Propositioning Mr. Raine Read online

  “It’s all right. I know people cheat. We, I mean, I’ve had friends who had their marriages end over that. It wasn’t just always the men who cheated. Some of the women did it.”

  “Did Ted ever cheat?”

  She shook her head. “I would have left him. Some of my friends kind of put me down for being a housewife minus kids but I wasn’t the doormat they accused me of being.” Her chin rose. “I was loyal to him and I deserved that right back.” She paused. “And Ted wasn’t the affair type.”

  “All men are, under the right circumstances.”

  “Not Ted.”

  “He was a saint?” Navarro questioned.

  She hesitated. “He was five-foot-five, went prematurely bald, wore glasses, and was a little overweight. He wasn’t outgoing and he wasn’t a flirt. Women weren’t drawn to him and he wasn’t one to draw attention. He was really smart and he was really funny but you had to know him well to see that side of him.”

  Navarro blinked a few times, looking stunned. “How did you meet?”

  “We met through friends. I’d just come out of a bad relationship and I’d sworn off men but Ted was nice. He took me out to dinner a lot, we got to know each other and fell in love. He was a good husband. I…” Emotion hit her and she closed her mouth.

  Navarro walked toward her slowly then gripped her arms above her elbows. The expression on his face turned tender. “You miss him.”

  Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back, swallowing the knot in her throat. “I am getting past it. At first I was paralyzed. He was my entire world and it was just gone in blink. Him. Our life together. My life.”

  “What’s the hardest thing to still deal with?”

  She hesitated. “Being alone all the time. I get lonely.”

  “Why did you move away from all your friends? You had to have them.”

  “Some of them felt sorry for me and they stopped treating me like a person. I became something to pity. Half of them avoided me after Ted died. I think seeing what happened made them afraid it could happen to them. I was devastated at first and withdrew from some of them because I was in my own world of grief. And I gave some of Ted’s friends the wrong impression.” She was still a bit humiliated over it.

  “How?” Navarro tugged her to the couch and made her sit while he sat on the edge of the coffee table. “Tell me about Ted’s friends getting the wrong impression.”

  Trina forced a laugh. “This is kind of embarrassing but I was used to taking care of Ted and some of his friends through Ted. When his friend Luke got divorced he mentioned to Ted he missed home-cooked meals so sometimes when Ted went there to hang out with him I’d send some meals to Luke so he could just reheat them and eat a few good meals a week. Ted’s friend Gene loved my baked goods. I love to bake so I’d bake extra and send them with Ted to work. Gene was his office partner and also single.”

  “And what wrong impression did you give?”

  She hesitated as her smile faded. “I was bored and needed something to do after Ted wasn’t there anymore to take care of. I swear it’s embedded in me after all these years. I started making Luke meals and I baked Gene some treats. For a few weeks I dropped them off at their houses. Then…” She blushed.

  Navarro rubbed her arms. “Then what?”

  She sighed. “This is so embarrassing.”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  She stared into his beautiful eyes. “Gene showed up one night at my house out of the blue and he hit on me. I was shocked. He was Ted’s best friend and they worked together. I didn’t react well. Actually, I kind of freaked out. It was just a few months after the funeral and he came onto me pretty aggressively. Gene told me, because of what I was doing with him and Luke, that he felt sorry for me and that’s why he was there offering to spend the night with me. He said I seemed desperate for a man’s company or he wouldn’t have come over to give me a pity fuck.”

  Navarro’s hands stilled and anger gripped his features. “That guy is an asshole. What you did was nice and he hit on you because he’d always wanted you. Trust me. He tried to take advantage of you and when you shot him down he turned the blame for his shitty behavior your way. What an ass.”

  “I probably did seem desperate and it wasn’t appropriate for me to keep cooking for them. I was never comfortable around either man again so I stopped talking to them.”

  Navarro stood and pulled Trina to her feet. “Let’s go upstairs.” He kept hold of her hand until he closed the door to his room. He locked it and turned. “Strip.”

  “I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to you just telling me to get naked the second we walk in here.” She removed her shoes and slowly started to undress.

  He laughed. “I’m just happy you do it. I don’t want you in your clothes.” He tossed his discarded shirt to the floor. “I’m stripping too.”

  “No clothes in the bedroom rule?”

  “I like that one. I also want you to follow my orders in here.”

  She nodded. “I can do that.”

  Something in his eyes flickered and he really looked turned-on. “Seriously? You’ll take all my orders in here?”

  “I can do that,” she repeated then paused. “I just don’t want pain or humiliation.”

  A frown tempered his lips. “I wouldn’t do that to you. What made you say that?”

  “I mentioned that I read books. Sometimes I read these master and slave type books. They turn me on right until it gets degrading or painful. I don’t find it sexy or stimulating and I wouldn’t want to be with a guy who wanted to inflict that on me. I also don’t want to feel icky by doing something I’m not comfortable with.”

  He was naked as he moved slowly to Trina. “I won’t ever hurt you and I don’t want to humiliate you. So you get turned-on by light bondage?”

  Nodding, she met his curious gaze. “I enjoyed the ropes.”

  He reached up so his thumb brushed her nipple. “Still tender?”

  “A little.”

  “I was thinking about you today.”

  “Were you dealing with more shit?” She grinned up at him.

  “Nope. I was breaking in a few horses.” His heated gaze ran over her.

  Her body instantly responded to his words. The idea of him on the back of a wild animal made her have some racy thoughts. He’d have to be a tough guy to risk life and limb to climb on the back of a strong, wild animal. She didn’t look away from him as he stared into her eyes. “So what were you thinking?”

  “Do you like toys?”

  “Sex toys?”

  He nodded. “I went into town today to pay off the loan after I cashed your check. The ranch is safe. Thanks, by the way. When I got home I went online and ordered some toys I thought you’d enjoy. They won’t arrive until next week but I want you to get used to the idea.”

  “What kind of toys?”

  He smiled. “Nothing painful. I got things I think will make you feel really good. It will be a surprise.”

  “I hate surprises.”

  He laughed. “You are unique then.”

  “I’m impatient too.”

  Reaching out, he lifted her onto the bed. “Me too.” His focus went down her body.

  Trina eyed his cock, seeing he was rock hard, and licked her lips. When her attention lifted, there was no missing the passion in his gaze. She moved on the bed. With him standing next to it he was at the perfect height for what she had in mind. She rolled onto her stomach, reaching for him, hearing him suck in air.

  “What are you doing, babe?”

  Easing closer to him, Trina caressed his cock with her hands, inching her mouth closer. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

  He didn’t pull away as she licked the crown of his shaft. His cock jerked in her hold as her fingers wrapped around the base. She took him into her mouth, licking and sucking, coaxing a groan from Navarro as his hand caressed her cheek.

  “You’re too damn good at this. I won’t last long but I’m not going to say