Page 31 of Mafia and Protector
“You aren’t sleeping in the bed?”
“No. You can have the bed, Jessica. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I suddenly felt like I could breathe again. I then looked at the small couch set at the end of the bed, and I knew he would struggle to fit his tall frame on it. “Your bed’s huge…I don’t mind us sharing, as long as you keep to your side,” I said tentatively.
He regarded me for a few, long seconds. “Okay.”
As he climbed into the bed, I thought about how tonight would be the first time that I would share a bed with a man. Despite it being my suggestion, I still felt nerves quivering in my stomach.
I felt his muscular body stretch out next to me, his size and body heat quickly taking over the bed. Oh God, why had I even suggested this?
Rafael looked across at me. “Do you want me to put a pillow between us?”
“Um…I trust you,” I replied somewhat unconvincingly.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he said dryly. “You know this will only work if we trust each other, right?”
“It’s just that you must have…physical urges. All men do.” My cheeks were burning, and I wished he would switch the lights off already.
“As do all women,” he responded unhelpfully.
“I just meant…” My voice trailed off. This was too embarrassing to talk about with a virtual stranger.
“If you’re worried I’ll jump you during the night, you don’t need to be concerned.”
“You can sleep with other women.” My words rushed out. “I won’t object to that.”
He looked at me carefully. Then without another word, he switched off his nightstand lamp, plunging us into an uneasy darkness.
It was odd being in bed with a stranger and I found it hard to fall asleep. I consciously tried not to move around too much because I didn’t want to disturb Rafael. All the time, my mind kept running over the last few weeks. Finally, after a long time, I drifted off to sleep.
***
In the morning, when I woke up, Rafael was already gone.
I headed into the bathroom, undressed, and got into the shower, letting the hot water soothe my weary body. I stood under the hot spray for a long time, before eventually turning it off and reaching for a towel to dry myself.
Once I was dry, I wrapped the towel around the top of my breasts and left my wet hair tumbling over my shoulders.
As I walked back into the bedroom, Rafael opened the door from the hallway.
“Oh, my!” I jumped out of my skin. “I thought you’d gone to work.”
He had a sheen of sweat over his face and obviously had just either been to the gym or for a run. His damp t-shirt was clinging to his muscles, and I couldn’t help my eyes traveling down to his shorts where I noticed his strong thighs and tanned legs. I flushed as I realized that I had been staring at him.
“Sorry, I just came for a shower after my run. Don’t worry, I’ll shower in the guest room.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve finished.” I hurriedly turned away from him. “The bathroom’s all yours.”
While he showered, I got dressed in another pair of dark jeans and a charcoal top.
Rafael came back with a towel wrapped around his waist, smelling of soap and a hint of cologne. Despite the size of the room, his presence felt overwhelming. Before he could drop his towel to get dressed, I scurried into the bathroom with my hairbrush and closed the door behind me.
I combed out my wet, tangled hair in there, taking my time. I wasn’t sure how long to give him to dress, so I lingered for as long as possible.
When I finally came out of the bathroom, I found Rafael had left and there was a note next to my pillow. “Here’s my mother’s telephone number. Call her about finding a housekeeper and with your questions. I’ll be home at 7 p.m.”
I went downstairs to an empty house and made some toast and coffee. I was glad that I was by myself because, this way, I didn’t have to worry that I’d be in anyone’s way. While I ate, I decided on what I would do today.