The Single Dad's Proposal, page 10
‘Dinner smells lovely.’ She took a sip of the wine he’d poured for her, hoping the alcohol would revive her from her swoon.
‘Gracie helped me make the patatas bravas. I hope you’re hungry.’ Rafael set the dish of cubed potatoes in spicy tomato sauce beside the tray of herbed chicken and vegetables in the middle of the table so they could help themselves. Though her insides were fluttering in anticipation of the night that lay ahead, Summer tucked in along with father and daughter.
* * *
She enjoyed sharing dinner with them. It had been so long since she’d sat down to a family meal she’d forgotten what it was like to chat and swap stories of their day. The simple conversation and companionship was what she’d missed most when Leo and Marc had vanished from her life because they’d been the only ones to provide it since her own parents had split. Although she was afraid to get too used to it in case the same thing happened again, it was good to feel part of a family once more.
Once Gracie started yawning, both she and Rafael teamed up again to get her to bed. It was a routine the little girl seemed to accept, even with Summer there, and it wasn’t difficult to imagine this could be something long term. The thought of that was holding more appeal by the second.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEY LAUNCHED AT each other the second they closed Gracie’s bedroom door. With her arms draped around his neck, Summer surrendered herself to Rafael’s touch and he took immediate possession. He tangled his hands in her hair as his lips moved across hers, his genuine feelings for her there in the urgency of his kiss.
The cyclone of lust twisting their bodies around one another was in danger of whisking them off to the fantasy land where this was possible.
‘Where’s your room?’
Rafael questioned her decision with a raised eyebrow but she was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted.
He took her by the hand and led her to the room at the end of the hallway, kicking the door shut behind them before reclaiming her with his arms and lips. His kisses were every bit as confident and sexy as she’d been recalling all day, apparently without exaggeration. Now they were alone and free to express the desire that had been building since last night, clothes seemed an unnecessary hindrance, although it had been a while since she’d slept with a man and admitted as much to him, so there was no confusion about the significance of what they were about to embark upon together.
‘I...er...haven’t done this for a while.’ She was gulping feverishly as he kissed his way down her neck, opening the buttons on her shirt to follow the path into the valley of her cleavage.
He briefly paused his expedition to give her a smirk. ‘Neither have I, Summer. I’m sure we can help each other remember what we’re supposed to be doing.’ The glint in his eye sent shivers of delight rippling across her skin and he continued to strip her while covering her in hot, sensual kisses.
By the time she was clad only in her underwear she didn’t care about anything other than soothing that ache for him within. He slid the straps of her bra excruciatingly slowly down her arms, undid the clasp and let her breasts spill free. The shock of the air on her skin puckered her nipples and she gasped when his mouth found them.
‘Rafael...’ She was on the brink of incapacitating ecstasy, pleading for release when she hadn’t even touched him or undressed him in return.
‘I’m enjoying getting acquainted with you. If it’s okay with you, I’d prefer to take my time.’ Even in the dark she could tell he was grinning, relishing the fact that he’d rendered her speechless.
‘Uh-huh.’ She closed her eyes and left her body at his mercy.
He hooked his fingers inside her panties, slowly drew them down her legs and proceeded to trail his tongue down the centre of her torso until she was naked and he was kneeling at her feet.
She was breathless with want as his hot breath skimmed over her inner thighs and he teased her open with the tip of his tongue. Her legs were trembling as he plunged deep inside her wet core, lapping the arousal about to consume her whole. She held onto his shoulders for support as he continued to drive her closer to the edge of oblivion.
With his hands squeezing her buttocks, his tongue a swirling tornado inside her, he whipped her into a frenzy of lust. His relentless quest for her orgasm sent her spiralling much quicker than she’d ever believed possible. She shuddered again and again, every aftershock of her climax leaving her limbs quivering with the effort of holding her upright.
Once Rafael had rendered her completely incapable of speech and mobility, he established control of her ragdoll body and carried her towards the bed. Although she’d have been happy to divest him of his clothes, she was equally content to watch him do the job himself, revealing the physique she’d been drooling over ever since he’d arrived on the island.
The evidence of all his sporting prowess was there in every toned, tanned inch of taut muscle, although his most impressive body part had been gifted to him by Mother Nature. Summer considered herself a very lucky woman indeed.
* * *
The way she was unashamedly staring at his naked form, her eyes dark with desire, was hardening him even more than bringing her to climax with his mouth alone. She made him feel wanted, desirable in a way he hadn’t experienced since Graciela had been born.
She was lying here beneath him, beautifully exposed for his appreciation and panting with want for him, and he was going to savour every second. He slid slowly between her soft thighs into that slick, tight heat that made him jerk and almost abandon his vow. His groan chorused with Summer’s as they finally forged that connection they’d been afraid of from the start.
Once past that initial, brief resistance as she adjusted to him inside her, Rafael began to move, both of them voicing their pleasure with every thrust and making a mystery of why they’d waited so long for this. Sex had always been about more than the physical act for him. For him the act was the culmination of his feelings for someone, not the starting point, and he wouldn’t be here with Summer if he didn’t believe she was someone special in his life.
He knew it was the same for her when she’d confided in him about how much her ex had hurt her. There was no way she’d have rushed into this with him based on lust alone, even if it felt like that when she was digging her nails into his backside and urging him deeper inside her. She was making it difficult for him to prolong their mutual satisfaction when she was sucking his earlobe into her mouth and grinding her pelvis into his.
His head was pounding with the rush of blood and endorphins coursing through his veins at breakneck speed. She leaned into him, her breath in his ear causing the pressure in his loins to build until he was no longer able to contain it. Then she contracted her inner muscles around his shaft and the dam burst in a spectacular roar.
He poured everything he had into her and with the last strokes of his climax he carried her there again with him.
They clung together, sweat glistening on their skin, chests heaving with the effort of breathing, and Rafael couldn’t wipe the grin from his face. She was as amazing as he’d been afraid of because he knew he’d never want to leave her bed again.
When they finally extricated themselves from one another, bodies limp and breathing laboured, it was Summer who spoke first. She only managed one word but one that echoed his own thoughts.
‘Wow!’
He rested his hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating fast and clear and making him feel more alive than he had since Christina had left, when he’d thought his whole world had ended. It was a reminder he still had a right to a life of his own outside his role of a parent. Not only was he a father and a surgeon but he was also a red-blooded man with his own loves and wants and he should no longer be content to set them aside.
He was almost afraid to recognise his current mood for fear of jinxing it but as he lay in the afterglow of their lovemaking he was content. Maple Island had provided him with a home, a job, a safe community for his daughter and a partner with whom he hoped to share all aspects of his life.
He turned onto his side but found himself too choked up to tell her how much she meant to him so he showed her with a kiss. Her lips were reciprocating all those emotions that went beyond great sex.
For what seemed the longest time they lay staring into one another’s eyes, only breaking eye contact every now and then to indulge in some more sensual caresses and generally making the most of the little world they’d created for themselves in this room.
He smoothed the flat of his hand over the contours of Summer’s body, mesmerised by her curves as his hand dipped in at the indent at her waist and over the flare of her hips, and wishing they never had to don clothes again.
‘I’ll have to leave before Gracie sees me.’ Summer reminded him he had responsibilities beyond his libido and it showed how much she cared about his daughter that she even raised the subject.
‘There’s still plenty of time before she wakes.’ He wouldn’t want to upset his little girl by finding a woman in his bed but he’d give anything to be able to fall asleep here for the night with Summer in his arms.
She nodded to show her understanding of his situation but the worrying of her bottom lip with her teeth showed she didn’t want to leave either.
Rafael didn’t want to treat Summer as second best to his daughter but there would have to be a gentle lead in to their relationship around her. It would require specialist juggling skills to balance family duties with his love life now that he might have one.
Summer’s selfless attitude and empathy for Gracie was the sort of unconditional love and understanding a mother should have. She would never expect him to choose between them, jealous of the attention he devoted to his daughter, but neither did he wish to confine her to the shadows.
‘You know I’ll be accompanying Paisley on her transfer to Boston?’ She’d needed some time to recover from her operation but tomorrow they’d be moving her to the mainland. A gem of an idea had shone in his thoughts as he’d searched for a way to combine his time with those most precious to him without upsetting anyone. It would be impossible, not to mention painful, to expect the woman in his life to remain at arm’s length now.
‘Hmm...’ She eyed him with caution but he wanted a concrete plan in place to see each other again.
‘Why don’t you and Gracie come over on the ferry and we’ll spend some time in the city together?’
Her eyes grew wide at the suggestion and her ensuing response would surely set the tone for the continuing nature of their relationship.
* * *
Summer knew this was a big deal and in some ways a greater step forward for them than sleeping together. Although that had been spectacular in itself and she was thoroughly satiated from the experience.
Spending the day with Gracie, being given sole responsibility for her welfare and getting her to the city was a sign of Rafael’s trust in her. A decision he would not take lightly when he’d spent so long trying to protect her from outside influences.
However, she didn’t want his sudden keenness to integrate her into their family life to override everything else. Not only was it going to be a difficult transition for Gracie to get used to seeing her in a more personal capacity but Summer had a position at the clinic that extended beyond one adorable child and her delectable dad.
‘Isn’t that a lot to expect from Gracie at such short notice?’ Summer could rise to the challenge if they were all in agreement but it could prove a step too far for Gracie to take her out of nursery to embark on a trip without her father.
‘I know I can count on you to take care of her and I’m sure she’ll love the idea of visiting Boston again.’ That level of faith in her when he’d fought against her for so long raised goose-bumps along her skin. She knew it came from more than sharing a bed but she couldn’t help but think it was such a turnaround he could be making rash decisions based on his current euphoria. It also dragged her further into their family dynamic and she was afraid that would lead to more hurt if it all went wrong and she lost that mothering role to Gracie as well as being Rafael’s partner. She’d be the one left with the gaping hole in her heart when he’d still have his daughter.
‘What about nursery or, you know, my job? I can’t just call in and inform them I’m taking the day off so I can play hooky with you.’ It was what she wanted to do but she had to be an adult about this. Her position at the clinic was important to her and she wasn’t about to blow it off simply for that first flush of excitement that came with a new relationship.
‘Alex and Cody have asked me to be in that helicopter. I’ll tell them I don’t want to leave Gracie and you’re the only one who can bring her across, which is all true. I’m sure the clinic can manage without us for one day.’
There was more chance of him swinging her the day off when his position here was superior to hers. ‘I suppose one day off isn’t going to kill me, or anyone else.’
‘Our patients will still be here when we get back and there are plenty of staff to take care of them in our absence. That is, if the idea of spending the day with us appeals to you? I wouldn’t want to railroad you into agreeing.’
‘I’d love to spend time with you and Gracie away from here. I just don’t want to jeopardise my job in the process.’
‘I would never ask you to do that, Summer. I promise I’ll sort out the details first thing but it’s important you know I’d never force these decisions on you. You will always be free to do whatever you’re comfortable with. Including if you decide to walk away.’ All the tension was back in his face, his jaw clenched, frown lines running across his forehead and his brown eyes almost black with the sincerity he was expressing to her.
He couldn’t have been any clearer that he wasn’t pressuring her and that she should want to be with them by her own volition. She could only imagine the burden of guilt he’d endured in the aftermath of his divorce if his ex had made him feel as though they’d been lead weights dragging her down.
‘There is nowhere I’d rather be. Well, maybe one other place.’
She snuggled her naked body closer into his and hoped the morning wouldn’t come too quickly when she’d have to sneak away before she was spotted.
* * *
‘No Dolly.’ Gracie lifted the doll Summer had been using to try and persuade her to get into the car and threw it on the ground.
They’d both spoken to Gracie about their plans, omitting any reference to personal developments. It had been a mutual decision not to rush her into the middle of that until she’d had time to get used to Summer sharing her father. Otherwise it would be overwhelming for her to accept that her nursery teacher was kissing Daddy.
He’d kissed them both—his passionate embrace with Summer out of sight from impressionable young eyes—and set off for his helicopter transfer to Boston. Now, realising she was expected to get into a strange car and leave the island without her father, Gracie was understandably distressed.
The important thing was for Summer to remain calm and not get hung up on Rafael waiting for them. Gracie would pick up on her stress and it wouldn’t get them on the ferry any quicker. What this would take was patience, reassurance and some ingenuity.
‘That’s a shame.’ Summer brushed out Dolly’s wool hair and Gracie turned down the volume of her screaming. ‘Dolly was looking forward to her day out at the aquarium seeing the fish. She was hoping to make some new friends too.’
Curiosity shifted Gracie’s focus from the absence of her father to the doll in Summer’s hand. Summer waited patiently, silently with the car door open and let the child believe this decision was hers alone. After a time Gracie snatched back ownership of Dolly and climbed into the back seat with her.
Once both were safely belted into the car, Gracie’s buggy loaded into the trunk in case her sprained ankle became too painful to walk on, Summer let out a long, steady breath. It was entirely different managing a child with challenging needs in a controlled environment such as the clinic or the nursery compared to out in the real world. She had no authority, no current support or even a right to be here. This was Gracie’s world and Summer would have to adjust in order to fit in.
Rafael had been right to be cautious when it came to their relationship. A casual affair would never work when he was devoted to Gracie and anyone he got involved with would have to be equally as dedicated. Not all women would be prepared to take on the responsibilities she represented. Thankfully Summer had already formed an attachment to the little girl and was honoured Rafael had acknowledged that by inviting her further into their lives.
Although it was a tad daunting when she’d been here before with Marc and her bruised heart should’ve been a reminder to maintain some detachment. Impossible when she’d already fallen for the two brown-eyed beauties. She would never comprehend Christina’s decision to leave her lovely family behind when they’d already become such a big part of her life in a relatively short space of time.
* * *
The calm crossing and long drive lulled Gracie to sleep for the duration of the journey so there were no more dramas between Maple Island and Boston.
The hustle and bustle of the city she’d been raised in came as a shock to the system after the sedate nature of island life she’d become accustomed to. Being plunged back into sensory overload with the bright lights and noise of city life could have an adverse effect on Gracie too. Rafael had commented on how the slower pace on Maple Island had lessened the frequency of her outbursts so it was a concern the reverse could happen back in Boston.
