Page 53 of One Week With You
RAFE
ONE YEAR LATER
Call me ASAP.
Rolling my eyes at the text on the screen, I switched off my phone and tucked it back inside my jacket pocket. Henry would have to wait this time.
“So how do you know Talia? Are you a client too?”
I paused in taking a sip of whiskey and shook my head at the grey-haired man leaning against the bar. I think he mentioned his name was David, but I’d been too busy staring at Talia laughing across the room so wasn’t one hundred per cent sure. Unfortunately for David – that was his name now – Talia had cut her hair last week, some short wavy style, ending an inch past her chin, and I’d been distracted by the sight of her bare neck ever since.
I wanted to curl my hand around the back of it and pull her mouth to mine…
“No, she’s my girlfriend,” I admitted, though I hated that word.Girlfriend.It barely scratched the surface of my feelings and didn’t fully encompass her importance asthewoman in my life.
I hoped to change that soon.
“Well, you must be very proud,” David said. “I have to admit we were a bit hesitant to work with such a new firm but she’s exceeded our expectations so far. We’ve already noticed an uptick in sales based on our new social media directives. My wife is thrilled.”
My chest warmed with pride, and I didn’t even try to hold back a smile. Talia was the love of my life, and that put her on a whole other level to everyone else, but she was also my friend. I’d seen all of her ups and downs, or at least heard about them through Leo, especially in those early years. She deserved everything good that came her way, and I would’ve thought the same even if nothing had ever happened between us.
I didn’t like to think about that alternative now. I felt nothing but dread whenever my brain tried to play a game ofwhat if?
We’re together now and that’s all that matters.
“I’m glad to hear that,” I said. “I know I’m biased, but I also know good business. Talia won’t let you down.”
David turned to study me properly, recognition settling on his face a few seconds later. “Of course. You’re Rafe Scott. I know my business too,” he added with a wink and a couple of taps against the side of his nose.
My grin deepened. I supposed that was true. Unless you were deep in the hotel corporate world or you’d read the interview I’d done in The Economist magazine a couple of years ago, very few people knew me by name. Just the way I liked it.
“Anyway, congratulations to your other half once again.” He collected a glass of merlot from the barman, threw down a ten-pound note, and tipped the drink in a gesture of cheers. “If you’ll excuse me, I must rescue everyone from the horror of my wife’s drunk dancing. I’m hoping this will tempt her off the dance floor. A little tip for the future: bribery works.”
“Good to know,” I said with a laugh. “And good luck. Enjoy your night.”
David disappeared onto the makeshift dance floor, laughing when his wife threw her arms around his neck trying to get him to dance. As predicted, it wasn’t until he offered her the glass of wine that she staggered away to a nearby table, clutching his arm, too wobbly on her own feet.
I shook my head in amusement and let my gaze circle the room. The lights had dimmed about half an hour ago and everything glowed red from the Christmas tree in the window, but I found her immediately.
Always will.
She had me spellbound. There was no other word for this… yearning that held me captive, riveted to her every move. Talia weaved around high-top tables and tall-backed leather chairs, stopping every so often to talk to someone, embracing everyone with her warm presence. A laugh, a quick chat, a hug. It didn’t matter. She was the sun and they were all sunflowers reaching out in her direction.
I was the tallest of them all.
I remembered the last time I watched her work a crowd a year ago, at my own company Christmas party. The night she’d forever shifted my foundations. She’d put everyone at ease with a smile or a question that sounded like she gave a shit about the answer. There was no faking it, even though our relationship had been exactly that back then.
Thank fuck it wasn’t now.
Last time she’d worn a slinky red dress forever etched on my memory, but tonight it was dark green –forest, like the trees, according to Talia – and stretched snuggly over her hips and ass. More than once I’d thought about tracing the criss-cross pattern of straps down the curve of her spine with my fingertips, maybe even my tongue, making her shiver because she liked that, feeling the heat of my breath against her skin as I discovered her body for the thousandth time.
Mostly though, I couldn’t take my eyes off the swish and sway of silk around her legs. Every now and then I’d catch a glimpse of a pencil-thin heel and it made me so fucking hard that I was the only one who knew about the gold straps climbing the length of her calf. She’d been perched on the edge of our bed with me on my knees as I’d wound them up her legs myself, all the while making plans to fuck her later while she wore those heels and nothing else.Fuck.If I didn’t get my hands on her soon, I might actually break something.
I drained the rest of my whiskey and set my glass on the bar. Better safe than sorry.
Ellie, Talia’s friend and first ever employee, paused their conversation to point at me with a knowing smile, and Talia looked over her shoulder.Finally.Our gazes clashed with heat and purpose, because I’d told her, whispered not even two hours ago when we’d first walked into the room, that the moment our eyes met again she’d be mine and not even her company’s first ever Christmas party would stop it. Professionalism be damned. Her mouth, painted a rich red I’d like to see circling my cock, quirked in a flirty grin, and I was going to destroy that later. Wreck her composure the way she always wrecked mine.
Talia’s attention snagged on something over my shoulder, and the joy in her eyes faded as quickly as her smile. I turned to see what had stolen her fire, frowning at the raven-haired woman marching across the room. She had spiteful eyes, a jawline as sharp as a knife, and an air about her that screamedtouch me and die.I had no idea who she was, but she’d erased the happiness from my woman’s eyes and that wasn’t fucking happening. Not tonight.
