Chapter 24: Chapter 24

I don't know what it feels like to be on the top of Mount Everest. I don't know the rush you feel when you do bungee jumping from the tallest point. You get the gist. I'm not a poet, not even close, but being with Rafa made me feel things that are very new to me. Euphoric. I'm not the first virgin to spout nonsense about a guy after losing virginity to him. But this is not about sex. It's the care with which he handled it. Other than Kade, Rafa is the first one to show care for me. Rafa is the one to NOTICE me. I may be good looking but no one cared enough to get past the skin deep. Before it was only Kade, and now Rafa. Both are attractive, but with Rafa, we have this weird connection full of sexual tension hanging between us, it's...explosive. It's like I can pinpoint his exact location in a crowd. THAT explosive.

This was the nonsense dwelling in my mind when I opened my eyes to gaze in his eyes. We are both naked (obvious), tangled, each in their own thoughts.

'I'm thinking of going clean-shaven', he said while his hand doing doodles on my body.

'What? Why?', I said groggily, not ready to leave the romance-land.

' I don't like the way it's hurting you’, he says as a matter of fact. I like how he is responding for something so trivial like the scratches on my body. It gave me enough confidence to say what I have in my mind.

Fully awake now, I held his face in my hands and said, ' hey, you can never hurt me, Rafa. Anyway, they are just scratches. I like them. Reminds me of what we did between these sheets.'

'Can't I?', he asked all seriously, ignoring the other things I'm saying.

'No. Because I know you enough to say you won't hurt me purposefully'

'And what pray, tell Ms. Anderson, you know about me?', he asked, deflating the situation.

'A lady never kisses and tells', I said haughtily.

'I don't know about the latter, but we can do the former now', he says playfully.

That set the mood for the whole weekend. Raphael left me for only 2 hours to bring his clothes from home. Other than that, we were inseparable. We were driven by the need for each other. We never snuggled or shared our deepest secrets, but it's nowhere less intense. We were never far from each other's arms. Suffice it to say, my place got christened well and thoroughly. When we took a much-needed break to build-up stamina, I cooked chicken enchiladas casserole for him while he worked on his laptop. It all came to an end on Monday morning.

Raphael left for his home at 6. I was still too sleepy to process anything at that time. But when I fully woke up my brain sent some disturbing signals asking, why didn't he ask you for the lift to the office? Is he ashamed to see with you? Uhh...Thanks, brain.

All that glittery glow went into the drain with those stupid questions. I don't know how to feel, is this an onetime thing? Does Raphael say all those things just to get in my bed? I discarded the idea even as I thought about it. I know enough about Raphael to say he won't open to anyone unless he is emotionally invested. So, what's the reason behind this separate travel? Am I thinking too much? Uhh. I need caffeine.

When I reached the office, I got to meet the mysterious Brother, Nathaniel Sinclair. I was in the lift when he entered. Since we both are reaching the same floor, he deduced who I'm because the first thing he said is, 'so, you are the mystery girl who tied my Brother in knots', he drew the word mystery.

'Umm', I don't know how to reply to that considering what we did yesterday but before I can say anything our floor has arrived. Saved by the bell Erica.

And standing there was none other than our topic, glaring at his Brother or should I say the hand of his which was rested on my back.

'Oh... look bro what I found! Isn't she pretty?'

I can see the slow rhythm in his jaw. Not satisfied with looking at the lion, Nathaniel Sinclair started poking it.

'Ms. Anderson, or should I call you Erica? Personally, I prefer Rikki, what do you say? How about dinner in the evening? I would like to show you this wonderful place called my home'

The slow rhythm of his jaw-twitching has escalated to a full-blown dance. Someone is in trouble.

'Nate, wait for me in my office'

'Sure. So, Rikki, what do u say? Dinner, dance?', he asked with a hopeful expression.

'Now Nate', Raphael growled.

'Ok cool down cool down, I know she is your assistant, but Jesus it's not like I'm asking her in office hours. Wait, I'm asking. Mm. How about you reply to me AFTER the office timings? Is it ok with you grandpa? It's not like we have a no fraternization policy'

'Nate', Raphael said at the brink of his patience.

'I'm going... I'm going'

When he left Raphael turned to me, but I pretended to be busy while arranging my desk (which is already clean). He came around the desk putting his hands on the back of my neck tilting my head.

'Somethings changed. What happened? Other than my idiot brother', he asked when I didn't meet his eyes.

I thought of lying but decided if I want this relationship (can I call it that?) to work, I must be honest. 'You left me in the morning. You don't even ask whether I want to go with you or not. Are you embarrassed to be seen with me, Rafa?'

He brushed my lips with his thumb before kissing the daylights out of me, laying his claim. When he broke the kiss, I opened the eyes I didn't remember closing, staring into his eyes. Asking the question with my eyes, ‘Why the secrecy Rafa?'

He finally concluded I was not going to budge as he replied, ‘I want you for myself for a while. Once it's out there, it will get crazy. Media can be relentless when they smell fresh meat. Not to mention the office rumours’

It's logical what he is saying but, 'I'm a tough girl. I can take it. If the alternative is being with you'

'You don't have to. At least not so soon. I need more time with you', with that I melted right there.

Two weeks swift past, with us, wrapped in our romantic bliss. We TRY to behave as much as we can in office, but once we reach home all bets are off. Once I reached home, Raphael would come within 30 minutes, which gives me enough time to cook something and put on a sexy number. But every morning he would leave just like the first weekend we have been together chipping my heart a little bit at a time.

On Saturday I made an excuse with Raphael about meeting a Friend (Sophie's, but who cares about technicalities). Brittany was a bit of a surprise. Bubbly personality with an intensity to giggle to every other word she sprouts from her mouth. She doesn’t know anything except that she is seeing someone. But she did say the day before she left her room, she was excited about meeting his parents at a famous hotel that she slipped the hotel's name.

Hotels such as this tend to get reservations from rich and famous. Lucky for me, I know a staff member, Clara (my neighbor aka Richard's mom). I don't get into personal details but asked it as a favor. Clara is a good friend who didn't probe. The chances of finding anything are slim to none, as it is months back. And finding which of those reservations connect with Sophie's small party is its own headache.

We went into her office shutting the door.

'Listen, honey, I don't know whether we can find anything or not. Shit, just thinking about all things illegal I'm committing makes me sweat. I'm doing this all because someday I must face you as a mother-in-law. I don't want you to give my Son hell for me not cooperating with you. Got it?'

'Yes mom', I drawled like Richard.

'Here, this is the reservation book that month. Let me see, on that date we had 8 reservations. But you are saying a family. Hmm, a rich family will ask for some privacy. So, it must be in the back room. Hmm... ah ha. Why haven't I seen this before. Of course, the book. They are our regulars. Yes. I'm sure it's them.'

'Who, Who Clara?', anxious to finally hear her name. A clue. A link.

'Why, Sinclair family of course', she said beaming at me. As if I should have known.