Missed: Rafael & Lisa

by Tess Thompson

  “No, just black.”

  He poured her a glass of water as well. “They added lemon to the water.”

  Her brow wrinkled in concern. “Do I look bloated?”

  “Bloated?” He suddenly remembered. Lemon was a diuretic. “You do not look bloated. Not one bit.”

  “Good, because my dress for tonight is no bigger than a tissue. What’s in there?” She pointed to the covered dish.

  “I ordered you two poached eggs, a dry piece of wheat toast, and some fruit. A medley of fruit. That seemed like something you would eat.”

  “You were right.”

  He wanted to do a cartwheel when she rewarded him with her gorgeous smile.

  He took the lid from her plate and set it in front of her. “Eat up. You have a big day.”

  She was eyeing his stack of pancakes.

  “You want a pancake? There’s plenty,” he said.

  “Maybe just one bite?”

  “Sure.” He shoved the plate closer to her and went back to his bacon.

  “Oh, God, those are so good.” Her eyes closed as she chewed and made appreciative grunting noises.

  His lower regions seemed incapable of remaining obedient when she made little noises like that. How was he supposed to think about anything but tugging open the belt of her robe?

  “Have as much as you like.”

  She pushed the plate of pancakes over to him. “No, one bite is enough.” With a fork, she poked her eggs and dipped the piece of toast into the yolk. “I got a text from Sasha this morning. My hair and makeup people are coming at three. We leave here for the party around sunset. You have the whole day to do as you please.”

  He told her he’d like a workout, but other than that, there was no agenda. “I’m here for whatever you need.”

  She appeared to contemplate that idea as she took another bite of toast and gazed out the window. “Do you want to spend the day at the pool?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’m not supposed to get any color, so I’ll have to sit under an umbrella,” she said.

  “Why aren’t you supposed to get color?’ he asked.

  “Indigo Road. A tan isn’t authentic.”

  “Sure, that makes sense,” he said.

  She turned back to the window. “It’s weird how there are no seasons here.”

  “I think so, too.”

  “Not like Cliffside Bay,” she said.

  “No, not like Cliffside Bay.”

  They ate their breakfasts in silence for a few minutes until Lisa set aside her plate and let out a sigh. “I have a favor. Normally I’d have Maggie and Pepper for this, but you’re all I have.”

  He raised one eyebrow.

  “Promise you won’t laugh?” she asked.

  “I cannot do that, no.”

  She tossed a sugar packet at him. “Sasha said I needed to practice having my picture taken, or I’d look like a ding when the cameras start flashing in my face.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “This is serious. You’re all I’ve got.”

  He grinned as he cut into the stack of pancakes. “I can tell you right now, you’re going to look beautiful in every photo.”

  “If only it were that easy.” She stood up from the table and asked him to wait for her to change into clothes.

  He finished up his breakfast and had just put the tray outside the door and tidied up the table when she came out, dressed in shorts and a tank top. No bra. Her small breasts were completely visible. He dragged his gaze up to her face. Had she said something?

  “Are you listening to me?” she asked.

  “Yes. Go ahead.”

  “So, I’ll stand in this one spot and all the cameras will be flashing and they’ll be calling my name. I’m supposed to turn and smile as many times as possible. I have to pose with a leg out like this.” She shifted so that one leg was slightly bent.

  “That looks good.” He cleared his throat. Her thighs begged for his hands. Dude, a thigh can’t beg.

  “Take a picture with your phone so I can see,” she said. “Then I can critique myself.”

  That seemed a little harsh, but she was the expert. He opened the camera app on his phone and pointed it in her direction. “Okay, give it to me.”

  She did the same pose, only this time she angled her head slightly and smiled. He snapped a few shots, then asked her what she thought.

  Her nose wrinkled when she looked at the images. “Look at my hands. They look ridiculous.”

  He examined the photo. “You mean because they’re clasped together?”

  “Yes. They look totally unnatural. Sasha told me to try one on my hip, I think, but that’s weird.”

  “Try it,” he said.

  She went back to her spot and repeated the same action with her legs, only this time she put one hand on her hip. He took several more, then looked at them. “These look good. I think you’ve got it.”

  She looked over his shoulder. “I look so fake and uncomfortable. Pepper loves this kind of thing. She hams it up in front of the camera with these awesome smiles and a toss of her hair.”

  “That whole team of people are coming this afternoon to fix your hair and put your makeup on just right. You’re going to look like a movie star.”

  “Even if I don’t feel like one.”

  He grinned at her. “Sadly, you won’t look as great as I will in my new suit. I’ll stand a few feet away from you, so I don’t steal all the limelight.”

  “That’s very generous of you.”

  “That’s how I roll.”

  * * *

  Wearing a light gray suit and white linen shirt without a tie, Rafael stood in front of the full-length mirror. Yesterday, Winn, the stylist, a rail-thin brunette wearing four-inch heels and skinny jeans, had brought a half-dozen outfits for him. Despite feeling slightly embarrassed by the process, he had to admit that he looked good.

  He moved to the window. A scarlet sunset streaked the horizon. Below, a horn bleated, accompanied by the faint sound of a siren. The suite smelled of lilies from an arrangement on the table.

  Heels clicked on the stone floor. He turned to see Lisa coming from the bedroom, wearing a sleeveless dress that reminded him of a large silk scarf in the color of pink cherry blossoms. Her hair was arranged in waves that fell at her collarbone, complemented by subtle makeup that emphasized her eyes. She glowed as though a thousand lightning bugs danced in her chest.

  He put his hand over his mouth to keep from making a caveman-like grunt.

  She rushed over to him and ran her hands down the sides of his arms. “Oh my gosh, Rafael. You look very handsome.”

  “I clean up okay?” Being this near to her made his head swim.

  “More than okay.”

  “Well, you look incredible. More than that.” The right word wouldn’t come. They never did when it counted. “The dress is nice.”

  “I love it, too.” She twirled in a circle, and the skirt rose up around her shapely thighs. “The material makes me feel like dancing.” The dress dipped low in the back, revealing creamy skin just above her tailbone.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out for her.

  She drew nearer. Taller than usual in her high heels, the top of her head reached his chin. A gold necklace lay in the palm of her hand. “Could you fasten this for me?”

  “Sure.” He breathed in the scent of her hair as he took the necklace from her outstretched hand.

  She looked up at him, her voice smooth like warm caramel. “I suppose I should turn around?”

  “I believe that’s how this works.”

  She turned and lifted her hair. Careful not to brush her skin, he brought the two ends of the necklace together at the back of her neck.

  “Christ, this is a small fastener,” he said.

  “Can you get it?”

  His thumbs were as fat as sausages. How had he never noticed that before? His fingers looked rough and unkempt next to her smooth alaba
ster skin. He swore under his breath as he tried to line up the hole with the round hook. On the third attempt, he got it. “There it goes.”

  She let down her hair. White-gold strands fell around her shoulders.

  Move away. Don’t maul her when she looks so perfectly put together.

  If he could have obeyed the voice in his head, he would have, but his shoes seemed glued to the floor. He brushed his thumb over one of her bare shoulders.

  Her back rose and fell as she inhaled and exhaled.

  He slid the tips of his fingers down the exposed skin of her back. “During my travels, I touched the finest silk fabric ever made. I thought I understood the definition of soft. Turns out, I had no idea.”

  She shivered and dipped her head to one side, as if offering her neck to him. He placed his hands on either side of her hips and lowered his mouth to her creamy skin, which smelled of a thousand flowers in a spring meadow. He kissed the spot between her ear and shoulder.

  She made a sound somewhere between a moan and a sigh. “Rafael,” she whispered.

  Like a bee to a sweet flower, he couldn’t stop himself from feasting upon her. He planted kisses from her ear to the base of her neck. His presumptuous tongue teased her earlobe as his hands tightened around her hips.

  She leaned into him, awakening every nerve ending in his body. He pulled her tighter. She placed her fingers in his hair. He kissed the other side of her neck before yanking her around to face him. He looked into those blue eyes that were already his favorite respite. Now they sparkled with reckless energy. Her mouth parted, and she licked her lips, like a dare.

  He took her mouth with his, wanting to possess her, mark her for his own. She gasped and met him in a kiss that felt explosive, almost dangerous. This woman might have looked like an angel, but she kissed like a wild animal.

  When they parted, he wrapped his hands around the tops of her arms, holding her steady, and spoke with his chin resting on her golden head. “I’m powerless to stay away from you.”

  “Do you want to?”

  “There are a hundred reasons why I should.”

  “Name one.”

  He touched his thumb to her bottom lip. “I wrecked your lipstick.”

  “Is that one of the hundred reasons, or just a statement?”

  “You’ve been through a traumatic experience. You’re vulnerable—not thinking straight.”

  “Thinking straight is overrated,” she said.

  His gaze traveled over every millimeter of her face, searching for clues. Was it possible she liked him? Or was this just an outcome of her trauma? “A gentleman doesn’t take advantage of a woman in your situation. He takes it slow, lets her take the lead. Not to mention that my bedroom is feet away from yours. It’s way too easy for us to make a mistake.”

  “Did our kiss feel like a mistake?” she asked.

  “Spending time with you could never be a mistake.” He gestured toward his adjoining room. “I’m supposed to be looking after you, not sleeping with you.”

  “Are they mutually exclusive?” she asked, softly.

  “I don’t know…” He trailed off, uncertain what to say.

  Her cell phone buzzed from the table. For a second, a hint of irritation passed over her even features. “That’s probably the car service. It’s time to go.”

  He removed his hands from where they’d been possessively attached to her arms and stepped back a few inches. “Right. Good.” They needed to get out of this hotel room and in the presence of other people before he lost his head completely. He needed to get control of his libido instead of acting like a thirteen-year-old kid with the prom queen.

  She stuck her phone into a silver clutch on the table. A gauzy wrap in the same silver was draped over one of the chairs. “You want this?” he asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  He grabbed it from the back of the chair. The material was silky and light. Still, it was not as soft as Lisa’s skin. He walked behind her and slipped it over her shoulders.

  “Rafael?”

  “Yeah?”

  She turned to face him and picked up one of his roughened hands. For a moment, she stared down at his hand, then traced the calluses on the fold between his fingers and palm that were built up from his years of physical training. She kissed each callus before placing his hand against her cheek. “In case you weren’t sure, I’d rather stay here with you than go to this party. I’d rather be with you than anywhere else, and I’d never think of it as a mistake.”

  His chest swelled, despite his best efforts. She was so guileless and brutally honest. He wasn’t sure she was capable of deception, even to herself. She liked him. Damn. What were the odds of the beauty liking the beast?

  “I feel the same way.” He sounded gruff and uncouth, but she didn’t seem to think so, because she gave him one of her dazzling smiles.

  “You do like me?” she asked.

  “Yes, I like you. I haven’t been able to think about anyone but you from the first time we met. When they asked me to take this job, I was torn between ecstasy and horrible guilt for being happy that you needed me.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really and truly.”

  “Kiss me one more time before I put my lipstick on?”

  Who was he to deny a lady her request?

  * * *

  Forty-five minutes later, they were dropped at an opulent house in an armed and gated community in Malibu. Valets ran out to greet them, but their driver seemed unconcerned and pulled right up to the front door.

  “Be back for us at ten, please,” Lisa said.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Rafael got out first and offered his hand to Lisa and assisted her out of the car and onto the pavement. On the way over, she’d fixed her makeup as he stole glances at her, fascinated by every move she made. She no longer looked like she’d been kissed within an inch of her life. He tucked her arm against his side as they walked up the steps to the front door.

  A maid greeted them, dressed in a black-and-white uniform. “Welcome. May I take your wrap?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Lisa said.

  She asked them to follow her down the hallway and into a vast room decorated in modern, simple lines. The windows faced west, with a view of an outdoor area and, beyond, the sea. A serious-looking couple gazed at a painting on the wall, discussing it in low tones. To the right, caterers moved about the open kitchen. Outside by the pool, people chatted in groups. Orange lanterns hung over the water.

  They walked out through double doors to the outside. A DJ played music next to a kidney-shaped pool. A woman in a red dress broke away from one of the clusters of people to greet them. Here it goes. Be cool. Just stay quiet. No one has to know how much you don’t belong here.

  “We thought you’d never get here. Everyone’s dying to meet you.” The woman pulled Lisa into an embrace while keeping a good two inches between.

  “Sasha Wilson, this is my boyfriend, Rafael Soto. Sasha is my manager.”

  He held out his hand and Sasha shook it, giving him a chance to inspect her more closely. A well-preserved sixty, with sharp eyes and long brown hair better suited to a teenager than an older woman. “Nice to meet you. Are you in the business? I haven’t seen you before, have I?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m a retired cop.”

  “A cop? How sexy.” Sasha blinked like she had something in her eye before turning back to Lisa. “Where have you been hiding him?”

  “Wouldn’t you?” Lisa asked without missing a beat. “I didn’t want the vultures in this town to swoop in and steal him from me.”

  “You’re such a New Yorker, darling. No one swoops here in Hollywood. Nothing so overt.” Sasha laughed or hiccupped. He wasn’t sure which. She had small teeth. He imagined they were sharp like razor clams. “How’s the hotel? Will it do?”

  “It’s lovely. Too much,” Lisa said.

  “Nothing’s too much for the next ‘it’ girl,” Sasha said. “Listen to this. Morley Kellogg call
ed me this afternoon. He wants to set up a meeting to talk about his next project.”

  “No way,” Lisa said as she grabbed Rafael’s hand. “How does he know about me?”

  “Darling, don’t be so modest. You’re the talk of the town. Seems you’ve stolen the show in Raven.” She lowered her voice. “Speaking of which, Glynnis Newman is here and I heard she’s not happy. Stay clear of her. Apparently, she isn’t fond of young actresses who steal the attention from her.”

  Sasha’s gaze focused on someone behind them. “Crap, there’s Roman Shore. I’ve got to talk to him about something before he gets too drunk and forgets the entire conversation. I’ll find you later.”

  Lisa had a death grip on his hand. He wasn’t sure he would regain feeling in his fingers. “Morley Kellogg. Do you know who that is?”

  “A director?” he asked, not too sure.

  “Yes. Like the director right now. Huge.”

  He smiled at the way her face had lit up, and the next second his heart sank. This girl was going to be a huge star, taking her further away from the likes of him. Don’t get attached. Stay cold.

  “Glynnis wasn’t fond of me during the shoot,” she said with a worried glance around the party. “Now she’ll have her assistant make a voodoo doll and stick me with pins.”

  “Let’s get a drink. You should have some fun.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the bar at the far end of the yard. Clusters of guests gathered poolside, drinking and chatting. One of the women from a group by the bar screamed and ran toward them.

  “Brace yourself, Eden is on her way,” Lisa said.

  Rafael recognized her from Indigo Road. She played Lisa’s sister.

  “Lisa Perry, you’re in such trouble with me.” Eden grabbed Lisa into an embrace. “What took you so long to get here?”

  “Fashionably late.” Lisa placed her hand on his shoulder. “This is Rafael.”

  “A secret boyfriend? How devious of you.” Eden smiled at him, her eyes glinting in the twinkling lights that hung over the bar area.

  “He wasn’t a secret,” Lisa said. “I just wanted to keep him to myself for a while.”

  Eden was tall and lanky with blond hair she wore long and straight. Although she was much taller and not as fair as Lisa, they could be sisters in real life.