Raphael's Captive

Chapter 13

BREATHS HITCHING, hearts thumping and pulse racing ten miles per hour.

That was how Tami's body felt as she leant into the kiss. Their lips moved slowly and in sync like a perfect song as she slowly relaxed more and more in his arms.

The world seemed like it had stopped for Raphael, and he found himself running his hand down her arms to hold her waist, instinctively pulling her closer to him. It was all he imagined and more. He couldn’t believed Tami was actually kissing him.

Her lips were perfect. They were soft and sweet and had a lingering taste of her dinner, but the taste of her was indescribable. The way her hand rested on his chest as she slowly returned the kiss was heart warming, and he could see himself doing this forever and never getting tired of her.

On numerous occasions he had dreamt of how she would taste on his lips, and how her body would feel flushed against his. Now that it was happening, it was safe to say that it was nothing like his dreams. It was better. Far better.

She sighed contently as she titled her head to deepen the kiss, and Raphael openly welcomed her request without a hint of hesitation. But then the ring of the door snapped them back to reality, and the very sound had Tami jumping back as if someone had pushed her.

Raphael's eyes were dark with desire as he gazed at her, both their chest heaving up at down after the moment they both shared. It would be hard for them to believe that it had only been ten seconds. Still, it was the most magical ten seconds Raphael had ever had, and he would do it again if she'd let him.

However, Tami wasn’t thinking the same though. The now opened elevator doors and perfectly lit hallway was slowly bringing her back to reality. The tingles in her lips and the heat in her whole body told her that the moment wasn’t just a figment of her imagination. It was real.

She met his impassioned gaze at the other end of the elevator, and it was enough to tell her that he was feeling exactly what she was feeling. He took a step towards her, and as much as her body was against the act, she stepped back.

Hurt.

An emotion Raphael knew too well whenever it came to her. He didn’t want to get used to the feeling, but not a day went by when he didn’t feel hurt by something she would say or do.

Now, it was her reaction to him. She had responded to the kiss. He didn’t force her. So why was she looking at him as if he did something horrible now? Did he?

His thoughts  were confirmed when she bolted from the elevator and made for their suite. She avoided him as he called out to her, running straight to her room where she slammed the door right before he could catch her.

"Tami" He pounded on the door with his heart and voice pleading with her. "Let's talk about this"

'Talk about what exactly?' She wanted to ask, but she couldn’t find the voice to. She sat on her huge bed and pulled her knees to her chest as her mind raced with thoughts.

The pounding on her door didn’t stop, but eventually she toned it all out. The familiar feeling of warm tears stung her eyes as she relived the whole day.

She had been so friendly with Raphael. She laughed with him, she talked to him as if they were best friends, she got upset when she saw him with another woman, and now she kissed him.

She didn’t want to, but she knew the wall that she had built around her heart was breaking away. In all honesty, the feeling wasn’t new to her. But after he kidnapped her, she had buried them far, far away, vowing to never let them out again.

Was this her hearts way of accepting what he did? Was the time away from her home and family becoming familiar to her, and so she only sought companionship in the very man that hurt her in the first place?