Raphael Read Online Free Page A

condo.
    "Good afternoon, Cynthia,” Holly said with a pointed look at her watch. Holly didn't approve of Cynthia's hours. If Cyn was a night owl, then Holly was the proverbial early bird. And that was only the first of so many differences between them. In Holly's perfect world, everyone rose at six a.m. and hopped through life like diligent little bunnies in the cabbage patch before returning every night to the perfect house and perfect family. The fact that Holly herself had yet to secure the perfect husband with which to breed the perfect family was a source of great distress to her. Not because she was eager to have children; the nanny would be taking care of those. No, Holly would be spending her days doing whatever it was rich wives did. She had very specific financial requirements for her future husband, which was probably why she hadn't acquired one yet.
    "Any word on your house?” Cyn asked, trying to remember how Holly had managed to guilt her yet again into staying here. It seemed every time her sister needed a break, Cyn's condo on the beach became the local motel. She didn't mind helping out, but she really didn't want a roommate either. And the last time Holly had come for a visit—
    "Really, Cyndi,” Holly called her back to the present with the nickname Cynthia hated, which was probably why Holly used it. “Could you make me feel any less welcome? It's not like you don't—Oh!” Holly's cheeks pinkened attractively as Nick came down the stairs into the kitchen, exuding a dark, masculine energy that seemed to fill the room. His wavy brown hair was still wet from the shower, his shirt unbuttoned over low-riding blue jeans that showed his slim hips to great advantage. He was over six feet of well-toned muscle with broad shoulders, long, lean legs, and just enough silky dark hair on his chest to prove he was a fully adult male. While not enough to worry that one had crossed some invisible species boundary. Cynthia enjoyed the view, then walked over and stroked a hand over his bare waist, raising her face for a kiss.
    She glanced over her shoulder. “You remember Nick, don't you, Holly?"
    "Yes,” Holly said shortly, giving them both a disgusted look.
    Nick smiled and began buttoning his shirt. “I've got a flight to catch, babe,” he said to Cynthia as he tucked it in. He walked over to the couch and picked up his leather jacket, pulling keys out of the pocket. “Walk me out?"
    Cynthia followed him down the stairs to the garage on the ground floor of her three-story beach condo. Nick threw his jacket onto the seat of a Ferrari convertible, then leaned against the door, pulling her between his legs. “You know, it's hard to believe you two are sisters. It's like you were raised on separate planets."
    "Half sisters, actually. Same mother, different father. And we never lived together. My parents divorced when I was three and I lived with my father. My mother didn't bother to stay in touch; I barely knew Holly before high school."
    "I guess it's good your dad cared,” Nick said with obvious awkwardness. They never discussed personal things. Theirs was strictly a relationship of mutual lust.
    "Yeah, well, don't get sentimental. I was just too low on the list of possessions for anyone to fight over.” She stood back, giving her ragged dark hair a nervous fluff and tucking her hands into the pockets of her slacks. “Have a good flight, Nicky."
    "Will do. I'll give you a call when I'm in town."
    "I'll be around,” she agreed.
    He stood, gave her a hard, quick kiss, then slid into the car with a grin and was gone, taking all that energy with him and leaving an empty feeling behind.
    Cynthia watched the racy car as it accelerated up the small hill behind her condo and turned onto the highway, then she climbed back upstairs with a sigh.
    "I saw the car when I went to the store this morning,” Holly commented as Cyn returned to the kitchen. “I didn't realize Nick had that kind of money. Like draws like, I