Chapter 13 #2
He spun her around again and clasped both of her hands in his.
Their eyes met, and Grace swallowed, hoping her face wasn’t giving her away.
If he tried to kiss her right now, she couldn’t resist. If he tried to kiss her ever again…
Well, she probably didn’t need to worry about that anyway.
This was all completely platonic, and Raf could have any woman he wanted.
Why would he ever get involved in a messy situation with his sister’s mopey best friend?
The song ended too soon, but Rafael didn’t let go of her.
He smelled like white wine and lemon. His fingers intertwined with hers.
His thumbs pressed against the back of her hands.
They continued to look into each other’s eyes, still swaying slightly, while he drew her even closer, inch by inch.
He wet his lips, and Grace could hear his ragged breath, could feel his heartbeat.
She couldn’t help but wonder if it meant something after all—the way he gripped her hands, the way he stared.
The way they lingered like that far longer than was appropriate for “colleagues,” until Nora and Julian approached, both of them smiling widely.
Rafael finally released her and turned to face them, but it was too late for her.
Something had changed, even if she didn’t know what.
Something had shifted, the world tilting further on its axis, the moon tugging harder at the tides.
“That was a fantastic band,” Nora said. Her cheeks were glowing slightly, and there was a gleam of sweat on her forehead.
Grace couldn’t help wondering if she was flushed herself from the dancing like Nora or if her face was hot from something else.
Either way, she couldn’t imagine sweating as beautifully as Nora.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Rafael shook himself, as if trying to reclaim his businesslike persona. “A hint of the magic of Granada.”
“More than a hint,” Julian added, and he kissed Nora’s hand before they went to gather their things.
“It was so nice meeting you both,” Nora said as they stood outside the restaurant. “And I want to see you again, Grace. I feel so adrift sometimes when I’m traveling, especially when Julian’s back in London. It would be nice to have a friend.”
“Definitely,” Grace replied, trying to sound nonchalant, like there wasn’t a storm of wanting thrashing around inside of her.
Julian laced his fingers with Nora’s. It seemed like they were politely including Grace and Raf in conversation, even though they simultaneously had their own little world.
She’d never had that with Derek—that level of connection.
She’d never even known she was missing it.
“Ready to go?” Rafael asked as they waved a final goodbye to the happy couple.
Grace pursed her lips and tried to curve them into a smile. Rafael set his hand on her lower back to guide her, and she wanted to lean into it—to lean against him.
Instead, Grace reminded herself of his faults.
How could he just cater to Christian’s whims without even considering their impact?
How could he forget to include the people who were from the area as part of their project?
How could he jerk away from her when she’d leaned toward him in her bedroom?
How could his gentle hand on her back, touching her through layers of clothing, make her feel like her whole body was about to burst into flames?
He was maddening, and she didn’t know how to handle it any longer.
Obviously, he wasn’t perfect, but she was all too familiar with her own imperfections.
How could she judge him so harshly when she knew she could be selfish and shortsighted and oblivious?
But she wanted to be a thoughtful person and a good friend.
She was trying. And she could tell Rafael was trying too.
“That was surprisingly enjoyable,” he said.
“Yeah.” She worked so hard to sound normal. “I liked them.”
“Thanks for coming with me. It just felt more natural to have you there, like it was a casual dinner among friends rather than some uncomfortable work thing. I think you prevented them from interrogating me about the exhibition.”
Grace nodded absently. “You—uh—you were great.”
They walked in silence for a while, Grace chewing on her lower lip, desperate to return home and run to her room and close the door. Tomorrow, in the light of day, everything would be clear again. She’d be able to look at him without feeling it in her knees.
When they got to the front door of the apartment, Raf finally broke their silent spell. “Is everything good? I know it may have been weird to go to dinner and pretend like nothing was wrong—”
“Wrong?” Grace’s gaze shot in his direction.
“From our argument earlier. We can talk more about it. I just hope that didn’t ruin your evening.”
“No.” She tried to reply casually, but it came out like a breathless whisper. Why wasn’t he unlocking the door so she could make a run for it? Why were they lingering in the hallway, too close…
“Graciela?” Raf leaned in and she could feel his breath.
Open the door. Open the door.
“Hmm?”
He was so close to her, and aside from turning and bolting down the hall, Grace wasn’t sure what she could possibly do. Maybe he wanted to kiss her after all? A flash of the night at the club in Barcelona filled her mind. He had the same look on his face now, the same liquid eyes.
Who was she kidding, there was no way she was going to stop him if he tried to kiss her again. She was dying for it, every hair on her body standing on end.
“I want to know what you’re thinking. You were so quiet on the way home. If it wasn’t the argument, then what’s going on? Are you still upset about the dream from last night?”
Her tongue felt heavy. She didn’t know what to say to him. She didn’t want to admit the truth. “No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
He exhaled, and somehow he was still leaning closer. “You can tell me, truly. If it’s something I can help—”
“It’s not,” Grace interrupted. She looked toward their apartment door, as if it could save her.
“It’s too embarrassing.” She thought of the way he had touched her at dinner, his hand on her thigh, however briefly, his arms around her when they danced.
She couldn’t admit the effect it had on her, how it had consumed her so quickly.
“I doubt that,” he said, reaching out and lifting her chin. “Especially if you knew what’s been going through my mind.”
Grace’s breath hitched, and she blinked up at him, every nerve ending in her entire body suddenly on high alert. She tried to restrain herself, as desperate as she was to know what he meant. “What?” Her voice came out in a husky whisper.
Rafael paused for a moment, eyeing her warily, as if trying to decide if he should answer.
“I was thinking about that crease on your forehead whenever you’re scolding me.
” He lifted a hand, and his thumb traced a spot between her eyebrows.
“And about how you bite your lip when you’re nervous.
I can’t stop thinking about your lips, actually, and wondering if you might have been wanting to kiss me last night.
” His thumb trailed down her face until it brushed her bottom lip so lightly, she wasn’t sure he was really touching her.
“Or maybe that’s totally inappropriate, and I shouldn’t even be bringing it up. ”
Grace’s throat seemed to constrict, and her breath became shallow.
She couldn’t move for a moment. Elation and terror shot through her, but she already knew she was done for.
She didn’t even think about what would happen next.
She slid her hands up against Rafael’s chest and then behind his neck and pressed forward on her toes.
She moved up in one quick rush until her mouth was on his at last, and the delicious thrill of it filled her.
It was better than she’d ever imagined, how he hungrily deepened the kiss and wrapped her in his arms, pressing her entire body flush against his own.
He spun her until her back was pinned against their front door and anchored himself even harder against her until she could feel every part of him—his firm chest rising to meet her breasts, his tongue searching her mouth, his thigh pressing between her legs as she involuntarily thrust her hips to feel the friction between them.
Rafael let out a satisfied groan, and Grace was lost to the world.
She didn’t even know where she was anymore.
It was as if she’d entered another plane entirely, a place she’d never been before.
If she would have known ten years ago when he’d tried to kiss her that it would be like this, she would have just let him, all her pride and his surliness be damned.
His mouth moved to her neck, and she gasped.
Her hands went into his hair, while his fingers started to roam her body.
First, they glided up her spine, then back down to her ass.
Then he clutched at the neckline of her shirt and tugged down as his lips made his way down her to the base of her throat.
His kisses covered her clavicle and her chest, and Grace’s head fell back against the door with a thud.
“Should we go inside?” Raf asked.
“Yes,” she whispered, though. her brain was screaming. Yes. Yes. Yes.
He unlocked the door at last, and they fell into the apartment, eagerly reaching for each other as soon as they could. He tugged her shirt over her head and wrapped his arms around her as she slid her hands under his clothing, elated to be tracing the hard muscles of his abdomen.
God, he was so hot. Honestly, how could a woman resist him? Sorry, Alma, it just wasn’t possible. She’d tried to heed the warning, but how could she stop herself when he felt like this?!