Ari squirmed beneath her mother’s intense gaze. She’d managed to avoid the subject many times over, but her mom was an observant woman. Ari would have to be darned convincing to persuade Sandra there was nothing going on with her “boss.”
“He’s a great man who has decided to give a college dropout a chance. There’s really nothing much I can tell you — he’s a pretty closed book,” Ari hedged.
“It seems to me that he’s more than your boss.”
“That’s ridiculous, Mom. Mr. Palazzo is just one of those men who really stand out in a crowd. He’s…helpful,” Ari concluded lamely.
“You honestly expect me to believe there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”
“No, absolutely nothing!”
“Now, Ari, I think your mother is a smarter woman than that.”
Ari turned around to find Rafe leaning against the doorjamb as if he didn’t have a care in the world. She sent an urgent look his way, pleading with him to stick with her story. When he answered with a wink, she didn’t know what to expect.
“Excuse me, Rafe. Did you want to add something?” Sandra asked as she looked back and forth at the two of them.
“It’s a pleasure to see you looking so much healthier, Sandra,” Rafe replied as he sauntered into the room and reached down to pick up Sandra’s hand and lift it to his mouth for a kiss.
In amazement, Ari watched her mother practically swoon. The man just had a way with women — both young and old. He could probably stop a riot with nothing but a smile and flirtatious wink.
She was becoming increasingly grumpy the longer he was around. The ease with which he wrapped her mother around his little finger exasperated and disturbed Ari.
“Are you going to tell me the truth?” Sandra asked in a throaty whisper.
“I couldn’t lie to you. I’m infatuated with your daughter,” he answered before stepping over to a very stunned Ari and bending down to give her a feathery kiss. His lips touched hers for only a moment, but it was enough to make her a bit light-headed.
“I knew it. I could tell when you were bringing me back and forth to her room. No man does that much for an old lady unless he’s getting something out of it,” Sandra said as if she’d solved a great puzzle.
“Mom!” Ari was horrified at her mother’s speculation.
“You are but a spring chicken, Sandra. With your grace and beauty, it was no hardship to wheel you around. If I were just a few years older, I’d be chasing you instead of your daughter.”
Ari stood there with her mouth open as her mom actually blushed. Was she seriously buying into this crap? Ari’s own heart was buying into it as well, to her utter disappointment. She had to get Rafe away from her mom.
“Don’t we have to catch up on work, Mr. Palazzo?” she asked, hoping to give the situation a more professional turn in her mother’s presence.
“There’s no need to be so formal, Ari. The cat’s out of the bag,” Rafe replied as he slunk toward her. Ari retreated so quickly, she hit a wall.
“My mom’s right here,” she warned when he hemmed her in.
“Later,” he whispered in her ear before running his hand lightly across her cheek. Ari was a nervous mess as he took her hand.
“It’s been such a pleasure to see you again so soon, Sandra. We’ll be by the day after tomorrow to see you home.”
“Thank you, Rafe. Take good care of my little girl,” Sandra said in her mother hen way.
“I most certainly will.”
Ari wondered if he had his fingers crossed somewhere. If her mother knew some of the things Rafe wanted to do to her little girl, she’d probably fly out of the bed with a needle and stab him in the eye. Or maybe her mom would inflict serious injury lower down…
“I love you, Mom. I’ll come by again tomorrow. Then you’ll have only one more day to go until you’re in your own bed again.”
“Just knowing that will make time creep by. When you want the day to pass quickly, that’s when the clock stands still. I love you, too. Now, get out of here; I’m sure you’re exhausted after all that traveling.”
“I may just sleep for twelve hours straight. See you soon.” Ari reached down and hugged her mom before reluctantly turning and allowing Rafe to escort her from the room.
The two of them walked to the elevators in silence, and then stepped inside an empty car. Just her luck — no one else there to break up the tension.
As soon as the doors closed, Rafe backed her against the wall and took her lips in a far less gentle kiss. Just at the point her knees were shaking, he pulled back and reached into her hair to tug her head back.
“I should punish you for lying, figure out a sweet method of torture…”
“I didn’t want my mom to know,” she defended.
“I don’t hide my relationships, Ari. The situation becomes too…complicated when that happens. I like to have my mistresses out in the open where there’s nothing to speculate about.”
Ari was shocked at how cavalier he was about the whole mess. Of course, he’d been in many of these relationships, so what was one more to him?
“I wish I could have the same careless attitude as you, but I can’t. I didn’t want my mother to know about us.”
“I’m a very public man, Ari, and your face will end up in the papers. Unless your mother doesn’t read, watch television, or gossip at the hairdresser’s, she’ll find out. As I said, I find it’s much easier to stave off the media if I’m not hiding anything.”
“Well, she didn’t have to know so soon,” Ari pouted. She had to win on at least one point.
“I find it’s always best to rip off the bandage and get difficult situations over with. Considering we’re going to be together for quite some time, it’s best not to worry about whom we tell and what we tell them.”
“First off, we’re not going to be together for that long, and secondly, my personal life is no one’s business but mine, so if I don’t want to tell people, then that’s my right.”
“Just as it’s my right to tell anyone I please. You’re not going to win this one, Ari — you’re not going to win much at all when you battle me. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” he asked as he bent down and kissed the side of her neck.
She was once again in a place where she both lusted after and loathed him all at once. If this was how she felt the entire time she was with him, it would be a very long three months.