Page 37 of Rafael

Gisele shook her head and looked around her apartment, trying to remember why she’d come up there in the first place.

Oh, yeah.

Johnny wanted a beer.

She grabbed a mango from the counter, cut it in half, fished some lettuce from the refrigerator and headed back down the stairs a little slower this time. She wasn’t sure how she should act around Dr.Jekyll...or was he Mr. Hyde?

She decided to pretend like nothing weird had happened rather than call him out on it and look like the weird one.

Rafael was at the back door, screwing one of the devices into the doorframe with a battery-operated drill.

She paused, wondering whether she should wait until he was done or...

A smile pulled at the corners of her lips. Instead of waiting for him to finish, she squeezed in behind him, pressing her breasts against his back in order to make it through the sliver of space between him and the doorframe.

He stiffened, his hand freezing, the drill bit spinning in the air.

That got his attention.

Once through, she walked away, crossing one foot in front of the other like a model on a runway.

The drill quit whirring.

Gisele glanced over her shoulder to gauge Rafael’s reaction to her version of vamping.

His gaze was on her.

In time to see her trip over her own feet and land in a graceless heap. The mango half flew from her hand, rolling to a stop beneath Johnny’s cage.

You break it, you buy it, asshole, the bird said.

A burst of laughter rang out behind her as Rafael reached her. “Sorry. Sometimes, I forget Johnny’s abird. He has a comedian’s timing.” He dropped to his haunches. “Are you hurt?”

Her lips twisted. “Yes.”

“Here?” Rafael reached out and ran his hands over her legs.

Her heart skipped several beats, then pounded against her ribs. “No,” she breathed.

“Here?” His fingers skimmed up her arms, tickling the soft undersides.

She giggled and squirmed. “No.”

“Then where?” he demanded, his hands traveling down her sides, tickling her relentlessly.

Gisele squealed and tried to wiggle her way free. “Stop...” she gasped. “Not fair...”

Immediately, his hands stilled.

Her breath grew ragged as she stared up into eyes almost as black as his hair. He was leaning over her, his face so close she could feel his warm breath against her skin.

“Then tell me where it hurts so I can kiss it better,” he said,

His voice, so deep and husky, sent shivers of desire coursing through her veins.

She raised a finger and pointed to her cheek.

Rafael pressed his lips to the spot. “Here?”

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