Page 84 of Broken

I fucking love that I have this effect on her. I try to fight the idea of her doing the same thing to me. A gust of wind sends hair blowing across her face. Calli reaches up to move it but I get there first, sweeping the hair back and over her shoulder.

My stomach twists and my throat gets all tight. I try to force the feeling away but staring into her gorgeous face is making me insane. Making me want to do stupid shit, like kiss her. The skin of her neck is hot and soft. I feel myself giving in to the pull.

A scream tears me back from her and without conscious thought I put my arm out in front of her, shielding her with my body. The scream is followed by raucous laughter and the sound of wheels on the pavement as two kids fly past us on skateboards.

Jesus. My arm falls to my side, and I stand, watching after the little fuckers. They’re purposely bothering the people on the street, narrowly missing crashing into a couple who have to jump out of the way. If they weren’t on skateboards and so far away now, I’d chase the little bastards down.

A light tug on my arm reminds me where I am and who I’m with. I scrape my hand over my jaw. This isn’t a date, and I can’t afford to get distracted.

“We should go,” I say.

As we walk back up the cobbled street to the bike, I can’t help but feel like I’ve let her down. And myself.

This isn’t me. I don’t let women get inside my head. What is it aboutthiswoman? We’ve barely spent any meaningful time together. Even tonight, I left her with Ziva for most of it. Except, in some ways, what I did tonight speaks much louder than words.

Nothing is going on. I just want to make sure she is safe.

There will be no using her to get to Caleb. I got into his apartment once before, I can do it again.

Calli doesn’t talk as we make it back to the bike. She slots in behind me like she was made to sit there, her arms wrapping around me, hands clasped tight over my abdomen. Her scent surrounds me and makes me crazy.

As I drive, I focus on the warmth of her body behind me. It’s a miracle I don’t run a stop sign or crash the damn bike. It’s nearly ten by the time we get back to her apartment. I turn off the engine and help her off the bike.

Calli sets her helmet on the seat and comes to stand in front of me. I make no move to get off the bike. Her spine straightens, and she looks me dead in the eye.

“Are you coming in?”

“That wasn’t why I took you out tonight,” I tell her.

“No one said it was. You won’t get this pass again,” she arches a brow, using my words from earlier against me.

Something tells me if I drive off right now, I’ll completely blow it with her. Which means I most definitely should. I’m not looking to get in too deep. With her, or anyone. Keeping people at arm’s length is a specialty of mine. Allowing a woman to work her way inside my chest to that cold, dark place where no one has been for years, goes against every part of me.

It’s so much easier to keep things clinical, just about sex. Then there is no fall out to deal with, no complications or drama. I’ve been damn good at it for years.

Why do I want to climb off my bike and follow her, not just inside, but even further than that?

It’s not only how she looks, or the sway of her hips as she heads to the door of her building. It’s impossible to tear my eyes off her.

The strength that made her walk away from her old life and come here to start afresh is not loud or showy. She shies away from drawing attention to herself. I’ve never gone for women who don’t know what they want. The whole damsel in distress thing doesn’t interest me.

Calli walked through a storm and came out the other side stronger than she realizes. My pushing her today shows it's still there, her need to do the thing she loves.

I don’t like this feeling. This dumb, never-ending need to keep her safe. I’ve seen her handle Caleb, she doesn’t need me to step in.

He's an unknown, and my instincts tell me he’s bad news. Calli doesn’t need that kind of shit pushing its way into her life. Not after everything she has been through.

Yes, she’s tough and there is a lot to be admired about her, but I see more. The façade she puts on to hide that deep inside she is still hurting.

The stubborn, angry at the world part of me wants to push it away, force her out of my brain. Calli is making me question what it will be like to stop resisting. What it will be like to let her in. I hate second guessing my choices.

Fuck, this shit scares the hell out of me.

Calli reaches the door and turns to look at me. I wait to see disappointment in her eyes. Instead, the way she stares is a challenge. I’ve never been one to walk away from a challenge.

I’m not thinking about Caleb and getting into his apartment anymore. I don’t even care what my friends will think. One more time and then I can walk away. I keep repeating that as I climb off the bike and walk toward her.

Calli watches me, her cobalt blue eyes blazing with desire. We don’t see anyone on the way to her apartment. I honestly don’t think I would care if we did. Once we’re inside, I don’t give her a chance to do or say anything. In two strides I’m across the living area of her apartment and have picked her up, pulling her thighs up to wrap around my waist.

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