Love Him Desperate (On the Market #5) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,20

gone, but this one had shaken him harder than last year with Felix. He didn’t have a lot of expectations for nineteen. His only task was to avoid pretty tourists with silver tongues, but his entire night had been turned upside down when he slipped into the salon and set eyes on Raphael.

Dmitri had crushed on him for years, of course. After meeting Raphael, it was impossible not to. Jayden introduced them when Dmitri first got back to Cherry Creek, and he was immediately taken by his dimpled smile and the soft, round accent that made all his words sound like a mouthful. And although Raphael’s legs needed five times more effort to move across the floor than his own, everything about him held such a quiet, soft grace that Dmitri couldn’t ever hope to have.

But he didn’t see him often. Jayden kept Dmitri away from the salon. He kept him away from everything that wasn’t school, and then his eventual part time job, but that was washing dishes at the Tavern, so out of sight, out of mind. Dmitri figured it was by request—he knew how most of the people felt about him, especially after news of Antoine’s near drowning spread across the town.

Owen had never come to his defense, and Dmitri had retreated into himself because it was a lot easier than the whispered emotional beatings he had to endure from total strangers. Raphael was always kind though, whenever Dmitri did see him. He always had a smile for him and always asked him about his day.

Dmitri hadn’t expected much when he walked into the salon, but it ended up being one of the best nights he’d ever had, and he wasn’t sure what to do with it. His heart was fragile, but it was also starving. He knew the way it thrashed against his chest was nothing more than a childish crush, but he let himself replay every single moment Raphael had looked at him with soft eyes, laughed at his attempts at jokes, and brushed their hands together.

Closing his eyes, Dmitri turned his head and pressed his forehead to the cool wood. The silence was comforting, then violently interrupted by the sound of metal clanging and a gruff voice unleashing a litany of swears. Dmitri knew better than to involve himself in town business, but the tone was more distressed than angry, and his feet were moving before he was consciously aware of it.

Around the back of Shalom, he caught sight of Levi’s partner, James Motel, who was mid-kick at what looked like a shredded black trash bag. The contents were spread across the lot, heading toward the woods, and Dmitri knew exactly what it was about. “Trash pandas.”

James whirled around, and his eyes narrowed before his shoulders sagged. “I was just out here too. Little fucker.”

Dmitri nodded to his car. “Me too. It was probably lying in wait until I headed for the dock.”

James dragged a hand down his face. “Fucking Evan.”

“Even if you have the kitchen staff weight down the lids, those little bastards are crafty. My aunts caught a couple of them burrowing into the Tavern vents,” Dmitri offered, feeling a little bit bad for the employee who would have to face down James’ wrath.

James snorted a soft laugh, but his face was still grim as he waved Dmitri over. “I’m talking about the raccoon. His name is Evan.”

Dmitri blinked. “You named him?”

“One of the guys at the fire station did,” James said. “After one of his exes.” James waved a hand to the ground near the back-door stoop, and when Dmitri peered over, his stomach twisted. It was a couple of small birds—or what was left of them. “He does this.”

“That’s horrifying,” Dmitri said.

“Mm.” James glanced over at the pile of trash, then swiped his hands on his jeans before marching over to gather what he could. Dmitri watched for only a second before he moved into action, and James grabbed the side of his sleeve. “You don’t need to.”

Dmitri laughed. “I know. But this is gross.”

“I can’t hire you, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

At that, Dmitri rolled his eyes. “I have a job. I work at Indulgence. I’m just being nice.”

James’ look was one of subtle suspicion, but he let Dmitri go, and the pair worked in silence for the next ten minutes. The trash was gross, but not the worst Dmitri had dealt with, and he watched as James weighted the bins down with a couple of bricks Dmitri