Page 2 of Rafe

She sat down at the table and touched his arm. “Dad, it was not your fault. Frederick could have taken after you, but for some reason, he was the opposite. He’s not a good man and I hate saying that to you about your son.”

“I don’t like how he treated you. If I had known…”

“There was nothing you could have done.”

“One day, you are going to tell me just why you married him.”

“I will. Just not yet.” She shook her head. “You know, if he gets this ranch—”

“No need to worry about that. I have plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yes, I’ll tell you some other time.”

After another hour, she stood when he did and hugged him. “I need to get going. I’ll see you soon. Please come into town. We can have lunch together one day.”

“Alright. Thank you for the burger. Maggie? Honey, would you mind stopping by Rafe’s on your way out? I can’t get him on his phone, and I need him for something.” Fred smiled as he stared at his phone.

She wanted to scream but sighed instead. “Maybe he’s just busy. I saw him ride in a little over an hour ago.”

“He doesn’t do much on weekends, unless needed, but he never fails to answer his phone when I call. That’s okay, if you can’t do it, I’ll go. He could be on his back deck, relaxing.”

“No, Dad. That’s fine. You don’t need to be out in this heat. I’ll go tell him you need him.”

“Thanks, honey. I would hate to go out in this. I think it’s almost a hundred degrees out there.”

“And about to get a lot hotter,” she muttered.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. I’ll stop at his place before I head home.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll see you soon.”

“Yes, you will.” She kissed his cheek, then walked out the back door.

As she walked toward her car, she stopped and looked in the direction of Rafe’s cabin. Maybe she’d luck out and he was out somewhere. The less she saw of that man, the better. Shecouldn’t help how drawn she was to him. His jet-black hair always made her want to run her fingers through it, but she resisted the urge and would clench her fists instead. Gray hair streaked through the hair at his temples, sideburns and stubble, adding to his rugged appeal. His blueberry-colored eyes were framed with long, thick eyelashes, and he seemed to always have a sexy five o’clock shadow.

She got into her car, which felt like an oven, and quickly lowered the windows. It was way too hot out today.

“July is just trying to remind everyone how their eternity could be if they don’t behave.” She grinned, put her car into gear and drove along the road to Rafe’s place.

Maggie’s car engine hummed to a stop as she parked in front of his cabin. She stepped out, the gentle crunch of gravel under her feet breaking the silence. The air was still and calm, the only sound coming from the birds chirping around her. She knew he usually had weekends off, but he must have had to do some work this morning. She sighed as she saw his truck parked in front of the cabin.

With a firm knock on the door, she waited expectantly for an answer. But none came. She could hear his dog barking from inside, but she wanted to check the back first.

Letting out a sigh, she walked around back just in case he was relaxing on the deck as Fred had mentioned.

But when she rounded the corner, her heart skipped a beat at the unexpected sight. There he was, gliding gracefully under the crystal-clear water of the pool. And he was completely naked.

“Holy shit,” she couldn’t help but mutter, her eyes tracing every contour and muscle in his back. Oh, and that tight ass.

As he emerged from under the surface, droplets cascaded down his frame, making Maggie gasp in awe.

“What are you doing here?” Rafe’s voice broke through her trance as he climbed up the steps toward her.

“Fred wanted me to find—” Her words stuck in her throat as he strolled, naked, toward a nearby chair. He turned his back to her and casually reached for a towel. She watched transfixed as he dried himself off. She wanted to bite that ass, then he turned to face her as he closed the towel around him.Oh, God!That ‘V’ had her wanting to follow it with her tongue.

---