Heart's Reward Read Online Free PDF

called sweetheart or baby. He set down his glass on the tray of a passing waiter and turned his hundred-watt smile on his date.
    â€œNot too tired,” he teased, trailing his finger along the curve of her exposed back.
    She purred with pleasure and moved closer to him. “Never too tired for you. You should know that by now.”
    He probably should, he thought while he absently nuzzled her neck, imagining Melanie’s warm caramel skin beneath his lips. The truth was this woman who was ready to do whatever he asked was one of so many like her. Beautiful, nameless women that saw the Lawson name, heard whispers about his skills in the bedroom and put themselves in his path. He loved women. All types of women. Tall, thin, thick, short, black, white, Latina, Asian. They were all wonderful, willing and desirable in their own way.And the southern gentleman in him compelled him to please as many of them as he could.
    His trio of sisters—Lee Ann and the twins Dominique and Desiree—steered all of their friends clear of their playboy brother and admonished the youngest Lawson, their brother Justin, not to follow in their big brother’s footsteps.
    Rafe grinned to himself as he helped his date with her wrap. He loved his family dearly, even though he constantly remained on the receiving end of their reprimands. But no amount of scolding, threats of being cut out of the family fortune or hints of scandal stopped him in his relentless pursuit of women.
    It was in his nature. It was in his blood as sure as the champagne that flowed through it now. He accepted that. He knew that deep inside he was looking for something. He simply didn’t know what that something was and he would not stop until he found it.
    Rafe slid into the back seat of the chauffeured limo. He tossed his tuxedo jacket across to the other side of the horseshoe-shaped leather seat. He leaned toward the mini bar and uncorked a bottle of wine. He poured a glass for himself and his date, confident that before the night was over her name would come back to him.
    â€œRafe,” she cooed, leaning forward to expose herheavenly depths. “I was hoping you’d like to join me and some close friends for a weekend in Cancun.”
    He looked at her over the rim of the flute. Her makeup was a little too heavy and he concluded it was to mask her acne. Her body was lovely but he could tell from experience that it didn’t come naturally. She did have interesting eyes and a lovely mouth. Kissable. That much he did remember. “Sounds appealing.”
    â€œSay yes.” She all but batted her eyelashes.
    It was as if the action lifted the veil that had covered his eyes and he wondered why he was with her. What was he doing? “I’ll check my schedule and get back to you.” He smiled to soften the disappointment. “Where do you live again, cher? Forgive me.” He held up his glass. “One too many.”
    â€œPark and 62nd Street.”
    â€œOf course.” He winked at her and tapped on the partition that separated them from the driver.
    The Plexiglas whirred downward.
    â€œPark and 62nd,” Rafe instructed. He reclined against the thick leather back seat. He ignored her pout.
    â€œI thought we were going to your place,” she whined.
    â€œI’m sorry, cher. Not tonight. Maybe another time.”
    She flopped back against the seat and folded herarms tightly to her body, elevating the expensive enhancements. Rafe turned his attention to the traffic outside the window, lighting up the night sky with the gleam from streetlights that danced off their hoods, their headlights illuminating onto the blacktop. It seemed to create a magical lightshow, much like his life. It was all smoke and mirrors. He’d mastered the art of illusion. The ability to charm and woo, to talk his way into and out of anything he wanted.
    He draped his arm along the back of the seat and drummed his long fingers against the firm