page22 (1/2)

TWELVE

Rafiq woke up first, so we had fallen asleep in each other’s arms on the porch couch , we chuckled sheepishly as we moved back into the penthouse and relocated to our separate beds for the rest of the night Despite the luxurious war without Rafiq’s ar he was still with me

The next , the romantic haze had washed away and my heart was filled orry My day with Rafiq had to have been a fluke Sure, he had been on fantastic forallery, and every moment afterward, but how could I trust it? Every ti incredible, it seemed like some sort of jackass move wasn’t far behind it After all, he had adh to face the truth of his life I had known instinctively, right fro with all his partying Now I knew it for sure

The feelings I had for this version of Rafiq were doomed to destroybuddies and scantily clad girls for another night of debauchery Even i the scenario one too far; I’d let et too close to him

Rookie ible bachelor who liked the night life He liked it soto deceive his father in order to keep it and his fortune, instead of sih I truly believed hie who Rafiq really was, or how he lived his life And it wasn’t the life for me I’d cleaned up all the beer cans and partywhile

My thoughts washed over me like a dark flood that cast away all the relief I had felt the night before in Rafiq’s ar for the coallery, where at least life otten myself into

I was gratefulbathroo roo, hot shower Part of ing, fighting each other for dominance

But he was ready to face me, I discovered, when I finally came out of ed, rubbing ht up froh some paperwork

“Good !” he said “How did you sleep?”

I gave hi to play it as cool as I could “Better, once I was in a real bed,” I joked “My neck’s a little cricked, though”

“Mine too,” he said, rubbing his hand across the back of his strong neck “Do you want e it for you?”

Heat flushed my skin “No, no,” I said quickly, but I must have been too quick, or too sharp, and Rafiq looked wounded atlate”

“Late for what?”

“For the gallery,” I laughed “Most people work every day during the week, Rafiq, remember?”

Rafiq got up from the couch and put the papers down on the table As he ca else in mind for us to do today”

My ehtful nohen all I wanted to do was back off froame for him?

But even as I thought it, I knerong Rafiq was arrogant and selfish, but he wasn’t s hard for me

“Oh?” I finally answered, folding allery regardless of what he had to say, he had stoked my curiosity “And what did you have in mind?”

“Have you ever been to the aquarium?”

“Sure, once or twice,” I shrugged nonchalantly