Free Broken Soldier: A Novel by Clara Frost

the brandy back in the cupboard and stood beside him. He slipped his right arm around her waist, pulling her closer and savoring her touch. If they just spent the next two days inside the cabin, that wouldn’t exactly break his heart. He leaned forward, kissed her blonde head.
    “Did Christa and Paul seem weird to you?” she asked.
    “I don’t know. I don’t see them together much.”
    “Well, they hardly said a word to each other.”
    They had been a little “off” when they’d gotten out of the car. Christa had jerked a bag from the backseat and gone straight inside, not waiting for Paul. And after Paul had followed her into the guest room, they’d closed the door.
    Rafa took a sip of his coffee. “I thought maybe they were breaking in the bed.”
    Muted footsteps thumped across the hardwood, and Paul rounded the corner into the kitchen. “Nothing quite so fun.”
    Emily flushed, like she was embarrassed about Paul overhearing their speculation. Rafa just grinned at his friend. “You pick a fight with the lady?”
    “I didn’t pick it. It just sort of happened.”
    “Well, don’t let us keep you from the make-up sex.”
    “Rafa!” Emily swatted his arm.
    Paul chuckled. “I gotta make up with her first. When we got married my old man told me that I could either be right or I could be happy, but I couldn’t be both.”
    “And you’re taking the moral high ground?” Emily asked.
    “That’s why you’re the shrink.” Paul stopped beside the coffee pot, then sniffed. “You two sneak a little something extra into your drinks?”
    Emily slipped out of Rafa’s embrace and went to the cabinet. “A little brandy. Care for some?”
    Paul went to a different cupboard and came up with a proper snifter. “I’ll pass on the coffee.”
    Emily gave his glass a healthy splash.
    “I think Christa will be out in a few minutes,” Paul said. “You two up for a soak in the hot tub?”
    “The one in the master bath?” Rafa asked.
    “No way, bro. The one outside.”
    Rafa looked at him, confused.
    “I take it you haven’t seen it. This way, my man.” Paul beckoned for Rafa and Em to follow him.
    A door past the master bedroom opened out onto an open air deck. A dusting of snow covered everything, but Rafa could see the outline of a hot tub. “Do we need a broom?”
    “I’ll get it.” Emily ducked back inside, leaving Rafa alone with Paul.
    “Are you and Christa having trouble?” Rafa asked once Emily was out of earshot.
    “We got into it on the drive up here. Nothing major.”
    “If you need some time to take care of it, we can make ourselves scarce,” Rafa offered. Skipping out on the rest of the skiing wasn’t going to break his heart.
    “Nah, she’ll get over it.” Paul’s eyes darted toward the door.
    Emily came out, a wide-headed push broom in hand. Rafa tried to intercept her to take the broom, but she shook her head. “I’ve got it.”
    He wanted to argue, but at the same time, he knew it would be much harder for him to manage a broom that size than it would for her.
    Emily made quick work of the snow. Paul got the hot tub cover off and the water flowing. Rafa just stood around and watched.
    He caught Emily by the elbow as she passed him, heading back into the house with the broom. “Em, I don’t have a swimsuit.”
    She grinned, pulling him into the house after her. “Me, either.”
    He thought about that a minute, blushing when he realized that she simply wasn’t planning to wear a swimsuit. “Are Christa and Paul going to be okay with that?”
    “Okay with what?” Christa asked, coming down the hall the other direction.
    “Skinny dipping in the hot tub,” Emily said.
    “I don’t mind,” Christa said, “As long as you promise to look Paul straight in the crotch and start laughing.”
    “I’ve been doing that since we were both eight years old,” Rafa said.
    “Then it’s a deal.” Christa breezed past, heading outside.
    Rafa followed Emily across the house, watching