It was also possible that pigs flew. Enough with excuses. Drunken ramblings should never be disregarded as unimportant. All alcohol did was loosen inhibitions. It was undeniable that Nate had some kind of feelings toward him. Infatuation.
Raffaele clenched his jaw, trying to ignore the storm of contradictory emotions the idea caused.
Mumbling something in his sleep, Nate moved and tucked his face against Raffaele’s shoulder, slinging his leg over his thigh.
Raffaele stared at his golden eyelashes and pink, parted lips.
I hated you so much, but now everything feels dull without you. Want to see you always.
His stomach tightened with an odd, not entirely unpleasant feeling, and Raffaele’s lips thinned. He should have been angry about this. Nate’s idiotic feelings were going to cost Raffaele a perfectly good assistant he had gotten—used to. They’d had a good system going; why had Nate had to go and ruin it? And Nate had ruined it. Raffaele’s hand was forced now.
Contrary to popular opinion, Raffaele wasn’t a cruel man. He didn’t enjoy breaking people’s hearts. After his last spectacular, disastrous break-up a decade ago, he’d made a rule for himself, and he’d stuck to it: no more relationships. He cut all ties to a woman if he noticed that she was starting to make moon eyes at him. It was better to break things off before there were real feelings involved and someone got hurt when he inevitably couldn’t keep it in his pants and fucked someone else.
In the past, ending his association with the woman in question had been easy. All he had to do was stop having sex with her and tell his PA not to take calls from her. Heartless? Maybe. But it was practical. Kind, even—from a certain point of view.
But this time, things were more complicated. The “woman” was his PA.
Raffaele sighed heavily. Dammit, he didn’t want another assistant. He was a creature of habit. He didn’t want to have to train another PA.
Like that’s the only reason you’re stalling, a snide voice said at the back of his mind. You should have transferred him away months ago instead of stuffing him full of your cock several times a day.
Raffaele ran a hand over his face, exhaling through his gritted teeth. It was undeniable that the thing with Nate had lasted far longer than any of his sexual arrangements in the past decade. Nate’s sister was correct that it was only a matter of time before everyone in the company found out about them fucking, and it really would ruin Nate’s career before it even properly started. And he didn’t want that to happen. He… he liked Nate.
The thought made Raffaele grimace, but he couldn’t deny it. He liked Nate—as a person. He liked him more than he liked… pretty much everyone. It wasn’t a new development. Even back at the beginning, when Nate had grated on his nerves with his insubordination, stubbornness, and self-righteousness, he still amused Raffaele. If he hadn’t liked Nate, he would have fired him a long time ago.
But he had been selfish. Selfish and greedy. He was yet to get bored of Nate; his reluctance to let him go stemmed from that.
It didn’t matter.
He knew what he had to do.
Rules were rules.
And for once, he would be doing the “right thing.”
***
Nate’s morning didn’t start well. Putting it mildly.
He had woken up to a massive headache and a very unimpressed sister who had told him things that made Nate want to never leave the bed.
“Yes, he carried you home,” Maya said. “And you kept saying how much you want him, and that you miss sleeping with him, and that your life is dull and empty without him.”
“Tell me you’re kidding,” Nate groaned into his pillow. “Please say you’re pulling my leg.”
“Sadly, no,” Maya said. “I’ve never felt such second-hand embarrassment.”
Nate groaned again. “Someone kill me now.”
“It was embarrassing, yeah, but it’s not the end of the world,” his sister said. “Don’t be such a drama queen. He didn’t seem to take it all that badly. He even stayed with you for a while.”
Nate cringed. “You just don’t know him,” he said miserably. “If what you’re saying is true, he was likely very annoyed, but you wouldn’t have noticed it. You can’t read him like I can.”
“Maybe. But you can’t hide in your bed forever. Get up or you’ll be late for work.”
A long shower and a Tylenol made him feel better, and Nate felt almost normal by the time he arrived at work—if one didn’t count the mortification churning in his gut.
His stomach dropped when he saw that Raffaele was already in his office. Fuck.
Okay. There was no point in delaying the inevitable, was there? If he acted like yesterday never happened, hopefully Raffaele would do the same.
Before he could do anything, the intercom clicked and Raffaele’s voice said, “Nate, my office.”