LITTLE SECRET | RAFE CAMERON

62: 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴

„Here, take this" Rafe threw the shirt he had been wearing earlier to Alice, when the two of them finally got out of the pool.

The cold of the late night froze the remaining water on her skin immediately, but her clothes were still completely wet, thanks to Rafe. So she was more than just willing to put on his shirt, which she skillfully caught as he was already making himself comfortable on the nearby sun lounger.

„What are you doing?" Alice laughed and walked over to the sun lounger, dressed in his shirt and her underwear, she stopped next to it.

„I don't feel like going in yet" He shrugged his shoulders and put his arms behind his head.

The sight of him did not match their surroundings at all. The late hour had shrouded Kildare Island in a summer chill, while the sky shimmered with bright stars, which in no way made it look more normal that he was lying there shirtless.

She shook her head at him. „I'm not staying here, let's go back inside"

„No, come here"

„I'm not gonna argue with you, Rafe, it's freezing cold"

„I told you to come here" He said firmly and held out his hand to her, not leaving her a choice. The effect of his voice was enough to make her take it.

She watched him move to the side and create some space that was meant for her. But his size alone took up so much space that she thought it would be impossible for them both to fit.

„God, you're such an idiot" She giggled softly as he held her by the hand and made her sink hesitantly down next to him.

„And you talk too much" Rafe laughed and took her leg, pulled it over his waist and made her hip press against his side.

To protect her from falling off, he slid his free arm around her back and held her tight, bringing them closer together. However, they didn't have to say that neither of them minded.

Especially because the heat of their bodies was enough to invalidate the cold of the night.

His fingertips on her back began to draw small circles that almost made her sleepy, but something burned inside of her that made it impossible for her to even think about falling asleep.

And it wasn't his touch or the closeness to him or the warmth between them but...a thought that had sparked.

A thought she had tried to ignore.

Unsuccessfully.

„Rafe..." Alice began quietly, almost cautiously, as she rested her head on his shoulder and looked up at him.

„Hmm?" He hummed, not taking his eyes off the sky above them.

„Can I ask you something without you getting mad at me?"

Rafe's gaze flicked down to her. Stern lines pressed into the skin between his brows, making her consider for a moment whether she should even ask, but the severity of his eyes wordlessly prompted her to do so.

„Uhm..." She hesitated as she propped up her chin on his chest and thought for a moment, but his gaze remained the same. „I know you guys were smoking weed today and I...I mean, my brother does it too so I don't have a problem with it cause' it...-sorry, I was just...wondering if you've been doing any other drugs lately?"

With a snort, he looked up at the sky again. „if you wanna talk about the coke thing, just say so, Alice"

Her name sounded harsh from his lip.

But apart from that, it was the mere feeling of something bitter on her tongue at the thought of asking him outright if he was still addicted that stopped her from actually doing it.

After all, it was Rafe.

Her Rafe.

Something like an addiction in connection with him seemed so...brutal to her. She was more than aware that he could be impulsive at times and she really wasn't interested in arguing with him, but she felt like she was missing something important. That's why she asked him.

But he wouldn't lie to her, would he?

Rafe bit the inside of his cheek as he looked up at the sky instead of at her. „what makes you think that?"

„What makes me think what?" She asked in confusion.

„That I'm still doing coke."

There was no real reason. Well, her worry perhaps, but she hadn't noticed anything about him that made her think that. And if there had been something that she should've noticed, he must have hidden it damn well.

„I'm not accusing you of anything, Rafe. I just know you used to do it and we never really talked about it, that's why and..." Alice tried to smile as she spoke and let her hand run over his chest to make him stay calm. „...because I love you."

Hesitantly, his blue eyes slid down to hers again as her words reached his ears. There was a lot in his gaze, but nothing she really understood.

Rafe swallowed hard and carefully brought his hand to her cheek. „I'd tell you if I was still addicted...you'd be the first to know" He assured her as he looked directly into her eyes, his thumb stroking the skin under her lower lashes.

She had to smile softly. It was good to hear that he was doing well, but knowing that he trusted her was even better.

Alice scooted up to him a little and stopped with her face right in front of his. Her lips brushed his, but they didn't kiss yet, looking into each other's eyes as she felt his hand slowly moving from her cheek to the side of her hair.

This moment. When their lips finally met and breathed in each other, kissed until they were inseparable, she wanted to memorize it forever.

She wanted to feel the beauty of his love forever, because for as long as she could remember, no boy had ever loved her the way he did. But love didn't even seem to be the right word for what Alice felt for Rafe.

It seemed way too...overused, too small for the amount of it she had for him.

But the reason she would remember that night wouldn't be their love, or their kiss, or the sex they had, or the damn stars in the sky above them.

It would be something completely different.

Something that would make her realize that her naivety was her greatest weakness.