He pulled her toward him, running his hands along her back. Though he was aching to get her into bed, he didn’t want to act like a selfish prick. At the very least, he should offer her food. “Did you get anything to eat at the open house? I can whip up something if you want.”
She hooked her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. “Honestly? All I want to do is jump into bed with you. Is that terrible?”
He plundered her mouth with a searing kiss, tasting red wine on her lips. She responded hungrily, matching his kisses with her own. With a quick movement, he scooped her up and placed her on the bed. He looked down at her with hunger as he loosened the belt of his robe. “It’s not terrible at all. I had the exact same thought.”
* * *
Rafael woketo a feeling of lazy contentment. Truly, was there anything more satisfying than waking up next to a sexy, naked woman?
Beside him, Victoria slept peacefully. Last night, after they’d made love, he’d intended to listen to her open house stories and make her something to eat. He didn’t want to treat her like a mindless booty call. But they’d both fallen asleep within minutes.
As he stretched out in bed, he imagined what their lives might be like if they kept things going. He couldn’t afford to treat her the way Ben had—fancy restaurants, nights at the theater, charity events. But he’d bet any money he could out-cook the bastard. He and Victoria could go on inexpensive dates—hikes, picnics, movies. Even if he wasn’t fabulously wealthy, he wasn’t some broke-ass loser either.
Who are you kidding?
It didn’t matter if Victoria preferred picnics in the park to expensive dinners. She was so obsessed with earning back her father’s respect she’d never do anything to upset him. Dating Rafael would definitely piss him off.
He checked his phone. Eight fifteen. He was content to wait in bed with Victoria until his cousins left, but his stomach growled, reminding him he’d foregone dinner for the lure of steamy sex. He eased out of bed and grabbed a t-shirt and pajama bottoms. Opening the bedroom door a crack, he slipped out and shut it softly behind him. But the curious stares of his cousins made him stop short.
He plastered an innocent expression on his face. “What?”
Ernesto grinned as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “You got someone in there?”
“Nope. No one.” Rafael broke into a sweat, and not just because Dario had cranked up the heat.
“So, if I went into your room to borrow your phone charger, there wouldn’t be anyone sleeping in your bed?” Ernesto asked.
Dario, who was frying a couple of eggs on the stove, pointed to the doorway. “You’re busted. Unless you had a surprise visit from Santa, someone left their boots by the door.”
Shit.He was such a tool.In his haste to get Victoria into bed, he’d forgotten about her boots.
“Is that why you blew us off last night?” Ernesto asked. “You missed a killer movie.”
“Sorry about that. I wanted to keep things quiet. You know how Martin gets when he hears I’ve been fooling around.”
Dario plated his eggs and added a generous amount of hot sauce. He sat at the table across from Ernesto. “He gets a real stick up his ass.”
“As long as you’re not screwing Missy Cavendish, it shouldn’t matter.” Ernesto stood to dump out his coffee cup, then turned to Rafael. “You aren’t, are you?”
Rafael flinched at how close his cousin had hit the mark, but he kept his expression neutral. “Not a chance. She’s a total pain in the ass. Besides, you think I want to cross Ben Macalister?”
He went to the fridge and pulled out a container of leftover caramel flan. Not the most nutritious breakfast, but it would tide him over until he could make something more substantial. He grabbed a spoon out of a drawer and prepared to make his exit.
Ernesto wasn’t done yet. “Who is it? Someone we know?”
No way was he telling the truth. Not with five days left to go before the wedding. He couldn’t risk the fallout if anyone found out. “Nah. She’s an ex. But the sparks are still there, you know? So, we hooked up last night.” He inched back toward the room. “I don’t want her to feel awkward or anything, so…”
Dario laughed. “Fine. Keep her a secret. But you know nothing stays secret for long in this family, right?”
Did he ever.
He retreated into the bedroom, locking the door behind him. Victoria sat up and eyed the container. “By any chance, is that for me? I’m starving.”
“Bon appétit.” He handed over the flan and the spoon. His own hunger could wait.
“Thank you. While you’re up, can you grab me a shirt from my overnight bag? I feel kind of weird eating naked.”
“No problem.” He unzipped her bag and tossed her a shirt.
