Page 83 of Dead Set on You
Rafael eyes the card like it’s lit on fire. “You’re apsychic?”
Lupe snatches it from Doug’s hand like she’s confiscating contraband. “Thanks, Doug! This was great. Super helpful.” She purposely ignores Rafael’s death glare as she wedges herself between the two men and begins to rifle through her purse. “Now, let’s get this man paid.” She tugs out a wallet and hands Doug several bills. “This should do it.”
He shoves them into his pocket without counting. “Right on, fam,” he says, bringing his hands together. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey.” He glances at my shrine. “And hers.”
“Thank you, Doug. I’ll see you out,” Lupe says, escorting him out of my apartment with a pointed look in Rafael’s direction. Oblivious, Doug looks back.
I catch his gaze—it snags on mine—and he winks. Right. At. Me.
Lupe tugs him out the door before I can process it. My mouth hangs open as I watch the door shut behind them.Ohmygod.
“I didn’t think that was going to be such a dumpster fire. I’m sorry,” Rafael says, shaking his head in dismay. “Lupe can be so … disconnected … sometimes, but it’s from a good place.”
I nod, speechless. I think Doug saw me … or maybe I imagined it.
“Hey, you okay?” Rafael asks.
“Uh. Yeah.” I shake off the preposterous notion. If Doug saw me, that would mean he isn’t a phony, that he wasn’t messing around, that he was maybe telling us the truth. I rewind the last fifteen minutes.
What was it he said?
Something about strong energies keeping me here?
Romanticenergies—is that what I’m putting out into the energy-verse?
OhGod.
Am I into Rafael?
No. I can’t be. I mean, am I a little distracted by his dimple and smiles? Yes. Do his hands do something to my imagination? Also yes. Would I like for them to do something to me? Certainly.
Okay, so it’s lust. I’m lusting for Rafael, my archnemesis, the person I’ve imagined in various states of begging on his knees for my forgiveness and for my help. And now, when I imagine him on his knees—
“Evie.” Rafael’s concerned voice jerks my attention from the deepest recesses of hell.
Fire licks up my face, and I press a hand to a cheek.
His features crinkle in concern. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod, my throat too parched to talk.
“Are you sure? You look a little flushed,” he says, and his hand moves through the air as if he wants to make sure. It stalls between us. I stare at his hand, the one that could easily knead away all kinds of aches.
“Oh,” I croak. “Must be all the candles.”
His frown remains as his hand drops.
I find myself missing a touch that hasn’t happened.
Rafael sighs. “I’m sorry about Doug. I’ll make sure to leave a review.” He digs his hands into his pockets. “But enough about Doug. Let’s get to that bucket list, shall we?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I say, my voice a little breathy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONEELEVEN DAYS AFTER, PART II
To be Vela’d is to fall victim to Rafael’s charm. I’ve seen everyone, from the stalwart CEO of a billion-dollar pharmaceutical company to a shy DoorDash delivery boy, go googly-eyes for Rafael, and all it took was a flash of The Dimple or one of those husky chuckles.
Rafael knows exactly what weapons he has in his charm arsenal—charmsenal—and he’s not afraid to use them.
