Page 5 of Rafe

“Oh, okay,” Fred said, tilting his head in curiosity. “Don’t tell me you aren’t fond of Maggie?”

Rafe nearly choked on his drink; his surprise evident. “Of course, I’m fond of her. We just don’t get to talk very often.”

“Why not?”

“We rarely cross paths. I’m busy tending my work, and on weekends, I enjoy the quiet solitude,” Rafe explained.

Fred leaned forward in his chair; his tone filled with gentle concern. “You might find that solitude doesn’t always suit you,Rafe. It might be time to consider a family of your own, marriage, children; you know, the whole lot.”

“Fred, if you’re trying to set me up with Maggie, you can stop right now. She is far out of my league, and should Junior ever manage to reappear, I’m certainly not in the mood to deal with him,” Rafe retorted, his voice edged with exasperation.

Fred chuckled. “If Frederick does come back, believe me, Maggie will have no desire to associate with him either.”

Rafe shook his head. “That doesn’t mean he won’t stir up trouble.”

“He won’t be out on the streets for a long while,” Fred assured him.

Rafe sighed, a trace of worry in his tone. “The longer he sits in that cell, stewing in his own bitterness, the more dangerous he could become. I just hope, if ever gets out, he leaves Maggie alone, especially considering that she had a hand in putting him away.”

“Yes, I agree, but let’s hope he doesn’t get out for a long time and by then, maybe Maggie will be remarried and have a family.” Fred grinned, while Rafe felt like someone kicked him in the gut.

Rafe stood. “I need to get back to my place and clean some stalls. I should have done it earlier, but the horses were out, so I skipped it. Now, it’s hot and I know I’ll be getting back into that pool to cool off.”

“Okay, son. I’ll see you afterwhile. Have a good weekend.”

“You too, Fred. If you need me, call me. I’ll keep my phone with me.”

“Lock the door on the way out, please, Rafe.”

“Yes, sir.” Rafe walked toward the kitchen, placed his glass in the sink, then put his hat on, opened the door, turned the lock and stepped outside. He jogged down the steps, untied his horse, then held the reins as he walked a little bit. He knew the horse was hot from standing in the sun in full tack, so he walked him tocool him a little.

When the horse nudged him from behind, Rafe stopped and looked at him.

“What the hell was that for?” Then he laughed when Rocket curled his lip back, showing his teeth as if laughing. “Keep it up and I’ll leave you here.”

The horse shook its head as if to say, yeah right, so Rafe wrapped the reins around the saddle horn and continued walking. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned when he saw Rocket following behind like a big dog. The horse loved his master and the feeling was mutual.

Chapter Two

Maggie stepped into Timeless Treasures and was immediately enveloped by the bustling energy of the packed store. The air was filled with the soft hum of chatter and the faint scent of polished wood and old books. She waved at Vanna, who was managing the counter with her usual grace, before weaving her way through the crowded lobby to the small office space. There, she tucked her purse securely into the file cabinet, feeling the cool metal against her fingertips, and then returned to the lively main area, ready to dive into her duties.

Yet, her mind was elsewhere, entangled in the memory of Rafe Marshall. The mere thought of him, bare and glistening under the sunlight, made her cheeks flush as red as a ripe chili pepper. His body was a masterpiece of strength and allure—sculpted pecs, a flawless six-pack, and that tantalizing ‘V’ that led her imagination astray. She could barely suppress a sigh at the memory when—

“Maggie? You’re a million miles away,” Vanna’s voice cut through her reverie, accompanied by a knowing smile.

Leaning in conspiratorially, Maggie whispered, “I saw Rafe naked.”

Vanna’s eyes widened with a gasp of surprise. “How?”

Maggie recounted the tale, her voice low and filled with a mixture of excitement and disbelief. “When I was getting ready to leave Fred’s, he asked me to go to Rafe’s cabin and tell him he needed him. He couldn’t reach him on his phone. I didn’t want to go. You know how hot that man makes me, but when he didn’t answer the door, I walked around to his back deck, and he was in his pool swimming… naked.”

“Oh, my,” Vanna grinned, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“And that’s not all. He emerged from the pool, watercascading off his body like diamonds in the sunlight, walked up the steps, and picked up a towel right in front of me!”

“So, you got an eyeful,” Vanna laughed, her voice teasing.

“An eyeful and then some,” Maggie admitted, a dreamy look in her eyes. “My God, that man has a body to die for. Whew! I mean, I’ve seen him without a shirt before but…” She shook her head, trying to dislodge the vivid image. “I will never get that image out of my head. He is not lacking anywhere.”

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