Broken Together (59 page)

How
his breath felt against my ear.

How
his strength surrounded me.

How
his palms felt against my swollen breasts.

How,
with a single pinch, his fingers beckoned the most exquisite pleasure.

How
he stoked my need; stretched and filled every part of me.

Slowly,
Rafael began to move.

I
relinquished all control.

His
hands moved in concert with every stroke.

I
stewed in my desire… basked in his need… luxuriated in the pleasure he wrung
from me. Still, I sought one last thing. I curled my hand behind his neck,
urging him forward until our lips met in a deep, drugging kiss.

I
prayed it would never end.

*
* * * *

“I
hate this,” I whispered. My arms tightened around Rafael’s neck.

His
rock hard abs pressed against an equally hard baby. “Me too.”

My
eyes sought his. “Are you coming back on Wednesday or Thursday?”

“Wednesday
night.” He sighed. “Please. I’m just asking for three days. Three days to get
through this hearing. Promise me you will remain healthy. Listen to Dr. Meinig.
Stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

“I’ll
try.” I rolled onto my tiptoes so I could kiss his pouty lips.

He
backed me toward the couch. Thankfully, everyone had cleared out so we could
say our goodbyes. “Speaking of trouble. Have you heard from Maxim?”

My
eyes lit with excitement. “Yes. The pipeline is up and running.”

“Congratulations.”
He eyed me admiringly. “Did you ask him about the wedding?”

I
frowned. “I swear this pregnancy brain is getting the best of me. After hearing
about the pipeline, I totally forgot.”

We
sat on the couch. Rafael’s hand slid across my tummy, then froze. “What’s
that?”

I
grasped my belly. “I’m not sure.”

We
watched my tummy bounce every three seconds or so.

“Are
you having contractions?” he inquired worriedly.

I
shook my head. “I don’t think so. I don’t feel any cramping or pain.”

Mom
paled when she saw us. “Is something wrong?”

I
waved her over. “Come feel this.”

She
sat next to me on the couch. Warily, she placed her hand on my belly. After
three little bounces, she smiled. “The baby has hiccups.”

Rafael’s
eyes widened. “How is that even possible?”

I
laughed. “You know, we really should buy a pregnancy book.”

My
mother looked stunned. “Kristine! You’re twenty five weeks along and you still
don’t have a book?”

“The
last three months have been a little crazy,” I argued weakly.

She
stood. “Your father and I will remedy that first thing tomorrow morning.”

*
* * * *

Brady
dropped onto the couch. He leaned back and stretched his legs. “What are you
working on?”

My
grip tightened around the pen. “Letters for Rafael and the baby.”

Jase
set his coffee cup on the counter. “Why are you writing letters?”

I
bit my bottom lip, hesitant to respond.

Brady
studied me a bit more closely.

Jase
plucked one of the letters from the end table. Quietly, he read the first few
lines. “You don’t think you’re going to make it.”

I
gathered the stack of letters, including the one from Jase’s hand. “I’m just
erring on the side of caution.”

He
eased next to me on the couch. “How long are you planning to delay the
delivery? Truthfully?”

My
arms curled around the baby. “As long as I can.”

“Dr.
Meinig is planning to deliver the baby on Friday. Rafael believes you’re
delivering his child then. When were you planning to tell them?” Jase demanded.

The
baby elbowed me.

I
stared at my tummy. “I was hoping Dr. Meinig would delay the delivery if I was
feeling better.”

“Are
you?” Brady leaned forward while bracing his elbows against his knees.

I
frowned. My thoughts had drifted toward the baby. “Am I what?”

“Feeling
better,” Jase nearly growled.

I
took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’ve been feeling a little off, but I
think that’s because Dr. Meinig tapered me off the Prednisone.”

“Your
blood pressure is creeping up again. Do you have a headache?” Brady persisted.

I
shook my head.

Jase’s
eyes pierced mine. “Then what’s off?”

“I
feel edgy and tired, which could be the Prednisone. I feel anxious about the
pregnancy, like there’s another shoe about to drop. I also feel depressed, but
that’s because Rafael is gone.”

They
exchanged glances.

“I
was going to ask Dr. Meinig about delaying another week when I see him on
Wednesday.” I tucked the letters inside my padfolio. “Why would we deliver the
baby early when I’m feeling okay?”

“You
know that could change on a dime,” Jase replied. “That Prednisone was meant to
buy you a little time. You can’t take it indefinitely.”

Brady
scooted a little closer. “Is there anything we can do to help you cope with your
anxieties?”

“You
could watch Phantom of the Opera with me,” I suggested hopefully.

Jase
frowned. “I thought Oni was coming over to watch that with you.”

“She
asked for a rain check.” Oni flew back to Ukraine over summer break so she
could spend time with her family. She returned late last night, but she was
exhausted from the flight.

“Why
Phantom?” Brady grumbled. “Wouldn’t you rather see Clash of the Titans or Iron
Man Two?”

I
eyed the two men. “Have you guys ever seen Phantom?”

They
shook their heads.

I
smiled as I pushed off the couch. “Good. Who’s popping the popcorn?”

*
* * * *

“How’s
Bosco?”

“Good.”
I set my laptop on the nightstand. “He climbed the stairs for the first time
last night. He’s still too scared to walk down, though.”

“Is
he still chewing on stuff?”

“Oh,
yeah. He chewed Jase’s Keens yesterday. I ordered him another pair. I also
ordered a bench for the foyer that has storage under the seat so people can
hide their shoes in there.”

Rafael
laughed. “Poor Jase. That’s the third pair of shoes he’s lost to that dog.”

I
grinned. “He must have the best smelling feet in the house.”

“Or
the worst,” Rafael mused.

I
pulled Bosco closer so I could rub his ears. “How’s Eva feeling?”

“Nauseous
and tired,” Rafael answered. “Benjamim is taking good care of her, though.”

I
sank against the pillows. “I wish I could be there with you.”

“Me
too. How are you feeling?”

“A
little headachy, but nothing like the other day. I see Dr. Meinig tomorrow, so
we’ll see what he has to say.”

“What
time is the appointment?” Rafael asked.

I
gave Brady a thumbs up when he peeked in to check on me. “Three o’clock.”

“I
was hoping to participate by phone, but I’ll be flying over the Atlantic then.”

I
curled around Bosco. “What time will you be home?”

“The
hearing ends at five, which is noon your time. Barring any traffic or airport
delays, I should be home by nine o’clock.”

My
eyes slid closed. “This is it, right?”

Rafael
sighed. “Chief D’Souza spoke with the judge. He won’t schedule any more hearings
until after the baby is born.”

I
yawned as sleep tried to claim me. “Will you bring
natas
?”

“Of
course.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Will
you bring some for Jase too? He’s as addicted to those things as I am.
Actually, if you could bring two or three dozen. My parents like them too.”

Rafael
chuckled. “Your wish is my command.”

*
* * * *

Bosco
licked my face.

Gently,
I pushed him away.

He
nudged my chin with his nose. He whimpered, then pawed at my hand.

“Sorry,”
I groaned. I lowered him onto the floor. “Go find Jase. He’ll walk you.”

Bosco
sat and quirked his head. He whimpered again.

I
pulled Rafael’s pillow against my ear.

Bosco
trotted toward the door. He parked his bottom on the floor and groaned.

I
closed my eyes and prayed. “Please, God, make him stop.”

Bosco
ran back to the bed and barked.

“No,”
I groaned.

He
ran to the door, whimpered, and barked again.

“Hey,
Bosco. Do you need to go outside?” Brady leaned over to pick him up.

Bosco
jumped through Brady’s arms. He bolted toward the bed. This time he tried to
jump up.

Brady
tried picking him up again. “Hey, little guy. Your mommy is trying to sleep.”

Bosco
leapt over Brady’s hand, ran a circle around him and lunged for the bed. He
barked, then barked again.

“Make
him stop,” I choked on a sob.

Brady
froze.

Bosco
growled and tugged at the duvet.

“What’s
going on?” Jase demanded.

“I
don’t know,” Brady answered. “I thought he needed to go outside, but he keeps
running back to Kristine.”

Jase
pulled the pillow from my head. “Are you okay?”

“No.”
Tears streamed down my face.

“Get
the blood pressure cuff.” His voice was low and lethal enough to raise the hair
on the back of my neck.

Brady
ran downstairs.

Jase
softened his tone as he knelt beside me. “What’s wrong?”

“My
head hurts so bad, I can’t sit up. Please, Jase, make it stop.”

Brady
ran into the room with the blood pressure cuff. He was breathing hard.

Jase
sat next to me on the bed. He wrapped the cuff around my arm, shoved the
stethoscope in his ears, and pumped. His eyes widened. He released the air and
pumped again. “Get the SUV.”

“What
is it?” Brady eyed me anxiously.

“One-eighty-two
over one-eleven,” Jase gritted through clenched teeth.

“Oh,
crap.” Brady ran from the room.

“I’m
going to pick you up. I’m sorry if this hurts.” Jase tucked the duvet around me
and lifted me from the bed.

Mom
met us at the bottom of the stairs. “Krissy?”

“Mom,
I...”

Bosco
barked from the top of the stairs.

“I’ll
get him,” Dad said. “You guys go. I’ll walk Bosco and catch a cab or you can
send Brady back for me.”

The
Lincoln Navigator was idling outside. Brady jumped out and opened the back
door. “Gentle. Watch her head,” he warned.

Jase
leveled him with a look. Carefully, he set me inside, fastened the seatbelt,
and lowered the seat back as far as it would go.

Mom
climbed in on the other side. “How long has your head been hurting?” She tucked
a bag of frozen peas beneath my head.

“A
few hours,” I answered miserably. “I thought I could sleep it off.”

Jase
climbed into the front passenger seat. “Did you call Dr. Meinig?”

Brady
nodded. “He’s going to meet us at Fairfax Hospital. He’s calling ahead to alert
the Emergency Room. They’ll admit her through the ER.” He pulled away from the
garage.

My
heart sank. “I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

Mom
squeezed my arm. “Honey, you’ve done all that you can. You’re two days shy of
twenty-six weeks. The baby has close to an eighty percent chance of survival.
You’ve taken the steroid shots. He’s going to be okay.”

“Please,”
I begged. “We haven’t even settled on a name. We… we need to wait for Rafael.”

Brady
ignored the stop sign. “What time is it, in Lisbon?”

“A
quarter after two,” Jase gritted.

Brady
accelerated well beyond the speed limit. “Rafael is still in court. Text him.
If he’s done testifying, he may be able to leave early.”

Jase’s
thumbs flew over his phone. “He’ll go insane. He’s facing a seven and a half
hour flight.”

“I
know,” Brady acknowledged grimly.

Jase
looked at my mom. “What happens if Kristine is unable to make decisions? Will
the hospital allow you to make decisions for her?”

She
frowned. “I’m not sure.”

I
grasped her hand. “I want the baby baptized right away. Please, Mom, just to be
safe.”

“Have
you chosen godparents?” Worry lines carved her face.