Our Little Secret by Rachael Stewart (free ebook novel txt) 📕

her chest and bats her lashes at me innocently. ‘I’m nothing if not generous.’

I roll my eyes and shake my head at her, my laugh bubbling up and suppressing the nagging guilt for keeping last night’s encounter to myself. ‘So let me get this straight—Cousin Dante is permitted but older brother Rafael is...’

I can’t quite finish. I don’t even know what possessed me to ask. Liar.

‘Definitely not.’

‘Because?’

‘Because my darling brother leaves a trail of broken hearts in his wake and I don’t want yours to be next.’

‘Fair enough.’ Though my frown tells her just how odd I find it all. ‘And that’s not the case with Dante?’

‘Not at all. He’s...he’s just different.’ She waves a hand at me in dismissal. ‘You’ll see what I mean when you meet him.’

I shake my head even more. Dani is Dani. You’d think I’d be used to her by now, but she still manages to surprise me.

‘Yes, well, never mind me getting some action...’ I physically turn her away from me and point her towards the door. ‘You need to get yourself back upstairs to Tyler and leave the niggly things to us, yeah?’

I give her a gentle shove and she blows me a kiss over her shoulder. ‘Just make sure you wear the black cozzie for the pool later...or the red one...you choose! Either’s sure to be effective.’

I laugh at her tenacity. ‘I’m so glad I let you talk me into buying them.’

‘You can thank me properly later...once you’ve had a proper seeing to!’

She prances from the room, much lighter than when she came in. At least the poor state of my sex life has the power to do her some good. But let’s face it, she wouldn’t be quite so light on her feet if she knew I’d already met Rafael and just how close I’d come to...not helping.

I walk up to the discreet staff member hovering by the breakfast bar and arrange for a breakfast tray complete with His and Her mimosas to be sent up to Dani’s room. Next, I head outside because I know where Rafael is. He’s out running. Just as I would’ve been if I hadn’t come out of my room at five-thirty this morning and caught him doing the exact same thing ahead of me.

I smooth back my ponytail, brush down my maxi dress and scan the grounds. Really, I should wait for him to be showered and fully clothed before I bring this to his attention, but I get the sense that Marianna’s going to have the whole castle turned on its head if she isn’t dealt with soon. I’ve only met her a handful of times and that was enough.

My stomach flutters as I wait. Nerves, excitement, anticipation. I tell myself it isn’t my fault he found me naked in his pool last night, or that I was so sexually frustrated that I propositioned him. My cheeks flush even now at the way I behaved, the brazen way I ogled him, the words I used...

I clear my throat.

But then I remember how he looked at me. The reciprocation in his eyes, in his kiss, in his... Oh, yes.

And of course he chooses that moment to appear, emerging from the path in a burst of power while I’m recalling his impressive manhood. Jesus. I snap my gaping mouth shut, straighten to fend off the heat determined to melt my insides and smile. Yes, smile. Be polite. Put everything in neutral and start over.

At least I’m clothed this time and he’s... No, he’s not... He’s...pulling off his tee and my mouth is open again and dry, so dry. He’s a few strides away when he spies me. His eyes sharpen, his mouth lifts to the side and...

Close your bloody mouth!

‘Buongiorno, Faye.’

I’d forgotten how thick and sexy his accent is, and the way he says my name has me wanting it on repeat, again and again and again.

‘Good morn...’

It comes out high and I don’t quite get the ‘ing’ out as I watch him tuck his shirt into the side of his shorts. Oh, how I want to run my hands all over every slick inch, explore, discover, tease...

I flick my eyes up to his and flex my fists that itch with the urge to touch. ‘Nice run?’

He combs a hand through his hair, and I physically fight to keep my mouth shut. I cross my arms in front of me.

His eyes flicker in the direction of the move, his throat bobs and I latch onto the gesture, hoping I’m not the only one suffering with this dogged attraction. It makes me feel better. Not a lot, but a little.

‘It was decent.’ His eyes come back to mine. ‘I’m going to get a drink. Want one?’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’

He smiles and gives me a polite nod, averting his gaze as he goes to move past me. ‘No problem.’

‘Wait!’ I reach out on impulse, finally remembering why I’m here...and it’s not to ogle, touch or do any manner of the things raging through my brain. ‘Before you go in, can I have a quick word?’

He pauses, his brows drawing together, and now he’s close, really close. His slicked-up body glows deep bronze in the sun, brilliant, blinding, and I can feel the heat pulsing off him in my outstretched palm. It’s not sweat I smell, it’s a heady mix of male cologne, all musky, sensual and... Jesus, Dani’s right, I just need to get laid, already.

‘Sure.’ He hesitates, his eyes darting to the castle interior and back out to the path before coming back to me. He steps closer, taking me with him so we’re out of sight of the open entrance. The flutters reignite inside my belly, clambering all the way up through my throat as I blink up at him.

‘Look,’ he says ‘if it’s about last night, I—’

‘No!’ I blurt, wetting my lips quickly and backing up a step. ‘I mean, it’s not about that. Though we probably should talk about that too. But maybe not... Well,