Page 30 of Forbidden Deception

“You know where your new hotel is being built? Can we drive to the ocean there and eat this together in the car? I think it would be much better than eating alone in a cold apartment. Don’t say no.”

I wasn’t supposed to do this. It wasn’t supposed to seem like I was trying to spend more time with him. I should have pretended like my heating was broken or something, but instead, it sounds like I want to be around him more.

“So I have to spend more time with you? God help me…” He sighs, then turns to face the road and puts the car into drive.

“Are you agreeing to it or insulting me?” I huff, crossing my arms.

“Both. Don’t you have a home to get to?” He shakes his head, but my mind has now taken a different road.

Holy shit. Rafael driving is the sexiest thing I have ever seen. He holds the steering wheel with one hand, and changes gearswith the other. The focussed expression on his face makes me want to climb into his lap and cup his face.

He looks so fucking hot that hugging him alone won’t be enough.

What?

Where did that thought come from?

He is definitely good-looking, but I can’t take it that far.

What if… I did?

What if I did want it?

Sleeping with a powerful man like Rafael would be a terrible decision. My brother may not disown me, but he will be disappointed that I slept with our target. I can’t do that to him.

But when Rafael parks the car by the ocean and shuts the engine, then takes off his suit jacket and rolls up his sleeves to grab the box from me, my heart seems to be having trouble making sense of everything.

I can’t think of Rafael like that.

I just can’t.

We won’t last.

I’m here for revenge and espionage.

He has toyed with and ruined people’s lives and enjoyed it. While my brother may be worse and me even more so for doing this mission. So there is no future for us.

“Margherita? You couldn’t be more basic.” Rafael shakes his head, then he looks up through his lashes at me and my heart stops.

No.

I can’t do this.

“Yeah? Well, deal with it. Talk about wearing brown every other day. At least I’m not basic like that.” I take a bite of the pizza, and instead of looking out into the ocean, I get lost looking at something entirely different.

Something forbidden.

I went to a girls’ school all my life. I’ve been cut off from the outside world.

And now, for the first time, in my life I am in close proximity to a man, trying to get close to him for a mission, and my heart is weakening faster than I thought.

“My brother says anything I like is not basic and it makes me who I am.” I push his shoulder, and he almost loses his grip of his slice of pizza. He sighs and shakes his head but doesn’t scold me.

“Of course. Your amazing brother loves you. That’s why he lets you get away with being boring.” He narrows his eyes at me, but there’s a twinkle in his eyes.

I bite into my pizza, a smile tugging on my lips.

“As he should.” I shrug.

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