Never Underestimate a Caffarelli

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘SO HOW ARE things going with Miss Archer?’ Rafe asked when he phoned a few days later.

‘Fine.’

‘Just “fine”?’

‘Good.’

‘So you’re talking to her, then?’

Raoul didn’t want to go into the details of his current relationship with Lily. He hadn’t quite got his own head around it. All he knew was he enjoyed being with her. She was easy company, gentle and kind, caring. He enjoyed watching her wake up each morning, rub her sleepy eyes and give him that shy smile of hers. He loved the feel of her body nestled up against his when she slept.

He loved watching her sleep.

She looked like Sleeping Beauty, so pale and so beautiful. He loved the way she responded to him so passionately. She was far more confident now as a lover. He had never been with a partner who surprised and delighted him as much as she did. It was like discovering sensuality all over again. He was aware of his body in ways he had never been before. Her touch was like magic. He was sure it was one of the reasons he had improved his mobility.

He felt stronger.

‘You are talking to her, aren’t you?’ Rafe’s voice jolted him back to the moment.

‘Of course I’m talking to her. So...how’re the wedding plans going?’

‘Whoa, quick subject change. What’s going on?’

‘Nothing.’ Raoul gave himself a mental kick for answering too quickly. It was hard to pull the wool over Rafe’s eyes, even over the phone. ‘Nothing’s going on.’

‘You’re not sleeping with the hired help, are you?’

He felt his back come up. ‘Lily is not the hired help. She’s—’

‘So it’s Lily now.’ Rafe gave an amused little chuckle. ‘I must say I didn’t see that coming. I didn’t think she was your type. Not compared to—’

‘Shut the hell up.’

‘You’re not still cut up about that bimbo dumping you, are you? Come on, Raoul. She’s not worth it. At your age you should be looking for love, not looks.’

Raoul clenched his jaw. ‘I’m not interested in falling in love.’

‘Famous last words.’ Rafe chuckled again. ‘I said them myself and look what happened—I fell hook, line, and sinker for Poppy and I couldn’t be happier. I can’t believe that this time next week we’ll be man and wife.’

‘Look, I’m happy for you. I really am. Just don’t go expecting me to follow you down the aisle any time soon. Pick on Remy. He’s the one who needs to settle down.’

‘Has he been to see you? Called you? Texted? Emailed?’

‘He came the day before you brought Lil...Miss Archer. I haven’t heard from him since. Why, what’s he up to?’

‘I don’t know.’ A thread of concern seemed to underpin Rafe’s voice. ‘I think he’s having some sort of showdown with Henri Marchand over one of his major holdings or properties. I’ve heard on the grapevine that Marchand is desperate for funds. He made a couple of investments that didn’t pay off.’

‘Karma.’

‘You could be right.’ Rafe let out a breath. ‘I just hope Remy knows what he’s doing. He’s juggling a lot of finance just now. He’s been trying to buy into the Mappleton hotel chain, as well. He’s been working on the negotiations for months. If he pulls it off it would be the biggest coup of all of our careers. But apparently Robert Mappleton is ultra-conservative. Word has it he refuses to do business with Remy because he thinks Remy’s too much of a playboy.’

‘I can’t see Remy marrying someone just to nail a deal, can you?’ Raoul’s tone was dry.

Rafe gave a laugh. ‘Speaking of weddings... Are you coming to mine?’

‘Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.’

* * *

Lily was in the garden picking flowers for the table when Raoul came out to her. He was in his manual chair but he had been up on his feet for at least a minute during their gym session earlier. He had taken three steps—four, if you counted the one before he had to grasp the rails. It was an enormous leap forward. It was still too early to say whether he would continue to improve, but she was cautiously optimistic.

He looked tired now, however. He had lines of strain around his mouth. She knew he still had a lot of pain but he refused to take any medication. She knew he didn’t sleep properly. She had woken so many times to find him watching her with a frown on his face. Was it pain that put that frown there, or was it because she wasn’t the woman he had thought would be sharing his bed?