The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 230: Calm (4)

Annalise didn’t didn’t think she was torturing herself. She was trying to protect the two of them from having the people around them get angry and call them traitors. Still, the fact that no one would know filled her mind again.

Just like Rafael tested something, Annalise had something to test. She slowly drew closer to Rafael to give herself some time to stop this from happening.

Rafael stayed still to let it be Annalise come to him since he was always ready to go to her. It was about time she took charge and initiated something between them. He was not going to kiss her unless she was going to start it.

He had said enough that he liked her. It was time for Annalise to be honest with herself.

Annalise stopped before their lips could touch and lifted her head. "I’m sorry," she apologised for her closeness.

"Don’t," Rafael replied, looking down at the water. He was not disappointed that she had not kissed him. She was getting more comfortable in going for it and the next time, she might not stop herself. "You’ve fallen for my body. I cannot be upset with you."

"What?" Annalise said, stepping to the side to look at his face. She tried not to look too far down so her memory of his sword could continue to fade. Annalise flicked the water from her fingers onto his face. "Do not be so full of yourself. It is only the two of us here and I am not bothered by the sight of your body."

"Really? It was hard to tell when you tried to kiss me. If you are comfortable, I should have you rub my back since it is hard to reach."

Annalise bit her lip. He wasn’t making this easy for her to lose the attraction she felt for him. How could he not make her feel something when he was sitting naked in water before her? She just could not admit to him that her mind was filled with ideas about his body.

It was her first time being so attracted to a man that she wanted to touch him and desired to kiss him. Annalise took her hands from his hair so she could settle her thoughts first and then continue to wash his hair so she could get out of there.

"Annalise, I am a kind man. If there is anything bothering you, allow me to free you from your troubles," Rafael offered. What he was offering didn’t mean he had to bed her. There were plenty of good tricks for him to use to help her with her desires.

"Do you like me or is it that you want to bed me?" Annalise asked.

"I would be lying if I didn’t say that it is both. I do care for you more than I have for anyone I have ever been with. Then there are times when I want to touch you and feel you beneath me. I am more interested in you opening your heart to me right now. My feelings for you are sincere, Annalise. I am not a bastard who wants to take you to his bed and cast you aside in the morning," Rafael said.

"I know that. Not because I know you that well, but due to the fact you would have a hard time trying to get me out of your bedroom after sleeping with me. I would kill you," Annalise said, placing her hands on his shoulder.

There was soap there that had slid down from his hair. Annalise was bold enough to move her hands along his shoulder to rub in the soap.

"I am certain you would try, but there would never be a need for you to do it. I would never let a woman like you get away."

"Why? I’m certain you have been with many beautiful women who held your interests, but then you let them get away. Do not forget that I listen to the knights speaking about you not wanting to have a serious relationship. I don’t want to be a woman you enjoy a little time with and then go back to not wanting to be around women," Annalise said, slowly trailing her hands back up to his hair.

Annalise didn’t know why she was telling him this as if his saying otherwise would help change her mind.

"You need to stop listening to the knights since they never know the full story of what they speak of. I did not stop my relationships with women simply because I lost interest in anyone. I made the decision that the next woman I courted, I would marry. I want to have a relationship like my father does with my mother," Rafael revealed.

He was certain he told this to Annalise once before, but she forgot and didn’t think he was seriously courting her.

Annalise froze, realising what his words meant for her. She was the only woman he was courting at the moment. "You would want to marry me?" Annalise asked, finding her words hard to believe as they left her mouth.

Annalise stepped away from Rafael to put some space between them so she could fully digest what she said and what Rafael would like to do.

"Do not get scared and think I am a man who moves too fast Annalise. I only want to court a woman I could see myself spending years with. I wouldn’t ask you to marry you days after you confess to loving me. That is all, but I can feel that you are starting to panic," Rafael said, regretting that he answered her truthfully.

"You can leave now," he added. There was no point in having her stay when she was overthinking.

As much as he liked Annalise, he wasn’t looking to get married anytime soon. Not when there was so much he had to learn about her and likewise.

"I am not going to leave over what you said. I just needed a second to let me overthink it. I keep adding things I can brag about to others in the future. Not only did Rafael Callahan like me, but he could see himself marrying me if we were to be together. I agreed to wash your hair so I won’t leave until I am finished," Annalise said, stepping forward to continue washing his hair.

"You don’t need to work tomorrow. You and my mother might spend all day getting dressed for the ball."

"I would rather stay by your side until a few hours before the ball. I love your mother, but I am not the type of lady to be interested in taking a day to get dressed. I have been kind enough to offer time today to let her dress me up. You must be dreading the ball since you will have many young ladies wanting to dance with you," Annalise said as she combed through Rafael’s hair with her fingers.

"They will not swarm me this year since I will be escorting Siena," Rafael revealed. freewёbnoνel.com

Annalise was confused by this news and didn’t see why Rafael would accompany Siena to the ball when he didn’t like her. Was he still trying to toy with her? How could he be taking Siena to the ball when he admitted to still having feelings for her?

Annalise continued to wash his hair so Rafael wouldn’t realise that his news was bothering her.