Rachel Haimowitz & Cat Grant - [Power Play 1] by Power Play Resistance Read Free Book Online

the glass.
    Jonathan smiled, put down his newspaper and beckoned him
    outside. No robe for him: he was dressed in clean, pressed jeans and a
    blue sweater that looked like it’d been knitted by hand. Made his eyes
    sparkle like the water in the aquarium. “Good morning,” he said.
    “Morning.” Bran hesitated before stepping out and sliding
    the door shut behind him. The whole balcony was enclosed like a
    greenhouse, and just as warm and sticky with the morning drizzle
    fogging up the glass. Potted orchids, birds of paradise, and small
    orange and date trees clued him in on the reason for it.
    An awkward silence, then Jonathan cleared his throat. “Sit. Have
    some coffee.”
    Bran sucked in a breath, slid his hands down the robe. Why the
    hell didn’t this thing have pockets? When Jonathan nudged out the
    other chair with his toe, Bran sat down. Well, why not? The coffee
    smelled damn good, and he needed something to hold his headache
    at bay.
    He reached for the stainless steel carafe and poured himself a
    mugful, eyes drifting shut at the first sip. Some freshly-ground dark
    roast, he thought, though it’d been so long since he’d let himself
    indulge, he couldn’t be certain. A hell of a lot better than the horse
    piss they served in the trailers at every fucking construction site ever.
    “Good, isn’t it?” That smug smirk curled the corners of Jonathan’s
    lips. “Are you hungry? I can have my cook fix you anything you like.”
    Bran’s stomach rumbled, but he shook his head. He’d already
    stayed longer than he’d intended. He still couldn’t figure out why
    Jonathan had asked—hell, practically insisted—he stay over. No one
    had ever wanted him to stick around once they’d gotten what they
    wanted.
    “That’s okay,” he said. “I’d rather just get dressed and get going.”
    “Yes, well, I sent your suit out to be pressed.” Jonathan’s grin
    widened. “We got it a bit wrinkled last night.”
    As if he needed to be reminded. He fingered the mark on his
    wrist before lifting his mug for another sip. There was a bowl of fresh
    fruit within easy reach, along with a plate of buttered whole grain
    toast. Might as well have a bite. He obviously wasn’t going anywhere
    for a while.
    Like a fucking mind reader, Jonathan reached for a smaller bowl,
    scooped some fruit into it, and placed it in front of him. This time he
    didn’t hesitate; he grabbed a fork and popped the first bite into his
    mouth. Amazing. Kiwi, honeydew, pineapple, blackberries, seedless
    grapes. Everything he loved as a kid, but couldn’t afford now.
    “I grow these myself,” Jonathan said, waving a bite of kiwi on his
    own fork. “Good, huh?”
    “Hmm,” Bran conceded around another mouthful of fruit. Okay,
    so Jonathan was a weirdo in more ways than one, but Bran might as
    well enjoy it while he could.
    He shoveled more fruit into his mouth.
    “So,” Jonathan said. He sipped at a steaming mug, eyeing Bran
    over the rim. By the little smile on his face, he seemed to like what
    he was seeing, even if Bran hadn’t shaved today. Bran scratched at a
    stubbled cheek, suddenly self-conscious. “How’d you sleep?”
    Bran sighed. This was why he never stuck around after sex.
    Not that anyone’s ever asked you anyway.
    “Okay, I guess.”
    A moment’s silence. Another. Jonathan looked on like he
    disapproved of Bran not holding up his end of the conversation.
    “Not very talkative in the morning, are you?”
    “What’s there to talk about? Unless”—he hooked his thumb
    over his shoulder, pointing back toward the bedroom—”you want to
    have another go?”
    Jonathan laughed, shook his head. “It’s nice having a conversation
    every now and then. In fact . . .” He wiped his hands on the napkin
    in his lap. “I wouldn’t mind having dinner with you again. How’s
    tomorrow?”
    “Tomorrow’s Monday. Some of us have to work .”
    Jonathan pursed his lips. “I didn’t inherit all this, you know. But
    if a