it wasn't as if he'd fabricated evidence. Everything he was doing was legal and aboveboard. He had a witness who had a story to tell. So why not leave it up to the law? If Seamus wasn't responsible, then he'd be exonerated. If he was, then he'd serve his time.
Rafe turned and looked at Keely, curled up in his bed, the sheets twisted around her slender body. She looked so naive, so innocent, her hand splayed over his pillow-such a stark contrast to the woman who had driven him mad with lust just hours before. He'd come to crave that contrast, the sexy siren trapped inside an innocent's body.
But how much longer could she possibly want him? How much time did he have to make her want him more than she wanted her own family?
CHAPTER SIX
KEELY WOKE UP slowly, stretching beneath the fine cotton sheets and squinting against the bright morning light. She saw the outline of a tall, broad-shouldered figure standing at the window and smiled. Rafe. As her eyes adjusted to the light, he came into focus. He was naked, his smooth skin burnished by the glare of the sun.
Keely snuggled into her pillow and relished the chance to appreciate his body-the sculpted arms and muscular back, the narrow waist, long legs, a study in masculine perfection. He seemed to wear that perfection in such a casual way, as if he didn't know-or didn't care-about the effect his body had on a woman's libido.
Keely ran her hands through her tangled hair. 'Good morning.'
He turned around, startled by her voice. 'Good morning. Did you sleep well?'
Keely sat up and stretched her arms over her head, the sheet dropping away from her breasts. But she made no move to cover up. With him, she felt more comfortable naked, more aware of her sexuality and the power it gave her. 'Fine. How about you?'
'Great,' Rafe said.
Her gaze wandered down his body, following the fine dusting of hair that began at his collarbone and ended below his belly. A tiny shiver raced through her as she thought of him in full arousal. 'You look so handsome standing there in that light. If I had some paper, I'd draw you just like that.'
'You draw?'
Keely nodded. Though they knew each other's bodies by heart, knew exactly how to make the other moan with pleasure, they were still learning the basics. She felt as if she knew him intimately, yet didn't really know him at all. 'I have an art degree. I used to paint. But I really liked sculpting more. I could do you in bronze.'
'That might be interesting.'
'I always enjoyed drawing nudes,' she continued. 'For a nice Catholic girl who went to an all-girls high school, art school drawing class was an eye-opening experience. I'd only been with one boy and I'd never actually seen, you know…the equipment.'
His eyebrow arched. 'And why was that?'
'We were afraid to turn on the lights. Lord, I wasn't sure what I'd see, but I knew I'd probably be struck blind from seeing it.' Keely grinned and covered her eyes. 'Maybe you better put some clothes on. I've grown rather fond of my eyesight.'
Instead, Rafe climbed back into bed, stretching out beside her and pulling her against his body, becoming aroused almost immediately. His expression was serious, his gaze intense. 'Who are you, Keely McClain? And why are you doing these things to me?'
Keely stared at him. He was in a strange mood this morning, quiet and reserved, as if he had something on his mind. '
'I'm not sure. But it feels pretty good.'
Keely gently stroked his face, her fingertips running over the stubble on his jawline. 'I don't know what this is, Rafe. I don't know if it will end tomorrow or if it will last forever. So maybe we should just let it happen and see where it goes. And if it doesn't work, no regrets. On either side.'
'That sounds like a good plan,' Rafe said. Suddenly, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her beneath him. 'Let's take a trip. It's Christmas-we should be doing something special. We can leave today. We'll buy a couple of tickets to somewhere and just take off. We can go to Hawaii or Paris or London. You choose. Someplace far away from here.'
His offer sounded so tempting. A week in a hotel room with Rafe Kendrick was every woman's fantasy. 'I can't,' Keely said. 'I have to work. The pub opens at five tonight and I'm scheduled. I signed up to work around Christmas because I wanted to be with my family.'
'Come on,' Rafe said. 'How could you possibly choose that smoky, smelly pub over a pristine beach on Maui? Or a sidewalk cafe in Paris? Or a cozy hotel room in London? What's to think about?'
'You know why I have to stay,' she said. 'I need to tell my family who I am. And I need to find just the right time to do that. And I won't find it if I'm sunning myself on some beach in Hawaii.'
Rafe pressed his forehead against hers. 'I'm not sure I want to let you go. The last time I did, you disappeared.'
She reached up and touched his lips with her fingertips. 'Why don't I come back here tonight after work and we'll have a late dinner? This time I'll cook.'
'Are you a good cook?'
'Better than you,' she teased. 'You lack focus. That's what it takes to make a good omelette. You can't get distracted by more…exotic tastes.'
'And what should we do until it's time for you to go to work?' he asked, nuzzling her neck.
'You know what would be fun? Let's get up and get dressed and go to church. It's Christmas morning. I always go to Christmas services. And I missed midnight mass last night.'
'You really want to go to church?'
'After all the sinning we did last night, I think we should. We can stop at my place and I can change. And after church we'll go for coffee. And you know what else I'd like to do? I'd like to go ice-skating. Or maybe take a carriage ride. Or we could go for a nice long walk and window-shop. That would be the perfect Christmas.'
'All right,' Rafe said grudgingly. 'But first I want the perfect shower. Care to join me?'
Keely smiled. 'I will in a minute. I really need to call my mother. Can I use the phone?'
Rafe kissed her on the tip of her nose, then crawled out of bed. 'I'll be waiting for you.'
He walked toward the bathroom while Keely stayed in bed and admired the view. When she heard him turn on the shower, she rolled over and grabbed the phone from the bedside table, then punched in her mother's phone number. Fiona picked up after two rings.
'Hi, Ma. Merry Christmas.'
'Merry Christmas, sweetheart. I've been worried about you. You didn't call last night. I thought maybe you'd decided to come home after all. I tried your room at the bed-and-breakfast last night at nine, but they said you hadn't returned. I was afraid to call them after ten. I didn't want to disturb them so late at night. Are you all right?'
'I'm fine.'
'Did you go to midnight mass?'
'No, but I'm going to church this morning with a friend.'
'You have a friend in Boston?'
'Yes. Just one. But he's very nice.'
'He?'
'I have news,' Keely said, deftly changing the subject. 'Brendan is engaged. He brought her to the pub last night and made the announcement. Her name is Amy Aldrich and she seems so nice, very pretty. And they look so happy together. My father didn't seem too pleased, but everyone else was. I wish you could have been there, Ma. With Conor married and the other two engaged, you should have grandchildren before too long.'
Her mother was silent for a long time before she spoke. 'When are you coming home?'
'Maybe a couple of weeks. I really plan to tell them soon. And I'm pretty sure they'll be all right with it. They're all so sweet to me, Ma. I wish you could know them. Maybe next Christmas, we can all be together.'
'Maybe,' Fiona said.
