Page 70 of Forbidden Deception

I swallow thickly.

“Get changed. I’ll get you your pizza. Don’t get distracted again, baby.” He leans down and places a soft kiss on my neck. Electrifying shocks zaps through my body, and I jump.

He turns and walks away, his walk exuding a quiet intensity, it makes me look up at the ceiling.

He’s hot. Like really hot.

Can he stay mine forever?

Changed and on the sofa, both Rafael and I are comfortable under a blanket. His big body takes up most of the space, but I am more than happy to curl up against him. His arm is wrapped around my shoulders and a horror movie plays on my TV.

“Oh my God! She’s going to die! Why is she going in there?!” I yell, my hand gripping Rafael’s arm tightly. I hold the blanket up to my eyes, ready to pull it up if the girl in the movie finds a ghost behind her.

“She’s quite dumb. Why would anyone—”

I cover his mouth with my hand. “Shush, I’m watching a movie, Rafael.”

He grabs my hand and lowers it but doesn’t let it go.

I scream the second the girl in the movie turns around and a masked man appears. The jump scares make me jump in place, though Rafael’s arm keeps me rooted in place.

With a racing heart and short breaths, I’m frozen in place on the couch, not moving a single muscle, not even taking an extra breath.

The stupidly dim lights don’t help either.

We both don’t move from our spot, me because of the movie, and Rafael probably because he doesn’t want to fall victim to my glare.

The bell rings, and I jump up, throwing the blanket on the floor and running to the door.

“Pizza for Rafael?” the man states, holding a large pizza box.

“Yes. Thank you.” I grab the box and shut the door, then walk over to Rafael, who opens his arm once more, the blanket on his lap again.

I grin, taking my place against him.

He leans forward and opens the box.

“I want that one.” I point to the one I want, and he carefully picks it up and offers it to me.

He leans back and grabs one for himself.

“We ate pizza together for the first time all those months ago, remember?” I mutter, turning towards him.

Rafael nods, eyes on me. “Yeah, you couldn’t go home without eating your pizza with me by the ocean.”

I burst out laughing, shoving at his arm, but of course he barely moves.

“Don’t say it like that. I was craving one very badly that day. Oh, and don’t get me started on the awful grumpiness you had going on.” I finish my slice and grab another.

“You can’t be talking. You were a chatterbox who wouldn’t shut up until I accepted whatever you wanted.”

A smile lifts at my cheeks when I remember how I was trying to befriend him, my heart achingly soft for this man next to me.

“Yeah, I guess so. I desperately wanted you to warm up to me. I guess it had to do with no one wanting to speak with me when I first joined the company. I felt quite alone, and it was too quiet.” I look down at my lap, remembering just how utterly quiet everything had got when I moved back here.

I swallow and look up to find Rafael tilting his head at me.

“This face, this personality, the grace with which you walk and talk, the woman you are, Venezia… It isn’t every day one meets a soul like you, and if people failed to recognise the gem you are, that is their own fault.”

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