“If all he wanted was meaningless sex, he has a funny way of showing it.”
“What do you mean?” Nate said, lifting his head.
Maya shrugged slightly. “The guy gave you a ridiculously high salary for your new job, didn’t even ask for his car back—”
“He’s so rich it doesn’t mean anything, Maya,” Nate said, shaking his head. He frowned a little. “But I should return the car. I’d completely forgotten about it.”
Liar, a voice said at the back of his mind. You hoped it would give him a reason to call you.
“Fine,” Maya said. “Maybe money means nothing to him, so it doesn’t necessarily mean he cares about you. But why is he stalking your workplace, then? Admit it: it’s weird. Even your boss thinks he’s coming there because of you.”
Nate looked away, frowning. It was weird. And very out of character. It wasn’t like Raffaele to waste what little time he had on personally monitoring a small department of the company. Nate knew better than anyone how insane Raffaele’s workload was. It just didn’t add up.
“What, you think he misses me or something?” Nate said with a laugh, trying to quash the stupid hope that was now burning in his chest.
“Do you have any other explanation?” Maya said. “He’s hot, and he’s a billionaire. He can have anyone for meaningless sex. Why would he waste his time on making awkward small talk with you in front of everyone if he just wanted to get his dick wet?”
“Maya.”
She chuckled. “What? I’m just saying it how it is. You know I’m far from being his fan, but I think you’re being unfair to him.” She pulled a funny face. “Yeah, I can’t believe I just said that. I think he’s clearly trying to—to connect with you, but he has no idea how to do it when he can’t boss you around or order you to suck his cock. If he doesn’t do relationships, he’s clearly out of his comfort zone, hence the stalking, staring, and awkward small talk.”
Nate just looked at her, at a loss.
Could she be right?
“But that’s not the important thing. The important thing is what you want. What do you want, Nate?”
“I don’t understand.”
“God, men,” Maya said, shaking her head. Then she looked back at him. “Do you want a relationship with him? You know all his horrible qualities and habits, his commitment issues. And he’s still your boss—and everything that entails. Do you want him that badly?”
Nate stared at her. His heart sank, because the answer to the question was yes. He didn’t even have to think about it.
The answer must have been written all over his face, because she sighed again and, taking his hand, squeezed it. “Then get him. But don’t let him have the upper hand. He’s not the boss of you anymore—” She made a face. “Well, he’s still the big boss, but you’re not his direct subordinate anymore. Make him work for it. Make him woo you. And for god’s sake, don’t have sex with him until he proves it’s not the only thing he wants.”
“What?” Nate said miserably.
She laughed, rolling her eyes. “Men,” she said again. “You lived without his cock for months. You can live without it for a few more.”
Groaning, Nate buried his face in his hands. “You really overestimate my self-control.”
Maya just laughed again.
“It’s not funny,” Nate grumbled. “Even if you’re right and he actually still wants me, he’d never agree to a relationship without sex. Hell, I wouldn’t agree to it, either! I don’t know how to be around him and not want him.”
“First World problems,” Maya said, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. “There’s more to a relationship than sex, Nate. Maybe no sex would actually be good for you, too. Your relationship with him started totally backwards. Instead of going on dates and getting to know each other like normal people, you went straight to sex, and feelings were kind of an accident.”
“I know him plenty well,” Nate said sulkily. “I know him better than anyone in the world.” He wasn’t bragging. He used to obsess over every infinitesimal change in Raffaele’s expression or the tone of his voice. Even when Nate had thought he hated him, Raffaele was still his favorite thing to look at. He loved watching him think and—
Nate’s thoughts halted, his eyes going wide. Fuck, he really loved him. He loved Raffaele.
“All right, maybe you know him,” Maya conceded. “But does he know you? And I don’t mean in the Biblical sense.”
Nate pursed his lips, unsure. “I have no idea.”
“Then find out. But under no circumstances have sex with him. Get it?”
“Right,” Nate said, averting his gaze.
Chapter 28
Maya’s words had seemed so convincing when she had talked to him, but the more Nate thought about it, the more unbelievable they seemed. The concept of Raffaele possibly having feelings for him seemed so far-fetched. Laughable.