Chapter 13- A Day To Remember

'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!', Raphael scolded himself as he left to pace in the lounge room.

Why did he have to look at her breasts? Now she'll think he's perverted for sure and try to run away even more. He was well aware of his feelings for her, but his primitive urges for her weren't awakened until now.

For sure she wouldn't look at him the same way again, and he made a mental note to apologize as soon as she emerges from her room.

"Ready?" A perky voice snapped him from his self loathing, directing his gaze to Tami as she stood at the door. The tone of her voice was new to his ears. It was almost the same as her excited one yesterday, but different.

Was she uncomfortable? She certainly didn't look so. In fact, she looked pretty unfazed as if nothing happened. Well nothing did, but he knew she saw him looking.

"Yes of course" He shook his head as he opened the door for her. They walked in silence all the way to the elevator, and he tried on numerous occasions to find the words to say to her so that she doesn't view him a different light--in a worse light.

Still, every time he glanced at her, she looked calm. She didn't stand far away from him, she didn't throw him death glares and she didn't seem upset. Was this a plan of hers to have his guard down, and once she's in the clear she makes a run for it?

Raphael didn't want to take the risk. So, he watched her like a hawk as he led her to the car. Even then, she didn't try to run, neither did she seem like she had any intentions to.

Maybe he was just a bit on edge. They are both adults, and things like that happen all the time. He was glad that Tami didn't take it to heart like he had, simply because he couldn't bear her hating him any more.

In light of her oddly calm mood, he decided to appreciate it and take his shot at getting on her good side once and for all; not only for a few moments of random conversations or car rides.

"Different ride today?" She asked, breaking Raphael from his thoughts. His heart raced at the question as he watched her in confusion.

"Pardon?"

She pointed at the car, which was Mercedes today. "The car."

"Oh that's what you meant" He mumbled to himself. "Oh yes I felt in a Benz mood today" He breathed a breath of relief and he decided once and for all that he'd take it easy.

She wasn't being sexual or awkward. Good.

He took her to a restaurant that he grew up loving because of the wonderful food, people and memories. Whenever he was having a bad day, Mrs. Garcia took him there instead of cooking at home, and he loved everything about it.

As they stepped inside, the aura of homeliness and food immediately swarmed him, and it even reminded him of the pub that Tami loved in Nassau.

Even Tami appreciated the warmth of the restaurant, and it was pretty empty too. That was another reason why Raphael thought of it first. He was still cautious about Tami being in public, and he knew the restaurant was empty around these times, as its competitor across the street got more of the lunch rush. It was more of a dinner type of place.

They kept conversation minimum as they ordered and waited for the food, and by the time it arrived, Tami was stunned.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this food can actually threaten the spot in my heart for Peach's Pub food" Tami mumbled through a mouth full of Jambalaya that Raphael had suggested she got.

He chuckled at her expression as he reached across to wipe some sauce from the corner of her lips. It wasn't until his hand was already there that he realized how intimate the action seemed, but her eyes didn't oppose as she gently smiled at him.

In fact, the meal seemed to put her into a great mood for the rest of the evening, and she didn't try to escape once. Raphael took her sight seeing, prior to her request, and he showed her numerous places, landforms and attractions that he knew she'd love.

She had a great time, and she'd forget on numerous occasions that she was taken against her will just a week ago by this man.

It was a little after 6 in the evening when they returned back to the hotel, and they headed straight for the restaurant area for dinner.

"I've gotta admit Raphael, I had fun today." She smiled as she handed the waiter her menu. "You're still a horrible person for kidnapping me though" She added quickly, being torn between laughing and scowling.

The look on her face surely amused Raphael though. "I'm glad you had fun. I want to make up for whatever hurt I've caused you"

"You can always send me home..." She trailed as she brought her glass of water to her lips. There was a little teasing in her voice, but she was still very much serious.

"When will you see that I don't want to hurt you Tami?"

"I know you don't," She admitted. "But what you intend and what you do doesn't always even out"

He nodded, accepting that much as true. But he was still firm on his goals and decision, and even Tami knew this. It was still worth a shot.

The rest of the evening was spent with them eating in silence. Tami yet again enjoyed a wonderfully cooked Spanish meal that left her wanting more. If Raphael only learnt one thing today, he knew now that she was a food lover.

Seven thirty rolled around quite quickly. If he was in luck, Raphael thought it would be a good time to go back to their suite and have Tami watch a movie with him. He never cared for such entertainment, but if it meant more time with her, he would take it.

"Ready to go?" He asked as he watched her take her last sip of juice. She nodded, feeling stuffed, tired and also the great urge to pee.

"I'll just take a quick bathroom stop first though. I don't think I can make it to our floor with this full bladder" She said as she made a move to get up.

He liked the way she said 'our' floor, and he almost forgot that she was getting up to leave his sight for what could be a couple minutes. A lot of time for her to try and get away.

"Don't try anything now Tami" He warned calmly, and she simply rolled her eyes as she went in the direction of the restrooms.

Raphael gave her five minutes tops, hoping that their day together would've sparked something in her to get her to be more reluctant about running away. He held onto the little faith he had in her that she'd want to stay with him. After all, for this all to work, they had to trust each other though it seemed far fetched.

"Raphael? Raphael De Léon?" A foreign high pitched voice called from near him, and he inclined his head to see the owner of the very familiar voice.

He then saw that she wasn't a stranger at all, but one of his past lovers. She was one of the few who didn't try to tie him down with a claim of pregnancy. He liked her, because she did exactly what he wanted.

Like him, she was a very successful woman who was only looking for a night of pleasure and nothing else. They'd gotten along quite well, that they had enjoyed each other more than once.

However, she moved to Australia with her business years ago, and they didn't keep in touch. They had no need to anyways.

He smiled at the woman. "Esperanza. It's been a while" He rose to give her a small hug before she took a temporary seat where Tami formerly sat.

"I could say the same, lover" She purred. Raphael knew her as a seductress. She was the one who approached him all those years ago, after all. "How have you been?"

"I've been good. What are you doing back in Puerto Rico?"

"Family stuff" She shrugged, immediately looking annoyed. "I needed a stress reliever, and thought I found one. But I left him in the room upstairs" She rolled her eyes. She had always been a high demander in bed, that was for sure. It took a lot to please her. That's why she liked Raphael so much.

"I see"

"I came down here to eat alone, but I saw you" She smiled widely, still obviously in need of a 'stress reliever'. "What are the odds huh? What do you say? For old time's sake?"

Raphael chuckled lightly but shook his head. "I'm actually here with someone." That was all he needed to say. If he knew Esperanza, he knew she was insightful.

"I see. Better get going then" She laughed wholeheartedly. "It was good seeing you Raphael. Take care"

"You too " He nodded in acknowledgement as the woman waltzed away. A flash to his past was partially nice, but his mind was on Tami the whole time.

In fact, he realized that the five minutes had indeed passed and she wasn't back as yet. He was hurt, disappointed, even angry maybe?

But in reality, Tami did go back. She went back and saw a beautiful woman sitting in the chair she had sat, and this woman managed to evoke one of Raphael's rare smiles. Tami didn't understand why her chest clenched at the sight, but she found herself going in the opposite direction of them.

It was dark outside and she didn't know anything or anyone in the country, but she refused to go back to him and his woman.

Why did she feel upset? This was good. This was really good. With a woman as beautiful and radiant as the one she saw in her chair, Raphael's fairytale of having someone to 'love' would be fulfilled without her right? So, why was she so upset?

She found herself running to an area that had a lot of cars lined with men standing beside them. Charted taxis maybe? That would be good for her. Except, she had no money.

"Excuse me sirs. I need your help. I've been kidnapped and I need to get home" She rushed out desperately upon reaching the men.

"¿Qué?" The men looked confused, and Tami noticed they didn't understand her.

"Right", she mumbled to herself. "Spanish speaking country." She took a deep breath, trying to go about this a different way. "Okay um..Hola..." She started as the sudden surge of regret for taking French instead of Spanish in high school smacked her in the face.

"I um.." She pointed to herself, and the men nodded as if saying they understood that much. "Need help...Help? Rescue me? Rescue..."

"Rescate?" A man asked, trying to understand her. This sounded much like 'rescue' in Tami's ears, so she jumped once with a nod.

"Yes yes! Si!"

The men nodded in realization as one of them opened a door for her, but his eyes landed on something behind her, and he paused.

"Tamika..."

She froze.

That voice...It was him.

With her eyes squeezed shut and an internal groan, she spun on her heels to face him. He was fuming and it was obvious. He felt like he trusted her to come back, yet here she was, trying to run away with a stranger.

Her own anger soon rose in her too when she thought of his audacity. How dare he get upset with her!

"Lo siento, señores. Ella tiene una cóndicion mental," Raphael said in his forgien language smoothly to them, and they nodded in understanding as they eyed Tami in sympathy. Tami didn't understand what he said, but she knew damn well it was a lie.

However, she didn't get a chance to protest as he grabbed onto her hand and pulled her towards the hotel despite her squirming and writhing. He pressed the elevator button and pulled her inside, before pressing the very top floor button. She grew even more enraged when the door closed, and he finally let go of her hand and faced her with fury filled eyes.

"What the hell Tami?" He braked, inching close to her face as her own chest rose and fell in anger. "You don't even know those men! They could've hurt you"

"Oh and you haven't been doing that from the minute you took me away from my family? My life!"

"It's different and you know it" He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to contain his emotions. "I told you that I need you"

"Need me?" She scoffed. "I step away for five seconds and you're laughing and smiling with a woman who you offered my seat to!"

"Who Esperanza?" His brows knitted together in confusion as he tried to understand what she was saying. She saw them?

"Wow you even exchanged introductions." She laughed bitterly. She even hated the way he said her name so nice in his godawful sexy accent. He didn't say her name with such passion. The way he rolled the 'R' in her name..It infuriated her.

"Or is it that you guys know each other? Was that your reason for even coming here? I wasn't being responsive enough, so you come to retrieve your next victim is that it?"

"Don't be ridiculous Tami. She means nothing to me" He tried to convince her. His anger evaporated a tiny bit.

"What would I care if she meant anything to you?" She rolled her eyes as she stubbornly crossed her hands over her chest. "Do what you please with other women Raphael, but leave me out of it"

It then occurred to him why her reaction swept his anger away. She was being possessive... Could it be?

"Tami, are you jealous?" He finally asked as he tried to keep the twitch that was teasing his lips at bay. "Because if you are, you have no need to be. Esperanza is just a companion from my past. I even told her that-"

"It doesn't matter Raphael and I'm NOT jealous" She retorted, placing emphasis on the 'not'.

"Tami look at me" He demanded softly.

"No"

"Look at me Tamika"

"No" She refused louder.

He gripped her shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes. "I said look at me" He growled, being only inches away from her face.

Her breathing was still heavy from her anger as she gazed at him with flaring eyes. It felt like hours since they were like that, and slowly the heat radiating from her body transformed into a different type of heat, burying away her anger and replacing it with a feeling she tried to avoid as he gazed at her.

"She means nothing to me" He whispered, and her eyes fluttered closed at the brush of his breath against her face.

Her chest rose and fell as she slowly reopened her eyes, and the intensity that was filling her through his gaze was enough to send her over the edge.

"Really?" She found herself asking, though she hated the smallness of her voice.

One of his hands left her shoulder to cup her cheek as he pulled her closer to him.

"Really" He confirmed.

And that did it.

The last thing she remembered was reaching up to pull his head down to hers, and just like that she initiated their first kiss.