084:Aubrey

I woke at seven, the bus was still moving. There were no windows, so I had no idea where we were. Rafe was sleeping on his back, his mouth slightly open, his left arm above his head, showing off a dark thatch of underarm hair. His right hand was conveniently inside his shorts, just under the waistband, resting on his lower stomach. I only had my phone light on. I realized Rafe had ear plugs in also.

I rolled onto my side, facing him, watching his deep even breathing, so deep that he even hummed a little like a snore, but more melodic as he breathed. His eyelids moved rhythmically back and forth, and he scratched the top of his head with those fingers that were up there. I kept my phone on just for the light and gazed to my heart's content.

It wasn't often I woke up before him, but I'd been asleep before he'd arrived in bed. Don't know quite how that happened either. I softly traced the closest tattoo, the eagle just below his sternum that I'd noticed the very first day we'd met. What a day that had been! That sandy water fight, the swimming together, how genuine, how lovely. His body was perfect, the indentation of his upper ribs was clearly visible. He'd obviously shaved his chest at some point, and tiny black hairs were coming in around his pecs, the muscle definition here also very well defined. I looked at him critically, all the way down his slender physique, so thin, he was boy-like, except for his huge arm and shoulder muscles, and across the chest, he was no boy, it was just in the hips. I looked down, the hip joints also connecting to the pel---

I saw his eyes flicker and his hand came down to grasp me by the ponytail. "Like what you see, baby?"

Embarrassed, I slapped his stomach and made him flex. He rolled over to encompass me in a leg and arm hold, his scruff scratching into my throat, as he blew in my face. "How's that for morning breath?"

I didn't smell anything odd, and whispered so, and he let his fingers travel over my bare shoulder.

"I like what I saw too. I watched you while you slept."

I blinked, even more embarrassed. "Was I snoring?"

"No. Was I?"

"Breathing heavily."

"Dreaming of you."

He kissed me softly a couple of times and then asked why I was awake.

"It's Sunday." I whispered.

"And you wake doubly early on Sunday?"

"I wake at the same time almost every day, but I wanted to make sure I was up today. Do you think I can use the van this morning to go to church?"

He pursed his lips thoughtfully and shook his head very slowly. "Not in Juarez."

"Is it really that dangerous? My dad sent the two bodyguards."

"And you'll need them, yeah. You shouldn't be out and about in Juarez."

"Do you have a gig in Juarez?"

"No. In El Paso."

"How far is El Paso?"

"Seriously connecting cities, right over the border. Not a half an hour. You can go to church there."

"I want to go to church in Juarez. I read about it yesterday, and there is a lot of history there. I was hoping to go to the Temple..."

I could see his face set in grim lines. "Are you telling me no?"

"What would you do if I did?"

"I would do as you said."

"Because I'm your fiancé, or your protector or..."

"My priesthood holder. All of those, yes." I was playing with those little hairs on his chest and my fingers had slipped to some very sensitive spots. He shivered and I smiled.

"You want me to show you what that feels like?" He twisted on his side and started playing his fingers across the edge of my tank top.

"No." I wriggled against him and stopped my lazy tickling. "Was I bothering you?"

"Seriously? No, I love waking up with a freaking hard on and you messing with my nipples. Couldn't be more pleased." He kissed me again, and kept my fingers on his chest, but of course, after saying that I was terribly chagrined and wished for nothing more than to get out of the bed and hide in clothes and the couch.

"I will come to church with you." Rafe said magnanimously.

I didn't know what to say. It was my fondest dream naturally, but I didn't want anything to be forced. I smiled gently and nodded. He stroked my hair and buried his nose between my breasts.

Then he threw himself back—in delightful frustration.

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