Broken Pieces Read Online Free Page A

you can enjoy your night without saving me every five minutes.”
    He chuckles at that. I can feel myself caving in to the perfection of this man, but I know nothing with him will work. He is the bad boy type with booty calls on the side, I’m sure. All I know is that I need to get away. I cannot get mixed up with anyone, but then I get a whiff of him. He smelled like a fresh shower mixed with sweet musky amber. Getting close to him will ruin me, I know it.
    “I’m sorry. My friend is waiting for me at the bar so I better go. It was nice meeting you, and thank-you again.” I turn to leave.
    He softly placed his warm, rough hands on my forearm. I stiffen and glance down at his hand. He catches the change and releases my arm. He gestures to his hand. “I’m sorry.” He pauses like he’s deciding in his head what to say. “It was my pleasure.” With that, he turns and walks away.
    I watch him walk away for the second time tonight. I can still feel the warmth from where his hand was on my arm. I turn and see Lauren at the bar, flirting with some guy. I go to the part of the bar that is closest to me, just down from Lauren and her flirt buddy. I order a rum and coke, something that I heard one of my mom’s boyfriends order while we were out eating one night. I take a sip, it’s not bad. Not bad at all. I make myself comfortable at the bar because dancing isn’t really my scene.
    It seems like forever that I have been sitting here, and I have lost track of how many rum and cokes I’ve consumed, when Lauren comes up beside me. “Hey, girl! You havin’ fun?” I could tell she had a few drinks, too. She stands there, all bubbly personality, like always, with some fruity drink in her hand.
    “Uh, how are we getting back to the dorms?”
    She giggles. “Oh, don’t worry! My daddy had my car taken back to the dorms, and he arranged for a car to take us back!”
    As I turn back to my drink, I see her smile get wider and her eyes go big. I look over my shoulder. Then I see him again. We had been here for a while. I’m here because I have no life. I wonder why he’s still here. He walks through the crowd with grace, but with a “don’t fuck with me” look.
    I turn back to the bar, absentmindedly stirring my drink with the little straws you get with them. I act oblivious to him, as he walks up on the opposite side as Lauren. He leans in way to close for comfort. I am fighting to keep my walls up. Just don’t look into those eyes! I don’t have to because I can smell him. However, there’s more than that … I can feel him there.
    “Please tell me you have another ride home because both of y’all are plastered,” he says, matter of-fact. He confidently leans into the bar where I can see the muscles in his arm tighten.
    I don’t dare to look at him. “Uh … yeah … Lauren’s dad has a car picking us up.” Ugh! Why am I stuttering? I am a grown ass woman, a senior at The University of freaking Tulsa, and I live by myself. Well, that last part isn’t totally true, but I should still not let some random guy intimidate me. I have a new and improved self that I’ve worked hard to build.
    Finally, I look up at him and say, “Thank-you for your concern, Drew, but we have it covered.” Okay, maybe that was a little too bitchy.
    My eyes are locked on his again. Irritation flickers through his eyes, but he has this power in them that captures me. I wonder if he can feel it, too. How can he keep doing this to me? He is making me forget who I am, who I have become. I really do not understand why he cares about some pathetic girl at a club.
    He relaxes. “Okay, I’m sorry to have bothered you, Karaline.” Well, I feel like a total bitch now.
    He straightens to walk away. I put my hand on his arm before I realize what I have done. There is that feeling again. It’s like a drug, I can’t get enough. I have never felt this before. I know I should stay away …
    He looks at me when I say, “No, it’s fine. I’m