Page 28 of Just One More Moment

Once she arrived at Remy’s apartment, she went directly to the bathroom and closed the door, washing off her heavier makeup, undressing, and carefully folding the clothing to deal with tomorrow. Fallon’s boho style appealed to Raven for the times she wasn’t wearing her standard jeans and T-shirt ensemble. Maybe she could ask Remy’s sister to go shopping.

Raven looked in the mirror, seeing her reflection. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes, and the most surprising part, the excited rush of adrenaline flowing through her. Who wasthisRaven Walsh? And that’s when she realized she was changing, trusting Remy, caring for him and his sister, but with Lance out and stalking her, that couldn’t happen.

Tears filled her eyes, taking her off guard, but she understood what caused them. This happiness wasn’t hers. She couldn’t own it because to do so would be to risk the people around her. There would be no shopping with Fallon because… Emily. No way would she allow what had happened to her one-time best friend happen to the bubbly, happy Fallon. Not only would Lance violate her body and hurt her, he’d destroy her spirit.

With the reminder of why Raven couldn’t have the life she dreamed of, she sucked in a long breath, pushed all those hopes and dreams down deep, and closed the imaginary box the way she’d learned to compartmentalize.

After she finished in the bathroom, once more dressed in one of Remy’s soft T-shirts, she steeled herself and walked into the bedroom.

He’d used the guestroom bathroom and was waiting for her in bed. Raven was prepared for him to want to have sex, especially after that poem in which she bled her feelings all over the coffee shop, and now, she cringed at the memory. All those beautiful feelings? They also had to be stuffed down.

Friends with benefits. Sex. That’s all she had to offer and Raven hoped she could manage it without falling harder.

She crawled into the bed and he reached over by his bedside and shut the lamp, plunging them into darkness. His scent enveloped her even before he reached out an arm and pulled her into his embrace. But instead of rolling her over and kissing her as she’d anticipated, he tucked her into him and held her.

“You did wonderful tonight,” he said in a gruff voice that awakened all her senses.

“Thank you.”

He cleared his throat. “Surprised me, too. I didn’t realize you were a poet.”

“Mmm. After Lance began terrorizing me in subtle ways, as I grew up, the poems and poets we were learning in school appealed to me. I started to try and emulate them. Hence my love of Poe and others. Soon I had an entire notebook of dark stuff.”

A few minutes of quiet followed in which he trailed his rough fingers over her bare arm. She breathed in, closing her eyes and letting his musky scent fill her along with allowing the warmth of his body to coat her in safety.

“Tonight’s work wasn’t dark,” he pointed out.

She stiffened, afraid he’d want to dissect her feelings.

“I liked it,” he said, his tone still sexy and rough, but filled with appreciation.

She felt his lips against her hair and then he kissed her neck. Her skin tingled and her sex grew full, her body primed for his. All he had to do was hold her and she became aroused, but right now, her feelings, both physical and emotional, were so much stronger.

Smiling because he couldn’t see her expression, she murmured another thank you.

More silence passed and she waited for him to move, act, initiate… something. But he didn’t and soon she was groggy and falling into a deep sleep.

He chose that moment to speak again, this time in a whisper. “Thank you for the poem and for trusting me with your feelings. I’ll do my best not to abuse the privilege.”

The next morning, certain she’d imagined those words, Raven focused on the day ahead. They went into work early so Remy could go over the books and work on some phone calls for his PI job. Raven always had things to keep her busy at the bar.

Stevie arrived shortly after, and they began discussing her friend’s nonexistent love life and Stevie bemoaned the lack of good guys out there in the world.

“Ones like your man are certainly few and far between,” Stevie said.

Raven shook her head, immediately going into denial mode. “Remy’s not my man.”

Stevie raised what could only be described as a cynical eyebrow. “I caught you two in a clinch in the hallway on Saturday. Are you really trying to lie to me? I’m hurt, Raven.”

Normally, Raven would brush off her friend’s words as a joke but the depth of feeling in her tone told Raven that Stevie wasn’t kidding.

She turned to face her friend. And that’s what Stevie was, Raven realized, despite all attempts to keep her at arm’s length. Getting dressed together for Zach and Hadley’s wedding, helping one another with their makeup, being there for one another. Wasn’t that what girlfriends did?

Raven sighed. “I’m sorry.” In need of something to do, she picked up a rag and began to wipe down the bar. “I have reasons for pushing people away. Serious reasons but—” And this next part was hard because Raven wasn’t used to letting people in. “I promise to share them with you one day, okay? Just not right now. And not here, while we’re at work.”

Stevie’s pout and hurt expression eased a bit. “We all have our issues but I hope you know you can share yours with me. We’re friends.”

“I know.” Raven forced a smile. “Maybe you can come by one night and I’ll explain.” She immediately realized that she was staying with Remy and she’d have to confide in Stevie about that, too. Raven decided she’d cross that bridge when she came to it. Especially since Stevie’s eyes had lit up with gratitude and Raven couldn’t bring herself to dull it by nixing the idea altogether. Staying and sleeping with the boss. Stevie would just love the information, Raven mused.

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