Page 101 of Love Unwritten
“Papi,” he says with a groan.
“If she doesn’t want to go…”
It’s obvious he doesn’t want me to, which only adds to my embarrassment about last night.
“You’ve got to come!” Nico yanks the pillow off my head, forcing me to stare into his father’s deep brown eyes. The same eyes I was gazing into last night when he was holding me tightly against his chest, looking at me like I mattered.
Like I was his.
Rafael’s gaze drops to my lips. The glance is fleeting, but it feels as if he yanked on an invisible string wrapped around my heart.
Something shifted between us last night. The energy is different. Electric. Dangerous.
The blood rushing to my lower half is just another reason I need to stay away and collect myself today. I need to regroup and reassess our situation until I remember why I’m here and what I stand to lose if I allow myself to get swept away with lust.
I would be risking not only my job but also my relationship with Nico, because there is no way in hell Rafael would let me continue working for him if we ever crossed that line. I wouldn’t if I were him, which means I need to control myself and focus on why I’m even on this vacation.
To help Nico have the trip of a lifetime.
Nico points at me. “Tell her she has to come.”
I silently beg Rafael to ignore his son, but the bastard doesn’t listen.
“Elle.”
There we go again, dropping the nickname that makes my heart stutter. It’s stupid, really, the hold a single syllable has over my heart, but it isn’t the nickname itself that gets to me.
It’s the fact that Rafael gave me one in the first place that is exclusively his.
“Oh. Elle! I like it.” Nico claps his hands.
Rafael spares his son a look. “I call her that.”
Nico’s eyes roll. “So I can’t?”
“Glad you understand.”
I swallow my laugh while Nico stares at him, looking more confused than ever.
“I like it when you call me Ellie.” I pat Nico’s shoulder and pretend my cheeks aren’t betraying just how much I like his father’s nickname.
“Then Ellie it is.” Nico grins before hitting me with his best serious look. “But if you don’t come hang out with us, I’m going to start calling you Eleanor.”
“Are you—”
Nico stands proudly. “Blackballing you? Yes.”
Don’t you dare laugh…
“Blackmailing,” Rafael corrects while ruffling his son’s hair. “I’ve taught you well.”
“For the record, I prefer it when you two aren’t getting along.” I point at both of them.
Nico holds his fist out, and Rafael bumps it.
These two boys will send me to a premature grave. That much I can guarantee.
“Are you feeling okay?” Nico asks.