Page 109 of Fix You

“We can see a Broadway musical instead.”

I shook my head. “You love opera, and I want to share that part of you.”

Rafe eyed me skeptically. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

But the truth was, I sounded a lot more positive than I felt.

Chapter Twenty-One: Raphael

As I sat around the table with my brothers at our weekly board meeting, I found I couldn’t concentrate. Instead of data points, my focus was on Maeve. The silky feel of her hair between my fingers. The smooth feel of her lips against mine. The warm heat of her core. The way she nibbled her bottom lip when she was getting close to coming.

But my thoughts weren’t just sexually driven. My mind was also on her girlish giggle. Her attempts at Italian recipes to please my stomach. The way she fit into my life in New York.

I loved sharing my city with her during my birthday weekend. After our night in Heaven, we’d spent Saturdayexploring the city. She’d begged me to take her to all the touristy traps, and of course, I’d obliged.

That night as we prepared forAida, I couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive. I don’t know what the hell I’d been thinking when I’d gotten the tickets. Well, I hadn’t been thinking at all since I’d asked my secretary to get them. It was only later that I realized how close to life it was.

Despite the similarities, Maeve loved it. She was engrossed from the moment the curtain came up until it went down. Even during intermission, she rattled about her favorite moments.

Although she cried throughout parts of it, she jumped to her feet at the end to applaud wildly. When I’d asked if she liked it, she’d replied, “I adored it.” Then during our nightcap, she’d continued talking about it.

That had been a month ago. Although we talked and texted daily, if not hourly, it had been too long since I was buried inside her. Sure, we fucked like rabbits on Facetime, it wasn’t the same thing as having my hands and my mouth on her body or burying my cock inside her.

“Rafe?”

Jerking my gaze to Gianni, I replied, “What?”

With a smirk, he replied, “Are you even listening?”

“Of course I am.”

Leo chuckled. “The fuck you are.”

I grunted. “Fine. My mind was elsewhere.”

“Like in Ireland on a gorgeous redhead?” Leo asked.

“Maybe.” At both of their smirks, I rolled my eyes. “I haven’t been inside her since my birthday weekend. That’s a hell of a long time for me to be celibate.”

“I knew there was a reason you’d been such astronzo,” Leo joked. My response was to shoot him the bird.

Leaning forward in his chair, Gianni said, “Why don’t you get out of here and go surprise her?”

I cocked my brows at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, why the fuck not?”

“Because you’re supposed to be the voice of reason saying, ‘You’ve got a fiancee, so you shouldn’t be fucking around with another woman, especially one whose brothers will cut your cock off if they find out’.”

Gianni chuckled. “While all of that is true, I would also add that you might as well fuck around while you can. I don’t know Maeve that well, but I seriously doubt she’s going to settle for being your mistress.”

“I wouldn’t demean her like that,” I shot back.

After he eased back in his chair, Leo cocked his head at me. “So what is the plan once you marry Drea?”

The familiar ache of grief entered my chest at the mention of my marriage. Although it pained me to say it, I replied, “I suppose she and I will go our separate ways.”

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