Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3) (16 page)

I
shook my head as I eyed the table next to us. “What is it, fondue?”

Kadyn
nodded. “We have three courses: a cheese fondue; a main course with steak,
seafood, and vegetables, which can be cooked in an oil or broth based fondue;
and a dessert fondue.”

The
waitress arrived with a pitcher of water. “Welcome to the Melting Pot. My name
is Emma. I’ll be your server tonight.”

I
glanced at Kadyn as Emma filled our glasses with water. “Can we order the spicy
cheese fondue?”

Kadyn
laughed. “I knew you’d pick that one. Are you okay with a broth based fondue,
instead of oil, for the second course?”

I
smiled. “That sounds perfect.”

Kadyn
looked at Emma. “We would like to start with the Fiesta Cheese Fondue. For the
main course we’ll have the Fondue Fusion with the Mojo broth.”

She
nodded. “What would you like to drink?”

Kadyn
glanced at me questioningly.

I
smiled. “Two Sprites?”

“We’d
both like Sprite,” he confirmed for the waitress.

Emma
turned the burner on in the middle of the table before disappearing around the
corner. She returned a few minutes later carrying a large tray loaded with
glasses and bowls. She set our drinks on the table before tossing the ingredients
from the bowls into a small metal pot. Jalapenos quickly scented the air. Once
the fondue was mixed, she returned with apples, tortilla chips, and bread.

My
eyes met Kadyn’s from across the large booth. “This is really nice. Thank you.”

Kadyn
dipped a tortilla chip into the cheese sauce. “I’m still trying to wrap my head
around the fact that we’re dating again. That friend of yours is quite the negotiator.”

I
reached for my Sprite. “I’m really sorry about all that. Do you feel like you
were bulldozed into this?”

Kadyn’s
face grew serious. “I’m here because I want to spend more time with you.”

I
stopped toying with my straw. “Do you think we’ll ever be able to go back to
the way things were?”

Kadyn
shook his head. “No. I don’t think we can go back to the way things were. This
last year has changed us both considerably, but that doesn’t mean a
relationship between us won’t work or that it won’t eventually prove even
better.” He shrugged. “We won’t know until we try.”

I
reached for a tortilla chip and swirled it through the melted cheese. “When
were you planning to tell me?”

Kadyn’s
brow furrowed. “Tell you what?”

I
pulled the chip from the sauce and watched the cheese drip back into the pot. I
was trying to avoid looking at Kadyn. “That you wanted to be more than friends.
You seemed content with the way things were until you learned about Rafael.”

Kadyn
didn’t respond until I met his gaze. “I was trying to give you time to get over
Michael. I wasn’t expecting Rafael to show up. I didn’t even know the guy had
feelings for you. He’s Michael’s brother for crying out loud. And, just for the
record, I still think that’s really messed up.”

I
didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t argue that it wasn’t messed up because I
knew full well that it was.

Kadyn
folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his seat. “I don’t like
being second choice.”

Guilt
nipped at me. “You were my first choice,” I responded softly.

Kadyn’s
eyes narrowed. “Until Michael forced you to Paris so he could seduce you.”

I
closed my eyes as I fought against the grief and regret that accompanied those
memories. “I never expected to fall in love with Michael.”

Our
conversation stalled as Emma removed the cheese fondue. She brought back a tray
filled with steak, seafood, vegetables, and a number of other ingredients. She explained
the procedure for cooking the various items as she prepared the broth.

Kadyn’s
eyes met mine as she walked away. “And now I’m playing second string to Rafael.”

I
shook my head. “I don’t know that that’s true. I just… Rafael asked me to date
him when I didn’t think I could have a relationship with you. God, Kadyn. I’ve
spent months trying to convince myself that I
can’t
be in love with you…
that we can only be friends. And now that you tell me you want to be more than
just friends, I’m finding it hard to backpedal on Rafael. I promised him I’d
give him a chance, and I don’t know that breaking that promise is the right
thing to do.”

Kadyn
reached for his Sprite. “Do you love him?”

I
sighed. This whole question of love was far more complicated than I’d ever
dreamed it could be. “I do love him, but I’m not
in love
with him. I
care deeply for both of you, and I don’t want to hurt either of you.”

A
pained look flitted across his face.

I
reached for his hand. “Kadyn, I love you too. I never stopped loving you.”

Kadyn
withdrew his hand from mine. He speared a piece of steak with his fondue fork
and dropped it into the broth. Steam swirled around our table. “Explain to me
how you can love two men at the same time.”

I
stared at Kadyn through the steam. I wasn’t sure whether he was referring to my
feelings for Rafael or Michael. Still, I felt he deserved an answer. “I don’t
know. Parents are capable of loving more than one child. I can love more than
one friend. Is it really that far-fetched to think someone can love two
different men?”

Kadyn
pulled the steak from his fork. He dropped a number of vegetables into the pot
before leaning back in his seat. He appeared to be struggling with his thoughts.

I
tried to capture his eyes. “You’re not my second choice, Kadyn. I just need
some time to sort through my feelings for you and Rafael. I’ve made bad
decisions in the past, not once but twice… first with my ex-husband and then
with Michael. I want to make sure I get this one right.”

His
eyes grew sad. “But what if there are no wrong choices, Kri… just different
ones?”

I
fell back against the seat. “I hadn’t really considered that possibility.”

Kadyn
shot me a sympathetic look as he patted the seat next to him.

I
grabbed my Sprite and slid across the booth.

He
reached for my hand just as the waitress returned to clear our plates. His
thumb traced tiny circles on the inside of my wrist. My eyes fell closed. I had
forgotten what Kadyn could do with the simplest of touches.

Kadyn
squeezed my hand. “Which fondue would you like for dessert?”

Heat
flooded my cheeks as I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Why don’t you pick?”

He
smiled. “How about s’mores?”

I
leaned my head against his shoulder. “That sounds wonderful,” I responded
sleepily.

Emma
smiled as she continued clearing our plates. “Good choice. The s’mores fondue
is my favorite.”

Kadyn
slipped his arm around my shoulders as she went to gather the ingredients. “What
would you like to do Wednesday night?”

I
ran my fingers through the condensation on my glass as I sorted through the
options. I didn’t want Kadyn thinking he needed to wine and dine me. Our
relationship no longer needed that. More than anything we needed time together…
time to simply
be
together. I glanced up at him. “Why don’t we order take-out
and watch a DVD over at your place? Dinner will be my treat.”

Kadyn
nodded. “That sounds good. I’ll grab a movie when I get off work.”

I
tried not to yawn as I snuggled closer to Kadyn. “My class ends at six, so
let’s plan for six-thirty. I’ll stop by China Delight and pick up the usual on
my way over to your place.”

We
watched Emma mix chocolate, marshmallow cream, and a number of other ingredients
into the fondue pot. She set the fondue on fire before sprinkling graham
cracker crumbs over the top. She stepped away briefly. When she returned, she
was carrying a silver platter filled with strawberries, bananas, cheesecake,
marshmallows, pound cake, and brownies.

My
eyes grew wide as I took it all in. “Wow. We should have just gone straight to
dessert.”

Despite
all the options, Kadyn and I reached for the same strawberry. He laughed as he
relinquished the berry. I swiped it across the top of the chocolate and held it
up to his mouth. He smiled as he took a bite. I flagged Emma down for some
coffee, then Kadyn and I settled in to enjoy the rest of the dessert.

Kadyn
pulled me from the booth when it became apparent I could no longer keep my eyes
open. I was completely exhausted. I gave him a hug when we reached my jeep. “Thanks,
Kadyn. Dinner was wonderful.”

His
left hand fell to my hip as he crooked a finger under my chin. My breath caught
as his thumb caressed my bottom lip. He stared at my lips as he spoke. “I’ve
missed being with you, Kri.”

My
hands fell to his chest. I stood breathlessly suspended as his lips hovered
over mine.

He
reached for the nape of my neck and fit his lips to mine. His tongue swept
through my mouth as he drew me into a passionate kiss. I linked my hands behind
his neck and tried to relax into the kiss. It had been nearly a year since
Kadyn had kissed me like this.

Kadyn
pressed me against the jeep as he deepened the kiss. I stilled when he hardened
against me. My body was responding to his, but it was being tempered by something.
I gently broke the kiss.

I
tried to mask my confusion as I studied Kadyn. Something wasn’t right. I
struggled to put a name to it as Kadyn kissed me on the forehead and tucked me
inside the jeep. I drove home in a daze. Despite our history together, my
relationship with Kadyn suddenly felt all wrong. Why?

*
* * * * *

I
woke to the smell of coffee. Rafael sat on the edge of my bed. He was wearing a
black fitted tank top and sweats that hung low on his hips. “Good morning,
beautiful.”

“What
time is it?” I grumbled.

He
chuckled softly as he stroked my back. “Five-thirty in the morning.”

My
eyes slid closed as he continued rubbing my back. “Didn’t you get my text last
night? There’s no way I can work out this morning. I’m exhausted. My arms still
hurt from the shots I had to get, and I’m not even sure I can stand after all
the Karate kicks Kadyn made me do yesterday.”

Rafael
laughed. “Don’t worry, princess. I didn’t wake you to make you work out again.
We can take a day off or hit the bag tonight.”

My
eyes flew open. “We’re not working out?”

He
shook his head.

I
fluffed my pillows and scooted up in bed. “Then why are you here so early?”

Rafael
smiled as he handed me a cup of coffee. “I wanted to spend some time with you before
we go to work. Why don’t you throw some yoga clothes on and grab your mat? It’s
beautiful outside.”

I
took a sip of coffee, then glanced at him questioningly. “You just said you wanted
to spend time with me. What are you going to do…watch me do yoga?”

Rafael’s
eyes glittered with amusement. “As much as I’d enjoy that, I thought I would
join you. I need to incorporate more stretches into my workout. Besides, when I
was watching you do yoga the other day, you made it look very relaxing. It
looks like it might be good for reducing stress.”

I
bolted upright, nearly spilling my coffee. “You want me to teach you yoga?”

Rafael
laughed. “Yep. Seems like a fair trade since I’m teaching you self-defense.”

I
guzzled the coffee before throwing the covers aside. “Now that’s worth getting
out of bed for.”

Rafael
stood and reached for my cup. “Then let’s go!”

I
hesitated as my foot touched the floor. “You seem entirely too excited about
this.”

His
laughter warmed me from the inside out. “I get to watch the sun come up over
the river with a beautiful woman. Why wouldn’t I be excited about that?”

I
couldn’t help but smile as I padded off to the bathroom to brush my teeth and
change clothes. I grabbed a scrunchy and threw my hair up into a ponytail as we
made our way downstairs. I grabbed my yoga mat from the coat closet in the
foyer. I typically used two mats for extra padding, so, luckily, I had a spare
mat to lend Rafael.

We
walked to the edge of the river. I laid the mats out before kicking off my
shoes. I positioned my mat slightly ahead of Rafael’s, so it would be easier
for him to follow the poses.

I
glanced at Rafael as we stepped onto the mats. “We’ll start by taking a few
deep breaths in mountain pose. In yoga we breathe in and out through the nose.
Take deep cleansing breaths. I should be able to hear you breathe. The
breathing is as important as the pose.”

We
both took a deep breath as we stepped into mountain pose. Rafael’s voice rolled
over me on an exhale. “I can smell the cherry blossoms.”

I
closed my eyes and took another deep breath as I reached for the sky. “I smell
cherry blossoms, cut grass, and damp soil.” I took another deep breath, then
exhaled while transitioning into a standing forward bend. I glanced back at
Rafael. “Keep your legs straight. Try to press your chest to your knees as you
place your hands on the mat.” I held the stretch and savored the feel of the early
morning sun on my back.