Broken Read Online Free Page A

for me at the pool hall and then took our
jackets. After hanging them on stools near the end of the bar, he
ordered a couple of beers.
    One of the bartenders, nodded at me. “Usual
table?”
    “Thanks, Paul,” I said.
    He thumbed towards Chris’s back and muttered the word,
“Really?”
    I laughed. “It’s not like that,” I said.
    “You still with Tony?” he asked.
    One of those bellowing laughs escaped my mouth. I was glad Tony
wasn’t there to hear it. “You’ve got to be
kidding. That lasted one date.”
    Paul handed me the balls and rack. “Not according to him.
By the way he talks, you’re pining for him all the
time.”
    I just smiled. “Then let him think that.”
    Chris turned from the bar. Two beers in hand, he sauntered over,
looking me straight in the eyes. For a brief moment, I
couldn’t move.
    All I could focus on was his green eyes. It was sort of a
captivating moment in which my feet were glued to the floor.
    I could swear for a brief second his eyes changed — to
something brighter. My breath caught in my throat as he walked towards me.
    I felt my face flush. I fumbled to rack the balls, trying to
catch my breath once more and turn my attention away from his
eyes.
    This wasn’t good. This wasn’t the time to be looking
at him like this, if ever. He was way out of my league.
    I handed him one of the cues. His finger brushed mine as he took it. I looked away as fast as I could.
    The chalk dropped to the floor, and I stooped to retrieve it. He got it before I did.
    “Let me,” he said. He put his hand over mine, warm
and large, and dusted the end of the cue. His eyes refused to leave mine.
    The word, “Thanks,” was all I managed to choke out.
Waves of charm flooded over me. I stepped back, trying to clear my
head.
    I went to break and he stopped me, grin in full force “You
plan on breaking with the rack still on?”
    I smiled, demurely. I nearly had to slap myself out of this. I
was acting like such a girl.
    Then I shot the ball clean off the table.
    He went after it while I grabbed my beer. I took three hard
gulps, hoping something would wake me from this dream.
    This
wasn’t happening. I didn’t need this.
    At least,
that’s what I kept telling myself. Yet, I couldn’t help
but notice how good he looked in his jeans as well as how his
button-up shirt hung from his shoulders and chest. I was usually
pretty good about making sure my head ruled before anything else.
But I was having a really hard time with that right now. The fact I
couldn’t even play pool properly was not a good sign.
    Not good at all.
    “You seem a little flustered,” he said. That green
eyed glow was there again. “You sure you want to
play?”
    “I don’t know,” I said. He smiled again, all
charisma.
    That lump in my throat was there once more.
    “Not really,” I managed to utter.
    “You want to go back to your place?”
    I closed my eyes. This was happening way too fast. It
wasn’t like him, at least not with me.
    But as he grabbed our jackets, I knew where
this was going.
    I feared it as much as some visceral part of me also wanted
it.
    I was going to take him home.
     

Chapter 4

     
    Chris walked closer to me than usual, his arm pressing against
mine. I had barely drunk anything, but my head felt like it was
swimming. Thank goodness for the rain. It wasn’t a light
drizzle any longer.
    I raised my face to the night sky and let its cool touch give me
a cold reality check.
    Taking him back to my place was not a good idea. I’d just
end up another broken heart in a long list of them. I was pretty
sure there was even a Chris Silver recovery group in town.
    I let him walk me home. When we got to the door of my apartment, I took out the keys,
paused and faced him.
    He didn’t press forward, and his face didn’t seem to
show any sign of what he was thinking. But that glowing look was
there. He took a step closer, taking my hands in his. They were so
warm.
    He kissed me on the