“So why don’t we make each other a simple promise?”
She waited; breath hitched in her throat.
“We will not lie to each other, ever.”
Her brows knit together. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Raf.”
His smile made her knees go weak. It was the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. “You know, Elodie, I really believe you wouldn’t. Is it possible that you are the only person I’ve ever met who is truly goodness personified?”
If his smile had made her knees go weak, then his compliment cut her off at them. She honestly doubted she would have been able to stay standing had it not been for his arm, wrapped tightly around her waist.
“We should eat,” she mumbled, without making any attempt to move. Her brain knew she had to break this connection, but her body was desperate to stay right where they were. Perhaps Raf understood that, because he didn’t move either.
“Even from that first night, I knew you were different,” he murmured.
“Yeah?”
He made a growling sound she took to be agreement.
“You didn’t seem like you belonged in that bar at all.”
“Are you saying I was bad at my job?” she responded with an attempt at levity, because the way he was staring at her, and how that was making her feel, was pulling at every single temptation inside Elodie, so she wanted to lift up onto her tiptoes and kiss him, to feel his lips ravaging her as they had that night. She wanted to succumb to the strong force of desire that was bursting between them and beg him to make her his.
“Where did you see your life going, Elodie, before you got involved with him?”
Her eyes flicked to Raf’s, surprised by the question, but also, gratified by it. It was something no one had ever really asked her—especially not Aaron.
“Honestly?”
“Haven’t we just promised we’ll always be honest?”
“Technically, I didn’t promise,” she said, with a weak smile.
“You didn’t need to.”
His faith in her made her lips part, her insides twisting.
“So?”
“I just don’t want you to think this is me asking you for anything.”
His eyes flared. “I won’t.”
Her smile quirked again. “You can’t say that.”
“Try me.”
“Okay. I always loved business. That’s what I was enrolled in, at university, but then, Aaron got an audition, and we thought his career was going to take off. I needed to help at first, with a regular income, so I put off university, got a job, and then, year after year, it was the same deal…” She cleared her throatand moved on quickly, before she could hear the indictment of Aaron she could see on Raf’s features. “I’d actually enrolled in a business course, when I met you. That’s why I was in London. It’s not a university degree, just a diploma, but I thought that, combined with my work experience, might open some doors.”
“You know, I have some experience with business,” he said, his tone lightly teasing.
“And that’s relevant how?” she prompted, reminding him of their deal.
Frustration was obvious in the way his lips tightened. “So, you won’t let me help you, even though that would be the easiest thing in the world for me?”
“I don’t want any favours,” she said. “And besides, everything’s different now. I’m going to be a mum. I’ll think about what comes next later.”
His eyes held hers, probing, for a long time, and still, Elodie didn’t move. Even when she knew she should. Even when they were standing so close, so intimately, as though they were a couple, and not a pair of strangers who’d had sex and gotten pregnant.
