To Do List by Lauren Dane Page A

Although that doesn’t so much scare me as make me want to have sex with you.” He chuckled. “Rosemary and the kids won’t be in until tomorrow so I can definitely come by at least for some of your mom’s stellar dessert.”
    “Good. I like to look at you.”
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    To Do List

Chapter Five
    Rafe liked to look at her too. He watched her as she helped his mother in the large kitchen, slicing tomatoes for the salad with engineer-like precision. She did it quickly and efficiently and yet he bet every single slice was perfectly the same size.
    She’d not protested when he hugged and kissed her when they walked into the house.
    He’d simply acted like she was his and to his great relief, she simply was his.
    Her outfit was pretty and feminine, although he was convinced the pleat on the front of her soft blue pants was sharp enough to slice paper. Funny, he wouldn’t have found another woman dressed the same way sexy but that shirt buttoned up, just exposing the hollow of her throat, made him want to lick her. She exuded such a softness despite the spine of steel, the contradiction fascinated him.
    Lunch was good. His mother’s attitude toward Belle had shifted from that of a family friend to that of a potential mother-in-law. She wasn’t just Belle Taylor, she was Belle and Rafe. He wondered if she caught that. He doubted she missed it, his woman was intelligent in addition to sexy.
    When Belle readied to leave, his mother kissed her cheeks after his father had hugged her and Gabe laid a smooch or three on her to tease Rafe.
    “Belle, I know you’ll be with your family on Christmas Day but we’d love to have you for Christmas Eve dinner.”
    Rafe knew in that moment what it meant. Christmas Eve in the Bettencourt household was sacrosanct. They had dinner, played cards and went to midnight mass. It wasn’t something even friends were invited to. It was a family event. Belle, having grown up with them so closely knew that too and he saw her face as she realized it.
    Her hand trembled a bit in his. “I’d be honored to as long as Rafe wouldn’t mind.”
    “I wouldn’t want you anywhere else, Annabelle.” He kissed her cheek and hugged her.
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    Lauren Dane
    “All right then. I’ll see you day after tomorrow. Thank you for lunch, I’m going to be full for a week.”
    “Wait until you have Christmas Eve dinner!” Gabe laughed and clapped Rafe on the shoulder, letting him know he supported this next step in the situation with Belle.
    He walked her to her car. “Before you say anything let me just tell you I want something with you, Belle. I know you have a job in San Francisco and I’m not asking you to give up your career or your life. I just want to be a part of it. I’ve known you most of my life and I understand that what I feel for you is real and has been coming a long time. I want you there on Christmas Eve and I want to kiss you as the clock strikes midnight on New Year this year and the next and so on. We on the same page?”
    She leaned her forehead against his chest and he struggled to keep quiet as she clearly wrestled with her thoughts. She was not impulsive so he knew the process was hard for her.
    “Rafe, I’ve wanted you for fifteen years. I…I have to deal with my job situation. I can’t talk about it just now, I need to get over to my parents’ house. But after Christmas, can we just have some time alone to talk? We are on the same page in wanting something together. I need to say that up front. I like the idea of you being in my life as more than fantasy material.” She looked up at him as she finished, a smile on her lips and he let go of the breath he’d been holding.
    “Absolutely. You and me, after Christmas. I’ll see you later tonight.” He kissed her quickly and she stepped back before they ended up making out in his parents’ front drive.
    “Man that tree looks great.” Belle grinned as she stood back and eyed their