Always you

Chapter 20

The first thing Sasha noticed as she woke was the sunlight pouring in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of Rafe's penthouse, painting the room in a warm glow. The second thing she noticed was Rafe—still sound asleep, his body completely wrapped around hers, one arm draped protectively over her waist and his leg tangling with hers under the covers.

She blinked, trying to shake off the grogginess of sleep. The soft rise and fall of his chest against her back sent a wave of warmth through her. She smiled to herself, but the realization that she was wearing nothing but one of Rafe's oversized T-shirts quickly sobered her. She shifted slightly, trying not to disturb him as she slipped out from under his arm.

Rafe stirred but didn't wake, his arm reaching out briefly before settling into the empty space she'd left. Sasha tiptoed across the plush carpet toward the bathroom, her heart racing.

Once inside, she splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake off the emotions swirling inside her. Last night had been perfect—more than perfect, actually. But it had also felt like crossing some invisible line she hadn't even realized she'd been dancing on.

As she returned to the bedroom, her hair damp and face fresh, she froze at the sight before her. Rafe was awake now, his head propped up on one hand as he watched her with a lazy grin.

"Where do you think you're sneaking off to?" he teased, his voice gravelly from sleep.

Sasha rolled her eyes, her cheeks heating. "I wasn't sneaking. I just went to the bathroom."

Rafe chuckled and patted the spot next to him. "Get back here."

She hesitated for a moment, but the warmth in his eyes and the softness of his smile drew her back to the bed. She slid under the covers, and Rafe immediately pulled her close, kissing her forehead.

"Good morning," he murmured.

"Good morning," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, they lay in comfortable silence, the sounds of the city muffled by the penthouse's height.

"Last night was perfect," Sasha finally said, her fingers tracing small patterns on his chest.

"Yeah, it was," Rafe agreed, his lips curving into a smile. "We should do it again."

Sasha laughed softly. "You mean every date will end with lanterns and private beaches?"

"For you? Absolutely," Rafe teased, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Sasha smiled, her heart swelling at his words. But before she could respond, her stomach let out a loud growl, breaking the moment.

Rafe laughed, the sound deep and rich. "Hungry?"

"Starving," she admitted, burying her face in his chest.

"Well, there's just one problem."

Sasha pulled back to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"There's no food here," Rafe said with a sheepish grin.

"You mean you have this amazing penthouse and not a single thing to eat?" Sasha asked incredulously.

Rafe shrugged. "What can I say? I wasn't planning on having company."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Alright, then we'll stop by my house so I can change, and then you're taking me to breakfast."

"Yes, ma'am," Rafe said with a mock salute, earning a laugh from Sasha.

After a quick stop at Sasha's house, where she changed into a sundress and sandals, they headed to a cozy breakfast spot near the beach. The restaurant was bustling with locals and tourists alike, the smell of coffee and freshly baked pastries filling the air.

Rafe pulled out a chair for Sasha before sitting across from her. She was still smiling at his gentlemanly gesture when the door to the restaurant swung open, and a chorus of familiar voices filled the air.

"Sasha? Rafe?"

They both looked up to see Topper, JJ, Sarah, Alex, and Daniel making their way toward them.

"Oh no," Sasha muttered under her breath, her cheeks turning pink.

Rafe, however, looked entirely unfazed, even amused, as the group stormed their table and pulled up chairs.

"What's going on?" Alex asked, his tone casual but his smirk revealing he already knew more than he let on.

"Yeah, why didn't you guys come to the hangout last night?" JJ added, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

Sasha opened her mouth to respond, but Rafe beat her to it. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together. "We went on a date," he said simply.

The reaction was immediate. Cheers erupted from the group, with Sarah clapping her hands and Topper letting out a loud whoop.

"Finally!" JJ exclaimed, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation. "We've been waiting for this forever."

Sasha's blush deepened, but she couldn't help but smile as Rafe gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Daniel, who had been unusually quiet, gave Rafe a knowing look. "Took you long enough," he said, earning a laugh from Alex.

"I was working on it," Rafe said with a grin, his eyes never leaving Sasha's.

As the group continued to tease and celebrate, Sasha found herself relaxing. There was something comforting about the way they all fit together, the way their friendships were laced with so much history and camaraderie.

The boys' bond was impossible to ignore. Throughout breakfast, they bantered and joked, their closeness evident in every word and gesture.

"Remember that time Rafe wiped out on his board trying to impress those girls?" JJ said, his laughter contagious.

"That was years ago!" Rafe protested, but he was laughing, too.

"And you still can't live it down," Topper added with a grin.

Even Alex and Daniel chimed in, their stories weaving a tapestry of shared memories that made Sasha feel like she was witnessing something special.

Sarah leaned over to Sasha, a smile tugging at her lips. "This is how they are all the time. It's chaos, but it's kind of great, isn't it?"

Sasha nodded, her heart swelling with warmth. "Yeah, it is."

As breakfast wound down, the group began to disperse, each heading off to their plans for the day. But before they left, Rafe pulled Sasha aside, his hand resting lightly on her waist.

"Hey," he said softly, his eyes searching hers.

"Hey," she replied, her lips curving into a small smile.

"You okay?"

Sasha nodded. "Yeah. I'm just... happy."

Rafe's smile widened, and he leaned down to kiss her softly. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers. "Good."

As they walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, Sasha couldn't help but think that, for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly as it should.