Perhaps it was time to drop the charade. Rafe seemed to be taking what he was saying personally and the jesting seemed as if it were over and had turned into mean-spirited determination to hurt the other's feelings. It wasn't his intention to do that. He just intended to give her back a little more than he got.
He shook his head.
"My, my, this has gone far enough, I do believe. That 'condescending, irritating prick' you were speaking to was just an act, I'm afraid. You were poking fun at my manner of speech, so I decided to poke a little back. My most sincere apologies if you took any offense to what I was saying," he offered, "I must admit I have no idea what it stands for. The closest thing I can think of is 'Raphael', but Raphael is a boy's name. Unless, of course, it were a conjugation of sorts? Perhaps a feminine version of it? I suppose it is not unheard of..."