How about we up the stakes? I win, you talk to me."
Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "I'm afraid to ask what you mean by …"
"Exactly that. I win, I get thirty minutes of your time tonight."
"To charm me and lie to me and pretend to be whoever you think I want?"
"Nope. Tonight it's me, in case you haven't noticed. The real Rafe Martinez. A special one-night appearance."
"And if I win?"
He grinned. "Then you get to spend thirty minutes with me, lucky birthday girl."
I laughed and motioned for Daniel to start the countdown.
Rafe still pulled the "I don't know what I'm doing" routine, starting slow and cautious, hoping I'd second-guess my assessment and take it easy. I didn't. He realized that when my foot reached his shoulder level. By the midpoint, he'd shot up to my waist, but his muttered curses told me he'd underestimated how good I was--or overestimated how good he was--and it was clear he wasn't going to catch up in time. So I stopped.
Daniel leaned over and mouthed, "What are you doing?" Below, the others yelled, a cacophony of shouts and cheers and jeers. Rafe reached up, his bracelet hitting the rock with a ping. I glanced at it. A worn rawhide band with a cat's-eye stone. I could see his tattoo better, too, as he pulled himself up, and I recognized the symbol. A crow mother kachina. Hopi.
As he drew up alongside me, he cocked one brow.
"You really that kiss don't you?" he said.
"No, I just want to see what you can really do.
Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "I'm afraid to ask what you mean by …"
"Exactly that. I win, I get thirty minutes of your time tonight."
"To charm me and lie to me and pretend to be whoever you think I want?"
"Nope. Tonight it's me, in case you haven't noticed. The real Rafe Martinez. A special one-night appearance."
"And if I win?"
He grinned. "Then you get to spend thirty minutes with me, lucky birthday girl."
I laughed and motioned for Daniel to start the countdown.
Rafe still pulled the "I don't know what I'm doing" routine, starting slow and cautious, hoping I'd second-guess my assessment and take it easy. I didn't. He realized that when my foot reached his shoulder level. By the midpoint, he'd shot up to my waist, but his muttered curses told me he'd underestimated how good I was--or overestimated how good he was--and it was clear he wasn't going to catch up in time. So I stopped.
Daniel leaned over and mouthed, "What are you doing?" Below, the others yelled, a cacophony of shouts and cheers and jeers. Rafe reached up, his bracelet hitting the rock with a ping. I glanced at it. A worn rawhide band with a cat's-eye stone. I could see his tattoo better, too, as he pulled himself up, and I recognized the symbol. A crow mother kachina. Hopi.
As he drew up alongside me, he cocked one brow.
"You really that kiss don't you?" he said.
"No, I just want to see what you can really do.
( Kelley Armstrong )
[ The Gathering ]
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