Page 30 of Rafael

Rafael frowned. “And what are your intentions toward Gisele?”

Valentin blinked. “Asks the man who goesthrough women like a revolving door. Why do you care? Maybe I just want a date or two. There aren’t a whole lot of choices in Bayou Mambaloa, and she’s pretty. If things work out, I might consider a longer commitment. I’m not allergic to the idea, like you. Now that I’m not in the military, I might want to settle down, get married and have a family.”

“Wait a minute.” Rafael frowned at Valentin. “I thought you said you didn’t like kids, which was why you left the Navy.”

Valentin nodded. “I might have said that. I didn’t want to be stuck babysitting a bunch of kids going through BUD/S training. I don’t have the patience.”

“Why didn’t you stay on a team?” Rafael asked.

“An injury slowed me down. They only gave me one choice.”

“BUD/S.” Rafael nodded.

“I took option two and left the Navy. I didn’t want to be tied down.”

“Why the big turnaround?” Rafael started the truck engine. “Having a family means a wife and kids. That’s not just tying down, that’s anchoring.”

“It might not be so bad,” Valentin stared at the gift shop, “with the right woman.”

Rafael’s hand rested on the shift, his gaze pinned on Valentin. “Since I’ve known you, you’ve been standoffish with women. Why are you all of a sudden interested in Gisele Gautier? Are you just trying to piss me off?”

Valentin’s lips quirked slightly, though his attention remained on the gift shop. “Is it working?”

Rafael slammed the shift into drive, his foot on the brake. “It sure as hell is. What’s your end game?”

“Does it matter? It’s not like you plan on marrying the girl. You’ve told me on several occasions you’ll never stand at an altar again. I just hate to see you toying with this woman and then leaving her dangling for too long. She deserves better.”

It was a good thing his fist was curled around the steering wheel. At that moment, he wanted to plant it in his friend’s face. Rafael breathed in and out before continuing the conversation. “Are you saying I’m not good enough for her?”

Valentin sighed. “No. I’m not saying that you’re not good enough for her. You’re a great guy with the team. You’d take a bullet for any one of us, and we’d do the same for you. But when it comes to women... Not all women are your ex-fiancée. You can’t paint them with the same brush. Gisele is a nice lady with a lot of gumption. I’d hate to see her hurt.”

“By me,” Rafael added. Some of his anger dissipated at the truth in his friend’s words.

Valentin nodded. “By you. You might not be ready to let go of the past, and that will keep you from finding happiness in your future.”

Rafael shook his head. “When did you decide to become my therapist?”

“I didn’t,” Valentin said, refusing to meet Rafael’s gaze. “I drew the short straw.”

“What short straw?” Rafael demanded.

Valentin didn’t respond.

His eyes narrowing, Rafael studied his teammate. “Have you and the rest of the guys been discussing me behind my back?”

A flood of ruddy red stained Valentin’s cheeks. “I told them I didn’t think this would go over well,” he muttered.

What the ever-loving fuck? Rafael was floored. “I can’t believe you’ve all been talking about me.”

“Yeah, get pissed, but consider this an intervention. We’re your friends, and we’re concerned that you’re on a self-destructive track.”

“Why feel the need to intervene now?” he demanded.

Valentin glanced away. “We’ve always been concerned. It’s just that some of the guys are hearing it from their women that they’re worried you’ll break Gisele’s heart.”

The anger was back ten-fold. “You can tell the guys to kiss my ass. Gisele’s capable of making her own decisions. I’ve never lied to a woman to get her into my bed. I won’t start now.”

“Just because she goes into a relationship with you with her eyes wide open, doesn’t mean she won’t lose her heart. You’re pretty potent shit to females, like catnip to felines.” Valentin shrugged again. “Or soI’ve heard. Anyway, if you’re going with your same modus operandi of love ’em and leave ’em, you’re going to make the womenfolk mad. In turn, they’ll make their men mad at you.”

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