doors. “The kabobs are ready.”
Rafael
pulled me up off the floor when he walked by with the rice. “Table’s been set.
We’re all ready for you two lovely ladies.” He reached for Cenia’s hand and
gently pulled her to her feet.
“Thanks,
Rafael.” Cenia gathered our wine glasses and followed Rafael and me out to the
patio.
The
guys had removed the umbrella and draped a white linen tablecloth over the top
of Cenia’s wrought iron table. Three white candles were glowing softly from the
center of the table. Bamboo torches were lit all along the patio. Country music
was playing softly from Roger’s iPod, which was docked in a speaker near the
grill. “This is lovely,” I noted admiringly.
Rafael
pulled a chair out for me. “Sadly, I can’t take any credit for this. This was
all Roger’s idea.”
Cenia
kissed Roger on the cheek. “Thanks, honey. This is very sweet.”
He
tucked Cenia into the chair across from me. “Is it sweet enough for you to
reconsider abstaining from sex?”
Cenia
looked completely mortified. “Roger! We are not discussing this in front of
Rafael and Kri.”
“I’d
like to hear what they think,” Roger replied. He winked at me. He always winked
when he was being mischievous. His voice took on an overtly wounded tone as he
settled into his chair. “We had a great sex life before I proposed, then she
totally cut me off. She’s decided we shouldn’t have sex until our wedding
night. I can’t figure out where I went wrong. I would have thought a proposal
would have earned me loads more sex, but it’s had quite the opposite result.”
I
tried not to laugh at the pained expression on Cenia’s face. “Refraining from
sex could make your wedding night more memorable,” I opined. “I think it’s a
great idea.”
Roger
scowled at me before seeking sympathy from Rafael. “Help me out here, Rafael.
I’m not sure I can survive the next two and a half months without sex.” He
began distributing the kabobs on everyone’s plate.
Rafael
heaped a spoonful of Portuguese rice onto my plate. “You might be surprised by
what you’re willing to endure for the woman you love.”
Roger
glanced questioningly at Rafael. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Rafael
shrugged as he scooped a pile of rice onto Cenia’s plate. “I’m just saying, two
and a half months without sex is nothing. Trust me. You’ll survive.”
Roger’s
eyes narrowed, then widened with understanding. “You two aren’t having sex!” he
exclaimed. “Now that’s a shocker.”
“Roger!
That’s enough. We’re done talking about sex,” Cenia scolded. She glanced at me apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Kri. I didn’t tell Roger everything that happened in Ukraine.”
Roger
glanced at me. The mischievous glint in his eyes was gone. Concern now etched
his ruggedly handsome face. “What did they do to you, Kri?” he inquired softly.
He had completely abandoned his plate.
I
couldn’t decide if I wanted to laugh or cry. I was working so hard to forget
the past, but it kept creeping up on me. I took a sip of wine, stalling so I
could smooth out my frayed emotions. Finally, I looked at Roger. “Don’t feel
bad for ribbing us about our sex life, Roger. You couldn’t possibly have
known.” My lungs deflated as I sorted through the best way to explain what the
SVR had done.
Rafael
squeezed my hand encouragingly. “Imagine the worst possible place someone could
shove a stun gun on a woman who had been beaten, doused with water, and
stripped bare.”
Roger’s
shoulders fell. He glanced at Cenia. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispered
angrily.
“I
didn’t think Kri would appreciate me sharing something so… personal ,”
Cenia explained softly.
Roger
couldn’t bring himself to look at me. Instead, he looked at Rafael. “No wonder
Kadyn’s refused to discuss what happened in Ukraine. If you two are planning
any sort of retaliation, I want in.”
I
jumped out of my chair, suddenly panicked.
Rafael
pulled me up off the floor when he walked by with the rice. “Table’s been set.
We’re all ready for you two lovely ladies.” He reached for Cenia’s hand and
gently pulled her to her feet.
“Thanks,
Rafael.” Cenia gathered our wine glasses and followed Rafael and me out to the
patio.
The
guys had removed the umbrella and draped a white linen tablecloth over the top
of Cenia’s wrought iron table. Three white candles were glowing softly from the
center of the table. Bamboo torches were lit all along the patio. Country music
was playing softly from Roger’s iPod, which was docked in a speaker near the
grill. “This is lovely,” I noted admiringly.
Rafael
pulled a chair out for me. “Sadly, I can’t take any credit for this. This was
all Roger’s idea.”
Cenia
kissed Roger on the cheek. “Thanks, honey. This is very sweet.”
He
tucked Cenia into the chair across from me. “Is it sweet enough for you to
reconsider abstaining from sex?”
Cenia
looked completely mortified. “Roger! We are not discussing this in front of
Rafael and Kri.”
“I’d
like to hear what they think,” Roger replied. He winked at me. He always winked
when he was being mischievous. His voice took on an overtly wounded tone as he
settled into his chair. “We had a great sex life before I proposed, then she
totally cut me off. She’s decided we shouldn’t have sex until our wedding
night. I can’t figure out where I went wrong. I would have thought a proposal
would have earned me loads more sex, but it’s had quite the opposite result.”
I
tried not to laugh at the pained expression on Cenia’s face. “Refraining from
sex could make your wedding night more memorable,” I opined. “I think it’s a
great idea.”
Roger
scowled at me before seeking sympathy from Rafael. “Help me out here, Rafael.
I’m not sure I can survive the next two and a half months without sex.” He
began distributing the kabobs on everyone’s plate.
Rafael
heaped a spoonful of Portuguese rice onto my plate. “You might be surprised by
what you’re willing to endure for the woman you love.”
Roger
glanced questioningly at Rafael. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Rafael
shrugged as he scooped a pile of rice onto Cenia’s plate. “I’m just saying, two
and a half months without sex is nothing. Trust me. You’ll survive.”
Roger’s
eyes narrowed, then widened with understanding. “You two aren’t having sex!” he
exclaimed. “Now that’s a shocker.”
“Roger!
That’s enough. We’re done talking about sex,” Cenia scolded. She glanced at me apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Kri. I didn’t tell Roger everything that happened in Ukraine.”
Roger
glanced at me. The mischievous glint in his eyes was gone. Concern now etched
his ruggedly handsome face. “What did they do to you, Kri?” he inquired softly.
He had completely abandoned his plate.
I
couldn’t decide if I wanted to laugh or cry. I was working so hard to forget
the past, but it kept creeping up on me. I took a sip of wine, stalling so I
could smooth out my frayed emotions. Finally, I looked at Roger. “Don’t feel
bad for ribbing us about our sex life, Roger. You couldn’t possibly have
known.” My lungs deflated as I sorted through the best way to explain what the
SVR had done.
Rafael
squeezed my hand encouragingly. “Imagine the worst possible place someone could
shove a stun gun on a woman who had been beaten, doused with water, and
stripped bare.”
Roger’s
shoulders fell. He glanced at Cenia. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispered
angrily.
“I
didn’t think Kri would appreciate me sharing something so… personal ,”
Cenia explained softly.
Roger
couldn’t bring himself to look at me. Instead, he looked at Rafael. “No wonder
Kadyn’s refused to discuss what happened in Ukraine. If you two are planning
any sort of retaliation, I want in.”
I
jumped out of my chair, suddenly panicked.
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