Page 206 of Love Unwritten
“Thankfully, he will have you to help guide him through that process after he graduates from high school.”
She tilts her head and kisses my jawline. “You’re thinking that far ahead?”
“Yeah, I am.”
The smile on Ellie’s face isn’t one I plan on forgetting in this lifetime.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Ellie
Rafael presses his mouth against my ear and whispers, “Keeping my hands to myself is driving me crazy.”
A shiver skates down my spine, earning a little smirk from Dahlia, who sits across the cocktail table with Julian’s arm wrapped around her.
I had a feeling that heading to Last Call after the festival was a bad idea, mainly because everyone we know would be here, but the Muñoz sisters insisted on us going out while Josefina and Rosa took care of Nico. Most of the younger townspeople migrated to the bar once the festival shut down for the night, turning it into a high school reunion.
Lily, who was the main instigator of tonight’s plans, disappeared the moment we got here, leaving Dahlia, Julian, Rafael, and me on an impromptu double date at one of the high-top tables near the bartenders working tirelessly to keep up with the demanding patrons.
Rafael and I have done a good job so far of maintaining our distance, but the task is proving more difficult with every stolen glance and sneaky touch when no one is looking. I thought I would be happy keeping our relationship a secret, but with every passing minute, I feel more tortured than relieved.
This was your idea, I tell myself when Rafael reaches under the table and holds my hand while Dahlia tells a story about her earlier run-in with a fan of her interior design show. Julian is too focused on his girlfriend to pay us any attention, although Dahlia shoots me a knowing smile when she catches me giving Rafael’s bicep a warning squeeze.
Throughout the story, Rafael’s fingers brush across my thighs. Every soft stroke of his calloused hand sends waves of heat rolling through my stomach, and I’ve drained my vodka seltzer by the time Dahlia finishes recounting her story.
“Thirsty?” Rafael’s obnoxious smirk draws a glare from me.
Dahlia chokes on a laugh while Julian finally snaps out of his Dahlia-induced daze.
“I could use another round.” He looks down at Dahlia with a soft smile that he reserves solely for her.
“Same,” she answers with a grin.
Rafael’s thumb brushes across my spine before he rests his hand around the back of my chair. “And you?”
My reply gets trapped in my throat, so I only nod. Rafael’s lips curl at the edges as he gives my nape one more fleeting touch before pulling away.
“We’ll be back.” Julian drops a kiss on the top of Dahlia’s head.
Rafael’s squinted eyes swing between them and me, and something in my chest twists at the look on his face.
You’re the one who wanted to keep your relationship—no, more like situationship—a secret.
The more time passes, the less I like it. When I first suggested it, I thought it would give us time to navigate this new chapter without hundreds of people weighing in and gossiping about us, but after today, I’m not too sure.
Hiding our connection feels wrong.
Dahlia leans forward on her elbows and whispers, “So you and Rafael, huh?”
“What about us?”
She grins. “Still keeping everything a secret?”
My face flushes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been there too.”
“Uh…”