Broken Together Read Online Free PDF Page B

to
the bedroom?”
    He
grinned. “The bedroom, please.”
    “But
we’re not even dressed!” I ducked under his arm and dove for my thong. Like
that would cover me.
    A
well-muscled arm wrapped around my waist. Rafael picked me up and tossed me
back in bed. “There are bathrobes in the closet.” He strode to the other side
of the bed and opened a white door that was built into the wall, just like the
door to the bathroom.
    “There’s
a closet?” I crawled back out of bed so I could peek over his shoulder. “You…
there’s… everything!” Rafael had stocked the closet with bathrobes, slippers,
shoes, coats, and at least three changes of clothes for each of us.
    He
tugged a black fleece bathrobe over his shoulders before sliding a slightly
smaller version over my arms. “The dresser contains additional bed linens and clothes.
The bathroom is stocked with towels, washcloths, and of all the same products
we use at home.”
    I
pulled the bathrobe closed and tied the belt. “Wow.” I shook my head and
wrapped my arms around his neck. “Clearly, you’ve thought of everything.”
    Rafael
beamed. His hands settled against the small of my back. “The place we’ll be
staying is similarly stocked.”
    I
pulled him down for a kiss. “Now I get why I didn’t need luggage.”
    A
light knock sounded at the door.
    Rafael
deposited me on the bed before opening the door. “Thanks.”
    “Ring
me when you’re ready for the main course,” Kari encouraged softly.
    “Will
do.” Rafael returned with two trays. The top tray held two Caesar salads, an
assortment of bread, small salt and pepper grinders, herb butter, sparkling
water, a cork screw, and a bottle of Apothic Red.
    Rafael
set the bottom tray on my lap before distributing the food. He handed me a
glass of wine before joining me in bed.
    I
took a sip. A heady mix of rhubarb, black cherry, mocha, and vanilla notes slid
soft as silk down my throat. I hummed my appreciation. “We should stock this
wine at home.”
    He
tried the wine. “Not bad for a California blend.” He speared some lettuce
against a rather large crouton. “Has Oni firmed up her plane ticket?”
    I
slathered the butter over a warm slice of French bread, tore a small piece off,
and popped it into my mouth. “Yes. She’s flying in on January 10 th .
Can she stay with us for a week? The dorms don’t open until January 17 th .”
    Rafael
shrugged. “A week is fine with me. When does spring semester begin?”
    “January
20 th. .” I dug into the salad.
    “Is
she excited about the move?” He buttered a piece of bread.
    My
fork stalled. “Oni’s excited about graduate school, but she’s not looking
forward to being separated from her family, especially given the instability in
Ukraine.”
    He
finished his salad. “That’s certainly understandable. How’s her English? Do you
think she’ll get along okay?”
    “Her
English is impeccable. I can’t wait for you to meet her. You’re really going to
like Oni.”
    Rafael
hit the call button before setting his tray on the dresser. “Hi, Kari. We’re
ready for the main course.”
    “I
look forward to meeting her.” He snagged another piece of bread before climbing
back into bed. “Has Maxim revealed what he’s going to ask of you?”
    “No.”
I pushed the last of my salad aside. In a moment of sheer desperation, I’d
panicked and promised Maxim anything… well, anything but sex… in order to
secure his assistance in finding and freeing Kadyn, who’d been taken hostage
during a shootout between the drug cartels outside San Fernando, Mexico. Maxim asked
the Russian Mafia to secure Kadyn’s release from the Gulf Cartel just last
month. I owed Maxim, big time, but Maxim had yet to reveal what he was going to
ask of me. The not knowing was killing me. I was terrified Maxim was going to
ask something that would cost me my relationship with Rafael.
    Rafael
twirled the glittering engagement ring around my finger. “Maybe this will