Vivi picked up her gown from the bedroom floor, found both her shoes and headed back to her own stateroom. After a quick shower, she’d go find out where Rafe went.
An hour later, Vivi closed the stateroom door behind herself and let the tears fall.
How could she have been so stupid as to have not seen it coming? She was nothing more than a plaything to the man. Another notch on his bedpost and she’d fallen right into the trap.
Why on earth did Vivi think she could ever hold a candle to the likes of Rafe Santori? She was way out of her league and the gap was growing wider with each passing minute.
He had left the yacht sometime in the night without saying a word to her. Roland could barely meet her eyes when he delivered the message.
“When is he coming back?”
“I don’t know, Miss Bloom. He didn’t say. He left no further instructions, I’m afraid. I’m sorry, Miss.”
She could have smacked herself on the forehead for her own stupidity. But now it was too late.
Vivi turned her attention to packing her suitcase. There was nothing left to say and nothing left to do. She went through the motions when they docked and meet Paulie’s wife for a celebration dinner, but her heart wasn’t in it.
All Vivi wanted to do was get home to her own condo, climb into bed, and forget the past week had ever happened.
Problem was it had and there was nothing she could do to change it.
Epilogue
Vivi dropped the suitcase inside the front door and made her way to the sofa. Dropping down heavily, she pulled off her sunglasses and tossed them on the table.
“It’s better this way,” she spoke the words aloud in the empty room. “This way I don’t have to look back and think of all the things I’d regret.”
Closing her eyes, Vivi bit back the sting of tears. It was better this way. The worst thing for her would be to dwell over everything she could have had with the man. She was better off without him.
She was, wasn’t she?
Right now, the only answer that came to mind was no. She was head over heels, cupid stupid in love with Rafe Santori and trying to convince herself otherwise was a big fat waste of time.
Problem was, there wasn’t anything Vivi could do about it. The man was gone off on his yacht, and Vivi had no idea what had happened after they made love that night that made him sneak off like a thief in the night.
“Look, I know you don’t want to go, but it’s important. Do it as a favor to me, okay? You only have to stay for an hour, and then you can leave, go home and drown your sorrows in a pint of rocky road ice cream. I’ll even buy the ice cream,” Her agent Elizabeth cajoled.
“Fine, only an hour then I’m outta there. And I want a quart, not a pint.”
Vivi entered the party and looked around. Most of the people she knew, a few were faces she didn’t recognize. After a quick hug from the hostess, Vivi headed to the bar. Her steps slowed as she drew closer.
It couldn’t be. This was the last thing she wanted tonight.
Rafe Santori, in the flesh. Damn the man looked good. Better than he had three weeks ago if that were possible.
She wanted to turn on her heel and run, but couldn’t for fear of the spectacle she’d make of herself. She’d done that once already it seemed. So she accepted the drink from the waiter, took a sip and tried in vain to ignore the man.
“Vivi, nice to see you again.”
“Rafe.” She could hardly talk for fear of crying. “I have to leave.”
Vivi turned and fled the party. Standing in the hallway, she jabbed at the down button, praying for the elevator to arrive so she wouldn’t be caught sobbing her eyes out.
She slipped through the half opened doors and hit the button for the lobby. Just before the doors could close, Rafe slid in.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you, you’re fired.”
Vivi looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “I’m what?”
“You’re fired. I make it a practice never to mix business with pleasure, so if we plan on sleeping together again, and I most certainly intend that we will, I have to fire you. It’s the only way.”
She shook her head. Still not sure what she heard him say.
Rafe closed the distance between them and pressed Vivi against the wall. He ran his fingers up the side of her skirt and underneath.
Vivi squirmed under his touch as Rafe pushed her panties aside and slipped his finger within her pussy.
“We can’t do this here, someone might see us. Oh god, Rafe.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling. “Feel that, Vivi. That’s how much I’ve missed you.” Rafe rubbed his erection against her leg. “See what you do to me. Marry me, so you can do this to me all the time, Vivi. I’ve loved you since that first night six years ago. If only you’d stayed around then, you never know what might have happened.”
Vivi looked at him like he’d grown two heads.
“You love me?” Her voice barely a whisper.
Rafe nodded. “Every inch of you. From that cute little mole behind your left ear, to the crooked toe on your right foot.”
Author Bio
Patti Shenberger has decided that living in fantasy land is a lot more fun than the real world. From now on you can find her cruising the Caribbean along with Vivi and Rafe, soaking up the sun and whiling away the hours reading romance novels and sightseeing. For more about Patti, please visit her at www.pattishenberger.com
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