LITTLE SECRET | RAFE CAMERON

46: 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦

The cutlery clinked on the plates, drowned out by the many voices and their ongoing conversations. The mood at the table was pretty good so far and at least took away a little of Alice's tension from before.

But it wasn't the conversations she was focused on.

She couldn't help but look at Rafe every now and then.

The way he sat in his chair, so relaxed with his hips pushed forward and leaning back comfortably. And how - unlike her - he took part in the conversations and was even charming, unlike how anyone would expect from him.

And when it came to his outfit, he seemed to particularly suit her taste this evening.

He was wearing a white polo shirt that fit him loosely. Unbuttoned the first two buttons, the short sleeves were loose, but still hugged his upper arms when he raised his hand to run it through those tangled strands of blond hair that looked so strangely soft. The black pants he wore with it were so neat that there wasn't a single messy wrinkle.

He looked clean, not only on the outside but apparently also in his mind.

„Hmh, Alice" Ward's voice suddenly came across the table, gaining her attention right away. „I heard you want to take over your father's company in the future"

Rafe's gaze swung over to her in surprise.

„Yeah." She nodded shortly.

„How come?"

Alice picked at the food with her fork, taken aback by the sudden attention she was receiving now. „well, actually Ian was supposed to do it, but since he's working on a lawyer career now and I'm more interested in the whole interior design stuff, I guess I'll take over"

She was actually interested in interior design and she liked to talk to her dad about it, but she...didn't like Ward enough to have a real conversation with him.

„And she'll be way better than me" Owen nodded proudly.

„But a soon-to-be lawyer in the family also sounds very promising" Ward directed the conversation towards Ian.

Either because he noticed that Alice wasn't interested in talking to him any further or because he urgently needed a lawyer.

Probably a bit of both.

„You never told me" Rafe suddenly whispered to her, not listening to what Ian had to say.

„Told you what?"

„The whole future company busniess woman thing"

She giggled softly at his explanation and shrugged her shoulders. „we never talk about stuff like that, I don't know what you're up to either"

„Well, you're not the only one who has to take over companies" Rafe said almost a little too proudly. „so we'll probably become business partners"

Laughing softly, she picked up her glass and took a sip.

„What, you don't want me as a partner?" He bumped his knee against hers under the table.

„It depends, would you even be a good one?"

„Am I not already?"

Alice shook her head with a roll of her eyes and went back to her plate. Not only did Rafe look very handsome tonight, but he was also very keen to play games that she wouldn't play with him at a table full of people.

Or maybe he was already a little tipsy from the wine he drank just to impress her mom.

She felt his ringed hand sneak up to her leg under the table. A touch so sudden that she gritted her teeth as he ran his hand over the skin no longer covered by her slightly slipped-up red dress.