All Over Again

| Chapter Fifty-One |

Raffo Leflore was rarely, if ever, taken aback by anything that happened in his life.

He couldn't afford the unexpected, so he was the opposite and expected everything; especially the worst-case scenario in any given situation. Life usually strayed that way for young Raffo, so he lived his life circling this mindset with every situation he's ever been through. Expect everything, so you could be surprised by nothing.

But, as of five months ago, it was getting harder and harder to think that way, let alone live it anymore. He was unbalanced now, caught off his A game like he had been so used to for the last several years of his life. He was met with an onslaught of emotions that he had never felt before. He fell in love with a beautiful girl that was planning on leaving their little town for something greater. She helped him cease smoking and was there for him every step of the way. Even when they weren't talking, he never went back. All he could think about were those round, brown eyes begging him not to do it, telling him that he came too far to go back. He imagined the way she would have been upset if he had gone through with telling Johnny to give him a smoke, so he pushed the stick away from him with much reluctance. His body screamed for a puff, but he couldn't do it. Something he never would have expected.

And, to further push Raffo's disturbance, that same beautiful girl squared up in front of him and gave him a genuine apology for the fault she had made. She owned up to her words, accepted what he had to say, even if it was nothing too harsh, and held herself accountable. People rarely held themselves accountable enough to come out with a straight forward apology the way that she did, and damn did it take him aback. Damn did it mean the world to him to see someone apologize to his face and be strong enough to hold themselves accountable. His mother never did, his father never did, and his step father never did. It was strange how adults and apology could rarely ever be in the same sentence. When you're a parent, it was as if you were immune to having to apologize to anyone younger than you. Rarely if older, but definitely never younger.

But age difference or not, Ruth came forward and made his world a thousand times better. Her unexpected apology made all the difference in the world to him.

So, after weeks of keeping his distance and keeping his sanity on a thin thread, he finally did what his body was yearning to do.

He took Ruth in his arms, drank in every gorgeous curl, curve, and full lipped smile of hers, and fiercely kissed the life out of her. He reveled in the softness of her skin against his, in the fast beat of her heart melting into his, in the heat of her warm mouth against his. When her gentle fingertips moved along his arms so that she could wrap them both around his neck, a trail of goosebumps rose in their wake.

Raffo could finally breathe again. After going so long without his fresh breath of air, he didn't know how he'd ever be able to survive without it after she inevitably leaves Oklahoma behind. With a love like hers, no one could ever be able to recover the same. He may not believe in long distance relationships, but he'd try anything for her. His earlier pessimism didn't nag at him anymore; replaced by his adoration and devotion to the woman before him. It didn't matter to him because . . . well, because she . . .

Well . . . because she was everything to him.

*****

"Raff—wait," Ruth laughed breathlessly, moving her face away just a smidgen to inhale. His eager lips fell upon her cheek, his fingers stilling on her wide hips as she forced her head back to look him in the eye. She nearly kissed him again at the starry look on his face and the exhilaration in his bright brown eyes as he licked his swollen lips. Somehow, they had made their way over to lean they bodies against each other, Raffo's butt resting lightly on the bench as their hands were everywhere.

Damn it—she needed to focus while she held his half-lidded gaze that made a bad habit of falling to her parted lips.

"Isn't Mirana coming in an hour or two?" Ruth breezed, her heart hammering as she tried to get control of herself. It was too easy to slip back into who they were a month ago, but she was still respectful. She trusted Raffo, and trusted his friendship with Mirana. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries so soon with either of them when she was just coming back into his life.

Raffo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a frown touching the corners of his lips as he stared down at her. He brushed a curl from her cheek with his forefinger tenderly. "How'd you know?"

"How do you think I found you here?" she teased, her fingers playing with the hair trailing down the back of his neck. "She told me you guys were hanging out today at the courts so I came here to talk to you first."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding, though she caught a glimpse of annoyance. "Well, she's been stuck to my damn side all of winter break, so it wouldn't hurt to cancel for the day."

"You don't have to do that. I'll just wait-"

"I haven't seen you in a month. I don't know how your Christmas went, if you went back to California for the break, if Jana and Terry annoyed the hell out of you for New Years, none of that. I want to catch up with you," Raffo interrupted. A handsome, crooked smile crossed his perfect lips, halting Ruth's stuttering heart in the center of her chest. "Don't you want to catch up with me?"

His question was followed by the squeeze of her waist between his arms and the skimming of his thumb under her cropped sweatshirt. She nibbled on her inner cheek as she fought against the rush of heat that swirled between her thighs at the intense way he watched her. She's been deprived without his touch for so long . . .

And when he leaned down towards her, with that hooded gaze of lust and dewy pink lips, her decision was made. It was only day one of seeing each other again . . . but to hell with it. They were both adults and they could make their own decisions to do whatever the hell they wanted.

"Jana and Terry aren't home," she tempted, her voice innocent and light as she tightened her arms around Raffo's neck now. His gaze glittered at what she was insinuating, and he unashamedly traced every curve of her body. "We can hang out there for awhile instead. To—what was it you said? Catch up, is it?"

Raffo grinned in amusement. "I knew there was a reason why I missed you."

"Because of sex?"

He rolled his eyes. "Because you make me laugh, you pervert. It may be hard to believe, but I really do want to hear about your break."

Ruth pecked his lips, her body warm at his confession. "Not hard to believe. Don't forget to text Mirana if you're coming with me, then."

"La chi," he winked, removing his arms from her body so that he could grab her soft hand in his. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "Lead the way, baby."

Okay, she really was done for now.

*****
notes: translation (from choctaw to english)

♡ la chi - i will