Perfectly Broken Read Online Free PDF Page B

We’re still
buddies, but everyone kind of went their own way. Though we would
still have each other’s back, if that was ever needed.”
    Susanna flipped over and hugged the pillow to
her waist under her bare breasts. She seemed comfortable with her
nudity, and Tomas was willing enough to look at her for as long as
she would allow it.
    The gloomy expression returned to her face, and
seeing it pulled at his heart strings. She was too beautiful, too
sexy and innocent, to wallow in grief. Instead of asking more about
why she was at the funeral or other depressing topics, Tomas
decided on a different approach.
    “Can I tell you a story? It’s one of many that
my mother told me when I was young.”
    Her eyes widened.
    “It’s an old Celtic tale. You may have heard it:
‘Connla and the Fairy Maiden’?”
    Susanna nibbled her lower lip. “Maybe, but it
has been a long time. I don’t remember the story.”
    Tomas leaned closer. “It starts: there was a
handsome man named Connla. He was the son of brave King Conn, who
had won a hundred fights.”
    She smiled, just a little.
    “But Connla wasn’t just handsome. He was
courageous and did many good deeds.”
    Susanna sat up, propped against the
headboard.
    Tomas was cross-legged with a pillow in his lap.
“One spring day, Connla was walking with his father. When they
reached a hilltop, Connla saw a maiden ahead.”
    Once more, she smiled.
    “The maiden was wearing a long white dress and
her skin was as white as the finest cream. Her reddish-blond hair
flowed like waving wheat, and Connla stared in wonder.”
    Susanna giggled.
    “He had never seen such a beautiful vision.”
    She waited.
    Tomas frowned. “But only Connla could see
the maiden. The king could not .”
    The room was quiet except for the faint hum of
the ventilation system.
    Susanna sat up straighter. “So what
happened?”
    Tomas grinned. “You’ll have to wait to find out.
That’s all I’m going to tell you for now.”
    She groaned and rolled around on the mattress.
“Nooooo. You’re going to make me wait?”
    “It serves you right. I seem to recall someone
making me wait, just minutes ago.”
    She shoved his arm.
    Tomas grabbed her and held her in a tight
embrace. “You drive me crazy, woman.” He ran his finger down the
bridge of her nose and then touched her cheek. “I love your
freckles.”
    She groaned.
    “They are lovely. It looks like golden dust
sprinkled lightly over your fair skin.”
    “Are you always this…magical?”
    “It’s been that kind of a day. The way you kept
coming and going all day, I thought you must be just my
imagination.”
    She licked her lower lip.
    “But you are very real.” Tomas kissed her lips.
“I know that now.”
    Susanna wrestled away. “It’s a fairy tale
anyway. What does it have to do with you, or me?”
    “Everything,” he said. “After all, I’m named
after the prince. My middle name is Connla.”
    “No way.”
    “Way.” Tomas grabbed her again, kissing her
harder this time.
    She kissed back, but then pulled away. “Are you
royalty, then?”
    “Of course. Eagon, my grandfather who just died,
was descended from a king.”
    “You’re putting me on.”
    “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe not.”
    “Well, I’m not a fairy maiden.”
    Susanna slipped off the bed and stood up. She
began putting on her clothes, starting with her skirt.
    Tomas frowned. “What are you doing?”
    “I have to go,” she said, as if nothing had
happened between them.
    Tomas panicked. He leapt up and stopped her with
her bra dangling from one hand. “No.”
    She looked into his eyes. “Yes.”
    He kept his hand around her wrist. “Well, give
me your phone number so I can call you.”
    Susanna shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a
good idea.”
    Tomas let her go and stepped back. “Why the hell
not?”
    Unaffected by his anger, Susanna continued
getting ready to leave. “This isn’t going to go anywhere.”
    He stared at her. “It already