Page 22 of Endlessly Raphael
I don’t a hundred percent buy his answer, but I nod and smile anyway. “Cool. So, I thought maybe we should talk and get to know a few things about each other so we have our story straight when you meet my family.”
“Good idea.” He steps closer to me, his eyes heating as he does. “I think our chemistry is convincing, yes?”
“Yeah, but they might accuse you of marrying me for money.”
Raphael shrugs. “We’ll do the prenup as you suggested. I can also show proof of my financial status if necessary.”
Taking another sip of coffee, I study his handsome face. So rugged and somehow pretty at the same time. “What do you do for work?”
His expression looks like he tasted something terrible as he quickly turns away from me and walks purposefully to the living room. Um, oh-kay.
I follow him, wondering how that question could cause his weird reaction. “Raphael?”
He’s standing in front of the windows, his arms crossed over his chest, but after a few awkward seconds, he turns to face me.
“I can’t tell you, but rest assured, there’s no way your family would find out either, even if they did extensive research on me.”
I nod, my teeth grazing my bottom lip until I remember his comment last night and release it. “Why? Are you in witness protection? Undercover CIA ops? The Mafia?”
A smile tugs at his lips but he holds it back. “No. What I do is very sensitive involving security.”
“Okay. I’ll go with the CIA angle. Classified. They’ll like that you work for the government.”
Raphael snorts a laugh. “Fine.”
I plop down on the couch, screwing up my face when I realize it’s not at all comfortable. “Is it dangerous?”
“Yes, and please don’t spill coffee on that. It’s from Henry the VIII.”
I whistle, dragging my hand over the textured fabric. “It must be worth a fortune.”
“Indeed.”
“I grew up with expensive shit. I’ll be cool.”
He nods, sitting across from me in a maroon velvet chair. He’s wearing gray sweatpants and nothing else—thank you, gay gods—and crosses one leg over the other, creating a strange mix of formality and casualness.
“What should I know about you, Haven?”
“Probably not a lot more than you already know. I’m a little spoiled but pretty humble after losing my dad’s financial support. Once I get the money, I plan to take over the business and demote every single family member who treated me like shit.”
Raphael smiles. “Ah. Revenge runs in your veins.”
“I didn’t deserve how they’ve treated me, and my gedo knew it. That’s why he favored me in the will. Can I tell you something I haven’t admitted out loud?”
“Of course.”
“I never wanted to run the company. I mean, maybe when I was really young and everyone told me that was my future. I wanted to make Gedo happy, but it’s not what I really wanted to do. Now, it’s just because…” I blow out a breath. “Just to make a point.”
“What do you really want to do?”
I shrug, even though the unspoken answer makes my heart beat faster.
“You can tell me anything, Haven. I won’t judge you.”
“Fashion.” Just saying the word brings a smile to my face. “I design a lot of the stuff I wear.”
“Did your parents know?”