Because Of Love

Talia stood by the arrival gates, impatiently waiting for Carrie to walk through. She hadn’t really known how much she’d needed Carrie around until she woke up that morning. Sleeping in Rafe’s condo, in his bed, shook her up more than she’d thought possible. She’d had the worst nightmare of her life.

Since that day, she’d been having nightmares, but not as bad. She’d convinced herself that the drug was doing a number on her psyche because she never could remember the nightmare. But last night…

She remembered the fear, fighting for what felt like her life. She remembered being on her back, looking up at someone holding her down but everything was hazy. Though she couldn’t remember the face of her assailant, she remembered the voices and one stood out. It was menacing, scary and promised such horror, she woke up in the middle of an asthma attack.

It was a good thing she had a habit of sleeping with her inhaler under her pillow.

Talia remembered the first night she’d spent with Rafe in the new house. He saw her sneak it under her pillow and asked about it. It was the second time he’d asked, but unlike the first time, he wanted details. At first, she was anxious about telling him especially since she’d planned to make love with him that night. Getting excited with acute asthma could turn a wonderful day into a suffocating one, literally. It would be beyond embarrassing and she didn’t want to freak him out.

But he took it well, his expression calm and reassuring as he nodded while she told him about all her triggers. She felt so embarrassed explaining why she might need it at that particular time but he didn’t say a word. In fact, his face was so impassive as he silently stared at her, she thought she’d have an attack just from the anxiety of waiting for him to say anything! He then he asked if she had another inhaler. When she asked why, he said just in case she ever forgot to carry one around, he’d have a spare on hand. And she’d fallen even deeper in love with him.

She smiled at the memory and only noticed Carrie standing before her when she rubbed her thumb across her cheek.

“I’d like to think those tears are happy tears because I’m here. It’s going to be okay, Talia.”

Talia threw her arms around her friend in a tight hug, which she returned.

“Oh, Carrie! The man I know and love…he wouldn’t do that to me. Drug me and leave me defenseless. That’s just not Rafe.”

“Still in denial?” she huffed. As irritating as her response was, Talia couldn’t fault her. Carrie pulled away to look at her. “Then who, Talia?”

She shook her head. “If only I could remember, it would make everything so much easier to deal with.”

Carrie sighed. “You mother is going to kill me if she finds out I suggested this but…why don’t you try and talk to Rafe about that day?”

Talia wiped her cheeks dry. “After I interrupted his royal wedding, I doubt he’ll agree to sit down and have a calm discussion.”

“Try.” Her voice brokering no argument.

Talia smiled. Why did she ever think she could do this without Carrie?

“Thank you for being here.”

Carrie smiled sheepishly. “Well, I’m actually here for the employee exchange program, for six months. I didn’t want to tell you because of all that happened.”

How didn’t she know that? Had Carrie told her? Of course not. They’d all been wrapped up in Talia’s business it left no space for anyone else’s. She felt guilty about that.

“That’s great! But when did you apply?”

She shrugged. “When you said you were in love with Rafe and you’d follow him anywhere. I figured anywhere would be Italy and I didn’t want to lose you so I applied. Rafe actually helped me.”

Talia nodded, feeling fresh tears burn the back of her eyes. “See what I mean? Why would he do that if he planned to abandon me?”

“Well, the only way you can solve this is by talking to him without the lawyers. But right now, I want to take a nap, and then we’ll explore Roma!” She tossed her head back and flounced away, her arms held away from her in a regal way.

Talia laughed and followed her friend, dragging with her the heavy suitcase princess Carrie had left behind.

* * * *

Rafe slowly rose from the couch, the pounding in his head growing worse with each move he made. This was why he hated drinking-the morning after. He hated having a hangover. Good thing it was the weekend, and he didn’t have to go into work.

He moved to the bedroom to grab a shower, hoping that would at least help with the headache. He’d barely been in there a minute when he felt arms wrap around his waist, and breasts pressed against his back.

His first thought was of Talia, but he knew better than that. He would have felt her pregnant belly at his back too, so who was this? And how did she get into his condo. No one else had a key except him and the cleaning service. It couldn’t possibly be his maid, she was old enough to be his mother.

When the hands began to creep down towards his crotch he grabbed them, jerking her around to stand before him.

“Gabriella? What are you doing here, and how did you get in?”

She shrugged, looking up at him below her lashes seductively as her hands roamed his chest. “Well, I thought we could still have our honeymoon even if our wedding was ruined.”

She began kissing up his chest, his neck, and then his lips. Most men would have been turned on by this but Rafe didn’t even feel the slightest twitch of erection coming on. Before the mental stress, even when his attraction to her had begun to fade he could still fuck her until they were both limp and exhausted but fully sated. But after being with Talia, he just couldn’t get it up with Gabriella. She’d shrugged her acceptance when he told her he wanted to wait to make their wedding night special. Gabriella wasn’t the glitters and rainbows kind of girl except if those glitters were diamonds and those rainbows were of the seven designer bags placed together. He’d had to quickly follow up with an abstinence agreement which she didn’t take very well. After what happened with Talia, his ego just wouldn’t allow it.

He and Gabriella knew exactly what they were getting into with this marriage, it wasn’t a love match, so until they said ‘I do’, it had been an open relationship. Which, at the moment, he wished she had taken up again.

“Gabriella…” he began pulling her arms from around his neck.

“Please, Rafe. It’s been so long since you made love to me. And after how I was embarrassed, I need you to pay attention to me!”

Rafe bit down a groan. There was nothing he hated more than female whining. It was one of the reasons he fell for Talia. She never whined, she argued the merits of what she wanted.

Talia…

The thought of her name made him harden and Gabriella giggled.

“Amore, I knew you would not disappoint me.” She slapped her lips against his, hoisted herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Rafe wanted to pull her off, but wasn’t this what he was signing up for? This was what he was going to do today and for an entire two weeks in Paris if his wedding hadn’t been interrupted.

Talia…

His erection raged and he unconsciously pushed Gabriella against the shower wall. She sighed and bucked against him.

He was a man, fucking was a no brainer.

But her lips were too thin, not as lush as Talia’s. His hands on her hips, he felt how narrow they were, lacking Talia’s curves. The breasts pressed against his chest were too small and pink unlike Talia’s. Her breasts fit his wide hands perfectly, spilling over a little. He loved sucking on those chocolate colored nipples as she bucked and shrieked under him.

Inferno! Gabriella even sounded wrong when she moaned her desire. But she was here.

Thinking of Talia had him so hard there was no way he could send Gabriella away. But he couldn’t look at her, kiss her, knowing she wasn’t Talia.

Why the hell he was still faithful to that cheating bitch was a wonder to him, but now wasn’t the time to think about that. He needed to expel his frustrations and Gabriella was here to be used to his pleasure.