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“Okay, suit yourself. I’ll just content myself with making you breakfast then.”
He was going to cook?Oh boy. “No, that’s okay. Besides, I wanted to do something for you after all the things you did for me last night.”
His laugh was low and made my skin hum in anticipation. “Oh you liked that, did you? If you let me, I can do more things for you, and then you’ll want to make me lunch and dinner.”
“Rafe DeMarco, you are a fiend.”
“You better believe it.” I heard his footsteps moving away from me, and I sagged against the counter. What was I going to do?
All I knew was I didn’t want Rafe to be with me because he felt like he had to be. I knew what it was like to grow up with a father who tolerated me more than loved me.
I was making the right choice. At least I hoped I was.
I took a quick shower, then came out to find the room empty. I could only hope that Rafe wasn’t really trying to cook, otherwise I’d have to explain to his family why he’d almost burned down their penthouse.
“There you are!” Lucia appeared in the doorway to the room just as I was leaving. “Rafe was threatening to cook, so I took over. I’m making pancakes and wanted to know if you’re hungry.”
I was helpless in the face of Lucia’s relentless cheerfulness. It was so surreal standing here with Rafe’s sister, knowing that I was possibly carrying the woman’s niece or nephew. Would Lucia be so nice to me if she knew all the trouble I’d brought to her brother’s doorstep?
“Yeah, I’m not sure I can eat anything heavy right now. Maybe just some tea? My stomach isn’t cooperating this morning.”
“Of course. I have this great mint tea that’ll soothe your stomach. Come on.” Lucia wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a gentle squeeze.
“You’ve all been so welcoming,” I murmured, still taken aback by the warm reception from people who had no reason to trust me. Given everything I’d heard about Lucia’s life, I wouldn’t blame her for being distrusting of everyone.
“Well, of course. I’ve never seen my brother smile so much. I’d just about given up hope on getting him to loosen up. Clearly you’re a miracle worker.”
I blushed. “I don’t know about that.”
“Well, I do. He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. It’s given me hope for the first time in years.”
We’d reached the kitchen by now, and we paused in the doorway to observe Rafe from across the room. Wearing loose sweatpants and a tight T-shirt, he looked like a snack while talking to Lucia’s husband. Noah was a handsome man too, but he might as well have been invisible for all that I noticed him. No, for me it was all Rafe. All the time.
Damn, I had it bad.
“Look at him. He’s just… I mean, he can have any woman he wants.” I grimaced at the insecure words as soon as they left my mouth.
But Lucia just grinned. “I know. And he’s found the one he wants. The one who loves him. Nothing could make me happier.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
Rafe
Everything was slowly falling apart.
It didn’t matter what I tried, I couldn’t seem to get my footing. Something was up with Diana. She’d been acting strangely for a couple of days now. Quieter than usual. Watching me warily. Had I done something? Every night we went to bed and made love like we were on fire. Like there was a desperate need to be with each other. To hold on to each other. Almost as if we would never get to do it again.
That shit worried me.
“Is there a reason you’re staring at her and not talking to her?” Oskar leaned against the kitchen counter, watching me watch Diana in the living room.
The sight of the big blond man watching my woman made me glower. “Mind your business.”
Oskar shrugged. “Sort of is my business, man. We all live here. If you’re going to make me watch you moon over your girl, I’m going to have something to say.”
“Oh, and you’re an expert on love?”
The idiot grinned. I liked it better when Oskar was scowling at me. It was his default look. And also, the smile was blinding as fuck. Like looking directly into the sun or some shit. It was a good thing he didn’t do that more often or all the guys might have to fight him for their women… though come to think of it, I wasn’t entirely sure Oskar was into women. The guy was always flirting with me.
