Read With Every Breath for Free Online

they were at the dining table. They had been joined by Sergey Zomohkov, a diplomat from Russia who had been living with them for the past three months. Mr. Zomohkov rarely rose before noon, but he and his wife usually stayed awake until at least two o’clock in the morning.
    “The job sounds perfect,” Kate said. “I’ll finally have a chance to do something really important. It means working for Trevor, but I am used to dealing with cold fish. I’ve prepared fresh herrings for the past decade.”
    Her mother looked ready to pull her hair out. “But you will be quitting a safe job to work for a man you barely know.”
    Of course, Kate did know Trevor. He was so tightly stitched she was surprised he didn’t squeak when he walked, yet there was no denying he was the smartest person she’d ever met. And in a strange way, she enjoyed their rivalry at school. Just knowing Trevor was in the classroom made her try harder, study longer. Already she could feel the anticipation to test her skills against him rising to the surface.
    The Russian diplomat smacked his hand on the table, rattling the china. “Why does this old rival want to work with you?” he demanded. “Maybe now that you are a widow, he hankers for you?”
    Kate shuddered. “I will need a bucket of bleach to scrub that mental image from my mind.”
    “Why else would a man want a woman to work in his office?” Mr. Zomohkov asked. “Men have desires. Men have—”
    “Stop!” Kate pleaded. The last thing she wanted polluting her mind was Trevor’s manly desires. The very idea made her shudder.
    Her mother nodded. “Mr. Zomohkov is right. There is something odd about Trevor McDonough . . . or whatever he is calling himself these days. He’s always been peculiar.”
    She could not quite believe it, but she was going to defend Trevor. “Tick says the surgeon general knows Trevor. That he spent years trying to lure him to Washington. Apparently, Trevor is a very famous medical researcher.”
    She was about to tell them about the fancy awards Trevor had hanging on the wall in the hospital, but the diplomat’s wife made her appearance. She was a large woman, with a triple strand of pearls around her thick neck, even at noon. The woman smiled and nodded at everyone, her pin curls bobbing with eachnod. She didn’t speak a lick of English, which made dining a challenge, but her husband was always willing to translate for her.
    No translation was necessary, though, as Mr. Zomohkov rose and embraced his wife. He growled something in Russian and kissed his wife on the lips. Twice. He also swatted her on the behind and flashed her a lusty grin, which Mrs. Zomohkov returned.
    Customs must be very different in Russia, for these two engaged in open affection with each other each time Mrs. Zomohkov made her appearance. Kissing, hugging, and murmuring words that brought a flush to the Russian woman’s cheeks. Though their blatant affection sometimes bordered on embarrassing, Kate thought it rather charming. Except it made her miss Nathan. It had been four years since he died, and the ache of loneliness was getting worse instead of better. At least she was finally able to listen to fiddle music without dissolving into tears. Nathan was a carpenter by trade, but he loved the fiddle and played it whenever they wished to celebrate. Birthdays. Inaugurations. The first sight of tulips in the spring. When Mama made an apple pie. Really any excuse was good enough for him to break out his fiddle. They had been so happy together. . . .
    Her mother set a tray of pastries before Mrs. Zomohkov, then launched into another tirade against Trevor. “That boy has nothing but vinegar in his veins. The sour will spread to anyone standing next to him. It’s not safe, you working for that man.”
    “Life is never safe,” Charlie said. “Tell us, what is it Trevor will be having you do?”
    Trevor’s face, tense with barely contained energy, flashed before her. “I need