AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lauren’s heart skipped a beat. She shook her head in silent demurral but was saved from making an answer when Raf and Max emerged from a room a few doors down. Lauren’s eyes locked to Raf’s and her heart began to thunder. Would he guess where she’d been going?
“I bumped into Lauren just now,” Alessia explained. “We were just discussing how well Yaya is doing.”
“Yes,” Max smiled, moving towards Alessia and putting his hand around her shoulders. “She’s in fine form tonight.”
“She’s not pushing herself too hard?” Max wondered.
“Perhaps,” Lauren conceded. “But honestly, try and stop her.” Then, with a tilt of her head. “I have to say, in my experience, recovery takes two paths. Paula is on a good one, and while there are no guarantees, I think she’s out of immediate danger.”
Raf’s eyes flicked to hers. Emotions surged. He understood what that meant. Lauren didn’t think, for even a moment, that he wasn’t completely overjoyed at Yaya’s prognosis, but the speed with which she’d recovered complicated things. Or did it simplify them? Wasn’t leaving now the best thing she could do?
Butterflies flew through her belly.
“Anyway,” she was awkward suddenly. “I’ll leave you three to it.”
But Alessia put a hand on Lauren’s wrist. “You don’t have to rush off. We were just going to have dinner. Why don’t you join us?”
Something like pain tore through her. It was a kind offer to include Lauren but she didn’t really belong. This wasn’t her family, they weren’t even her friends. She was working in the house and sleeping with Raf, but both those things would stop – and soon – and then she’d never see any of these people again. What was the point in pretending?
“No, thank you.” Without realising it, her voice assumed an air of cool distance, reminiscent of when she’d first come to work at Villa Fortune.
“You should have dinner with us,” Raf’s voice was dark, husky, a silent entreaty in the tones of his words.
She shook her head, a plea in her eyes. “I was just looking for my book. I’ve reached a crucial chapter. Good night.”
It was very good luck that a moment later he saw a paperback casually discarded on an end table in the salon. Raf grabbed it and held it in front of his chest. “Lauren’s book. I’ll just deliver this. I’ll meet you on the terrace.”
Before either could respond, he turned and left the room, moving quickly through the house towards her bedroom. At the door, he paused before lifting his hand and knocking. A second later he pushed the door inwards. Lauren was standing near the window, her shoulder propped against the frame, her eyes trained on the view beyond.
He smiled when he saw her, the same smile that came easily to him when Lauren was around.
“I found your book.”
“My what?”
He held it out. “This. You were looking for it?”
She frowned. “Oh, right, yes.” She nodded, pushing away from the window and walking towards him. “Thank you.”
But she was distracted, barely even noticing he was there. “Were you on your way to my room tonight?” He teased, waiting for her reaction.
Her eyes flew wide and she shook her head, then looked to the ground. “I didn’t know Alessia and Max would be here.”
“Nor did I.” He closed the distance between them, putting his arms around her. “Relax, you’re not in trouble. It isn’t as though the school principal found you stealing supplies or something.”
She looked up at him and nodded. “I wasn’t prepared to answer questions. I didn’t want to risk her finding out…”
“I know. Come to dinner. I promise, I won’t give the game away.”
Lauren shook her head. “It’s too risky.”
“What risk? You think we can’t sit at a table together without someone guessing we’re having sex?” Frustration made the words gruff.
Her eyes showed surprise and then something else. She stepped away from him, moving back to the window, her fingers moving to the ring she wore on her right hand. He’d never paid close enough attention but now that he looked at it, he could guess the significance. A wedding ring.
Something rolled through him – something unpleasant. She was no longer married, but this visible sign of another man’s possession, a token of love she still wore six years after his death, did something strange to Raf’s equilibrium. And that damn near bowled him over. Why should he care that she still wore his ring?
“Were you coming to my room to spend the night?”
