Page 116 of Broken

Chapter Twenty-Five

Garrett

Why is it so hot? And what is… I peel open my eyes and glance at the head of blonde hair. Calli is pressed up against me, her head on my chest. Her skin is warm beneath my palm. My arm is wrapped around her, keeping her close to me.

Blinking the sleep out of my eyes I do a quick sweep of the room, to confirm where I am. Pointless really, I know where I am. This is the second time I’ve woken up in her apartment. Lying beside her.

Calli’s hair is falling over her face. Carefully, I raise my arm and brush back the strands so her features come into view. Sunlight is creeping in through the blinds, highlighting the planes of her face. She looks so peaceful, totally relaxed.

The feel of her naked body pressed up against me makes my dick take notice. Shit, after last night, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to introduce that into this moment.

I made good on my promise. Calli didn’t want to think about those letters and what they mean. She needed the distraction, and I willingly gave it. Yeah, it was my day off yesterday, but I had shit to do. Spending the whole day and night with Calli wasn’t a part of the plan.

I’m not used to this, but I’m comfortable here with her curled up beside me, listening to the sound of her gentle breath as she sleeps on.

We didn’t talk much about what she is intending to do. The whole time I’ve known her, I’ve talked about her work, how she can’t waste the ability and craft she honed for years. Now, her taking it back up has me equal parts excited and… something else I can’t articulate.

If she takes this on, she’ll leave.

She should do it. Absolutely she should do it. And if this one job leads to more for her, to her architectural career revitalizing, then we should all be happy for her. All the friends she’s made here.

Her seizing this opportunity is the right thing to do.

So why do I feel… something dark, and unpleasant about the thought of her going away?

Calli is the first person I’ve talked to about my sister in years. Even when I have told people, it’s never been in full detail, and my mom was never brought up. Gwen dying was painful, it almost broke me. Mom abandoning me too was one of the hardest things I’ve been through.

It’s a moment in my past that I wish I could wipe out. Or change. If I hadn’t fought with mom and stormed out. If I had seen the texts from Gwen telling me to please stop fighting with mom. There were so many choices I could have made that would have changed the entire course of that night.

I’ve never made peace with it. I don’t think I ever will. Talking about it shouldn’t relieve any of my pain or guilt. One touch of her hand against my arm stilled the warring emotions which were rising inside of me as I talked about my sister.

How does she have the power to do that? A woman I barely know. One I’m struggling over the idea of her leaving.

I should go. There are things I need to do before I go into the shop today. Things to do with Calli, and keeping her safe. Isn’t she safest with me here? If I ask, would she come with me?

Calli lets out a sweet sigh and her hand moves across my abs beneath the covers. For a second, I think she is going for my dick but her fingers smooth over the plans of my chest, and cup my shoulder, like she is holding me down, stopping me from leaving.

I’m not sure she is awake, and I enjoy these last moments before she opens her eyes and lets out another soft sigh. Her head lifts, one eye pries open, and she squints against the sun.

“Morning,” my voice is raspy. I clear my throat.

“Hey,” she shifts slightly but I keep her against me.

Something is telling me to hold her a little longer. Accepting it easily, Calli sets her head back down, slightly higher on my chest. The gentle pressure of her lips against my neck surprises me.

Again, my dick stirs but it will not get involved in this. Easier said than done. There is no way to fight the natural reaction to Calli’s lips on the side of my neck and jaw. We went at it hard for a while last night. I know what my piercings can do. She will be sore.

It wasn’t all sex. We talked about the not so serious shit. Opening up to her became natural and listening to her telling me funny anecdotes about her friends was nice. I didn’t think I would have as many funny or pleasant stories to tell, somehow Calli teased them out of me.

It’s fucking killing me I’m hiding something from her.

“What time is it?” she mumbles against my skin.

Using my free arm, I grab my watch from the bedside table. There is something oddly right about this moment. It’s strange as fuck. This isn’t what I do. After I gave her what she needed upon reading those letters, I should have left.

Shaking off these maddening thoughts I check the time. “Six fifteen.”

Calli groans. We both have work today. This bubble has to break.

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