Page 36 of Rafael

He grinned. “I thought food was aman’slove language.”

“I’ve always been different. Ask anybody.”

“I like different,” he said, his eyes warm and friendly.

Her guard was way down. If she wasn’t careful, she’d do something stupid, like ask him to kiss her again.

Focus, woman.

She nodded toward the bag. “What can I help you install so we can make it quick and get to that taco soup?”

He dug into the bag and pulled out several devices. “These are only a temporary solution until you can install that security and surveillance system I know you called about today.”

“Right. I had nothing else to do today.” She shook her head. “The festival will be winding down after tomorrow. I won’t be as swamped. Besides, I couldn’t have called today anyway. I’m sure none of the installers answer their phones on the weekend.”

“Good point.”

She studied the devices he laid out on the counter. “What do we have here?”

“Alarms,” he said. “I can install one on every doorand window in a few minutes. If someone tries to get in, the alarm will screech loud enough to wake the dead.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You tested it in a cemetery? How many bodies did you raise?”

He chucked his finger beneath her chin. “Don’t get cheeky, little girl.”

Cheeky bastard, Johnny squawked.

Rafael chuckled again, the sound seeping into her skin like warm syrup.

God, she was too tired to fight the desire rising inside.

Get me a beer, woman, Johnny called out, giving Gisele the needed wake-up call to move away from the man before she lost herself in his chuckle and promises of taco soup.

“I’m just going to feed Johnny. Yell if you need me.” She tore herself away from the man and hurried to fill Johnny’s feed dish with seed. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she called out.

Gisele left through the back door and trudged up the stairs to her apartment.

As she slipped her key into the lock, footsteps pounded up behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rafael hurrying up to her.

Rather than argue, she unlocked the door and stepped back, waving a hand for him to go inside before her.

“Good girl,” he said, bent and brushed her lipswith his, “you know the drill.” A frown dented his brow. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

He disappeared inside before she could ask him why he shouldn’t have done that when she wanted him to dothatagain.

Gisele raised her fingers to her lips. They still tingled from that rare brush with perfection. She really wanted him to do that again.

She practically fell through the door, intent on cornering him and insisting he kiss her again.

Rafael emerged from her bedroom. “All clear.”

Though she stood directly in front of him, he sidestepped her and headed for the exit, leaving before she could speak.

“What the fuck?” she murmured.

Talk about mixed messages. He showed up with presents, offered her food, kissed her and then apologized and ran out before she could ask him to do it again.

“Who was that man?” she asked the air.

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