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Authors: Louise Rose-Innes
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been at the restaurant for over three hours.
Rafael led the way back to Villa Rosa. They walked at a leisurely pace, without talking, listening as the chatter and music of the town faded into the background. Every now and then Rafael’s hand brushed against hers sending l ittle shivers down her bare arm .
Anna was suddenly acutely aware of his masculine presence , only inches away from her. It seemed to envelop her like some mysterious magnetic force. He wa s so virile, so good looking—a nd so not her type. But he exuded sex appeal, tonight especially. Maybe it was because he’d been so cold and distant up until now, that this change was having such an effect on her.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” Anna clarified, as the rambling rose bushes clinging to the gates of the entrance to the hotel came into view.
“Yes, come to my office around eleven ,” confirmed Rafael, turning to face her. “We can do some background checks and try to get some clarity on your position.”
Anna nodded. There was a pause in which he took a hesitant step towards her . Anna froze, her breath catching in her throat. His dark gaze dropped to her mouth.
Oh no, he was going to kiss her.
“I had a great time tonight,” said Anna hurriedly, trying to break the mo ment . “Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure,” said Rafael softly , and took another step forward.
Pulse racing, Anna was about to turn and bolt when she felt his warm hand on her forearm. Her eyes flew to his face. Rafael smiled and pulled her gently towards him. Anna felt she should probably resist but she couldn’t quite remember why. The mixture of the wine, the warm evening and his sensual smile completely overwhelmed her.
Then all rational thought vanished as his lips came down on hers.
Hungrily, Anna kissed Rafael back. All the tension of the last few days, the frustration, the fighting and her botched surveillance attempt—e verything was released in her response. Anna couldn’t get enough of him, her hands fisted desperately in his hair and she was consumed by his taste, his scent and his touch.
Rafael matched her sudden frenzied passion by wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tightly against him. Her breasts crushed against his chest, her pelvis flush against his hips and her thighs pushed against his. He kissed her back hard, delving his tongue into her mouth as if he were devouring her.
After a few long moments, they both suddenly broke away, breathing hard. Anna could feel Rafael’s heart beating like a bongo drum against hers.
They stared at each other with a mixture of surprise and in Anna’s case, uncertainty.
What the hell had just happened?
Somehow she’d completely lost control. Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she felt at any minute it might jump straight up her throat. Out of nowhere this wave of passion had engulfed them when their lips had touched and she’d totally lost control of her emotions, something that had never happened to her before.
In her previous relationships, of which there had been dismally few, she’d never felt this degree of passion, this wild, uncontrollable emotion.
Her first serious boyfriend had been Andrew, a trainee doctor . He was bright with good earning potential, but not particularly keen on children, which was a huge no-no for her . Then came William, the architect from next door who took her out a few times, but was more interested in his pet gerbil than he was in her. Then came Phillip, the chef, who was sweet, but his gruelling hours would be a problem if she ever wanted to settle down with him and have kids. So she had pretty much decided to quit casual dating until she found someone who was w orth the effort, someone who checked all her boxes.
She gazed at Rafael who was trying to compose himself. He ticked none of her boxes—e xcept maybe the stable job one. He certainly had that. B y the looks of things he ran the Capri office single-handedly, and judging by his
Rafael led the way back to Villa Rosa. They walked at a leisurely pace, without talking, listening as the chatter and music of the town faded into the background. Every now and then Rafael’s hand brushed against hers sending l ittle shivers down her bare arm .
Anna was suddenly acutely aware of his masculine presence , only inches away from her. It seemed to envelop her like some mysterious magnetic force. He wa s so virile, so good looking—a nd so not her type. But he exuded sex appeal, tonight especially. Maybe it was because he’d been so cold and distant up until now, that this change was having such an effect on her.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” Anna clarified, as the rambling rose bushes clinging to the gates of the entrance to the hotel came into view.
“Yes, come to my office around eleven ,” confirmed Rafael, turning to face her. “We can do some background checks and try to get some clarity on your position.”
Anna nodded. There was a pause in which he took a hesitant step towards her . Anna froze, her breath catching in her throat. His dark gaze dropped to her mouth.
Oh no, he was going to kiss her.
“I had a great time tonight,” said Anna hurriedly, trying to break the mo ment . “Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure,” said Rafael softly , and took another step forward.
Pulse racing, Anna was about to turn and bolt when she felt his warm hand on her forearm. Her eyes flew to his face. Rafael smiled and pulled her gently towards him. Anna felt she should probably resist but she couldn’t quite remember why. The mixture of the wine, the warm evening and his sensual smile completely overwhelmed her.
Then all rational thought vanished as his lips came down on hers.
Hungrily, Anna kissed Rafael back. All the tension of the last few days, the frustration, the fighting and her botched surveillance attempt—e verything was released in her response. Anna couldn’t get enough of him, her hands fisted desperately in his hair and she was consumed by his taste, his scent and his touch.
Rafael matched her sudden frenzied passion by wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tightly against him. Her breasts crushed against his chest, her pelvis flush against his hips and her thighs pushed against his. He kissed her back hard, delving his tongue into her mouth as if he were devouring her.
After a few long moments, they both suddenly broke away, breathing hard. Anna could feel Rafael’s heart beating like a bongo drum against hers.
They stared at each other with a mixture of surprise and in Anna’s case, uncertainty.
What the hell had just happened?
Somehow she’d completely lost control. Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she felt at any minute it might jump straight up her throat. Out of nowhere this wave of passion had engulfed them when their lips had touched and she’d totally lost control of her emotions, something that had never happened to her before.
In her previous relationships, of which there had been dismally few, she’d never felt this degree of passion, this wild, uncontrollable emotion.
Her first serious boyfriend had been Andrew, a trainee doctor . He was bright with good earning potential, but not particularly keen on children, which was a huge no-no for her . Then came William, the architect from next door who took her out a few times, but was more interested in his pet gerbil than he was in her. Then came Phillip, the chef, who was sweet, but his gruelling hours would be a problem if she ever wanted to settle down with him and have kids. So she had pretty much decided to quit casual dating until she found someone who was w orth the effort, someone who checked all her boxes.
She gazed at Rafael who was trying to compose himself. He ticked none of her boxes—e xcept maybe the stable job one. He certainly had that. B y the looks of things he ran the Capri office single-handedly, and judging by his
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