“Sure.” Actually, since privacy will take a new form now that Ethan is staying here, I have somevibratingplans for tonight. But I’m afraid he’ll ask about Rafael, and I’m not ready to talk about it. “And you talked to Grandma about staying here?”
“Yes.” He pulls his dark blond hair to all sides as he checks his reflection in the mirror. “I told her that since she’s shipping me off to Virginia, I want to spend time with you. She bought it.”
“Good. Good.” I fidget with the hem of my towel.
He exhales, the sound heavy with finality. “I’m going.”
“Wait. Let me give you a set of keys.” I dart toward the bedroom and open the bedside drawer, a mess of receipts, loose coins, and random junk. The doorbell rings as I grab the spare keys, and my head jerks up.
“Hey, man.”
Oh, fuck. That voice…
“Hi. Come in,” Ethan says casually.
“Thanks. Is your sister here?”
No, no, no.My legs feel like lead as I inch toward the hallway.
“She’s just getting ready,” Ethan answers.
I bolt from the bedroom just in time to see Rafael step into theliving room in a dark purple crewneck over a crisp white dress shirt, which would almost look preppy if it wasn’t for the black tattoos along his fingers and up his wrists.
Ethan points at the menu he’s holding. “Are you guys ordering Chinese again? I thought you were going out.”
Too fucking late.
Rafael’s eyes meet mine. His expression shifts from mild confusion to something sharper, his gaze flicking over the towel wrapped around me and back to my face. His lips curve into a thin, tight smile. “We’re going out?”
“Uh, no.” My voice is too loud, too quick, as I shove the keys into Ethan’s hand. Seriously, did Rafael have to show upnow?
“What?” Ethan’s brows draw together, his head turning to me, then to Rafael, then back again. “Who’s taking you on a date, then?”
Goddamn it.My laugh comes out awkward, forced. I wave vaguely toward the door. “You were leaving, weren’t you?”
“But—”
“Be back by midnight, please.”
Ethan mutters something under his breath and, with one last glance at me and Rafael, heads out, closing the door behind him.
Silence falls over the room, heavy and oppressive, until Rafael clears his throat. “You’re going out with someone else? I thought we’d cleared the air.”
“We did, yes. I just—”
“Who is it?Theo?”
I pause. Why does he make it sound like the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard? “Theo is anamazingguy, okay? And you don’t know him, or our relationship.”
“You’re right. I don’t. So why don’t you tell me about it?”
“Because I don’t owe you any explanation. We’re going to work the case together, and that’sit.”
“Yeah, you’renotworking the case.”
I watch the anger playing on his face, and my jaw clenches. “Because I’m going out with someone? Are youthatpetty?”
“Because you’re not trained,” he bites out. “And I need to catch this killer, not babysit you.”
