Read Online Fractured ( Fractured #1) by Holleigh James - Free Book Online
Authors: Holleigh James
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my head. I must have done something very good in a past life, like save a deity or something.
Scanning my drawing for imperfections, I decided there were none, not as long as he was the subject. I was pleased with my work. It was a good likeness of him. I turned it to ward him. “Now before you open your eyes,” I warned, “remember I’m not that good.”
He nodded. “I promise not to be too harsh with my critique.” His smile grew wider and the dimple appeared. My insides did flip-flops.
“Okay, you can open them.”
His eyelids fluttered open, and I felt the power of his glance take over me. Like helium swelling in a balloon, my spirit lifted. My lungs burned until I remembered to exhale. As he studied every line, every shadow, every mark I made on the paper, I sat motionless, waiting for him to speak. But it wasn’t his anticipated comments that had a hold on me. It was him.
Without a word, his eyes scanned over every stroke I’d made. After several long minutes, he looked up at me. “This is incredible.” Reaching for the pad, he took it from my hands and studied it more closely. From his expression, I knew he was pleased. “You’re very talented.”
I wasn’t ready for his praise. I felt awkward and looked at the sand below my feet instead of at him. I’ve never been good with compliments, mostly because I rarely received them, and now, I was getting praised from the hottest guy I had ever seen. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“No, really. This is very good.”
The sun sat low in the sky, turning the water a deep teal color. He smiled at me. It was mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away. Please don’t let this moment end. But when Rob looked at the sky, the spell was broken.
“ It’s getting late. I’d better take you home. I don’t want your parents to think something bad happened to you since your brother left you with a stranger.”
It was true; we were strangers, although I didn’t want him to be. I wanted to know everything about him, including how it felt to have his lips pressed against mine. A million thoughts bounced around in my mind. What if he was dangerous? I had been reeled in by his charm and good looks, but what did I know about him? Nothing. I looked into his eyes. His smile never disappeared. At that moment, I didn’t care if he was dangerous or not, I just knew that I wanted him.
Rob folded my chair and grabbed the umbrella as I shoved my things into my bag. I made sure to carry the seashell he’d given me in my hand.
In the parking lot, he held open the passenger door to his shiny, black BMW.
“ This is yours ?” I asked, trying not to sound shocked and envious.
“My dad bought it two months before… before the fire.” Pride morphed into sadness. “My Uncle Rick said I could keep it, as long as I could make the payments. That’s why I switched my hours at the grocery store. Night shift pays more.”
After making sure I was securely buckled in, he placed my things in the trunk and slid into the driver’s seat. The engine of the BMW roared to life, and then quieted to a low purr. The interior smelled like new leather. I wondered how someone so young could keep up the payments of something so expensive, no matter how much the night shift paid.
“It’s a very nice car,” I said. And it was. I may not have been athletic or a stellar conversationalist, but with a mechanic for a father, and a brother obsessed with automobiles, I had a keen knowledge of cars. Other than his family, my father’s greatest love was cars. I guess that’s why he bought an automotive repair shop, so he could be around them all the time. “My dad would kill for a car like this.”
“Me, too, but my unfortunate circumstances caused me to be in a situation where I didn’t have to wait until I was a hundred before I could get one. The life insurance policies my parents had paid off all their debts upon their deaths. Being an only child, I inherited all of their assets, including this
Scanning my drawing for imperfections, I decided there were none, not as long as he was the subject. I was pleased with my work. It was a good likeness of him. I turned it to ward him. “Now before you open your eyes,” I warned, “remember I’m not that good.”
He nodded. “I promise not to be too harsh with my critique.” His smile grew wider and the dimple appeared. My insides did flip-flops.
“Okay, you can open them.”
His eyelids fluttered open, and I felt the power of his glance take over me. Like helium swelling in a balloon, my spirit lifted. My lungs burned until I remembered to exhale. As he studied every line, every shadow, every mark I made on the paper, I sat motionless, waiting for him to speak. But it wasn’t his anticipated comments that had a hold on me. It was him.
Without a word, his eyes scanned over every stroke I’d made. After several long minutes, he looked up at me. “This is incredible.” Reaching for the pad, he took it from my hands and studied it more closely. From his expression, I knew he was pleased. “You’re very talented.”
I wasn’t ready for his praise. I felt awkward and looked at the sand below my feet instead of at him. I’ve never been good with compliments, mostly because I rarely received them, and now, I was getting praised from the hottest guy I had ever seen. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“No, really. This is very good.”
The sun sat low in the sky, turning the water a deep teal color. He smiled at me. It was mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away. Please don’t let this moment end. But when Rob looked at the sky, the spell was broken.
“ It’s getting late. I’d better take you home. I don’t want your parents to think something bad happened to you since your brother left you with a stranger.”
It was true; we were strangers, although I didn’t want him to be. I wanted to know everything about him, including how it felt to have his lips pressed against mine. A million thoughts bounced around in my mind. What if he was dangerous? I had been reeled in by his charm and good looks, but what did I know about him? Nothing. I looked into his eyes. His smile never disappeared. At that moment, I didn’t care if he was dangerous or not, I just knew that I wanted him.
Rob folded my chair and grabbed the umbrella as I shoved my things into my bag. I made sure to carry the seashell he’d given me in my hand.
In the parking lot, he held open the passenger door to his shiny, black BMW.
“ This is yours ?” I asked, trying not to sound shocked and envious.
“My dad bought it two months before… before the fire.” Pride morphed into sadness. “My Uncle Rick said I could keep it, as long as I could make the payments. That’s why I switched my hours at the grocery store. Night shift pays more.”
After making sure I was securely buckled in, he placed my things in the trunk and slid into the driver’s seat. The engine of the BMW roared to life, and then quieted to a low purr. The interior smelled like new leather. I wondered how someone so young could keep up the payments of something so expensive, no matter how much the night shift paid.
“It’s a very nice car,” I said. And it was. I may not have been athletic or a stellar conversationalist, but with a mechanic for a father, and a brother obsessed with automobiles, I had a keen knowledge of cars. Other than his family, my father’s greatest love was cars. I guess that’s why he bought an automotive repair shop, so he could be around them all the time. “My dad would kill for a car like this.”
“Me, too, but my unfortunate circumstances caused me to be in a situation where I didn’t have to wait until I was a hundred before I could get one. The life insurance policies my parents had paid off all their debts upon their deaths. Being an only child, I inherited all of their assets, including this
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