If you go anywhere, even paradise, you will miss your home.
-Malala Yousafzai
Coco Spencer's POV
"Home sweet home," I muttered as I stared at the familiar English manor in front of me. It felt like I've been away longer than a week of staying in Sicily, hard to be believed that I was already backed in London.
"What's with the not so cheerful tone, Signorina?"
I turned around to see my husband, picking up our luggage in the trunk of the car smiling ironically in my direction. "I just found out that I didn't miss this place in my week of absences even one bit. What I don't understand is why do I have to live under the same roof with my spiteful relatives? I have a nice flat back in the city."
"Your grandfather's request according to his last will." He stated simply, he walked where I was standing in the foyer of the Spencer manor. "You don't need to pout at the thought of you living here. You will have wrinkles on your face at an early age. It's not forever, you know, only a whole year and after that, you are free to live wherever you want."
"Still," I informed him dryly, while started taking the marble steps slowly. "A whole year living with them feels like decades to me."
My husband smiled at me thoughtfully. "Your grandfather's last will didn't state that you have to spend your day inside the manor. You roam the city the whole day if you want to avoid their company."
"That's a nice thought, honey." I looked gratefully at him. Before we could even ring the doorbell a uniformed maid opened the door for us. "See? Every wall of this place has eyes. I bet that my good-for-nothing relatives already knew that we arrived from our trip."
"Shall we greet them?" Rafe asked as we walked to the grand staircase.
I threw a glare in his direction. "Like I will do such a thing? That's the last thing I want to do after our vacation overseas."
He gave me a throaty laugh but didn't answer. We walked to the silent corridor of the east wing of the manor where our bedroom was located. Once we were in the bedroom he carefully placed our luggage at the side of the bed.
"Are you going to the office now?" I asked him, removing my jacket while sitting on the bed to face him.
"Yes," He replied, doing the same thing with his jacket. "But I will take a quick shower and change my clothes."
"Will you be busy the whole day?" I queried, studying his handsome form. I guessed I could consider our trip to Sicily to be our honeymoon since we're back in London he would be extremely busy rebuilding their company. "Can I expect you to be here before dinner time?"
He smiled at me sadly. "I will try but I can't promise you, cara mia. If I am not at home by seven tonight you should eat your dinner without me, okay? I will be very busy at the office today. Cesare introduced me to an English businessman who is interested in investing in Moretti Industries. I have a meeting with him this afternoon."
"English businessman, you say?" I repeated with a frown on my eyebrow. "Does he have a daughter?"
"Not that I am aware of?" He counted, probably mulling his brain for information. I couldn't help but admire his sexy body as he strip in front of me unconsciously. I shouldn't feel embarrassed since I already saw every inch of his body but... "Why do you ask, anyway?"
"Just curious," I answered him intently. It's hard to conduct a conversation with him while he was almost naked in front of me. He stood proudly with his boxers. If I didn't know better I would assume that he's silently seducing me.
He shrugged and went to the en suite bathroom. I wanted to follow and share a steamy shower with him but that action might cause him to be late with his appointment. So I decided to stay in the bed and carefully plan my late-night seduction later.
After a quick shower, he went out of the bathroom dripping wet and a towel wrapped around his waist. God, this man will be the death of me. How could he parade himself right before my eyes looking like that? I was playing how to be a good wife here I don't want him to be late with his appointment today but this devil was tempting me.
"Stop staring, you are embarrassing me. You are making me uncomfortable with your intent look." He mimicked my exact words when he was staring at me during our picnic by the beach.
I threw a disapproving look in his direction. "That's not funny. Besides, I am not staring at you, sir. I am staring at my dresser table."
"Really?" He asked sardonically, his eyes held deviltry in their depth. "That's hard to believe since I am hundred percent sure that you are staring at my thing. Look I will not get an erection if my wife isn't staring at it."
I scowled at him. "Not my problem anymore."
He walked barefooted where I sat on the bed. He lowered his head so we're on eye level. He also planted his hands-on side of the mattress trapping me. "You don't need to be sour about it, love. I promise I will make it up to you. Just like what we did in Sicily."
I stared deep into his eyes, as the blush spread through my cheeks despite my effort to stop it. X-rated images flashed inside my mind while I noticed the smirk on his lips. I couldn't believe that this straight-laced man could be a devil in bed. I have had a fair share of relationships before but this was the only man who made me blush between the sheets.
"You were thinking about it, don't you?" The nerve of him to asked me that question with such devilish tone.
I looked away from his intense eyes. "No," I muttered a little breathlessly.
"Then, why can't you look at me straight in the eyes?" He whispered seductively at me. He was so far too close for my comfort. I could already feel in hot breathe.
"I told you..." I summoned my eyes to meet his but the words died in my throat when he suddenly claimed my lips with a searing kiss. This man liked to catch me off guard these past few days. I eagerly answered his kiss, opening my mouth so he could get better access. I heard him moaned when our tongues tangled together while running my fingers through his damp hair.
He teased and bit me playfully. "Rafe..." I said between our kisses. "We...need...stop." He wasn't not listening he even deepened our kiss.
R.I.P. Brain cells. I silently thought with regret.
Our heated kiss only stopped when his mobile phone sounded on the bedside table. He managed to remove his mouth from mine and looked at the screen of his mobile device. He smiled warily. "It's my secretary. I'm already late for my appointment. I'm sorry but I have to go, Signorina. I promise I will make it up to you soon."
"I will hold on to your promise, honey," I informed him with a smile. I watched him dressed when he removed his towel from his waist I got a good looked at his rear before he slipped his boxers. "May I give you a fair warning?"
"Warning?" He asked curiously, buttoning his shirt. "What kind of warning, wife?"
I lay down on the bed and stared at the high ceiling. "Do not flirt with the daughter of your investor just to get the deal, are we clear?"
"Why?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "Are you jealous? Don't tell me that you are? Corrine Moretti is jealous of the daughter of this investor. We are not even sure if he has a daughter, my darling."
My mouth twisted with distaste. "I have a feeling that he has. You don't want to see my jealous side, Rafaelle Moretti. Nobody has seen it before. You don't want to be the first. I'm such a crazy woman."
"Point taken, ma'am. But have some faith in your husband, Signorina. I will never do something that might hurt you. I need to go, bye." He gave me a quick peck in the lips before he took his brief bag and went out of the door.
"What should I do to kill time?" I muttered to myself once I was alone in our massive bedroom.
Rafe Moretti's POV
I smiled to myself, as I remember my last conversation with my wife. Who would have thought that she would admit that she might get jealous of another woman? I thought women were the last ones to admit that they're jealous.
I sat in my office trying to proofread the business proposal I would give the investor later and here I was all I could think was my wife. I have a very busy day ahead of me but I seem that my mind was still on vacation mode.
Once I closed this deal with this English investor I would plan again with another out-of-the-country vacation with my wife. We haven't yet had a real honeymoon... I shook my head forcing myself to focus on the document on my laptop screen. This is not the right time to think about that.
A few hours later, I was in the private area of the restaurant waiting for the investor. The door suddenly burst to open the waiter led the acquaintance of Cesare Fiorenza. I was about to stand in my chair when I stopped midway. The man went inside with a young woman. His daughter? I asked silently. I gave myself a self-mocking smile. Since when did my wife become such a psychic?
"Rafe Moretti." Adam Clarke extended his hand in my direction with a smile on his face. "Good to meet you again."
"Nice to meet you again, sir." I shook his hand briefly. I spared a glance to the young woman who smiled a little adoringly in my direction for my opinion. I swallowed hard. It feels like I took one step closer to Coco's wrath.
Adam Clarke must notice that I was staring at the woman beside him. "Oh, I forgot to introduce you to my daughter. This is my little girl Stella. Sweetie, this is Rafe Moretti, my soon-to-be business partner."
"Nice to meet you." I offered my hand with a slight force smile on my face.
"Glad to finally meet you, Rafe." She purred, battling her eyelashes to me. She held my hand firmly. "Daddy talked about a great deal about you since Mr. Cesare Fiorenza's birthday party. How I wish I had come with daddy with that birthday party so I met you sooner."
I snatched my hand lightning fast. I rubbed my hand at the back of my trousers. "I hope you don't mind if I brought my daughter to our meeting. She wants to meet you."
Yes, I mind. My mind answered silently, but I would not voice that immediately. "I don't mind, sir. If I know she will come I also bring my wife with me so she will not feel bored with our meeting."
The man's eyes widened. "You have a wife?"
I nodded with a smile. "Yes, I am recently married to a fabulous woman, sir. Is there something wrong?"
"Well, I hope that you..." Adam Clarke trailed off with regret in his eyes. "...never mind. Come. Let's have dinner first before we discuss this business proposal."
We were all seated at the table and the waiter gave us the menu. Stella Clarke stared at me longer than necessary. I hid my face through the menu. I nearly jumped in my seat when her foot grazed my knee. I glared at her vehemently but she just smiled seductively in my direction.
Oh my God... I thought silently. If Coco learns about this she will probably kill me.