Irreparably Broken (Irreparable 1)

He releases me. I pick up my mug of coffee and lean against the counter, drinking it.

Tug digs around in the fridge. “Oh, by the way, Jake’s been calling the house.”

I was afraid of that – he’s been calling my cell, too, and I’ve been ignoring him.

Tug closes the fridge door, cup of yogurt in hand. “I get the impression Jake wants you back.” His pointer finger touches the corner of his mouth and he says, “So many choices, Miss Preston.”

“Ugh! Jake is not up for consideration! I’d rather be a slave to Jabba the Hutt than ever go there with him again.”

“That may be your best one yet, Tor.” He laughs. “The last time he called, I finally answered. He asked if he could come by and talk to you.” He grins. “Don’t worry, I told him if he liked his pretty face, I’d advise him against it.”

“Thanks, Tug.” I laugh.

Tug stretches his arm, resting his hand on my shoulder. “Go talk to Brady.”

I kiss him on the cheek and walk out the sliding glass door. As I walk barefoot through the grass to the shed, I’m full of nerves, and butterflies flail around in my chest.

Just as Brady slams his stick into the snare, he looks up and sees me. We exchange nervous glances. He smiles, and I swear I stop breathing. God, I’ve missed him. Drops of sweat roll down the sides of his face. The cut on his cheek is almost healed. He hasn’t shaved, and his face is shadowed with dark stubble. He looks hot, exceptionally h

ot.

“Hi.” I smile impishly, my heart thundering against my ribs.

He smiles a familiar beautiful smile that makes me want to run to him and kiss him all over. “You’re the second visitor to startle me today, though I must say you’re much prettier than Tug.”

That little brat. I knew he was up to something. He needs to add matchmaker to his list of annoying attributes. “Tug came to see you?”

His gaze rakes up and down my body, drinking me in, and I blush. “Yeah, just a little while ago.”

“And how did that go?” I ask anxiously. I don’t see any new bruises, and Tug didn’t have any, so I guess it couldn’t have been too bad.

He nods understandingly. “Pretty good, actually.”

I hold my hands together in front of me, taking a few steps toward him, twisting my hips and bouncing on the balls of my feet. “Yeah, he came to see me, too.”

Brady’s eyebrows lift. “He did, did he? And what did he say?”

I nibble on my lower lip before I answer. “He asked if I’d made a choice.”

His nostrils flare as he sucks in air through his nose. “And what did you tell him?”

“I told him I did,” I reply, holding back.

He swallows hard and clears his throat. “And?”

I take another step closer to him. “And…I told him, I chose him.”

Brady’s drumsticks fall to the floor. “I understand, but I…”

Acutely aware of his profound disappointment, I cut him off before he finishes. “I told him I chose his friendship, Brady. When it comes to my love, it’s always been yours.” I walk the rest of the way to him, and sit on his lap, facing him. My index finger traces over his cut and I press my lips to it, gently kissing it. He winds his arms around my waist and locks his fingers. I brush sweaty hair from his forehead, revealing his enchanting green eyes. They meet mine, a glint of desire behind them. “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time,” I whisper.

His smile is huge. I’ve never been so happy in my life to see any human being smile.

“I love you, too, Sunshine,” he whispers back.

The glint is now a fire burning behind his eyes. He doesn’t want to talk right now. It’s fine. I came here with more than one intention. I’ll give him whatever he wants. His hands grab my wrists, and he holds them behind my back, pulling me close to his chest.

“I belong to you, Brady,” I breathe in a hushed voice.