Chapter 7

• Rafe fixed his tie, wishing he’d taken an extra day of relaxation on the yacht before he got to work but that would be completely out of character for him. Actually, he’d been feeling unlike himself recently and he couldn’t understand why or even pinpoint when it started. He was exhausted. Not physically, he was sure of that, and he couldn’t say emotionally either. Emotion was a foreign concept to him. But something inside him was just tired. Whatever it was pulled him down from his head right down to his feet. His arms felt like he had weights attached to them and there was this restlessness he couldn’t get rid of no matter what he tried.
• “Signore DeLuca,” Enzo started. Rafe looked at Enzo through the mirror. “Miss McKenna is here to see you to the office,” he continued.
• Rafe clenched his jaw to tamper down his irritation. That and his temper had recently grown worse too. Another thing he couldn’t explain.
• “This isn’t my first day of kindergarten Enzo,” he said, barely holding back his ire.
• Enzo stood stock still without responding.
• Rafe grabbed his jacket off the coat stand and turned to face him. “Who is she?”
• Enzo cleared his throat before he said, “Your designated assistant. She brought your breakfast yesterday and had your lunch and supper delivered.”
• Rafe nodded, that Miss McKenna. He’d met her briefly the day before and it was the first time someone had come so casually dressed to see him.
• “Did you know she speaks Italian?” he asked Enzo as he shrugged on his jacket.
• Enzo looked at him clearly confused. “Is that a problem?”
• “That depends, doesn’t it?” he responded walking past him and up the short flight of steps to the upper deck. “Where is she?”
• “By the car, Signore,” Enzo said following him off the yacht.
• For the three minute walk to the parking lot, Rafe took in the ocean air and the sounds of water crashing against the vessels in gentle waves. He felt his mood get worse as he walked away from it, just imagining the still and stiff air conditioned enclosed space he was going to and would be trapped in for hours. It was a good thing he opted out of the hotel. Knowing he had this beauty to come back to at the end of the day would help control his mood throughout the day.
• A lady in a black pantsuit with a white shirt approached him and Rafe noted she was taller. He wasn’t sure why he thought that about a woman he’d never met until he looked into her smiling face. That was where he’d seen it. He had a terrible time trying to remember the night before, where he’d seen that radiant smile and, even worse, why it was stuck in his mind.
• “Buongiorno Signore DeLuca,” she said, holding her hand out to him.
• He looked at her hand then back up at her face again. She had the most beautiful brown eyes he’d ever seen, he noted with unexpected discomfort.
• Quickly, he took her hand in a hard shake but instantly stilled. Immediately as their hands touched, a surge of electricity from their place of contact shot through him bringing to a waking stand every sense in his body, including one he didn’t want.
• Her hand was soft and tiny in his hold. His thumb rubbed lightly against the chocolate back of her hand. She jumped slightly, her eyes widening like saucers and her smile dropping to form a startled O. His lips rose in half a smile, she was sensitive there. On their own accord, his fingers stretched further over the back of her hand, his grip tightening, but he stilled it just as it was about to tug her forward.
• Merde, what was wrong with him?
• He quickly let go of her hand and walked past her saying, “I don’t need an escort, Signorina.”
• He made sure to sound curt and annoyed. It wasn’t difficult considering how very infuriated he was at how bothered by her he was. He got into the back seat through the door the driver held open. Though short, it felt like a long while before she and Enzo finally began walking towards the car. The driver rushed to the other side of the car and held both doors open. Though he never minded sharing the back seat with anyone, he wasn’t particularly in the mood to do so now. But he reminded himself to be polite and just hope Enzo came to the back and not Miss McKenna. No need to ruin everyone’s morning just because he was in a bad mood.
• Clearly the gods were against him that day, as Miss McKenna slid in next to him. As the driver shut her door, the burst of air pushed a pleasant floral scent in his direction. It was alluring and definitely not what he needed. He cursed under his breath as he crossed his legs to hide his inquisitive member.
• This was the last thing he needed.