Choices Read Online Free PDF Page A

for work.  Good thing the need did not appear to be as strong today. Maybe it was beginning to wane.  Picking up the cell phone, she considered that maybe the urgency of the bonding was ebbing. He’d explained to her that it would become bearable over time, and they wouldn’t need to be together daily.  But just thinking about their lovemaking brought the familiar rush of heat, which pooled in all the wrong places. 
    With the phone cradled against her ear, she headed to her bedroom to get dressed.  She wasn’t sure what kind of day she’d have at the library today.  If Roderick didn’t appear, it would be the first day since they’d mated that she’d face without first seeing him.  Panic clenched her midsection at hearing his deep voice, the message short.  “ Rod’s phone —leave a message.” 
    “Hi, just wondering if you are all right. Please call me.” I miss you .  She wasn’t ready to let him know how strong her feelings for him had become.  What if something happened to him?  Was he lying in some dark alley dying?  And what if it was all because of her not moving in with him? 
    “Oh God.”  With trembling fingers, she scanned her contacts for Cyn’s number. 
    “Hello?” The Scot’s deep timbre did little to settle her nerves. 
    “I haven’t seen Roderick today, he hasn’t shown up…” Rachel felt like an overbearing housewife at the words, but she plugged on.  “Do you know where he is?  Is he all right?”
    “Uh, yeah,” he hesitated. The cryptic reply made her want to reach through the phone and crush his windpipe. “He’s asleep.”
    “Oh.” Rachel wasn’t sure what else to say.  “Okay. Well I left him a message. Thanks. Bye.”
    “Hey Rachel.” Cyn stopped her from hanging up. “You need to talk to him. He’s probably going to punch my face in for telling you this, but he’s having a hard time with, err... never mind. You just need to talk to him. The sooner the better.”
     
    After calling the library to let them know she was taking a vacation day, Rachel jumped in her blue Honda Civic hatchback and headed to Roderick’s house.  With Christmas coming up, things were slow at the library.  However they were planning several events the following week, so she'd have to work extra hours to make sure all went well.
    The hour-long drive to Roderick's apartment gave her time to think and practice her words.  She’d made a decision, she would ask him if he’d rather move into her townhouse, or else she’d move in with him. At the same time Rachel planned to inform him that she wanted to get married.  Not that she was old fashioned, but if she was tied to a man for life and possibly having his child, then she wanted a marriage certificate.
    The Protectors lived in an oversized log cabin with architectural lines that could easily grace a magazine cover. The imposing well-built structure gave the impression of easy access, but she knew a complex security system kept track of anyone that neared the home.  She pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the car after palming a remote that allowed her entry onto the house without setting off the alarms.
    The interior of the house was silent when Rachel let herself in with the key that hung on the same ring as the remote.
    The muted sound of rock music came from the direction of Cyn’s bedroom and she smiled shaking her head. How could the man sleep with music constantly blaring?
    Padding to Roderick’s bedroom, apprehension swirled around her like a thick fog. He’d not come to her today, had not even called. And here she was checking in on him. When she reached for the doorknob, Rachel couldn’t make herself open the door. 
    Maybe her mother was right. Not making up her mind to move in together had finally put him off and he was looking for a way to break it off.  Was it possible?
    Rachel swung around, stalked back to the front room and she screamed. 
    What could only be described as a god stood in the