Rafael

Chapter 27 - Move Over Barney Stinson!

I stopped in my tracks and then turned around to face him, my guilt swallowing me completely.

I would have never guessed that those five words would come out of Rafael's mouth.

And to think, I almost-

Can you believe I was about to go work for that...

Father killer!

I was filled to the brim with shame.

"I'm so sorry Rafael, I feel like the worst human being in the world right now," I muttered apologetically, looking him right in the eyes to make sure that he could see how sorry I was.

"It's okay, it's my fault because I didn't tell you," He told me honestly as I walked over to where he was standing, looking like the IRS was going to knock on his doors any minute now.

I really hated myself right now.

"I'm sorry I made you have to tell me that. I can't imagine how aggravating it would be to see him, much less have to work with him regularly," I said, stroking his arm reassuringly.

"It's okay, I swear. It happened a long time ago," Rafael chuckled at my reaction and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

How could he be laughing after sharing that someone he knew killed his father?

Then again, it was probably his coping mechanism.

Paolo Fiero killed his dad.

This was already too much for me.

I had so many questions.

"When did this happen, did you go to the police, how did he get away with it and how do you do business with him, I don't understand th-"

"I don't like talking about it," He stated with no emotion and my mouth immediately clamped shut.

Well, I guess that was all I was going to get out of him.

Rafael was a very closed-off person and I hated it sometimes but it was a part of his brooding character.

"Yeah, I've already asked enough questions, I'm sorry for making you tell me all of this," I said sheepishly, somehow hugging him tightly in the process.

He tensed in surprise but quickly accepted my weird hug with a weird smile of his own.

Death made me weird.

His cologne was almost as intoxicating as him.

"Stop apologizing Mia," He murmured, stroking my hair softly.

"Fine."

"Good."

"Wait."

"Mia," He said sternly.

"I just have one more apology to make. I didn't mean what I said about not having a relationship, I was just angry and as it turns out, at the wrong person."

"Well, come on. We both know you couldn't resist all this," He grinned, pointing to his body that I was currently hugging like it was a life-saving buoy.

I snorted,

"Somewhere out there, there's a tree working very hard to produce oxygen so that you can breathe. I think you should go and apologize to it."

"Touche," he said with a straight face but his twitching lips gave him away.

"Not even close," I disagreed, fighting a grin of my own.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Nothing good, I'm sure," I joked as I pulled back from his embrace, his minty breath fanning my face like an invitation to jump his bones.