Two Sides to Every Story (Love Spectrum Romance) (13 page)

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied and glanced out the window.

“Something’s going on. You’re looking around as though you’re waiting for us to get arrested.” He attempted a smile. “You weren’t like this when the possibility was real.”

He was trying to make her comfortable, she knew that, but it wasn’t working.

“It’s not illegal for us to be together, Angel.”

“I know.” She smiled, this time a real one. She didn’t want to ruin things. She would put her guilt away for the next five days. She would take the five days for herself and deal with the consequences when she returned.

“I’m okay, Rafe.”

She reached for his hand and when he gave her fingers a squeeze she felt the heat. This was the reason she was in the car with Rafe. He did something to her that she’d never expected. He’d stolen a part of her heart and in the process he’d claimed her soul. She needed to be with him as much as he needed to be with her. If only she didn’t feel the guilt it would be perfect.

“Baby, I’m not going to push you. That’s not what this is about. Stop worrying. I’m not trying to define what we have. I just wanted us to spend some time away from everything that interferes in our lives.”

“I guess that’s what has me worried, Rafe. We haven’t talked about anything. We started out with our rules and then we broke them. And now here we are heading off for five days and neither of us knows quite what to make of our relationship.”

“It can be whatever you want it to be.”

“It’s not up to me, Rafe.”

“Sure it is. You made the choice to be with me. I know it’s hard for you not to see your brother but I promise we’re going to have a good time.”

Angela looked away. She didn’t want to take her family with her but somehow they were intruding. She didn’t blame him for mentioning her brother. Actually she found it rather sweet that he was aware how important her family was to her. Still, she didn’t want to discuss them now. She’d been accused of being a traitor by her brother.

As she looked out of the window knowing that she would be missing time with him, she felt like one. And she didn’t want to. Angela wanted to be like any other young woman and explore the possibility of being in love. She didn’t want to carry the weight of the entire African American race on her shoulders, nor did she want Rafe to carry the burden of the entire Latino population.

She wanted to forget that he was a cop and that she’d had a long-time feud with anyone in uniform. She wanted this time to be about the two of them. And she didn’t want the guilt that was continually clawing at her. She wanted to make it go away.

* * *

Raphael had noticed from the moment he’d picked Angela up that something was wrong with her. She’d smiled at him but still he sensed worry underneath and he’d done his best to put her at ease. He wondered if it were the fact that she would not be seeing her brother or the fact that for the first time they were truly making their relationship public. He glanced at her as she looked out of the window. She was so far from him that she might as well be in Siberia.

This was like swimming through a pool filled with cold mud. Rafe sighed. He wanted this trip to be perfect.

He’d never told a woman that he loved her, never expected that he ever would. His angel was not making it easy on him. While he admired her family loyalty, he didn’t want her thinking of her family while they were together. He’d spent way too much money to make this time special for her. He’d asked his four sisters for advice, taking each of their romantic fantasies and combining them into one huge fantasy for his angel. He sure hoped she liked it.

Raphael looked sideways at her, wondering what she would do when he told her. He knew she was falling in love with him. He also knew she didn’t want to. A twinge of guilt pushed at him for the things he didn’t plan to tell her in the next five days and he pushed it back. He’d tell her…later. First, he had to tell her that he loved her.

Glancing toward Angela, Raphael pushed the button on the radio, thankful that within a matter of minutes he heard Angela humming along to the songs. When he joined in with his croaking, out-of-tune voice, she laughed and just like that the mud was gone. All he could see was clear sailing ahead.

Chapter 15

Angela stood in the lobby of the new Pentar Hotel in the heart of Wisconsin Dells. It was magnificent. Her stomach fluttered once, then twice. She felt as though she were taking a giant leap into a void, into a situation she might not be able to control.

She patted her pocket, feeling the bulge of her wallet.
I’ll pay my own way
, she thought. That would give her a measure of control. She knew Rafe thought she was kidding; his macho attitude wouldn’t permit him considering anything but the man paying for things. But she needed to maintain a sense of balance. She had to pay for something and she’d find a way to do it.

“Why are you standing so far away from me?”

Rafe came up to her, slid his arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “You don’t want anyone to know that you’re with me?”

For the first time Angela believed Rafe meant the words said in a teasing fashion. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Look around you. How many Latinos do you think are checking in as guests?”

She looked around, then smiled. “About the same number of African American that are checking in.” She watched as the corners of his lips twitched and he smiled. Despite her qualms against public displays of affection, Angela stood on tiptoe and kissed Rafe smack dab on the lips right there in the lobby, and she didn’t care who saw them.

“I’m very proud to be seen with you.”

“No matter when or where?”

“No matter when or where,” she answered, knowing he was speaking of the future, of family meetings, and she was answering him honestly. It wouldn’t be the fact that he was Latino that would bother her family. Despite the slurs her brother had used, she knew it would be Rafe’s being a cop that would bother them more than anything.

“Listen, I thought you told me I was going to have a good time.”

“You’re not enjoying this?” he said and blew on her neck, causing the hairs to rise and a tingle to slip down her spine.

She grinned like a fool. What did he expect her to do in the lobby? He pulled on her hand and she followed, for once meekly, not complaining. He had a bad habit of turning her into mush with his touch.

The scent of flowers filled her nostrils moments before Rafe turned the key and they walked into the room. Angela stood for a moment in shock. The room was filled with vases of flowers of differing varieties. The perfume from the blooms captured her senses. She spotted a card with her name leaning against one of the vases and opened it. Smiling, she turned toward Rafe, who was grinning madly.

“Rafe, this is so romantic,” she said softly, loving it, wondering how on earth she could pretend it wasn’t what it was meant to be. She felt again for her security. Only this time the wallet did not bring her comfort.

“You like it?” he asked.

She saw the question in his eyes, the wondering. She went to him and threw her arms around him. “Yes, I love it.” She kissed his cheeks, his forehead, then his lips. “I love it.”

“Good,” he said in a voice filled with his usual warmth tinged with a swagger.

Things were moving along faster than Angela had intended. She wanted to back away for just a moment. She needed to not be so close to him, to his masculine power.

“Give me a minute,” she said, then headed for the bathroom. She broke away from him, entered the bathroom and gasped in surprise. The bathroom was also filled with flowers and another card. She read the card and tears came to her eyes. He was going all out. She wasn’t blind; she knew he was waiting for the right moment to tell her that he loved her. Rafe had planned this just as she had. Only now she didn’t know for sure if she should go through with it. If only she could get Adrian’s words out of her head.

It was only so long that she could stay in the bathroom. She pasted a smile on her face, caught sight of herself in the mirror, and pegged her smile as phony. She took another look at the flowers filling the bathroom, then walked out.

“Rafe,” she said, unable to say anything else. Her heart was hammering like crazy, her legs had suddenly gone weak, and her need for oxygen prevented speech.

He stood there for a moment grinning at her, devouring her with his eyes. “You are so beautiful,” he said, then repeated it again. “
Tu eres tan es hermoas
.”

His eyes raked over her before returning to her face and Angela saw the burning need within him. Rafe’s love for her was evident. She didn’t need to hear the words. But for once she wanted to hear them and that was dangerous. Once they said it, there was no going back. She waited, trembling, her eyes glued to his lips, waiting to hear him tell her that he loved her.

A bell rang and Angela blinked. The moment gone, she looked toward Rafe. “What’s that?”

“A doorbell.”

“A doorbell in a hotel?” She grinned. “Who’s at the door?”

“Open it and find out.”

A ring
, Angela thought
, someone is bringing me a ring
. He was going to propose. Her heart beat even faster as she opened the door.

“Hello, Mrs. Remeris. We need you to come with us. Something has been prepared for you.”

Angela turned toward Rafe, wondering why he’d signed them in as a married couple. Wishful thinking or him protecting her virtue?
Probably a little bit of both
, she thought as she turned toward Rafe. “Just me?” she asked.

“You’re ready to ditch me so soon?” he smiled back at her.

“No. Where are we going?”

“Let’s just follow him.”

And they did, into the elevator and down a corridor and into a small room filled with more flowers and scented candles. A fireplace was in the center of the room and couches were placed strategically around it. There were two other couples, she noted, each near the fire yet seeming to be alone. They were led to the couch directly in the center. It was then she noticed the high back and side arms that added extra privacy, cutting them off from the other couples and enclosing them in their own special cocoon of romantic warmth.

Angela glanced down at the table positioned in front of the couch, at the wine chilling in the bucket and the cheese and fruit set in a bowl on the table. She saw another card with her name on it propped against the ice bucket.

Rafe’s arm was around her and his breath was teasing the hairs on the back of her neck.
This must be costing him a fortune
, she thought. Chicago cops didn’t make that kind of money, at least not honestly. She shivered and pushed the evil thought away. Rafe kissed her earlobes and the thought was gone permanently. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled the card from the envelope and laughed. It was completely in Spanish.

“You keep that one until you can read it,” Rafe teased.

“You don’t want to tell me what it says?”

“That would spoil it.”

A tingle of wanting started from her toes and traveled upward until she was consumed with it. Her blood burned in her veins, making her more aware than ever of the source of the heat. At that moment she gave up any pretense of being able to stand on her own and slid rather ungracefully to the waiting sofa, laughing as Rafe grinned at her knowingly.

As the wine was being poured Angela wondered at what point she should tell him that she really wasn’t a wine drinker. She brought her glass to her lips.
I won’t
, she thought as she sipped on the wine.

When she put her glass down, he dipped a strawberry into it and held it to her lips. She bit into the fruit, her eyes locked on Rafe. Her hand reached for the napkin to wipe away the juice but he was quicker. His tongue shot out, licked her lips clean, and she shivered again. She didn’t know how she could continue staring into his green gaze without kissing him.

Her hand reached for a strawberry. She dipped it into Rafe’s glass and fed him as he’d done her, then she repeated the act and licked away the juices. And that ever-present tingle ravished her inside, making her burn with a heat so intense she didn’t know if she’d survive.

“We’d better stop,” Rafe moaned. “You’re spoiling my plans.”

Angela smiled, dipped another berry into the clear wine and slid it between his lips. This time as he bit into it, she pressed her lips against his and eased her tongue into his mouth a fraction of an inch. Her eyes darted down and she spotted the bulge and withdrew. “You’re right; we’d better cool it.”

“Just for now,
mi amor
.”

For over an hour they sat holding each other, gazing into the fire, nibbling the fruit and cheese, kissing, touching and making it damn impossible to go back to being two people with no connections, who had sex in an apartment. They both knew this was the beginning and the end. The end of their pretense, the beginning of a relationship.

Angela’s heart was beating faster. Never in her life had she been more consumed with emotions. She wanted to cry out for him to stop, to push him away, but at the thought of his heat leaving her, she leaned in even closer.

The same smiling man in black tux was standing at the table beside them. “If you’re all done here, I’ll escort you to your room,” he said.

Angela caught the look the man threw to Rafe and she quivered inwardly, wondering what was next.

They followed behind the man in the tuxedo.
So elegant
, she thought. She felt Rafe curling his hand around hers, squeezing her fingers. The feelings he produced in her made it hard for her to even breathe, let alone think.

“This is too much,” she said at last. “This has to have cost…” She paused. “That was rude of me. I feel so pampered.”

The door to the suite was opened and they stepped in. Angela immediately sensed a change. She glanced at Rafe and saw the smile he couldn’t suppress if he tried. She stepped in and saw the room had indeed been changed. Rose petals adorned the floor and led, she was sure, to the bedroom. And a different trail went the way of the bathroom. A quick glance and she spotted even more flowers than there had been on their arrival, and more cards. She reached for one, feeling shivers of anticipation claim her.

“Thanks,” she laughed, able to read the first card.

“You’re not learning Spanish as quickly as I’d hoped so I thought I’d better give you at least a couple that you can read now.”

Angela spotted another card across the room and walked toward it, laughing when she pulled it out and saw that it was also in Spanish.

“Just a couple huh?”

“For now?”

“Ahem.”

At the sound Angela turned. She’d forgotten that they were not alone.

“There are robes and slippers on your bed. If you’ll put those on and go downstairs, the masseur will be waiting for you. Enjoy your massage.”

Their escort smiled broadly at them and to Angela’s surprise, didn’t even wait for a tip. Once again the thought came that Rafe had to have dropped a bundle on their little vacation.

Angela waited until the door to the suite closed before turning and grinning. “Both of us?”

“Of course. Do you think I’m going to have you naked and not be around?” he answered with a leer.

And this is day one
, she thought, as she followed him into the bedroom, changing quickly in order to have the massage.

The terrycloth felt warm against her skin. As she rubbed her cheeks along the material, her eyes connected with Rafe’s. The heat between them simmered like a smoldering fire. As he raked his eyes over her she backed away.

“I really want that massage,” she laughed, and took another two steps backwards.

“More than…”

“Right now, yes.” She smiled to take away the slight sting of her refusal. “We have all night for that.”

“I’m crushed. I must be losing my touch.”

“You’re not losing it but since you went to so much trouble to set this up, I want to enjoy it.” Angela practically ran from the room as the look in Rafe’s eyes intensified and she knew if he came near her the only massaging she would receive would be from his hands caressing her into submission.

What a crazy plan
, Raphael thought as he followed Angela out the door and to the elevator. Here he’d paid to pamper her and all he could think of at the moment was how much he wanted to make love to her, to bury himself to the hilt in her hot moistness.

Yeah, he had it bad. He laughed to himself and stuck a hand out to swipe the back of his angel’s behind. He didn’t expect the smoldering look of lust she bestowed on him, and forced a groan up from his chest. His flesh hardened and his robe tented. He shook his head in amusement. It was much too late to worry about that now. He’d just have to hope that the massage would cool him off. But how could it? It had never been meant to cool him off but to heat up his angel. He groaned again, thinking what a stupid plan he’d devised. He shouldn’t have listened to his sisters. There was no way on God’s green’s earth that he could participate in giving Angela her massage without jumping her bones.

In the massage area, Angela did as instructed and lay on the table, peeping over to her right at Rafe as he did the same.

“Put your head here,” she was directed by a huge bear of a man.

She did as instructed, turning her head to the left as she was told to do. For a moment she wondered how on earth Rafe was going to stay there and allow a man to touch her naked flesh. She didn’t think he could, but, hey, it would be worth it to see his face later if she faked a moan or two.

“Ouch, that hurts.”

“Sorry.”

A noise that Angela couldn’t decipher blasted through her but before she could raise her head to investigate she was being pounded again.

“Not so hard,” she said to the bear of a masseur.

“Sorry.”

The tempo changed as did the texture of the man’s hand. She was filled with heat as he worked the muscles in her thighs. From the moment the man’s hands touched her flesh she’d known the difference. It was Rafe. For a moment she thought of moving, of telling him to stop. Then she thought better of it. She sighed, allowing her muscle to relax and soften.

His hands began probing, searching, moving between her thighs, rubbing with an erotic touch that could close the hotel down in a flash. He was trying to get her to move and the best she was giving him was her sighs of pleasure.