Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3) (27 page)

Rafael
was sitting at my center island, texting on his phone. He glanced up from the
phone when I walked into the kitchen. “Ready?”

I
pretended not to see the box of training manuals when I reached for my purse.
“Ready.”

He
slipped the phone into his pocket and reached for my hand as we made our way
down to the garage.

Rafael
tucked me into his car before claiming the driver’s seat. He was wearing a pair
of black slacks and a gray silk dress shirt. His hair was pulled back neatly,
and he smelled amazing. I breathed in his cologne as I relaxed into the soft
leather seat. “Where do you want to eat?”

He
glanced at me as he backed out of the garage. “I’d like to take you to Jaleo’s
in DC.”

My
eyes widened. “I heard their tapas is amazing.”

He
turned onto King Street. “Do you know how to salsa dance?”

I
shook my head. “No. Why?”

Rafael
smiled. “They have salsa dancing on Tuesday nights.”

“Dancing
has never really been my thing. I’m afraid I was born with two left feet,” I
confessed. A pained look fell over my face.

Rafael
laughed. “That just means you haven’t been dancing with the right person.”

I
rolled my eyes. “I take it you know how to salsa?”

He
grinned. “Yes. I learned how to salsa in Boca Raton, when I was visiting
Michael. If you’d like, I can teach you.”

I
eyed him suspiciously. “You want to teach me? You won’t be wearing any padded
red suits, will you?”

Rafael’s
eyes crinkled with amusement. “No. I don’t see any need for padding, unless of
course you really are a terrible dancer. Do you think I should have worn steel
toe shoes?”

I
punched him in the arm. “I’m not that bad. Just… don’t be surprised if I try to
lead.”

He
shook his head and laughed that wonderful heart-warming laugh of his. “You
won’t get a chance to lead if you’re dancing with me.” Rafael reached for my
hand and kissed it gently. “I’m really going to miss you. Eighteen days seems
like such a long time.”

Tears
welled in my eyes. “I’m going to miss you too. Hopefully, we can talk each
night once I’m settled in at the hotel.”

He
nodded reassuringly before pulling into a parking garage. “That should work,
since you’ll be seven hours ahead of me.”

Rafael
spoke briefly with the parking attendant, who waved him through to a no parking
space. I nudged his arm. “I’m beginning to think all of the no parking spaces
don’t really mean no parking is allowed. They appear to be VIP parking for
people with sexy sports cars.”

Rafael
laughed as he raised the doors to the car. “Perhaps they are…” He linked his
hand with mine as we walked toward the restaurant. “Do you like tapas?”

I
shrugged. “I’ve never eaten it before. I’ve heard it’s a variety of appetizers
with a Spanish or Mediterranean flare. How can you go wrong with that?”

Rafael
kissed the top of my head before opening the door to the restaurant. “Happy birthday,
love.”

My
breath caught. “How did you know it was my birthday?”

He
shook his head and laughed. “What is it about my training that you don’t
understand?”

“
Surprise!
”
a rather full table of people cheered as we stepped further inside the
restaurant.

I
stopped and stared. Shae, Paul, Sammi, and Cory were all sitting there, along
with Cenia, Roger, Phil, Marie, and Kadyn. I looked at Rafael. “You did this?”
I whispered with tears in my eyes.

He
wrapped his arm around me. “I knew you really wanted to see Kadyn before you
left for Ukraine. It took some convincing, but he agreed to come once he
learned it was your thirtieth birthday party.”

I
threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you,” I choked out. I was trying really
hard not to cry. “This is the most amazing gift.”

Rafael
nudged me toward the group. He spoke with the waitress while I took turns
hugging everyone.

I
saved Kadyn for last. My tears finally fell when our eyes met. “Thank you for
coming, Kadyn. I’m so glad you’re here.” I hugged him for a very long time. “I
really wanted to see you before I left for Ukraine.”

Kadyn
shoved his hands in his front pockets when he released me. “Rafael told me you
leave tomorrow night. How are you holding up?”

I
slowly shook my head. “Don’t tell them…” I nodded toward Shae and my other
colleagues, “but I’m scared to death.”

Kadyn
sighed as he pulled me in for another hug. “Please, just be safe.”

I
smiled shakily as I stepped back and swiped at my cheeks. “I’ll do my best.”

Rafael
joined us. “Are you ready for your birthday present?”

I
motioned toward the table where my friends were gathered. “I thought this was my
birthday present.”

Rafael
shook his head. He smiled as he glanced over my shoulder.

“
Surprise!
”
my cousin’s voice rang out from behind me.

I
spun around. “
Lexie?
”

She
laughed as I flung my arms around her neck. Then we both began to cry.

I
swiped at my tears as I hugged her husband, Nate. “You came all the way from
Montana for this?”

Lexie
reached for a napkin. She blotted my tear stained cheeks. “Like I would miss
your thirtieth birthday party! Besides, this guy…” she nodded toward Rafael,
“wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

I
chuckled softly. “I’ve noticed that about him.” I gazed adoringly at Rafael.
“You really are amazing.”

“I
just really like to see you smile.” He wrapped his arm around me as he walked me
to my seat. The waitress was already pouring my wine. Rafael settled me in next
to Lexie before claiming the chair on the other side of me. He tapped his fork
against his wine glass as he addressed the group. “I’ve ordered the chef’s
tasting for everyone, so you don’t need to worry about what to order. They’ll bring
a variety of tapas to the table shortly. I’d like to thank everyone for coming
this evening. I know how much Kristine values each and every one of you.” His
eyes settled on Kadyn. “I have to say, it’s nice to see her surrounded by so
many people who truly love her.” Rafael turned to look at me. “Here’s to Kristine.”

“To
Kri!” the group cheered loudly.

Lexie
took a sip of wine before setting her glass on the table. She hooked her arm
around my neck and pressed her lips to my ear. “You haven’t been keeping me in
the loop, cuz. We have an awful lot of catching up to do before you leave for
Ukraine.”

I
pulled back to look into her bright blue eyes. “I can’t believe I have to leave
tomorrow night. You finally drag your sorry butt to DC, and I have to leave the
country. That’s so unfair.”

She
offered a sympathetic smile. “Rafael said Nate and I could stay with him or we
could stay at your place while you’re gone. Is it okay if we crash at your
place?”

I
shot her a crazed look. “Are you serious? Of course you’re staying at my place.
I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just wish I had more time with you. I would
have liked to take you sightseeing.”

Lexie
laughed. She glanced at Nate as he handed her a plate of tapas. “I’m sure there
will be no shortage of tour guides between Kadyn and Rafael,” she said, handing
me the tapas.

I
took a bacon wrapped date before passing the plate to Rafael.

He
was beaming at me. “Do you like your present?”

I
looked at Lexie, who didn’t bother hiding the fact that she was eavesdropping.
“Eh. She’s okay.”

Lexie
swatted at my shoulder before handing me a bowl filled with steamed mussels.
“I’m the best present you ever had.”

The
three of us laughed.

Rafael
wrapped his arm around me. “I love you,” he whispered as his lips brushed
against my temple.

The
room faded away as I gazed into his soft brown eyes. “I love you too, Rafael.
Thank you for doing all of this… for making my birthday so special.”

He
shrugged as he passed the tapas to Marie. “You only turn thirty once.”

I
narrowed my eyes at him. “How old are you, anyway?”

Rafael
took a sip of wine. “Thirty-two.”

I
accepted another tapas plate from Lexie. I popped a crispy potato ball into my
mouth and was surprised to find it filled with spicy chorizo. I handed the
plate to Rafael. “When’s your birthday?”

Rafael
smiled. “My birthday was in March. Actually, it was the same day you discovered
me in your room.”

My
heart sank. “I wish I’d known. I would have done something special for you.”

Rafael
grinned as he lowered his voice. “We actually did do something quite special
that night. That was the first time we made love.”

My
cheeks flooded with heat. “That was pretty special,” I conceded.

Rafael
nodded toward Cenia and Roger as they made their way to the dance floor. His
handsome face lit with that panty dropping smile of his. “Let’s join them.”

Lexie
choked on her sparkling water. “You’re salsa dancing with Kri? Now this I’ve
got to see!”

I
glued an innocent look on my face. “Why don’t you and Nate join us on the dance
floor?” I asked in a syrupy sweet tone.

“Yeah,
right,” Lexie snickered.

Nate
folded his arms across his chest. “Are you saying I can’t dance?”

I
tried not to laugh. The four year old in me was thrilled to have gotten Lexie
into trouble. Lord knows she had gotten me into enough trouble over the years. I
was anxious to see her talk her way out of the implied insult, but Rafael tugged
me out of my chair.

Lexie
shot me a look of pure desperation. “Kri?”

I
winked at her.

She
wadded her napkin into a ball and threw it at me. “You set me up!”

This
time I laughed.

Rafael
continued tugging me toward the dance floor. He stood beside me as he showed me
the steps. “Step back with your right foot on one. Lift and lower your left heel
on two. Shift your weight, but don’t move the left foot. Then return the right
foot so it’s even with the left foot on three. Step forward with your left on
five, lift your right heel as you keep your foot in place on six, then return
the left foot so it’s flush with the right on seven. Like this.”

I
tried to follow Rafael while I watched his feet move. “Where’s four?”

He
stopped and stared at me. “What?”

I
walked through the steps as I counted. “One, two, three… five, six, seven.
Where’s four?”

He
shook his head and laughed. “I don’t know where four is.” Rafael rested his
hands on my hips as he moved behind me. “You need to move your hips as you
shift your weight for each step. Keep the steps small, like this.” Rafael
rolled my hips as he counted our steps. “One, two, three… five, six, seven.”

Rafael
moved in front of me once I got the hang of the steps. He placed my left hand
on his shoulder, then held my right hand. “Okay, here we go.” Rafael pushed my
right hand back as he stepped forward, so I automatically stepped back. Then he
pulled me forward as he stepped back. He smiled. “You’ve got it. Now, just
listen to the music as you count your steps. One, two, three… five, six, seven.”

I
glanced over at Cenia and Roger, who were working their way across the dance
floor in a flurry of rotations and spins. Cenia did a little kick with her foot
as she moved through the steps. “Can you turn me like that?”

Rafael’s
eyes glittered with amusement. “Sure.”

He
swung my right arm out, then in, quickly turning me under his arm while he
counted out the steps.

I
grinned. “Again!”

Rafael
laughed as he spun me in his arms again. He pressed on the small of my back as
he navigated me in front of him, rotating our position so we were dancing flush
with Cenia and Roger. Sammi, Cory, Shae, and Kadyn joined us as we danced
through the next two songs.

I
motioned for Lexie to join us. I stuck my tongue out at her when she refused.
Marie and Phil switched seats so they could join Lexie and Nate in watching everyone
on the dance floor.

Kadyn
tapped Rafael on the shoulder when the song ended. “May I have this next
dance?”

Rafael
placed my hand in Kadyn’s hand and smiled. “She’s all yours.” He offered his
hand to Shae. “Shall we?”

Shae
laughed. “I’d love to!”

I
glanced down at my feet as Kadyn gently moved me through the steps. I smiled sheepishly
when I finally relaxed. “I’m still trying to get the hang of this. I don’t want
to step on your toes.”

Kadyn
smiled as he spun me in his arms. “You’re doing great, Kri.”

I
shook my head at him. “I should have known you could salsa. Is there anything
you can’t do?”

Kadyn
laughed. “There are a few things I have yet to master.”