. I’ll call the refuse company Monday and ask them to come pick it up.” Lara stepped back inside the café.

“Before I leave, Lara, I’ll push the dumpster to the other side of the parking lot.” He didn’t want it near her building.

“Thanks, Rafe.”

Rafe took Brianna by the elbow and escorted her back to where they were sitting. “I’ll go grab our food and water,” he said after making sure she was seated.

“Lara, do you have cameras?” he asked. Something about that fire bothered him.

“Only at the back door, not around the building.” He nodded. “Here’s your food and drink. Take your time. I won’t be leaving for at least another hour.”

“Thanks.” Rafe took the tray of food to the table. “Here we go.” He took her plate and water and sat it in front of her, before putting his own food on the table.

“Smells so good,” she said, picking up her bagel dog to take a bite.

“It really does.” He picked up his chicken and chili wrap and dug in. The spicy chili hit his taste buds. They ate quietly for a few minutes.

“So, tonight?” Brianna asked.

“We’ll basically hang out in the club. I’m not saying I won’t touch you or anything.”

“You said we wouldn’t scene.”

“Correct. We could watch some scenes or just sit a chat with our friends. We’ll play it by ear, but I didn’t want you to be disappointed when we don’t scene.”

“I’m not. I’m just worried…” Her words trailed off.

Rafe polished off his wraps. “Worried about what?”

“Don’t you want to scene?” Her voice was so soft and tentative.

“There’s more to the lifestyle than scening.”

“I just thought…” Again, she broke off her words.

“Brianna, you can tell me anything. Communication is important.”

She nodded. “I assumed you wanted to play tonight. I thought that’s why I packed an overnight bag.”

Rafe grinned. “I want to spend the night with you regardless if we play or not.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed.

He reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. “Remember, no pressure, you call the shots. My place or your apartment. You have the right to tell me no.”

She blinked at him. “I do, don’t I?”

“Yes. You have the right to tell any man no, and they better listen.”

“And if they don’t?”

“They’ll regret it.”

* * * *

Brianna liked this protective side of Rafe. Even when he was putting out the dumpster fire, he made sure he put himself between the fire and the women. She knew he was protective, but it had really started to come out.

“Thank you.” She turned her hand over in his and squeezed.

“For?”

“Being you.” It was the truth. The men she’d been around hadn’t been very open or honest with her, and that included her father.

“Now that we have that out of the way.” He withdrew his hand and stood. “I’ll clean up our lunch, and we can go back to my place. Or go for a drive. Your choice.” He gathered their empty plates and water bottles.

Brianna watched him cross the room. He chatted with Lara for a minute before returning to the table. She was so enthralled watching him move with such grace she didn’t realize for a moment he was standing next to her, holding his hand out.

“Always a gentleman,” she said, placing her hand in his.

“I was raised right.” He helped her to her feet. They bid Lara good bye and walked out the back door. “Give me a minute to move the dumpster?”

“Do you want help?” she asked.

“I’m good.” He touched the dumpster, then maneuvered behind it, and pushed it across the small lot. He dusted his hands off before walking back to her. “That’s done.”

“Why did you feel the need to move it away from the café?”

“To be safe.” He opened the door to his SUV for her. “I know the fire is out, but I’d rather Lara doesn’t worry about it.”

Brianna nodded. He was so considerate.

“Are we going back to my place or for a drive?” he asked after they were in his vehicle.

“How about we drive out and sit by the water?” She loved Puget Sound and wasn’t quite ready to go back to his place.

“Anything you want.” He pulled out of the parking lot and headed west. In about twenty minutes, he parked close to the beach. “Do you want to walk?”

She glanced out the windshield. It wasn’t raining. It was cool, but she didn’t mind the cold. “I’d like that.”

“Okay. Good. I think I threw two jackets in the car.” He climbed out and opened the back door.

Brianna got out of the vehicle as Rafe walked around, holding out a red puffy jacket to her. “Put this on so you don’t freeze.”

He held out the jacket, and she slipped her arms into the sleeves as he pulled it over her shoulders then moved in front of her and zipped it up.

“This has to be yours.” There was laughter in her voice as she pushed the sleeves up so she could find her hands.

“Guilty.” He captured her hand, and they began to walk the trail. “I haven’t been down here in a while.”

“I’ve only been here once.”

The walked in silence for a few. “Rafe, where do you see this…” She waved her hands. “…with us going?” She’d been thinking about this.

“That’s really up to you.”

“What do you mean?” She wasn’t sure what he meant by that. Well, in a way she did.

“I mean, we can continue as we are right now, playing in the club and being friends out of the club.” He paused and glanced over at her. “Or we can play in the club and have a relationship outside of it.”

“Relationship?” Is that where this was heading? Who was she kidding? They were already in a relationship. She’d slept in his arms, and while some may not consider that a relationship, she did.

“Yes.” He tugged her to a stop. “In case you have any doubt, I want to have a relationship with you in and out of the club.”

“We barely know each other.” Why was she arguing with him?

“I believe I know you better than you think.” He ran his fingers over her cheek. “You love your job; your apartment is cozy. You enjoy being with the women in the club, and you and I fit together.”

“We do.” She grinned. He nailed it. They fit.

“Good. So…” His cell started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket. “Sorry, I need to take this?”

“Sure.”

“Hey, Captain, what’s up?”

Brianna started to pull away, but Rafe tightened his hand on hers and shook his head.

“Yeah, sure. What time? All right, see you there on Monday.” He slipped his phone back in his pocket.

“Work issue?”

“Just a meeting that got scheduled.”

“Do they often do that to you?” She really didn’t know that much about his job.

“No.” They continued walking. “We’ve had a string of suspicious fires over the past few months. My boss was just giving me a heads up about a meeting.”

“Like the one at Lara’s?”

“I think the one at Lara’s was probably an accident. Some of the others we’ve had seem to be deliberate.”

“Will you tell me about them?”

“You don’t really want to hear about my job. You dislike fire.”

“And you love it. I’d like to know more about what you do.”

Rafe nodded. “All right. It started with a fire a couple of months ago.”

Brianna listened to Rafe as they walked. She learned about his suspicions over some of the fires and asked him questions about how he could tell if a fire was arson or not. She heard the passion in his voice as he spoke.

It was more than that. He liked figuring out puzzles. And while she wasn’t comfortable with open flame, Rafe had an understanding of fire that Brianna admired.

“Will you tell me more about the fire play you’re planning on doing at the club?” She was curious about it.

“While it’s considered fire play, I will mainly be doing fire cupping.”

“What is that?”

“It’s basically taking fire and trapping it in a cup and adhering the cup to someone’s skin.”

She shivered. “Sounds painful.”

“It’s not. If you watched the Olympics, you might have seen athletes with circular red marks on their backs or arms.”

“Oh yeah, I remember that.”

“That is fire cupping. It’s great for relieving pain, increasing circulation, and removing toxins from the body. Many like it to relax and let themselves go in a safe situation.”

“Have you done a lot of it?” This was interesting. Not that she wanted to try, but it was intriguing.

“I’ve been studying fire since I was a teenager. I’ve been doing fire play and fire cupping for the last eight years. I’m no master, but I’m very competent at it.”

“You’re competent at a lot of things.” They’d reached the end for the trail, so they turned and started back.

“I’m glad you think so.” He squeezed her hand. “The fire play room will be ready in probably another week or so. I’ll check it out again before I bring any of my equipment from home.”

“You have equipment?”

“I have fire cupping sets along with everything I need to make it a pleasurable experience.”

“Why such a specialized room if it’s safe?”

“Because you can never be too safe, and I don’t want anything to happen to the club. Plus, by now, you should understand that I’m very much into fire safety.”

“Yes. You are.” She loved how much he was into safety. That was part of the reason his being a firefighter didn’t bother her. “I like that.”

“I’m glad you got the counseling to deal with the aftermath of the fire you were in. Is there anything else about that day that bothers you?”

“How did you know?” There were still some fears lingering in the back of her mind.

“I’ve watched how you react, and well, I sensed you were holding something back.”

Brianna shivered. “I told you about my cousin, but I left something out.”

“Will you tell me?”

“He liked playing with matches.” Now she knew he was a pyromaniac, but she didn’t at the time.

“How old was he?”

“Fifteen.”

“Old enough to know better.”

“Yeah.” She took a deep breath. “He was more than a pyro. He… I think he wanted to hurt someone. Me.” Her voice grew small. “I said I ran for the closet. I didn’t. He pushed me in there.” She swallowed; now, he knew the secret that only her therapist knew. “You know the rest.”

Rafe swore under his breath. “Ass.”

She nodded.

“He left you in the closet, started the fire, and ran?” It wasn’t really a question.

She nodded, unable to raise her head.

“You should have told someone.”

“I—I couldn’t.” Brianna raised her head, straightening. “Anyhow, it’s a moot point because he can’t hurt anyone now.”

“He’s dead?”

She nodded “He died in prison.”

Rafe stopped walking and pulled her into his arms. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s okay to be scared of fire.”

“It’s really open flames that get to me. Gas stoves bother me a bit. Which is why I used the electric griddle at your place.”

“I get that.” They’d made it back to his SUV. Rafe pulled her into his arms. “If I ever make you uncomfortable with fire, tell me.”

“I will.”

Brianna felt better talking more about what had happened. She allowed Rafe to help her back into his vehicle.

“I don’t remember—what happened to your cousin after the fire and the fireman got you out?” he asked.

“Nothing that I was aware of. I do know my parents never invited my aunt and uncle back, even when we got a new place to live.”

“Good. You didn’t need to live with that fear.”

“My parents didn’t understand my fear.”

“What?” He turned to her in his seat.

“They couldn’t understand why I couldn’t let go of my fear of an open flame.”

“God, Brianna, I’m so sorry.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “They weren’t very understanding, and I dealt with it the best I could.”

“No child should have to deal with it. Please tell me they got you counseling?”

“They did for a little bit. My parents kept saying I’d get over it.” She looked out the windshield. “But I never really did. I had nightmares for years.”

“Of course, you did.”

“I realized when I went to college I needed more help and got counseling there and later with a private therapist.”

“I’m glad.” He turned back in his seat and started the engine. “I’m here if you have nightmares or just need to talk. No judgment.”

Brianna glanced over at Rafe. Maybe it was time to tell him the rest of it. Tell him about her college boyfriends. She stared out the window as they pulled away from the water. Not today. Today, the rest of it, was for enjoying time with him. He was so different from those guys. So much better than they were. Rafe treated her like she mattered.