Broken (Broken 1)
Nothing.
When I reached over and tugged her arm, she jerked away from me.
“Jesus, are you okay?” I asked.
She turned and looked scared to death. “Um…yeah, I’m sorry. I guess I was lost in a memory. What did you say?”
“Would you like me to stop by Jack’s garage to get what you need out of your car? I’m not sure how long he’ll have it. I’m sure he doesn’t keep fancy car parts on hand,” I said with a wink as I watched her holding her cell phone up.
“Ha-ha. That’s fine. Oh, yes! I have a signal!”
She hit a number on her phone, and all I heard was another girl on the other end, going off in a high-pitched voice.
Whitley looked at me and smiled. “Hey, Court. So sorry, Lollipop. My car broke down in the middle of Bumfuck, Egypt, and I had to ride a horse back to this cowboy’s house. Then, he called a tow truck and brought me to my appointment. No, in his truck. Um…”
She turned and looked at me. Her face was red, and the blush covering her cheeks caused me to smile.
“Yes. Uh…really? Right now, Courtney?” She sighed as she looked toward the window, and then she tried to talk softly. “I don’t know…ugh. Oh. My. God! Nine! Are you happy, you bitch?”
Jesus…is she rating me? And if she is, why the hell am I a nine and not a ten?
“Yes, a real one. Yep. ” She glanced back and looked down at my feet. “Yes, Court…the whole package. ”
I started laughing. “Are you seriously talking about me while I’m sitting right here next to you?”
Whitley shrugged her shoulders and gave me a smirk.
Yep, she’s from New York all right.
“Listen, I have to stop and pick up some things that I left in my car, and then Layton is going to drop me off at home. Will you be there?” She let out a sigh. “You’re joking, right?”
She peeked back at me with a funny look. The way she smashed her lips together and frowned had me adjusting myself. I’d never been so attracted to a girl I couldn’t stand to be around.
What in the hell is wrong with me?
“Listen, I’ll just talk to you when I get home okay?” She ended the call and glared at me. “Don’t go thinking I was talking about you being all hot and everything. Courtney is obsessed with real cowboys. That’s all. ”
I glanced over at her and smiled. “Okay. ”
“I mean, really…I hardly even know you, and to be honest, you’ve gotten on my nerves more than anyone ever has in my entire life. ”
“Wow. Nice way to pay me back for helping you out today. ”
She snapped her head over at me. I stopped at a Stop sign and looked at her. Our eyes met again, and I swore I couldn’t pull myself away from her. Something about her drove me totally insane. One minute, I couldn’t wait to get away from her, and the next, I wanted to know more about her.
Zedd’s “Clarity” started to play on the radio as I pulled my gaze from hers and took off driving. We both reached down to turn it up. Our hands bumped, and the shock that ran up my arm startled me.
Shit. I just need this girl out of my truck. With any luck, I’ll only run into her every now and then.
“I’m so sorry. It’s your truck. I just, um…I just like this song. ”
I gave her a half-smile and reached back down to turn it up.
Whitley had gotten a few items out of her car, and she was back in
my truck, giving me directions to her house.
“You live in the center of town?” I asked her as I turned down Sandstone Street.