Begin Again

| Chapter Twenty-Nine |

*Warning: It gets heated y'all. For those who don't read smut, you can skip the end of this chapter!*

Ruth rubbed her swollen belly, groaning softly as she leaned her head against Raffo's shoulder. She hated how delicious dinner had been with Auntie Dee's famous NDN tacos. In the few years following Ruth's exit, Auntie Dee had run a successful family-owned restaurant downtown. Raffo visited her every once in a while, for seeing him didn't garner such a reaction, but when she laid eyes on Ruth, recognition and glee shot clear across her eyes like a shooting star. They had only met once at the powwow three-and-a-half years prior, their first actual date together really, but that didn't matter. The woman knew exactly who she was and wasted no time in wrapping her skinny arms around Ruth's frame, eager to squeeze the life out of her.

As soon as Auntie Dee pulled away, she demanded them to sit down so she could feed them enough to last the winter. Only then was she satisfied and left them alone while she tended to her other customers.

Raffo wrapped his arm around her back to help support her and massaged the side of her hip, causing her to release a gentle sigh of relief. He asked her if she was ready to head back to the apartment after their successful date, and she agreed. They both stood up, said their goodbyes and promises to return, and made their way back to the apartment.

Raffo grabbed the pumpkin from the trunk and followed Ruth over to the elevator. "Sooo, when are we gonna carve it?" Ruth questioned, curiously.

He shrugged. "Whenever. We'll have to get the stuff for it first."

"Okay," she agreed. She made a mental note to run to the store to grab the tools from a grocery store somewhere. "And um—thanks for the date today, Raff. I really needed it."

His lips curved and he followed her into the then opened elevator. "Of course."

Ruth hesitated for a moment after pressing the floor to his apartment. "I had a lot of fun. More fun than I've had in a while."

And it was true. Ruth and Emily had been working too much at different schedules sometimes to go out on many dates. They did in the beginning, but life always got in the way. It wasn't meant to be an excuse. Dates just weren't a priority.

Still, Raffo looked pleased. "Yeah?" he asked softly, his smile crooked and—oh so handsome.

She smiled back shyly, her arms folding behind her back. "Yeah."

"Come here, aiukli," he murmured.

She wasted no time in closing the space between them. Raffo leaned down and greedily captured her full lips, capturing the sweet sigh lacing between them from her sugary kiss. The honey from the frybread was still sweet on her tongue, and Raffo wasted no time in taking the flavor for himself when the elevator doors opened.

They broke apart long enough to rush to his apartment door and unlock it before ushering inside. Raffo had barely put the pumpkin down on and locked the front door when Ruth wrapped herself around him. His hands dove for the sides of her curves, molding to the swell of her hips while her arms went around his neck, her fingers expertly removing his hat so she could dive them into his silky hair.

Raffo's lips had her memorized. He knew exactly how to stroke his tongue, how to move his lips in sync with hers, and how to trail his warm fingertips under her shirt in lazy circles. She whimpered against his mouth and moved closer, her heart hammering with all the emotions overtaking her body. She wanted to get impossibly closer. Kissing him was wonderful, but she needed more. She craved more.

Ruth broke away with a gasp, her eyes flying open. She caught Raffo running his tongue over his lips and something wild fluttered over his vision. She knew exactly what that look meant and if she didn't speak up soon, he was going to have her right there on the floor.