Page 51 of Bedding his Innocent Mistress

Rafe shifted. “It was a long time ago.”

“That wouldn’t make it hurt any less.”

He propped up on one elbow, reaching over Ivy and plucking a single grape from the vine. He hovered it over her lips, and then pushed it into her mouth. She tasted it, the sweetness divine, and then swallowed, her eyes holding his. Awareness arced between them, hot and desperate for acknowledgement.

“You must have admired him, to name this place for him?”

His expression was relaxed, but Ivy knew there was a tension pulling at him, behind that.

“Must I?”

Ivy pulled a face. “You’re very good at deflecting my questions, you know.”

“Look who’s talking,” he fired back, a smile on his face belying the seriousness of his accusation.

“I don’t do that.” Ivy’s response was arch.

“If you say so.” He reached for another grape, this time depositing it in his own mouth. Ivy watched as he chewed and swallowed, her blood pressure sky-rocketing at the simple, sensual gesture.

She pushed up off the ground and came to straddle him, lacing her fingers through his so they were tightly connected. He watched her with the kind of intent that characterised so much of their relationship. He saw everything. It should have frightened Ivy, but it didn’t.

“And you?” He lifted their hands, pressing a kiss to the back of hers. “Are you close to your parents?”

“They’re my parents,” she said with a shrug, shutting the question down.

But Rafe squeezed her hand. “You’re doing it again.”

Her eyes flicked to his self-consciously. “I don’t mean to.” She sighed heavily. “I’m close to my parents, yes. But …”

“Si,” he prompted, when the sentence remained unfinished.

“The Steve thing…” she said with a shrug, lifting her gaze and focussing on the house in the distance. The afternoon sun was dipping lower in the sky, casting a glow of gold and mauve over the valley, and Ivy’s heart was full. It truly was stunning. London seemed very far away, suddenly, like a distant dream.

“Si,” he drawled, the animosity in his expression gone in an instant.

“They love him,” she said quietly. “Our break up has been hard on them.”

“Harder than it was on you?” He said silkily.

“Different.” Ivy shook her head. “But aren’t we here to get away from Steve?”

“You can’t get away from him,” Rafe said, the words edged with coldness. “He is in here,” he lifted his hand and pointed to her head. “And in here.”

Ivy’s heart twisted. “That’s not true.” She bit down on her lip, standing up jerkily. “Now, are you going to show me inside the house?”

Rafe watched her for another moment before he stood, and his expression was harder than stone when he turned away from her. She watched him as they walked back up the hill, the tension in his body unmissable.

As they neared the top of the hill that housed the vines, he slowed and turned to face her. “Do they still see him?”

“Sometimes.” She dipped her head forward. “He was at my father’s birthday party a few months ago.”

Rafe swore under his breath. “Did he bring his fiancé?”

Ivy paled. “God, no. Thank goodness. No, it was just Steve.”

“And you were okay with this?”

Ivy’s smile was a wry twist of her lips. “I didn’t stay long.”

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