BroKen

Chapter 10

"Ms. Lucille was worried about you so she asked me to run this over." He didn't wait for an invite just walked right in and placed the bag he was carrying on the table next to the computer.

"Come on in." She said facetiously, which he ignored.

"Don't mind if I do." He started reading what she'd written until she rushed across the room and folded the laptop closed.

"Hey." Her face was ten shades of red and she avoided making eye contact.

"Pretty steamy. I'm under strict orders to make sure you eat so let's go." Thank heaven he didn't embarrass her by mentioning what he'd read. She well remembered the last words she'd tapped out on the screen. Crud!

"I'm not hungry right now, I was just getting into the groove of things."

"I can see that." He smirked at her and she could've kicked her own ass for opening up that door. He took pity on her though and dropped it.

"You been at this thing since this morning?"

"Yes so?"

"Eat." He took the containers out of the bag and went into the kitchen for cutlery. Kerry could do nothing but watch, mouth open, as he took over her house. He asked her where stuff was and she had to clear her muddled brain to answer as she stood just where he'd left her as if transfixed.

She was reminded once again of just what a gorgeous man he was. Her cheeks heated up as she realized why it was that she had been able to picture the story she'd been in the middle of writing so vividly. Oh crud, it was him. She'd somehow subconsciously superimposed his image over that of the hero in her tale.

He moved around the room like poetry in motion, opening drawers and reaching up for plates, while she stood transfixed taking it all in. Oh yeah, he was most certainly who she was picturing while writing those hot steamy scenes.

Her eyes widened in self-deprecation. She hoped he hadn't seen the description of the character. She'd just die on the spot of sheer humiliation. She calmed down only when she reassured herself that those words had been written hours ago and were no longer visible on the screen.

She tried to keep her eyes above the belt so to speak but the man sure did something wondrous to a pair of jeans. She couldn't decide which was better the front or the back. And what are you doing Kerryanne?

She turned her head quickly when he returned from the kitchen after rattling around in her drawers. He brought in two plates and set them down on the table. That brought her out of her reverie quick.

"Wait, you're staying?"

"Yep, what do you have to drink?"

"Um." She was a little embarrassed as she tried to rack her brain to remember if she had anything other than coffee or tea.

"I haven't been to the store yet this week sorry. I do have coffee if you'd like."

"Don't sweat it we'll have coffee after. Eat up, Lucille makes a mean lasagna." He plated two heaping helpings for both of them before taking a seat. She had no choice but to follow, and the food did smell amazing.

She dug in and didn't realize how hungry she was until the savory meal hit her stomach. "Wow this is really good."

"Told you. Here, have some of this bread." He broke off a piece of the mouth watering homemade garlic bread and held it out for her. Sparks flew again when their fingers brushed against each other and she pulled back quickly with the warm bread in her hand.

Their eyes met and held and she warned herself not to fall for his perfect face and movie star physique. She was nowhere near his league, and besides, there was no way she was going to ever risk her heart again.

You can always just have a wild torrid affair and keep your heart out of it. Her mind teased. If only she was made that way. "So how long have you known Ms. Lucille?" That was safe enough and kept her mind from travelling too far into the gutter even if her voice did sound like a drowning squirrel.

"Pretty much since I was a kid, we use to come here a lot back then, but then life got in the way and my family hasn't been here since I was like thirteen." He took a bite of food and her eyes followed his every move. Pitiful! He even chewed pretty.

Paul always ate like it was his last meal and someone was standing over him to snatch his plate. Dammit why are you comparing? You will not go there. She scolded her wayward mind. Good, now that that's settled.

"Oh, she told me about your grandmother I'm so sorry for your loss. Was she ill for a long time?"

"Not really no, she was eighty-three, started suffering from Alzheimer's in the last few years. We wanted to put her in a home but my grandpa was against that so we had someone come to the house instead. She just passed peacefully at home in her sleep. Now I'm trying to talk grandpa into moving back with me but he's not budging."

"I'm sorry, I've been so caught up in my own life I had no idea any of this had been going on. Your grandparents were really nice when I was growing up." They had been, like most small town lifers, the neighborly type who knew everyone and was always friendly.

"Yeah, they're salt of the earth types, married sixty two years and never spent a day apart, not since my grandpa came back from the war anyway." He seemed proud of that fact as he forked more noodles and meat in his mouth. Meat! Oh dear heavens Kerry what the hell is wrong with you? She cleared her throat and took a sip of water.

"Wow that's amazing, you don't find love like that anymore that's for sure." She thought of her own failed attempt before squashing the memory. Hey even that was getting easier.

"I don't know about that, my mom and dad have been at it for thirty five years and they're still going strong."

"Huh, lucky them."

"A bit jaded are we? That sounds kind of ominous for someone who's writing steamy love stories."

Her cheeks heated up again at the reminder. "That's just fiction, everything looks better on paper."

"If you really believe that-that's sad."

"Okay then what's your story? Where's your wife?" Mr. Know it all. He studied her for a long time before answering.

"I don't have one as yet."

"What you haven't met anyone to hold your interest?" She all but dared him with her eyes. Since when do you ask a complete stranger his personal business Kerryanne? Geez, maybe the writing has gotten to you. She wasn't usually that forward with anyone, in fact she was more the silent type. The one who kept quiet when things were going on around her; never wanting to make waves. Well look where that got me? Nowhere.