Noemi didn’t tell Rafael about the break-in, but she did tell him she met Drew Ballantine.
“And what did you think of him?” Rafa’s voice was even and measured, but she detected a hint of tension. She put down the saucepan of pasta she was about to strain and looked at him.
“I didn’t really form much of an opinion except that he appeared very different from Tomi.”
Rafa nodded and took the pan, draining it and dumping the pasta into a dish. They were cooking together in his city apartment, a luxurious penthouse in one of Seattle’s most exclusive buildings. The view over Elliott Bay was breathtaking, but Noemi knew he hadn’t brought her here to impress her. He just wanted her to feel at home.
Mouse, for whom Rafa had bought a new dog bed, was fast asleep in the living room as they took their supper in, balancing plates on their knees and sitting on the couch to eat and talk. “I don’t know him that well myself; I just know the situation with the family. Ballentine’s father was only married to Tomi’s mom for a few years.”
“He didn’t come to see Tomi when she was sick.”
“No.” Rafa’s expression told Noemi what he was feeling. She touched his arm.
“Hey look, he may have had a good reason. Did Tomi say anything about him?”
Rafa sighed and put his plate down on the coffee table. “Not really. I know there was some friction because her mom adores Drew, him being a God-fearing preacher and Tomi being the rebel. But Tomi never resented Drew; they were just two wildly different people.”
Noemi studied him. “But you’re not a fan?”
Rafa shrugged. “Look… I’m no angel, and I’m biased because I think that regardless of temperament, he should have been there for Tomi. But, as I say, I might be a little unfair to the man. I only met him a couple of times.”
Noemi chuckled a little. “Families, huh?”
“Preach, sister. Did you always get along with your sister?”
Noemi hooted. “Hell, no. When we were growing up, we used to fight nonstop. Real brawls too. Ma and Pa used to have to physically restrain us. We’re too much alike; that’s mine and Leo’s problem. Very judgey and convinced we’re right all the time.”
Rafa grinned. “Oh, dear God, what have I got myself into?”
“I’m afraid it’s way too late for regrets, Genova,” Noemi laughed and leaned over to kiss him. “Excuse my garlic breath.”
“Ditto.” He kissed her again and smiled. “Siblings are strange creatures. They share the same DNA and yet sometimes—”
He trailed off, and Noemi saw something in his eyes: a reluctance, a distant memory he did not want to conjure. “What is it? Is it your brother?”
Rafa sighed. “Zani’s been off the rails for years. I love him, but he’s… there’s some sort of personality disorder going on there, I’m convinced. He seems to be missing that sensitivity part.”
“Like a sociopath?”
“Exactly that. He loves money, women, and himself.” Rafa shook his head. “Maybe I am being too harsh. I haven’t seen or heard from him in so long.”
“And your parents?”
“Nope. Mom tries to reach out to him, but she gets nowhere.” Rafa shrugged. “I think she sees Bepi as the son she wanted to have—not that she overmothers him. She was always very respectful of Tomi’s motherhood.” He suddenly smiled. “Even if Tomi was a little too, um, liberal in her ways for her.”
Noemi laughed. “Wasn’t she? I really enjoyed that rebellious streak about her.”
“Me too.”
Later, as they watched a movie together, her head on his chest, Noemi wondered that they could talk so easily of Tomi, and it felt so separate from their own relationship. Would you approve, Tomi? Would you approve of Rafa and I? Or would you see it as a final insult?
Noemi felt Rafa’s fingers stroking through her hair. The way he made her feel, he was intoxicating. His touch made every cell in her body react, and Noemi didn’t know if that meant her reason disappeared when she was with him, and whether that was healthy.
“Noe?”
She looked up to see him smiling at her. “Yes?”
“You’re overthinking things.”
“How do you know?”
He grinned. “You grind your teeth. This side.” He touched her face just in front of her ear. “Let’s just enjoy our time together and not worry about anything. Can we do that?”
“Sorry. Of course.”
“Good.” He kissed her, and as the kiss intensified, his arms tightened around her. Noemi’s hands slid under his sweater, stroking his hard stomach, feeling the muscles contract under her touch.
“Take me to bed, Genova.”
Rafa chuckled, a deep sound that rumbled through his chest. “Actually, I was thinking I’d like to have you on the rug…”
He tumbled her to the floor, making Noemi giggle as he pretended to munch down on her neck. “Oh, you silly man.”
She could barely believe there were so many years between them; she felt no distance despite the ten-year difference. She would never have guessed that he was so much fun, so goofy, but thinking back to when she had first met him, it made sense.
In the hospital, that first time with Thomasina, Rafa had been quiet, even somewhat aloof despite his politeness. Thomasina had regaled everyone with stories and jokes; Rafa had been the one to ask the hard questions.
Now though, Noemi was finding out that Rafa could be playful, too, and now as he undressed her, he would tease and tickle her so that by the time the lovemaking begun, they both were relaxed. She loved that about him.
She mussed his dark curls as he pushed down the cup of her bra to take her nipple into his mouth. Noemi sighed, closing her eyes and squirming with pleasure as his tongue flicked around each nipple in turn.
Then his lips were trailing down her belly, his tongue circling her navel. “Open those sweet thighs for me, baby,” he murmured, and she obeyed, her clit already expecting his touch, quivering and pulsing with desire.
“You taste like heaven,” he said as his tongue dipped deep inside her, and Noemi pulled gently on his hair. Since they met, his dark curls had gone from being cut short and neat, to growing wild about his head, and she loved them.
“Baby, can I taste you too?”
A chuckle, then he moved around. Noemi unzipped his pants and freed his cock from his underwear. She took him into her mouth, sliding her tongue along the thick, heavy length of it. She heard him groan as she began to pleasure him.
They moved with each other, building the tension between them. Noemi shook her head when he asked if she wanted him to pull out before he came, and shortly after, he climaxed, shooting thick cum into her mouth.
She swallowed him down, and then his lips were on hers, and he was hitching her legs around his waist, as she rolled the condom down his cock. When he thrust into her, Noemi gasped and moaned as they began to move with each other. Making love with him was exhilarating, and she lost herself in it. As she came, crying out his name again and again, she arched her back and let out a shuddering cry.
They collapsed on the rug, laughing and panting for air. As Rafa withdrew, he cursed. “Damn it.”
“What?”
“The condom split.”
Noemi sat up. “Don’t worry about it; I’m on birth control.” She smiled shyly. “And I haven’t any STDs we need to worry about. You?”
“Nope.”
“I thought not, but we can never be too careful.” She touched his face. “Kind of ruins the romance to talk about it, but I am a doctor after all.”
Rafa grinned. He pulled her to her feet. “Well, let’s go clean off in the shower, doc, and then I’m gonna show you some more of my sweet moves.”
Noemi laughed as he swept her up into his arms, and then shrieked as he turned a very cold shower on her. “You fiend!” She tugged him in beside her and soaked him. Rafa protested, cranking the hot water on. “Serves you right,” Noemi chuckled.
They kissed as they soaped each other’s bodies, teasing and laughing as they showered together.
“Stay the night.”
Noemi was pulling on her sneakers and smiled at Rafa. “I can’t. Not tonight. I have to be at the hospital in a couple of hours and if I stay here, there’s no way I’m leaving you behind, all alone and warm in that bed.”
He laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. Listen, I know you want to keep us low-key… but how would you feel about us meeting with Bepi and taking Mouse for a long walk? I just want Bepi to start getting used to you being around, is all.”
Noemi considered. “I guess… I mean, I can see the sense in it.”
Rafa was studying her. “But you have reservations.”
“What if someone saw us?”
Rafa’s smile was fading. “I get it. Listen, let’s drop it.”
She went to him. “I want to spend time with you and Bepi but it’s just too soon, you know?”
“At least come have dinner at the house with us.”
“That I can do.”
“Tomorrow night?”
“Tomorrow night.”