Broken

“Okay,” Andrea said, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get this food on the table!”

I started grabbing dishes and helped bring all the food out to the large oak table sitting in the dining room. I looked up at the pictures hanging on the wall. There were several of a man that I assumed was Andrea’s husband posing in his officer’s uniform. His ribbons were encased and hung next to the pictures, making me think he was no longer with us. I didn’t want to bring it up, not knowing the details, so instead, I sat down and began passing the food around.

“So, how did you two meet?” I looked at Natalie and then over to Casey.

“Oh, we met in college,” Natalie said with excitement. “We ended up being on the same team for one of our Sophomore projects.”

“That’s awesome,” I said. I turned to Casey and added, “Did you grow up in New York?”

“She sure did,” Andrea answered. “In fact, her father and I, God rest his soul, grew up here in Brooklyn. I’m glad she decided to stick around.” Andrea looked at Casey and winked as we ate our food and continued the conversation. I wanted to know more about this girl. In all reality, I wanted to see more of this girl, and I didn’t mean on a date. She was gorgeous with unguarded eyes and thick curvy body. I could only imagine what it would feel like to run my hands over her smooth skin.

I excused myself from the table and grabbed the cordial I bought, hoping they would enjoy it. It was extremely expensive but that wasn’t something I wanted to mention in present company. I showed Andrea who oohed at the bottle and pointed me to the cordial glasses in the china cabinet behind us. I brought out four glasses and poured a small amount into each, making sure Casey’s was a bit fuller than the rest. She smiled at me as she reached out to take the glass. As our fingers skimmed across each other’s, I could feel the electricity between us.

We sat around the table listening to Andrea tell stories of Christmas’ when Casey was a little girl. The woman was so happy and so jolly that you couldn’t help but feel loved just by sitting around her table. I kept a close eye on Casey’s glass, making sure to refill it each time it got low. I wanted her to loosen up because the pull between us was thick and hungry. Each time she caught me staring she would look for a bit too long before blushing and turning back to her mother. Her innocent personality was sexy but I knew there was something raw and needy inside of her. I stretched my leg out under the table and grazed her foot with mine. She rubbed it back, staring forward and listening to her mother’s continued stories. Natalie seemed to be in her own little world, which left me and Casey trapped in this bubble, bursting at the seams to be let loose.

Maybe it was the fact that I was leaving, maybe it was the hazelnut liquor or even the twinkling Christmas lights, but I wanted Casey and I wanted her bad.

Chapter 2: Casey

When Natalie called and asked if her brother could join us for dinner, I had no idea I would end up standing in front of the hottest guy I had ever met. As soon as my eyes met his, I knew I was in trouble. He pierced me with a stunningly blue gaze and there was just something about the way his eyes glimmered as he flashed his wide smile with his wavy blonde hair curling around his face that left me breathless. I longed to put my hands in his curls and pull him close. The warmth in my chest was caused by a combination of his lustful stare and the hazelnut liqueur he refilled my glass with over and over again. There was a serious air of danger emanating from him, which usually made me run in the opposite direction from but for Dex, it only pulled me further in.

As we talked about our childhoods, my mother stood and started clearing the dishes. As always, I took notice and stood as well, reaching for the empty bowls and plates. Natalie grabbed my hand and winked at me, glancing over at her brother who was still staring intently, waiting for me to finish my sentence. I handed her the bowl and stepped back from the table, grabbing my glass.

“I’ll help clean up,” Natalie said brightly. “You did so much before we got here. Go relax and show my brother around the house.”

I blushed at her words, knowing she noticed our heated glances and attentive behavior toward each other. I backed up as she moved around the table picking up plates, unsure of what to do. I looked down as I felt Dex’s hand grab my arm and pull me toward the living room. I smiled sweetly at Natalie and allowed Dex to pull me away, finding him too sexy to ignore. I could feel the alcohol surging through my veins and loosening my nerves. I strolled over to the couch and sat down, watching as he followed. He sat close and turned to face me.

“What did you get your degree in?” He was very interested in my life and I was very interested in his luscious lips.

“Um. Well, I started out studying medicine but after my father passed away, I changed my major to business, hoping it would open some doors for me,” I said. “My father’s pension pays for the house as such but I knew my mother would need more help than that. I wanted to go to Graduate School like Natalie but I decided to wait for a while.”

“That’s really amazing of you, I know how it feels to los

e a parent,” he said. I watched as he looked around at all the Christmas decorations mom and I had put up for the little party. It was nice having people here but even nicer having him sit so close to me. He turned toward me, his hand touching my knee and we stared into each other’s eyes for a moment.

“Okay gang,” my mother said, startling us and making us jump apart. “I’m going to take these down to the mission and make sure they don’t need any help this evening. You three have fun, there’s pie and ice cream in the kitchen if anyone wants anything.”

“Okay, mom. Be safe,” I said with flushed cheeks.

“Thank you for having us, Andrea,” Dex said, standing and kissing my mom on the cheek. Talk about a swoon moment.

We watched as my mom left the apartment, feeling the rush of cold air as she closed the door behind her. Natalie looked over at us and smiled, taking another drink of her liqueur and glancing at the twinkling lights. I shifted on the couch, trying to get this hot man off my mind. Every time our legs accidentally brushed each other I could feel the heat in my stomach grow hotter.

“So, you guys want to play charades?” I didn’t know what else to offer.

“Yes.” Natalie giggled. “Wait, there’s only three of us. I know! We’ll take turns. Me and Dex will act things out and you can be the guesser since I know you hate being the actor.”

“Sounds good to me.” I laughed.

We played a sloshy drunk game of charades for about an hour. I was laughing so hard from Dex’s impression of a duck that I almost spit my drink everywhere. Just as Natalie got up to take her turn, her phone rang and she walked into the kitchen to answer it. I laid on the couch with my legs propped up on Dex’s lap, trying to get ahold of the warm drunk feeling in my head. I hadn’t had this much fun in forever and the more we drank, the more touchy feely Dex and I became. When Natalie came back out, we looked up at her. She was wearing a thoughtful expression that made both Dex and me frown.

“So that was Ben from school,” she said, looking down at her phone. “He said he can get me front row at the Rockette’s extravaganza but if I want to go, I have to go now.”

“You should do it,” Dex said, glancing over at me. “That poor boy is pulling out all the stops, the least you could do is go enjoy yourself.”

“I don’t know,” she said, sitting down in the chair. “I’m having so much fun here.”

“Girl, we are always here. Go and have fun!” I said, hoping she would take my word for it.