Page 43 of Forbidden Deception

He looks so relaxed, like just being in this moment is enough. Like he doesn’t mind just sitting here in silence in my company at all.

With the window rolled down, shirt sleeves rolled up, and his hair ruffling with the wind, this sight could be a literal woman’s wet dream at this point. How could one look at this and not fall for him?

Something about the way he is driving, carefully glancing over at me every once in a while, the low hum of the car, and the city of Greece passing by us, it just makes me feel so content.

“I will eat a whole buffet by myself if I was given the chance.”

Rafael side eyes me, making me laugh.

“Don’t look at me like that.” I push at his shoulder playfully, the environment so relaxed that I forget our roles for a second.

I pull my hand back fast.

“You can drop me off at the hotel if you want to go to a restaurant, because, respectfully, I will not be going or walking anywhere other than my bed.” Shutting my eyes, I lay my head back and let the drive lull me to sleep.

While Rafael had the chance to sleep on the plane, I didn’t, and the fever that was getting better is slowly catching up to me now.

I feel myself lifted and moved. The cool breeze makes me curl up against the warmth that is hugging me. Nuzzling my face against it, a faint smile stretches my lips at the comfort it brings me, pulling me deeper into sleep.

A grumble with a sigh sounds close to my ear, but my mind shuts off again.

When I blink my eyes open, everything is pitch dark.

It takes me a second to realise I am in my hotel room and—I squint to make sure it is what I think it is—Rafael is lounging outside on the balcony under the dark sky with a trolley next to him.

Pulling back my comforter, I get up and walk to the bathroom to freshen myself up. I don’t know how long I slept. After cleaning my face of makeup and tying my hair into a neat ponytail, I walk out. This isn’t my room, and I know it. My bags aren’t to be seen at all.

Why doesn’t it feel weird or awkward?

Shouldn’t I feel a little out of place? Instead, I am walking towards Rafael, my boss, a member of the London Elite with such ease that it should be ringing warning bells in my mind. In fact, I should be running from this room, taking the taxi downstairs, and checking into a different hotel, but something compels me forward.

Here I am, standing behind Rafael on this grand balcony overlooking the ocean in front of us, the whites of the city, the blue domes, and the calm ocean not far from us. Everything feels surreal, and with this man next to me, whom I will have to plunge the knife into soon, I can’t see anything ever feeling more wrong yet so right.

“Eating without me, mister?” I drop into the brown chair next to him, my eyes sliding over the different foods. Greek salad bowl, wraps, Greek bruschetta, and spaghetti with meatballs.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Rafael’s voice rumbles through my insides, forcing me to look up. I catch him looking at me, and the twinkle in his eyes makes me grin.

His eyes are a rust brown colour. The white sprinkled in his hair ruffles with the soft night wind; the moon accentuates his sharp jaw and cheeks, and he wears a cotton short-sleeved shirt with tan trousers and bare feet.

“You thought right. What do we have here? I’m ridiculously hungry. Thankfully an angel transported me to the bed from the car,” I joke, picking a bruschetta and biting into it.

“Oh, this is good,” I mumble, wiping away some crumbs from my mouth. “Good choices you made with the dinner,” I continue, feeling his heavy gaze on the side of my face but trying my best to avoid it.

“I’ve never been to Greece before, you know, and actually, if someone asked me what my top vacation destination is, it would be Thailand. Imagine the clear waters.” I release a sigh. “What would yours be? How many countries have you travelled to so far?”

I finally look over to find him watching me. His eyes look as if they are smiling, but why would they? He has no reason to be smiling at me. He’s never found me funny before, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is laughing at me and not with me.

“What?” I ask, something very much like shyness taking over me, but I refrain from looking away and exposing myself. Rafael’s attention shouldn’t give me such a reaction when the past few months have been nothing but professionalism and strictly business between us.

“I’ve been to quite a few, and my favourite is Silent Island. It’s where people don’t talk to each other so they can enjoy some time in silence.”

My mouth drops open.

Rafael looks so cocky right now. He dips his chin and raises a brow.

That fucking smirk…

“Oh? So it’s my fault for wanting to have conversations with you? Okay, fine.” Stuffing the last piece of my bruschetta, I get up and walk back inside, ready to head to my own suite next door to him.

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