“I need my dress unzipped.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
After turning her back to me, Drea swept her hair over her shoulder so it wouldn’t be in my way. My fingers came to grasp the zipper at the base of her neck. Slowly, I inched it down, savoring the sight of all her naked skin.
By the time I’d slid it down to her waist, Drea’s sides expanded with harsh pants. When I threw a questioning look over my shoulder at Rafe, he remained with his shoulders scrunched and his attention on his screen.
Dipping my head, I brought my lips to the top of Drea’s back. She sucked in a panicked breath and started to dart away, but my hands gripped her waist to keep her in place. Lazily, I drew circles with my tongue along her silky skin.
“Leo,” Drea panted.
Ignoring her plea, I gently grazed her flesh with my teeth.
“Got it!” Rafe exclaimed, which caused me to shove Drea away.
When I whirled around, he grinned broadly at me. “I found a car service to take me from the airport in Catania to the convent.”
“Good for you,” I replied.
At the sound of swishing satin, I turned around to see Drea disappearing into the bedroom. Thanks to Rafe, there would be no more teasing her.
Unless he fell asleep.
After dropping back down in the chair across from him, I started to take my phone out of my pocket when he leaned forward in his seat.
“Listen, with all the craziness, I haven’t had a chance to formally thank you.”
“You did at the ceremony,” I argued.
“I couldn’t say everything I wanted to say then.” With a nervous laugh, he said, “I’m not even sure I can now.”
“You don’t have to say a word.”
He shook his head. “Yeah, I really do, Leo. What you did back there…it was truly heroic.”
“While I disagree with her, Drea said the same thing.”
His brows furrowed. “Why would she find it heroic?”
Fuck. As I stared into Rafe’s eyes, I knew there was never going to be a better time to come clean with him. Sure, it probably wasn’t the best idea to be honest with him while we were trapped thousands of feet above the ground, but what could I do?”
“Here’s the thing, Rafe. I could tell you that Drea thought I was a hero because my actions–”
“Yoursacrifice,” Rafe argued.
“Yeah, see, that’s where you’re wrong. I wasn’t sacrificing anything by offering to marry Drea. In fact, I’ve been a pretty selfish bastard this last year when it comes to her.”
Rafe creased his dark brows in confusion. “Does what you’re alluding to have anything to do with the way you two were looking at each other at the altar?”
Wait, what? Did I just hallucinate that Rafe noticed something between Drea and me at the church? “Maybe.”
Blinking at me, Rafe then eased back in his chair. “I think you need to explain yourself,” he replied in a measured voice.
I held up my hands. “Before I do, I just want to preface this by saying that if it had not been for your feelings for Maeve, I would’ve never allowed things to progress between Drea and me.”
Rafe’s jaw clenched. “What things?” he gritted out.
“We kissed.”
