Page 64 of Too Hot

“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.

Chapter Eleven

Rafe drew Brianna into his arms as they watched a scene with Rose and Oliver. He couldn’t get out of his mind what Brianna had told him. Rafe was angry at her parents for belittling her fear. Not everyone could handle fire.

Brianna might be afraid of fire, but she wasn’t afraid of him or what he did. That, all by itself, opened his heart to strong feelings for her. She trusted him. He would not take that lightly.

With fire cupping, there really wasn’t an open flame, but if someone wanted him to use a fire wand, then there would be. He’d cross that path when they came to it. Plus, he wouldn’t do that with just anyone.

That was another thing he needed to talk with Brianna about. He would be touching other people to prepare their skin, or in the case of fire wands, to remove the fire. He’d remind her there was nothing sexual about it for him, unless he was playing with her. She aroused him. Not the fire play. Her.

Brianna shifted, and Rafe glanced down at her. Her eyes were closed. He glanced at the stage. Oliver was caressing Rose’s breasts, nothing she hadn’t seen before in the club.

“Brianna, what’s wrong?” he asked.

She opened her eyes. “Nothing, Sir.”

“You had your eyes closed.”

“Yes.” She shifted again. “Please look where your hands are, Sir.”

Rafe glanced down. He was cupping her breasts, his fingers squeezing and playing with her nipples. He hadn’t even realized he was doing it. “Am I hurting you?”

“No, Sir. I’m aroused.”

He could see that by her squirming. “As you should be.” He flicked his index finger against her nipples.

“Rafe… Sir.”

The pleasure in her voice made him grin. “Do you want to go to my place?” They’d been at the club for a couple of hours now, and he was ready to take her home and to his bed.

“Yes, please, Sir.”

Rafe kept his arms around her and walked backward, away from the scene, before releasing her. “Let’s go.” They said a brief goodnight to Zeke and Allyson. After quickly changing, they were in Rafe’s SUV, headed for his home.

Brianna kept wiggling. “What’s going on, wiggle worm?” It wasn’t like her to be like this.

“I…”

He halted at a stop sign and looked at her. Brianna stared at him, and the next thing he knew, she undid her seat belt, and her lips were on his. Rafe didn’t hesitate; he wrapped his hand around her neck and deepened the kiss.

A knock on the driver’s window broke the kiss. He whipped his head around to see a grinning Colby on his motorcycle with Lara behind him.

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