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He holds me in his arms like I'm his precious treasure and he wants to broadcast that to the entire world.
Hmm, maybe I should do this more often then.
TWENTY-FIVE
RAFAELO
Noelle nestlescloser in my arms and I rest the tip of my chin on top of her head, holding her back flush to my chest.
The conversation flows and soon, it's like the incident in the bathroom never happened.
Not for me, though. Not when I can still vividly picture the way she'd been huddled in a corner, about to be hurt by that madwoman.
And it's all because of me.
"You know I would never reciprocate another woman's advances, right?" I feel the need to clarify. I don't think I could forgive myself if my pretty girl ever doubted my loyalty. Not when it wouldneverwaver.
She stiffens in my arms for a moment. It's a fleeting reaction, but I recognize it, nonetheless.
Slowly, she tilts her head to the side, her eyes seeking mine.
"I know. Just like I know you would never raise your hand against a woman," she says as she takes my hand in hers, bringing it to her cheek.
I shake my head.
"But that's just the thing, pretty girl," I take a deep breath. "For you, I find that I no longer have any principles."
Her eyes widen, her lashes fluttering in confusion.
"Raf…"
"For you I'm capable of things I never thought possible. But there's always only one thing holding me back," I whisper in a low voice so that only she can hear me.
Maybe this conversation is best had in the privacy of our home. But I don't want her to doubt thatanythingwould ever stand in my way when it comes to her.
"What?" She asks tentatively, her tongue peeking out to lick her lips as her eyes are glued to mine.
"You," I simply state.
"I don't understand…" she trails off, frowning.
"You see," I give her a sad smile. "It would have been so easy to be rude, or get physical to get my point across. But thenyouwould have seen that. You would have seen and…" I swipe my thumb over her lips in gentle, smooth circles. "I never want you to put me in the same category as Sergio. I never want you to look at me and see the past. And I never,never,want you to be afraid of me. Whether consciously or unconsciously."
"Raf, you…"
"When it comes to you I'm more than capable to be firm, aggressive—againstanyone. But you always see the best in me," I chuckle. "You think I'm a gentleman when sometimes my thoughts are as ungentlemanly as they can get. And that's the thing. I don't want you to see me differently. I don't want you to see me as anything but your protector," I tell her sincerely.
"I could never see you as anything else," she whispers, leaning in. "Because I know everything you do is for me. Iknowthat," she asserts firmly.
Her breath is on my lips. Time stills as the world becomes just a buzzing noise in my ears—one I can easily shut off.
"I'll never take the chance, Noelle," I confess. "What I can promise you is that I will always protect you, and sometimes that means protecting you from myself too."
She purses her lips, clearly about to argue with that. But I don't let her.
Instead, I simply shush her with my lips, giving myself a taste of her sweetness to serve as relief for the tension mounting inside of me.
It surprises me how forward I am with her. In public. When I know she doesn't like the be the center of attention.
