The Alpha’s Little Rogue (Alessia)

Chapter 143

Daphne's POV With a team of two, Raphael and I managed to make dinner in record time. Apart from being a consistent and unwavering stalker, Raphael also happens to be a good cook who knows his way around a kitchen. Color me surprised.

I set the table and we take our s e atacross from each other. We enjoy the dinner in blissful silent, mainly because I keep answering Raphael's questions with a monotone answer. At a point, he gives up and focuses on his dinner without trying to make conversation

With me.

I try not to think about why my heart squeezes at that.

Once we're done with dinner, I clear the table and take our dishes to the kitchen with Raphael right on my ass. The man is like a puppy that will never leave your side no matter how many times you kick him to the curb.

I place the dishes in the sink and turn on the tap to wash and store them away. The dishes aren't much so it'll be faster than loading them in the dishwasher.

"I'll take care of that," Raphael states.

"No, I've got this. You're my guest. You don't have to do it." I grab the dishcloth and soap and start working on the dishes.

Raphael stands beside me for a few more minutes but after seeing that I wasn't about to back down from this, he excuses himself and walks into the main room. I hear the sound of the TV turning on a few seconds later.

Focusing on the task at hand, I wash, dry, and store the dishes back in their respective places. Then I walk into the room to find Caden going through my Netflix in search of what to watch.

A quick glance outside the window lets me know that the rain is still pouring down heavily without a sign of stopping anytime soon.

I sigh, accepting my fate, and walk into my room to grab the extra blanket I have in my closet.

Clenching the blankets to my chest, I head back out and find that Raphael has finally settled on a movie and it happens to be Magic Mike XXL. His choice of movie probably has to do with the fact that it's number one on my watchlist. Don't judge me. I'm a single lady, living all by herself. It's expected that I would indulge in some guilty pleasure, namely, watching hot men strip and dance around a pole.

His head turns in my direction when he hears me approaching and his eyes fall to the blanket in my hands.

I drop it on the sofa beside him. "You should stay the night. The downpour is heavy and I don't want you going back in that weather."

The ghost of a smile teases the side of his lips and I ignore it.

"Thank you," he says and I answer him with a nod. "Is this movie any good?" he asks, turning his gaze to where Mike is receiving a call from Tarzan who informs him that his boss, Dallas is gone.

He just started the movie and hasn't yet gotten to any of the main parts. I could simply tell him what the movie is about and have him change it into something else, but what will be the fun in doing that?

I smile at him. "It's a very good movie. It's a classical romance," I say, not missing a beat.

"Do you want to join me?" He asks, picking up the blanket I had dumped on the sofa and placing it on his lap to free up space for me.

This is usually the time that I call it a

night and head into my room to get

a good night's sleep. I'm just about

vel

to gently refuse his offer when my gaze flies to the television. The scene of Channing Tatum's (God blessed gift to women all the world) using his gymnastics power tool-assisted "pony" plays out on the screen and I find myself sinking into the space beside

Raphael. There's no way in hell that

I'm going to miss this.

As Channing Tatum is flexing on the screen, Raphael turns to me with a horrified look on his face, finally catching up. "This isn't a classical romance, is it?"

"What gave it away?" I ask with a laugh.

Raphael throws a glare my way. "That's just mean."

I give him a nonchalant shrug and turn back to the movie.

I start feeling bad when Raphael keeps watching the movie with that same horrified look that deepens the more the movie plays out.

"We can change it into something else," I say reaching for the remote on the table and getting ready to put on a more mild movie. One that Raphael might actually enjoy watching.

The remote is snatched out of my hand by Raphael who drops it back onto the table. "We've already gotten this far. Let's just watch it to the end." He fixes his gaze on the television with a determined look on his face and I find myself smiling.

Why does he have to be so cute? I

wouldn't have a hard time turning down his dates if he wasn't so

fucking Kandsome. I mean, he

definitely has to have a bad tra

because no one was this perfect so why is it so hard for me to find that bad trait?

Sighing, I look at the television. The scene playing out is the one where Richie walks into a shop to try and get the cashier to crack a smile.

I don't see Richie rolling his hips into the refrigerator though. In his place, I see... Raphael. I shake my head frantically to clear that image away.

"Is everything alright?" Raphael asks in concern. Who can blame him for sounding so worried when I'm acting like someone who needs to be locked up and have the keys tucked away?

"I'm fine," I answer, giving him a

reassuring smile that I don't think he

buys. "Let's just finish the movie and call it a day," I suggest, forcing myself to focus on the movie and not the image of Raphael that has managed to launch itself into my mind.

That's when I start getting drowsy and I relax into my seat. My heavy lids slide shut and I faintly remember my head falling onto a hard surface.

I don't know how long I've been asleep for but I stir awake when I feel something grazing my cheek. My eyes fall open to find Raphael staring at me with an inscrutable look in his eyes as I rest my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I just have to do this."

Before I can ask him what he's talking about, his lips close over mine and steal every word out of my mouth.