Bet You're Mine: A Lesbian Billionaire Fake Girlfriend Romance(6)

A nervous giggle burst from between my lips. Rafaela’s gaze meets mine, and we both erupt into laughter. Emma joins in, although I’m fairly certain she doesn’t get what we’re laughing about.

“I think it’s safe to say that you passed the inquisition.” Rafaela lets out a breath as if she hadn’t been breathing the entire time her dad was sitting here. “He’s never ordered me to bring a friend to Sunday dinner before. Hell, I didn’t even believe he knew what laughing was until five minutes ago!”

I’m thrilled to have made a good impression on him. For a few minutes, I was almost certain he was getting ready to lunge across the table and eat me for breakfast. He was spitting questions at me so fast, I was having trouble keeping up and terrified I was going to sputter out the wrong thing.

For reasons I don’t want to put a voice to, just yet, it means a lot to me that Emma and I have his approval to be a part of Rafaela’s life. There’s something about her that pulls me in. I want to be with her, and I don’t think I would be able to stay away, even if we didn’t have his blessing.

Although, there’s also a little part of me that is just about positive he could make me disappear if he had the desire to do so. I’m not gonna lie, his bigger than life persona, is absolutely petrifying.

“So, what was it you were telling my father about your love for animals?” Rafaela asks.

“Oh, right. I’ve always had a passion for animals, especially hurt and injured ones. When I was little, I would pretend that I was a vet or an animal rescuer. Someday, I’d like to be able to work in an animal rescue,” I explain.

“What’s stopping you, now?” She wonders.

“It’s just a little hard, right now. I can’t afford to go to school to get into the industry, and I don’t have the time outside of work and Emma to put in the volunteer hours necessary. Maybe someday.” I can’t keep the longing from creeping into my voice.

“I guess I’ve never been in your shoes before when it comes to not being able to afford something. I am hoping to take over the family business someday when my father retires. He can’t seem to choose who would be best for the job between my brother and me. It’s hard not knowing for sure if I can make it happen.”

It doesn’t sound like she’s being boastful, just that she understands wanting something, and the uncertainty of being able to attain it.

“I’m so sorry,” I say.

“Let me take you out on a proper date,” she says suddenly, her voice filling with excitement.

“Yes! I would love that! We can drop Emma off with my dad.” I’m excited by the prospect of introducing Rafaela to him. I’m sure he’ll be just as mesmerized by her as I am.





How completely wrong was I? We’re standing awkwardly in my father’s foyer. He hasn’t let us get five steps in, even though Emma went barreling into the living room the second we arrived.

My dad is on full alert. He’s glaring at Rafaela as if, at any moment, she might sprout a second head. The protectiveness is both embarrassing and delightful. It makes me wonder if he was ever like this when I was a teenager, or if it’s a result of the aftermath involving how I ended up with Emma.

“And where is it that you’re taking my only daughter,” he demands. The degree of hostility in his voice is disconcerting.

“I have an entire day planned out. I can email you the itinerary if you’d like,” Rafaela responds, unfazed. Does she really have an itinerary?

I can see my dad’s jaw tighten, as he grinds his molars together. “Papa, can I paint a beautiful picture to hang on the fridge,” Emma asks eagerly, drawing his attention to her.

She wraps her arms around his leg and peers up at him. His face softens as he glances down at my beautiful girl. “Of course, angel. That sounds like fun. Why don’t you get out the paints and the paper and I’ll be right in to help you set up?”

“Yay!” She squeals, as she races back through the house.

“I love you, baby girl. I’ll see you later,” I holler after her, but she’s too focused on retrieving the paints to pay any attention to me.

“You be careful with my little girl,” he tells Rafaela in a voice that leaves no room for argument.

If I thought Rafaela’s dad was intimidating, I was sorely mistaken. I’ve never seen this side of my dad before, and if I didn’t know him, I’d probably be scared out of my mind.

“Of course, Mr. Cook. You should know, I’m extremely fond of both Heather and Emma. I will do everything in my power to make sure that nothing bad happens to either of them.” Rafaela says sincerely.

“You’d better not.” My dad warns.

“Alright, you two. I think the pissing match is just about over. I love you, daddy.” I raise up on my tip toes and press my lips against his cheek.

“Love you too,” he grumbles.

“We’ll be home late, so don’t wait up. Make sure Emma has a good dinner and a bath before bed. Don’t let her stay up too late.” I tick off the directions on my fingers.

“I raised you, didn’t I? I think I can handle one three-year-old for the day.” I can tell that he’s not as upset as he wants us to believe he is. He’s just worried about me, like any father would be. He doesn’t want to see me get hurt again.

Before I can reply, Rafaela grabs hold of my arm and spins me towards the door. She sweeps me from the house and into her Aston Martin. It’s the fanciest car I’ve ever been in, and I’m afraid to touch any part of it, even though Emma and I were both in it earlier.





Ten





Rafaela





That sneaky bastardo, Stefano thinks that he can sabotage me? I was a fool to think that he would play fair.

In the years that I have known my idiot younger brother he’s never been one to leave a bet to chance. If there’s any way for him to weight the dice then he’ll do it and I’m sure that he’s laughing thinking about how our father must have frightened her.

Well she passed with flying colors! And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Stefano get one over on me. It’s time for me to pull out all the stops and really sweep Heather off her feet.

She’s not going to know what hit her.

“So, Principesca,” I say to Heather with a small smile as we rev my car. “Are you willing to put yourself in my hands for the rest of the day?”

She flushes prettily. “I think I trust you.”

“Good,” I take her hand and kiss it and I’m thrilled to see her blush travel further up her cheeks. She’s precious and I feel a surge of renewed determination to give her the best date possible.

Usually when I try to impress a girl I go for the tacky and expensive - big jewels, expensive restaurants, enough flowers to fill their apartments. That feels like the wrong direction to go with Heather, though. She’s sweet and sincere in a way that the women I see aren’t usually.

I know exactly where I want to take her.

We drive through the city and I can tell how excited Heather is. It’s obvious that she hasn’t been spoiled very much in her life and I want to change that. She certainly seems to have earned it after what’s happened in her life.

We talk about light topics, her job and my ridiculous cousins and before I know it we’re drawing up to park outside a tiny little chocolate shop. I used to come here with my nonna when she was still alive, we would eat cannoli and drink the rich dark hot chocolate in the tall thin glasses.

It’s one of my favorite memories and I know that nothing except something special will do for someone like Heather. I help her out of the car gallantly and take her into the store, grinning as her eyes get very big when she sees the rows upon rows of Italian deserts and handmade chocolates.

“Bambina!” Zia Maria comes bustling out into the shop, wiping her hands on her apron. “You haven’t been here in so long, we’ve missed you. And who is this beauty who stands with you?”

I introduce Heather and chuckle a little as Zia Maria and Zia Rosa bustle around her, trying to find out what chocolate she likes best and offering her tiny delicacies to taste. They were good friends to my nonna and the first lesbians I ever met. I think even when I was very young my nonna knew that I was going to be different and had looked out for me by giving me great role models to look up to.

I feed Heather tiny lime chocolates and she buys the most adorable chocolate teddy bear for Emma and barely protests when I pay for it. After some of the creamiest and most indulgent hot chocolate in the city I bid my goodbyes and sweep us both on to the next place.

When Apollo and Daniella and I were in our teens we promised to always have each others backs. We went to a small jewelers and had three gold bracelets made with all of our initials carved into them. Apollo and I still wear ours and Daniella had hers turns into a charm she wears around her neck.

I take Heather into the small jewelers and we spend ages pouring over the jewelry as she protests she couldn’t possibly accept any such thing from me. I notice that her eyes keep getting drawn back to a delicate filigree silver chain with a single perfect pearl set into a teardrop pendant hanging off it and when she’s distracted by a display of charm bracelets I buy it and slip it into her jacket pocket.