Page 77 of Love Unwritten
“That’s supposed to be mine,” Rafael grumbles.
“Too late!” I hear rather than see Nico climbing onto the bed and jumping on it. “All mine now.”
Both Rafael and I look to the right side of the suite, where there are two doors a foot apart.
“I guess those are ours,” I say in a cheery voice.
Rafael surprises me by silently disappearing behind the door on the right, leaving me with the ocean-view room.
I can’t help the squeal that pours out of me when I walk inside. The panoramic window facing the lagoon is great, but not as amazing as the four-poster bed with a gauzy, white canopy fit for a fairy tale.
I battle between wanting to drop onto the bed with a sigh—airport germs be damned—and exploring the opulent en suite bathroom.
“If you’re still unsure about sharing a suite, I can look into another room.”
“Are you crazy?” I turn on my heels to find Rafael leaning against the dresser near the door.
“Depends on whether Mercury is in retrograde or not.”
My lips curl as a small, amused huff of air escapes me. “You’re funnier than I thought.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“I’ve yet to decide.”
He doesn’t laugh, but his eyes brighten with amusement.
If I’m not careful, I could become addicted to the way he looks at me, especially during times like these when his guard lowers enough for me to peek at the man hidden behind the grumpy exterior.
Rafael breaks the stare first as he tucks his hands behind his back. “Anyway, if you change your mind, I can have Ariel book a room for you.”
I shake my head. “And have you spend another hundred thousand dollars here? Absolutely not.” I’m not about to take advantage of him like his ex-wife does. I’ve overheard enough conversations to know how much she affects Rafael.
Instead of looking relieved like I had hoped, his gaze hardens. “Money isn’t an issue.”
“Clearly, if you’re dropping two hundred thousand dollars on a hotel room we’ll barely spend time in.”
“Nico only deserves the best.” His voice has an edge to it.
“I don’t think it gets better than this.” I counteract his grumpiness with a soft tone.
“You think so?” His hesitancy shouldn’t be endearing to me, but after spending eight months thinking he had the emotional range of a brick wall, I can’t help enjoying the bits of humanity peeking through.
“Yup. You’re going to have a hard time convincing him to leave in five days.” With all the fun activities Rafael planned, like beach days, deep-sea fishing, and a hike to a famous waterfall, Nico is going to adore this place.
“It’s you I’m worried about, not him.”
“Me? Why?” I ask.
“There is only one way off the island, and you happen to be terrified of it.”
“But with you holding my hand, I can accomplish anything!” I clasp my hands against my chest and bat my lashes.
He scratches at his beard with his middle finger. “Dinner reservations are at seven.”
He turns to leave my room, but not before I catch the hint of a smile on his face. If things go my way, it will be the first of many during our trip, so long as I keep doing little things to draw them out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE