Chapter 7

• SAVANNAH
• I kept myself busy the entire day, avoiding Edward. He was preoccupied with work, so I assumed he had no time for a coffee break. No one in the office knew about our marital issues, but I refused to tell anyone—not even Emma. Brett, who was also my boss, seemed clueless, but if he knew, he was still usually professional.
• “Ms. Reed?”
• But Brett wasn’t friendly, either. We didn’t dislike each other, but we didn’t like each other either.
• “Ms. Reed,” Emma’s voice pushed through my disarrayed mind.
• “I’m sorry. What is it?”
• “Are you okay?”
• “I’m fine. Where were we? Oh, it’s our, uh, current biggest project.”
• “I’m sorry. I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but it’s almost seven. Didn’t you say you have an appointment?”
• “Seven?” I checked my watch. God. I didn’t notice.
• “Ms. Reed, we still have three days.” She looked at my face curiously. “I was watching you, and you weren’t stopping. Your eyes were glued to the computer all day. Everyone went home.”
• I looked around our office. The lights were already off except in Emma’s cubicle and the hallways. I raked my hair in total frustration.
• “I know. I’m so sorry, Emma.”
• “It’s okay.” She flashed a concerned smile. “We can go down together if you don’t mind.”
• I squeezed her shoulder, smiling back. “Sure. Thank you.”
• Emma’s husband, Gerald, was waiting for her in front of the building when we came down. He actually looked like a dedicated husband. He rarely missed a day picking up his wife. He reminded me of Edward in the early stage of our marriage. A time I knew that wouldn’t turn back.
• As the couple drove down the road, the valet pulled my Ford over and handed me my keys. I then headed to the Shelton Suites on Fifth Avenue, hoping the sexy stranger hadn’t arrived yet. I almost got myself late.
• Rafael. He had an angel’s name like my brother. I only hoped he wasn’t mad at me for accidentally swapping our phones.
• After a ten-minute drive, I hurried into Pegasus and looked around. However, I couldn’t find anyone as beautiful as he was in every man’s face in the restaurant. Thinking that maybe I’d forgotten what he looked like, I searched each table, but he wasn’t there.
• I sighed in relief. I wasn’t late after all.
• I pivoted to go back to the counter to order when someone bumped into me. Drinks got spilled on my shirt.
• I stepped back as I felt my vision spin, but I bounced onto another hard surface. I felt firm hands scooping my shoulders.
• “Oh gosh!”
• The poor waiter in front of me turned pale. “I... I’m so sorry, miss.”
• “I told you to be careful,” whispered the familiar voice of a man behind me.
• Shit, shit, shit! It was him. Rafael. I was sure of it.
• I jerked away from him and pivoted. I had hoped I was wrong, but boy, did he look more beautiful now. There was no way this man existed.
• “Hi,” I murmured.
• He arched an eyebrow at me. “Are you okay?”
• My throat dried up. Even with his expression that alarmed me, he took my breath away.
• Again, I felt the strange overwhelming magnetism when I first saw him. My heart was racing at the sight of him, my legs turning jelly, my knees liquefying, tipping me forward... into his arms.
• But he caught me with such smooth ease and steadied me with his firm hold. Butterflies churned in my stomach at close body contact. How did my hands get around his waist? I gasped, stepping away immediately, resisting the urge to touch him before I lost my mind.
• Rafael’s gaze veered to my shirt—to my almost exposed breasts and poking nipples under my non-padded nude bra that got wet.
• His eyes darkened as his jaw rippled.
• I swiftly covered myself, the heat rising on my cheeks.
• “Please get her something. A napkin,” he ordered the waiter, but his eyes were on me.
• “Yes, sir. I’m really sorry, ma’am.” The waiter rushed somewhere, then returned in a minute with a white cloth. I wiped myself with it while the customers watched. But Rafael radiated total power and dominance, which was catching more attention.
• “It’s my fault. I wasn’t looking,” I said.
• Damn my awkwardness. Wouldn’t it ever stop?
• I whisked the dripping blue liquid on my arm, but I felt the juice run inside my bra, between my breasts. I was totally wet all over. It smelled like citrus and sugar.
• “People usually watch their step, Savannah.”
• He remembered my name. I shuddered when it rolled on his tongue.
• “Just Savi. Yes, that was a disaster.” I exhaled. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. “But can you wait for me here? I need to change.”
• His expression hardened. “Change how?”
• I had clothes in my suitcase, but it was in the trunk of my car. I bit my bottom lip.
• “It’s fine. You don’t need to.” Rafael took off his gray suit jacket and offered it to me. “Here.”
• I hesitated, but I accepted it. “Thanks.”
• The jacket was light to carry. It smelled like his intoxicating cologne, so I wasn’t sure if it would help calm my unruffled mind. He had just shaken my already shattered peace.
• I pulled his jacket over my shoulders to cover my chest. It was oddly comforting.
• Rafael asked the waiter to take us to a table and ordered an espresso for both of us.
• “I guess I should stay for a bit,” he said as he sat down. He leaned on the seat’s cushion and stared at me. “You, Miss, are rather clumsy.”
• “I know, so please don’t say it.” I’d just get back to the business. I gave him his phone. “Here.” I placed it on the table. He picked it up right away to punch in his passcode.
• “How can I make sure you didn’t open this?” he asked with his mouth curled up. I knew he was joking.
• “Even if I wanted to, there were millions of combinations to try. I don’t want to waste my time. How about you?”
• He pulled my phone out of his pocket and gave it to me. “Same point. But it made me curious, given how many times you called. What’s on your phone?”
• I laughed at the question, remembering when my friends asked me about it too. “It’s not important. Something I can’t share with anyone.”
• “Private messages with your boyfriend?”
• Oh, no. I didn’t have a boyfriend. A stupid husband, yes, and we were about to separate.
• There. I thought of Edward again.
• “No. Not private messages.” Just private photos of my butt and boobies. I was going to delete them when I got home.
• Rafael’s eyes glimmered as if he was reading my mind.
• Our orders were delivered in a moment. Surprisingly, I was now less overwhelmed by this man. He seemed relaxed as well.
• I typed in my code, and my notifications started popping up. I was flooded with many emails, texts, missed calls, and social media notifications, but I kept my phone away.
• “Thank you for giving this back, Rafael. I’m sorry for picking up your phone.”
• “It’s fine. No harm done,” Rafael said, but his gaze was glued to his phone.
• I sipped my hot coffee but thought of starting a conversation since the atmosphere was getting awkward. Perhaps ask him what he does in life? He looked like a man with a high-paying job with his designer suit and a luxurious wristwatch.
• I was going to speak when someone abruptly interjected.
• “Savi! I’m glad to see you here!”
• Why, at all times, did Lana Hilton have to see me here? She greeted me with a sweet grin and eyed the sexy stranger across from me.
• I loved getting along with people and hated having many enemies. That was why I got in touch with my other friends. I also knew Lana lived in this building, but right now wasn’t a good time.
• I smiled back anyway. “Hi, what’s up?”
• “I saw you from the counter, so I thought I’d say hello. Who’s the company?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.
• I stood up right away to accommodate her, and we kissed cheeks.
• “He’s just a...” I was going to say a friend, but Rafael wasn’t a friend or an acquaintance. “This is Rafael.”
• “Hi, Rafael!” My friend beamed and waved at him.
• Rafael didn’t respond.
• “Is he your new boyfriend?” she whispered in my ear.
• “He’s not my boyfriend. What are you talking about?” She knew I was married to Edward.
• She looked at me innocently. “But aren’t you and Edward divorced?”
• Not yet, but, “Where did you hear that?”
• “The girls are talking about it.” The girls she was referring to were some classmates she was still friends with. Lana frowned. “I’m sorry. Is it supposed to be a secret?”
• “It’s not. It’s just...” Only the Allen siblings knew, but I knew they wouldn’t say a thing. “It’s nothing.”
• Damn you, Edward. Of course, this was him. He acted like he cared, talking about waiting until divorce, but constantly deceived me.
• “By the way, what do you think about the class reunion?”
• “Class what?”
• She frowned. “You don’t know?”
• “That’s my first time hearing it.”
• Lana nodded, but she was a little surprised. “Sofia will sponsor half of the expenses. She already spoke to the school, and they’ve accepted. She told us she had a big revelation to announce. Hey, I assumed you already knew.”
• Big revelation, huh? She acted like we weren’t friends when we were supposed to be best friends. What was she actually up to?
• “And when is this reunion?”
• “In a month, maybe? We’ll tell everyone, so I’ll text you the details?”
• “Yeah, you know my number. Let me know.”
• “Great. It was nice seeing you here.” She hugged me. “By the way, that guy is so damn hot. Edward and the girls will flip if they see him so take him to the reunion, ‘kay?” Lana let me go and looked at Rafael. “I’m sorry I interrupted your date.”
• Rafael answered with a slight nod.
• “Bye, Savi!”
• “Bye...”
• When Lana left, I sat back in my chair. “Sorry about that. She’s a friend from high school.” Why was I explaining to him? He obviously didn’t care. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t normally bad at conversations.”
• “You seem very good at it.”
• That made me smile. “Nah. We’re just two strangers passing by.”
• Rafael flashed a slow, sexy half smile. “That’s a pity. I thought you’d be interested.”
• “What?” I choked out a chortle. “That’s a cheesy pickup line.”
• “I’m trying to make a conversation.”
• I couldn’t believe I actually enjoyed talking to him. But at the end of the day, I’d go back to reality, where I was no longer a single woman. Women probably threw themselves at him, but it was wrong for me to do that regardless of my marital issues.
• I laughed, shaking my head. “Why are men so complicated?”
• His expression turned passive again. “Maybe you’re just different.”
• I blinked. What was that supposed to mean? I grabbed my cup, but my coffee had gotten cold.
• “Hey, it’s getting late, so... it’s time to go.”
• “Didn’t you say you’re from Manhattan?”
• “Yes, but I’m driving myself to Brooklyn tonight.”
• “That’s pretty far. Who’s in Brooklyn?” Was he really interested now?
• “My brother.” A beat passed. He didn’t say anything else, so I stood up. “Thank you for your time. It was nice meeting you.” I reached out a hand for a handshake.
• He sprang up in a way that unsettled me, then grasped my hand instead of shaking it. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Savannah. You surprised me.”
• “Thanks. Goodbye, Rafael.” I pulled my hand right away, worried that the pleasant electric tingles would roll over my body and I’d dream about him in my sleep. Goodbyes with strangers were supposed to be simple with no feelings attached, but why did this one feel like it didn’t have to end here?