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His lips curved further.
I couldn’t let myself get caught up in him again, though. Not until I figured out what I really wanted, and if I could trust him again.
I hit the button for the elevator, and when the doors opened, Rafael slipped into it beside me.
He didn’t touch me, and I didn’t touch him.
The distance was foreign. Really damn foreign.
Then again, what wasn’t foreign between us? We were back in the apartment we’d shared, but it felt likehis. He had kept secrets from me, which made me feel like he didn’t see us as equals. We still couldn’t be apart physically, but now, it felt like there was a huge wall separating us emotionally.
Where did we go from there?
“I have to spend all day making candy at the coffee shop,” I said, my voice quiet and a little uncertain.
“Our kitchen won’t work?”
“Miles processes better on her own. If we smother her, she won’t come to us when she really needs us. She’s comfortable in your apartment, so I don’t want to ask her to leave. Is there somewhere else you can stay?” I didn’t meet his gaze, knowing that whatever I saw on his face would change how I felt.
“Just me?” His voice was careful.
“She needs me to stay with her right now, and I need space to decide what I want to do about us,” I admitted.
“We’re mates, Tatum. The only thing todois figure out how to get past this. Even if I could, I wouldn’t let you go.”
His hand landed on my arm, and he carefully turned me toward him, tilting my head back until our eyes met.
The elevator’s doors opened, but neither of us moved to get off.
“You hurt me,” I said quietly. “You kept things from me, and it hurt me. If we’re going to move on, you have to give me time to decide I’m ready for that.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
His forehead lowered to mine, and rested against it. My eyes fluttered closed, and his thumb dragged slowly over my cheek.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed touching him until that moment.
“I’ll give you a week,” he finally murmured, his lips nearly brushing mine as he spoke.
My face twisted in a scowl, and he kissed me lightly before he let me pull away from him. “You don’t get to decide when I forgive you, Raf.”
His lips curved upward slightly. “You can be mad at me as long as you want, Tater-tot—I meant I give it a week before you miss me too much to keep hating me.”
My scowl deepened, and I turned on my heel. When I realized the elevator’s doors had shut, I halted.
Rafael pushed a button, and they opened again with a ding.
He followed me into the parking garage, to the row I was pretty sure I had parked my car in the last time we’d driven it. It had been a while, but I was pretty sure it should be there…
Frowning, I hit the lock button to make it beep.
The sound was different, and came from the other side of the garage.
I hit it again when I was over there, and my eyes narrowed when I realized what had happened.
Marching up to the back ofacar, I spun to face Raf. “Where did you put my car?”
“Thisisyour car. A safer, upgraded version of it. One our enemies can’t track, or hack. We replaced your friends’ as well.”
