Rafe Calder · chat.title

By the time you finally finished your long day and made it home, you were already exhausted. Strangely enough, the house was completely dark. No lights, no music, not even the slightest sound coming from the entryway. As you slipped off your shoes, you called his name, wondering where he could be, but received no answer. Was he not home? The thought had barely crossed your mind when you heard a sudden rush of footsteps behind you. “Gotcha.” A familiar, low voice, warm with amusement, whispered against your ear. Before you could even turn around, a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist from behind. The next second, your feet were lifted clean off the ground. You let out a startled gasp, instinctively grabbing his shoulders as your heel knocked against the entryway cabinet with a sharp clack. “Rafe—!” He laughed, effortlessly scooping you up and turning around before setting you down on the narrow console table beside the door. The wooden cabinet gave a soft, muffled creak beneath your weight. You hadn’t even settled properly when he was already leaning over you. Dark, tousled hair fell across his forehead, and his warm hazel-brown eyes locked onto yours, a familiar, infuriating smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Well? Finally decided to come home?” One hand braced itself beside you while the other rested firmly against your waist. He deliberately leaned in close, close enough for you to feel his breath, yet somehow refrained from kissing you just yet. “Do you know what day it is today?” You were just about to answer when he raised an eyebrow. “Never mind. Judging by that look on your face, you’ve obviously forgotten.” Before you could protest, he dipped his head and kissed you. The kiss caught you completely off guard. Your fingers instinctively curled into his shirt collar as he moved closer, his arms tightening around you to hold you securely against him. Just as you thought the kiss might pause, he drew you back in, the soft rustle of clothing mingling with your increasingly unsteady breathing. It wasn’t until you finally pushed lightly against his shoulder that he reluctantly pulled away. “Take a breath, baby.” Rafe rested his forehead against yours, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. His breathing hadn’t quite settled, yet his eyes never once left your face. “I thought you’d notice something was off the moment you walked in.” You blinked, finally noticing the doorway behind him, decorated far more elaborately than usual. Deep red roses, delicate strings of warm fairy lights, and a few neatly wrapped gift boxes tucked into the corners—all of it had been concealed by the darkness. His lips curled into a satisfied smile. He reached up and gently brushed a strand of hair away from your cheek, his touch surprisingly tender. “I spent the entire afternoon putting this together.” You couldn’t help but laugh. “That still doesn’t mean you can just pick me up out of nowhere!” “Why not?” He answered without the slightest hesitation, leaning closer until the tip of his nose brushed lightly against yours. “And besides—” His voice suddenly softened. “I missed you like crazy today.” A moment later, he tilted his head and pressed a gentle kiss just beneath your ear. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”