Broken (Broken #1) (2 page)

“
Law.”

Very impressive, “That’s pretty
great. When are you going back?”

“
Never,” he
grins and takes my hand in his. “I just found the girl of my
dreams, why would I go back?”

I snort and roll my eyes, “Now
I know you just want in my pants.”

“
Nuh-uh,” he
says like a whiny child. “I promise you I won’t even attempt it.
Not once. Not until you beg me to.”

Great, I’m giggling again, “I’m
serious. When are you leaving?”

“
I gave my
heart to you yesterday and already you’re trying to get rid of me?”
He places his hand on his chest and staggers backwards playfully as
if I’ve shot him.

“
Stop it,” I
scold but I’m only kidding around. He swings his arm around my
shoulders and pulls me along. “Fine, don’t tell me.”

His face sobers, “I’m serious
Gwenny. I’m never going back with them.”

******

My palms are sweating, I’ve
been dreading this moment all day. The sun is finally setting, even
though you can’t see it set here like you can over some oceans. The
sky just gets darker.

“
I’d love to
see a real sunset, one that makes the sky look like it’s on
fire.”

“
One day I’m
going to kiss you in front of a real sunset on a beach full of
white sand.” He promises.

I throw back my head and laugh,
my worries forgotten momentarily, “You haven’t even kissed me on
this beach yet under the greying sky and already you’re planning
fiery skies and white sands?”

“
Well, we’ll
have to rectify that,” he beams and walks backwards in front of me.
I stare at our footprints as we go, I wish I could make a mould of
them to keep forever, even if this does end as quickly as it
started, I’ll cherish it for eternity.

“
So, what are
we doing?” I ask when we stop at the spot we met and stare out at
the sea.

His grin is wicked and cheeky,
“I thought I was kissing you.”

Blush. “Oh. Umm…”

“
That’s
unless you don’t want to.”

“
I do,” I
blurt, my face heating further. “It’s just… I haven’t kissed a guy
since I was twelve.”

His eyebrows hit his hairline,
“Oh.”

“
And he was,
well he was bad at it. Or maybe I was. I just know my mouth had a
bath that day and a bath is something my mouth doesn’t appreciate,”
Oh crap, I’m rambling. “But I’d like to kiss you. Definitely.” Damn
it. “Is that… bad?”

“
No, I just…
you’re so beautiful. I can’t be the only man to have your lips
plaguing my thoughts.”

I shrug, “I’ve always been
quiet I guess. Everybody sort of overlooks me.”

He places his
hands either side of my face and looks directly in my eyes,
“Now
that
I find
impossible to believe. Maybe they just weren’t as brave as
me.”

“
I’m glad
they weren’t,” I mumble and his face lights up further.

“
I’m going to
kiss you now,” he states and takes a step closer.

“
Okay,” I
breathe and lift my mouth to his. He brings his the rest of the
way.

I’ve never been one for the
theatricals but I can honestly say time has stopped. His lips move
on mine like they were made for this reason and this reason only.
He takes charge, teaching me, being patient before sliding his
tongue into my mouth and caressing it with my own. Everything hums,
everything.

I never believed in love at
first sight. Or if I did I never believed it would happen to
me.

It has. I’m so sure it has I
can feel it in my bones.

I’ve found the man of every
woman’s dreams and I’m not letting him go.

******

Caleb chews on his lower lip as
we head up the driveway to my home, we’ve been dating for two weeks
and it’s time for him to meet my mum. Of course I’ve told her about
him but not too much. We’ve both been too busy to have a proper
conversation and then there’s the fact I’ve been spending all of my
free time with Caleb. He’s perfect, so damn perfect.

“
Nervous?” I
ask with a smirk, locking my fingers with his.

“
If she hates
me and tells you to leave me, will you?” His light browns twinkle
with mischief but I also see his nervousness dimming the light that
shines so brightly from him.

“
Never,” I
promise and it’s true. My mum has no reason to hate him but if by
some strange reason she does, I’d still never leave him for that
reason alone.

I’m eighteen, old enough to
make my own choices and Caleb is my choice.

“
Come on,” I
give his hand a tug and push open the front door to my house.
“Mum?”

“
In the
kitchen,” she calls back. I give Caleb a reassuring smile and lead
him through the hall and into the kitchen. “Hello Caleb, I’m Dawn
it’s nice to meet you.”

Caleb shakes her hand and gives
her a nod, “You too, Dawn.”

My mum sits at the small four
seating table and motions for us to follow suit. My palms are
sweating, I’m so nervous. This is the first guy I’ve ever brought
home. Mostly because it’s the first guy I’ve ever had as a
boyfriend. I have very good taste, this much is clear.

My mum thinks so too if her
wink in my direction is anything to go by, “So… you’re studying
law?”

“
Yes ma’am,”
Caleb says, a small and nervous smile teasing the edges of his
lips.

“
At
Oxford?”

“
Yes.”

“
So how do
you expect this to work between you and Gwen?” My mum has her stern
face on. Uh-oh.

“
Mum,” I warn
and give Caleb a smile.

He doesn’t break, he only
smiles wider, “I’m moving here.”

“
Oh dear, how
do your parents feel about this?” My mum asks and glances at me.
Why is she glancing at me?

“
They’ll hate
it but I make my own decisions,” he gives a small shrug.

My mum sighs and shakes her
head, “I guess it’s your choice but throwing away a brilliant
education for a girl you’ve known a couple of weeks is ridiculous
at best.”

“
Mum!” I
gasp.

Caleb shrugs again, “I know
what’s best for me and if that’s ridiculous then I guess I’m guilty
as charged.”

“
Oh you’re
very charming,” my mum’s eyes narrow. We watch as she stands and
walks to the drawers. What’s she doing? What’s that bag? Oh dear
god no. She throws the bag on the table and a few packets of
condoms fall out of its bulging belly. “Don’t get her pregnant, you
may be willing to give up your education for her but…”

I fold my arms on the table and
bury my face in them.

“
Don’t worry
about it Dawn,” Caleb waves her off. “Safety first. Cross my
heart.”

Oh, he’s enjoying this.
“Caleb!”

“
Just
saying,” he states, trying to supress his smile but failing as it
blinds me seconds later. “I promise to do everything in my power to
keep Gwenny in school until she graduates.”

This my mum likes, I can tell
by her apparent grin, “Good.” She exhales a long breath before
continuing. “So, tell me what your plans are. I hope you don’t
expect to move in here…”

“
I’ve started
looking at apartments near the university,” he says and places his
hand over mine on the table. “I have a trust fund so money isn’t an
issue.”

A trust fund? “Okay, good,” my
mum nods, her lips pouting slightly as she thinks on it. “Well,
you’re an adult, it’s your life you’ll do as you please. You
however,” she gives me a pointed look. “Don’t take this the wrong
way, but he’s just a guy. Don’t get distracted.”

“
Okay,” I
sigh with a roll of my eyes. I’m not stupid, I really like Caleb
but I’ve wanted to go to University since I was little. We don’t
have family, my mum’s parents abandoned her when she fell pregnant
with me and I don’t think she knows who my dad is. I’m guessing I’m
the result of a one night stand gone wrong and as much as I’d like
to hate her for that, I don’t and never will.

“
Also, if you
get pregnant and he leaves you, don’t expect to come back here,”
she gives me a pointed look.

Caleb frowns at this but
remains silent. I only nod. What can I say to that?

“
So,” she
smiles warmly now, all seriousness gone. “Pizza and box
office?”

“
Yay,” I
grin.

Caleb looks at me, “Yay? Who
says yay?”

“
You’ll find
there are a lot of things she says that nobody else would say. Good
luck.”

I scoff, “A lot of people say
yay.”

“
Not normal
ones,” Caleb murmurs playfully and clips me on the chin. “But I
don’t like normal so it’s all good.” Then he grins, throws his arms
in the air and in a high pitched tone he cheers, “Yay.”

“
Dork.”

We’re snuggled up on the couch,
my mum sitting in the chair to the right, watching some action film
on TV when Caleb’s phone alerts him to a text. He opens it with a
frown and for obvious reasons this worries me. This is the second
time I’ve seen him frown and both of them have been today.

I can’t help but read over his
shoulder.

Nathan
:
I
can’t believe you’ve done this to me. You ruin everything. I’m
done.

“
Who’s
Nathan?” I ask quietly so only he can hear.

He chews on his lower lip for a
moment and lets out a sigh. “My older brother.” I watch him place
his phone in his pocket without responding.

“
Is
everything okay?” My ear’s against his chest so I can hear his
heart beating faster than it was a second ago.

“
Yeah, it
will be.” I relax slightly until I hear him add, more to himself
than to me, “He’ll get over it.”

“
Get over
what?”

“
Nothing,” he
gives me his shining smile and kisses the bridge of my nose. “Just
family stuff.”

“
Is it to do
with you leaving?”

“
Nah, he
doesn’t know about that yet. Watch the movie, you’re missing the
best part.”

I leave it, my trust in him is
greater than my trust in anyone else. Which isn’t exactly a feat
since I have no one in my life that I trust. Except my mum but some
days I’m not even sure if I trust her. I know he’ll tell me when
he’s ready and I’m sure whatever he’s done isn’t that bad.

“
I have to
go,” he stretches as the ending credits roll. “My dad’s expecting
me and I’ve got a few things I need to sort out.”

“
Will I see
you tomorrow?” I ask, missing him already and he hasn’t even left
yet.

“
Yes, but not
until the afternoon,” he stands and I stand with him. It feels good
to stretch my body after such a long time curled up. “Is that
okay?”

No, “Course.” Lies.

“
Good. See me
out?” The look on his face tells me I shouldn’t say no. Mostly
because the look on his face screams of lust. There’s nothing I
like better than a make-out session with Caleb.

“
Duh,” I
giggle and follow him to the front door.

As soon as I step outside and
the door closes my back is pressed up against it and Caleb’s mouth
is on mine. His hands grip my hips as he presses his front against
me. My body immediately lights up, flames of passion licking at my
skin and nerves. By the time his tongue pushes through my lips I’m
a trembling mess, my hands in his hair and my thong so wet I’m
surprised it hasn’t dissolved.

“
You’re
perfect,” he whispers against my mouth before resting his forehead
against mine. “How can one person be so perfect?”

“
I have love
handles,” I blurt as a way to prove the fact that I’m far from
perfect.

His warm hands slip under my
top and slide along the waistband of my jeans. He grips the bare
skin above my hips and grinds his hard bulge against me. “Every
inch of you is perfection. I can’t wait to see it all for
myself.”

Blink.

“
I’m
serious,” he looks serious. His hand clasps mine and brings it to
his chest, “You make my heart race by just looking at
me.”

“
You too,” I
say breathily and kiss his soft neck. Running my nose along his
slight stubble I slide my hands into his long hair. “Even if this
doesn’t last, I’ll keep hold of this forever.”

He grins, his teeth glinting in
the glow of the street lights, “It’ll last.”

“
I hope
so.”

His hands grip my shoulders as
he takes a step back, “You’ll see babe. It will.”

I mentally repeat my spoken
words. I hope so.

“
Until
tomorrow,” he kisses my pouting lips once more and walks backwards
out of my driveway, not turning around until I go back inside.
Which I do quickly as I’m worried he’s going to fall.

“
He seems
nice,” Mum says and my heart is even happier. “Don’t get
pregnant.”

Sigh. “I won’t mum.”

“
That’s what
I said,” she grumbles and my heart is definitely no longer
happy.

“
Well I’m
sorry that me being born was such an inconvenience to you,” I don’t
say it angry, my voice is weak. What’s worse is she doesn’t correct
me, even as I walk solemnly and slowly to my bedroom, hoping the
entire time that she will.

I have to work today, I don’t
mind work, I like being busy and my boss Charlie is pretty cool.
He’s an older guy, at least sixty and he’s fun to talk to.