Rafael (16 page)

5:50. “Shit,
this is such a mistake.” Kaya checked her hair in the mirror. She made sure she
had her keys and cell phone in her clutch.

5:52. “Oh, God.
I’m gonna throw up.” She didn’t know why she was so nervous. It wasn’t like
she’d never spent time with the man, just not much and not on a date.

5:57. The
doorbell rang. “I can do this. It’s just dinner, and he’s just Rafael.” She
looked one last time in the mirror before answering the door. The man standing
in front of her took her breath away.  He had been wearing slacks both times
they met, but the suit he wore was molded to his body perfectly. He was now
clean-shaven. His beard had been sexy but this Rafael was heart stopping.  The
man was exquisite. “Would you like to come in?” She stepped back so he could
enter her living room.

Rafael wasn’t
moving. His eyes traveled the length of her body and stopped at her feet.
Slowly they made their way back up her legs, lingered on her hips, then
continued up to her face. He held out a small package without saying a word.

Kaya took the
box from him. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have. Oh, and thank you for the
beautiful flowers. They were from you, weren’t they?” He nodded, still looking
at her legs.

“Make yourself
at home. Would you like a drink? I’m just going to open this. Is it okay if I
open this?” She realized she was rambling, but the man’s silence was unnerving.
Did he not like her dress? Was it too juvenile, too trashy? He was probably
used to more sophisticated women who knew what to wear to please a man. Her
hair was down but maybe he didn’t like it that way after all.

She pulled a
steak knife out of a drawer, and she slid it between the folds of the paper,
being careful not to rip it. The box inside was long and skinny, like a jewelry
box. Kaya opened it to find a bracelet with one silver charm: a heart. She
pulled the bracelet out of the box and held it up to the light. There was an
inscription on one side of the charm:
Bella Mia
. When she turned around
he was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed
over his chest. She wished she could read the look in his eyes. “Rafael?”

“Hmm?” He was
again staring at her feet. Kaya glanced down to make sure she hadn’t chipped
the polish on her toes.

“It’s
beautiful.” Her heart was pounding in her chest. She didn’t know for certain,
but she was pretty sure the inscription was Italian for
my beauty.
Oh
God, don’t cry. Don’t you fucking cry, Kaya Kane.
She attempted to put the
bracelet on her wrist, but her hands were shaking too badly. Rafael took the
bracelet from her and snapped it in place. She felt herself being wrapped up in
strong arms. Rafael was holding her against his body, one arm around her waist,
one around her shoulder with his hand under her hair.

She took a
chance and looked up. This look she recognized. It was the one she saw the
first time they kissed. His eyes were hooded, and he was staring at her lips.
“I have never seen a more beautiful woman in all my years.” So maybe he did
like the dress.

He softly
touched his lips to hers. “We need to go now or we won’t be leaving at all.”
Unwrapping her from his arms, he placed his hand on one of her cheeks and
brushed his thumb across the bone under her eye. “Stunning,” he whispered.

Wow. Kaya didn’t
know whether to be flattered or scared out of her mind. Either way, she
followed him out of her house. He held her hand as they descended the steps,
then opened the car door, helping her in. She looked around the interior,
knowing the Jag was top of the line. She couldn’t wait for the ride.

When he was
seated on his side of the car, he turned to her. “I promise to try to be on my
best behavior tonight. However, I do believe I should have asked that you dress
in sweat pants and a hoodie. That dress is going to prove my downfall.”

He cranked the
engine and backed out of her driveway. “Thank you, I think,” she laughed
softly. “You look quite handsome yourself, Mr. Stone. Not that you don’t
usually, but I really like the color of the suit. It darkens your eyes.”

“No my dear,
that is all you.” Rafael kept one hand on the steering wheel while he reached
over with the other and entwined their fingers together. He rested them on his
thigh, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand.

“So where are we
going?” She was curious to find out where the rich and famous dined on dates.

“My home.” He
was looking at her when he said it. “I want to show you where I live, who I am.
I need for you to see me, Kaya. The real me. Not the one you’ve caught a few
glimpses of. And please allow me to apologize. I should have taken the time to
show interest in your home as well. I was momentarily mesmerized.”

“Apology
accepted. Did I thank you for the flowers? They were beautiful. Wildflowers
happen to be my favorite.”

“Mine too. It is
getting late in the year, and the blooms are dwindling. That’s another reason I
wanted to dine at home tonight. I want to show you my garden before the cold
weather sets in.”

“You have a
garden?” Kaya didn’t know why that amazed her. The man was an architect and
designed beautiful structures so it would only make sense he loved other
beautiful things as well.

“Don’t sound so
surprised. It is my favorite place on earth with the exception of the Isles of
Greece. I am a peaceful man, and I look for those places or things that offer
me serenity. There is too much chaos around us, so I cherish those moments that
the stillness of my garden bestows.”

Kaya was staring
at the profile of this man she knew nothing about except what was written about
him. Once again his words surprised her. When was the last time she enjoyed
something simply because it
was
? He was certainly right about the chaos.
It consumed her life, ate up her time, devoured her faith in humanity.

“It’s my turn to
apologize. I have a lot to learn about you, and I promise to be less assuming.”
She squeezed his hand. His eyes met hers as he lifted her knuckles to his lips.

“Apology
accepted. We both have a lot to learn, so we will use tonight to start our
quests for knowledge.”

Rafael turned
into the same driveway as when she had followed him. Instead of punching in a
code, he spoke her name into the security panel. The gate slowly opened, and he
continued on down his drive. Hi-tech indeed. “Why is my name your passcode?”

Rafe was
grinning. “Each person allowed onto the grounds has their own passcode. They
choose what they wish to say, however it is simply voice recognition. I could
have said
Rumpelstiltskin
and it would have allowed us in.”

“Oh.” For a
second, she was flattered. She felt a tug on her hand. “Hey, don’t look so sad.
Since I met you, I have only used your name to gain entrance. You have me
entranced, Miss Kane.” There was that look again.

“
Oh
.” Now
she was thrilled.

Rafael came
around and helped Kaya out of the car. She paused, looking around the estate,
taking in the vastness and beauty that was his home. She didn’t realize this
could be her home as well. If he got his way, she would be living here sooner
rather than later. He led her up the steps to the front door. “Normally I go
through the garage, but for your first visit, I thought the grand tour was in
order.”

The front door
was pulled open by Jonathan. “Good evening Sir, Miss Kane.”

“Kaya, this is
Jonathan. He and his sister Priscilla take care of everything you see. I only
live here.” He shook his old friend’s hand, and they both laughed.

“It’s a pleasure
to meet you, Jonathan.”

Rafe showed Kaya
the manor, pausing in each room to allow her time to take it all in. “Before it
gets too dark, I’d like to show you around outside.” Her sexy heels were going
to make walking across the grass a bit difficult. “I have a suggestion, let’s
do this barefoot.” He pulled off his shoes and socks by the backdoor. She toed
off her heels.

The swimming
pool had yet to be enclosed. Rafe held her hand as he explained the design of
the structure that would allow them to swim indoors during the colder months.
What he didn’t tell her was that he had only planned to enclose it since he met
her.

 As soon as they
reached the archway leading to the garden he paused. “This is what I want to
show you, Kaya.” Other than a few of the Clan and Jonathan and Priscilla,
nobody else was given the privilege of witnessing the beauty that was his
garden. While Jonathan kept it growing and flourishing, it was Rafe himself who
designed it.

He kept his eyes
on Kaya as she took it all in. He needed her to love this place as much as he
did. She stopped and touched leaves. She bent and smelled blooms. She walked
the path that meandered throughout this heaven on earth. When they got to his
favorite bench, he pulled her down to sit beside him.

The look of awe
on her face and the tears shining wet in her eyes told him everything. He
gently took her face in his and leaned his forehead to hers. Closing his eyes,
he cherished this moment. He would never forget it. A tinkling of chimes behind
them stirred him back to reality. Her hands were on his wrists, thumbs lovingly
stroking his skin. She placed her lips to his whispering, “Thank you.”

Rafe leaned back
and placed his arm around her shoulders, once again enjoying the serenity. He
spoke softly, reverently. “This is where I meditate. I come here as often as I
can to this very bench and allow myself to just be. Sometimes I am left to my
own thoughts. Other times the cosmos has its way of speaking to me.”

“I get it now. I
understand why you are this private person. Rafael, if I lived here I would
never want to leave.” One lone tear escaped down her beautiful face. He caught
it before it plunged to her lap where her hands were clasped together.

“If you lived
here, neither of us would ever leave. I would have to turn the business over to
someone else, and you and I would make many dark-haired little boys who would
run through these gardens until the moon shone in the sky.”

Kaya gasped.
“What did you say?” Her eyes were wide, the emotion he couldn’t read.

“Love, I was
kidding. You are just so enticing, and I would be hard pressed to leave our
bed.” Her face was paling. “Kaya, what is it? Did I say something wrong?”
Don’t
fuck this up before you even start Rafe.

“No, I’m sorry,
I just…”

“You what? Kaya,
talk to me, what is it?” Rafe was worried now. Was the mention of children too
much too soon? Did she not want children? Did she have a child? Oh gods, what
if she bore one and had lost it? There was nothing about a child in the
research he did on her.

“It’s nothing,
really. Now, didn’t you promise to feed me?”

Rafe knew better
than to press. He would wait until a more appropriate time to bring it up
again. “I did indeed. Let’s go introduce you to Priscilla. You’ve already met
her cooking.”

Once inside they
put their shoes back on and went in search of sustenance. 
 

Kaya felt like a
fool for freaking out. Of course, Rafe would talk about dark-haired boys. What
man wouldn’t want his child to look like him? There was no way he could have known
about her dream. She walked with him through the house to where the delicious
aromas were coming from. If this meal was half as good as lunch, she was going
to need those sweat pants Rafael mentioned.

The older lady,
Priscilla she presumed, looked just like a housekeeper slash cook should look.
Like someone’s mother. “Oh, there you are!  Miss Kane, it is so good to meet
you. Please, may I get you something to drink?”

Rafe was
laughing. “Kaya, this is Priscilla. She runs the house if you haven’t already
figured that out. I’ll get our drinks.” He kissed Priscilla on the cheek and
grabbed a piece of cheese off a platter on the island. She smacked his hand
playfully. “You stop being rude. Now go on into the dining room. Everything is
all set for you.”

“Would you like
a glass of wine or maybe you’d prefer something stronger?” Rafe was holding a
bottle of the same Riesling she bought.

“Have you been
watching me, Mr. Stone? I’ll take the wine, please.” She was grinning at him,
but it really was disconcerting that he would have the same cheap brand that
she drank.

He poured Kaya a
goblet of wine and himself a tumbler full of Scotch. “A toast. Here’s to the
first night of many in what will be a beautiful relationship.” They touched
their glasses together and took a drink. She took a couple more sips trying to
get some alcohol in her system to calm her nerves. Rafe sat his glass down and
pulled a chair out for her. The table was full of several different types of
meat, vegetables, salads, and breads.

Priscilla came
in with the last bowl and set it in between them. “There you are. Miss Kane, I
hope everything is to your satisfaction. I didn’t know what you liked so I made
a little of everything.” The older lady was blushing. She was so cute. “Thank
you for going to so much trouble, Priscilla. I really do appreciate it. With my
schedule, I don’t get a chance to cook very often.”

“Think nothing
of it. Now, will there be anything else?”

“No, thank you,
Priscilla. You and Jonathan enjoy your evening.”

She bowed and quietly
slipped out of the room. Wait, she bowed? Kaya wondered if Rafael insisted on
it. Jonathan didn’t, did he? No, the relationship between the three of them was
more along the lines of family. She could see the love in his housekeeper’s
eyes as she looked at Rafael.

Kaya asked him
about his business, and he proudly spoke of not just the drawings he created
but also the planning and building that went along with it. He boasted of his
team as if they were family. He said it was one thing to put something to paper
but to have someone be able to take those drawings and make them come to life,
that was truly where the credit was due.

Never once did
he brag on himself or act better or pretentious. He was a man who enjoyed what
he did for a living. While he did speak vaguely about the various charities he
donated to, he didn’t do it to boast. No, Rafael Stone was a passionate man,
and he didn’t mind showing it. While she was listening, she had to remember to
eat. She would find a bite of food dangling from the fork as she sat enchanted
by his words.

The only subject
Rafael shied away from was his parents. He briefly spoke of them with tender
words then changed topics.

When they were
finished eating, he stood and grabbed his glass. He refilled his Scotch, poured
her more wine then held out his hand. He led her out onto the patio. “Stay
here.” He disappeared back into the house, and soft music that sounded like
John Legend started playing from hidden speakers. He rejoined her and put his
arm around her waist. Random spotlights emitted a faint glow around them.
Rafael took a sip of Scotch then gazed up at the sky.

“What are you
looking at?” She looked up as well and was amazed at all the stars. Having
lived most of her life where the stars weren’t very visible because of the many
street lamps, she was in awe.

“Perseus. It’s
my favorite of all the constellations.”

“Why is that?”
Kaya never thought about them as anything but groups of stars.

“He was a hero.
He beheaded Medusa and saved the fair princess.”

Kaya wondered if
Rafael saw himself as the hero. Had he ever saved the fair maiden or was he
just another man? Would he be her hero?