You're Not Broken

by Hart, Gemma

  The door opened and Kat sucked in a deep breath.

  A flaming heat seared up her body from her toes to her eyebrows.

  Jason stood in the doorway, completely naked except for a towel loosely wrapped around his waist.

  With his hair damp and falling in wet strands around his face, Kat could very much tell that he had just stepped out of a very steamy shower. There were still some water droplets hanging onto his chiseled chest. Kat watched one drop drip down the planes of his carved abs.

  Kat had always known Jason had a hard physique. She could see it and she had even felt it when his arms had been around her or when she had been pressed against his chest.

  But seeing it completely naked and for her full viewing pleasure was a completely different thing!

  Kat forced herself to drag her gaze back up towards his face where he looked just as surprised to see her.

  “Kat,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

  His words helped her snap out of her daze. Forcing herself to keep her gaze at above the neck, she marched herself into his apartment. With a finger pointed against his glistening chest (which she refused to look at), she said slowly, “You bought Doughy Pop’s?”

  Jason’s brow rose in surprise and then fell in resignation. He clearly had expected her to find him out at some point. That annoyed Kat even more. He had known she would find out the truth and yet he still had kept it a secret from her?

  “No, I didn’t—” he started as he took a few steps back as Kat closed in on him.

  “Oh like hell you didn’t!” she exploded. “And not only did you buy up Doughy’s but you bought up the bank, the grocery store, the goddamn library, and from what it sounds like, all of Peytonville!”

  She felt herself quake as she imagined all the hard work Uncle Doughy had put into the diner. She imagined all the hours spent by Ernie at his shop and Hoyt at his store. Did this man understand what kind of destruction he was bringing?

  She narrowed her eyes and quickly advanced on her target.

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” Kat demanded, feeling heartache and anger mix within her heart. She pressed forward as Jason took steps back. “Who are you to buy up an entire town? Do you know what you’ve done? I was so close to helping this town turn around and you come in here—”

  “Kat, hold on. I don’t think you understand what’s happening here,” Jason said, holding his hands out in a neutral calming motion.

  But Kat could not be calmed. “I don’t understand?” she cried out. “I don’t understand what’s happening to my entire livelihood?” She nearly flew at him. “Who the hell do you—Ahhh!”

  In such anger, she had not seen the wet puddle in front of her. As she flew at Jason, the originator of all her current anger and outrage, she slipped, falling face forward.

  But instead of smashing her nose against the floor, she felt strong arms immediately grab her, twisting her around so her back was pressed against a damp but incredibly hard and chiseled chest.

  Jason had a hard grip on Kat’s wrists, wrapping them around her like she was hugging herself. Kat tried to jerk away but she might as well have been pushing against the brick building itself. Jason wanted her to stay and she was going to stay.

  “Let. Go,” Kat gritted through her teeth as she tried to futilely jerk free again.

  “No,” Jason said, his breath brushing against her ear. “Not until you hear me out, you clumsy little brat.” He tightened his hold, pressing her closer against him.

  “You clearly did not get an accurate picture of the situation here,” Jason started. Kat could feel the rumble of his deep voice vibrating through his chest and against her back.

  “Let’s start with some cold hard facts,” he said. “Peytonville was near extinction. The town was falling apart and a good percentage of its businesses had closed or were in the process of closing. Doughy Pop’s and the rest of the town was about to be bought out by some New York developers to make a luxury mountain retreat.”

  He gently tugged against her wrists. “You agree so far, correct?” he said.

  Kat only responded with a grumbling sigh.

  Jason took it as assent and continued, “Now, here’s where you’re getting the story wrong. Brothers Construction is on the project as the winning bidder for your town.” Kat made an angry huff but Jason pressed her tighter against him. “But we’re here as merely the contractors.”

  Kat twisted her neck up towards Jason. “What does that even mean?”

  “It means that the people who will own the majority percentage of your town is the Carolina Society.”

  Kat twisted away from his hold and this time Jason let her. But she noticed he kept one hand on her wrist, as if worried she’d dart out before he could tell her the whole story.

  “Who is the Carolina Society?” she asked.

  Jason ran a hand through his damp hair, slicking it away from his face. “Simply put, they’re a loosely governmental organization that helps to keep and preserve the history of the Carolinas. They help with funding for small museums or help maintain certain historical monuments. They also help with keep the Carolinas uniquely their own.”

  Kat stared up at him in confusion, still not sure what he was saying.

  “The Society heard about Peytonville and wanted to help preserve a Carolina town that was being threatened. They wanted to make sure they preserved the history and culture of this place. So they placed a bid and Brothers Construction has partnered up with them to help do the actual heavy lifting.” Jason stared at her, waiting for his words to sink in. “Do you understand? The Carolina Society stepped in to save Peytonville. They want to keep it just the way it is. Brothers is here just to give it a polishing up.”

  Kat stared at him. She could hardly believe his words. They were just too good to be true. Could this really mean what she thought it meant?

  “How did the Carolina Society hear about us?” she asked slowly. They were a remote town on the edge of the state. She couldn’t imagine that their situation was being broadcast all around North Carolina. How could such an organization have heard about them?

  Jason shrugged, this time looking like the one who was a little flustered. “Who knows? It’s their business to find things out like this, isn’t it?”

  “And as for that matter, it’s odd that not only did the Carolina Society find out about us but of all construction companies, yours is the one that gets hired,” she said.

  Jason quirked an eyebrow. “We’re a very good company,” he said simply.

  Kat stared at him. She remembered how suddenly Jason had appeared at her diner. Right around when she had noticed the new construction going on around town. And it had all happened a few weeks after she had suddenly bumped into Jason in Fayetteville.

  If anyone really wanted to, it wouldn’t have been too hard to look up the information on Peytonville and its current condition. If someone had done that, and put two and two together, they could’ve taken that story and presented it to a place like the Carolina Society.

  “I was close,” Kat whispered. “I had money saved up.”

  Jason pulled her by the wrist, bringing her up against his chest. Kat refused to meet his eyes. “You need a good dose of your own medicine, kid,” he said. “Don’t you remember what you said to me the night we first met? ‘It’s brave to ask for help.’”

  He tucked a finger under her chin and pulled her reluctant gaze up. “You don’t have to do everything by yourself,” he said gently. She could feel his strong arms around her, his heated chest against her. She was almost dizzy from the rioting emotions warring within her. “Let people help you. Let me help you.”

  Kat looked up into the richest, deepest green eyes she had ever seen. She had always remembered those eyes. Perhaps the letters, the silence—maybe that was all in the past now. Time had passed. It wouldn’t be fair to hold him to old mistakes when he was trying to change.

  Gently, she put a hand against his neck. She saw his muscl
es jump at her touch. Looking up, she saw those dark green eyes take on a hotter look. She swallowed, feeling her own swelling heat between her legs.

  Suddenly, Jason grabbed at her hand, pinning it against him as he swooped down, crushing her lips with his.

  She barely had time to gasp in surprise as his tongue swooped in, tasting her, filling her. His stubble felt rough and coarse against her cheeks but she reveled in it. She reveled in his hardness, in his roughness.

  How many nights had she dreamed of his kiss? His touch? And after so many months of thinking that they would never become a reality, to feel his lips against hers was like a forbidden fantasy come true.

  And with only a towel protecting him, she could quickly feel just how hard he was.

  A large hand pressed itself against her ass, pushing her against the quickly hardening cock, showing her just what kind of effect she was having on him.

  When another hand found its way to her breast, she gave a little moan.

  The moan seemed to snap Jason awake. He broke away from the kiss, breathing hard. His arms were still wrapped around her but his face was turned away.

  Kat looked up, confused and still reeling from his kiss. “What’s wrong?” she asked breathlessly, feeling her lips already swell from his bruising but searing kiss.

  Jason shook his head before taking in a deep breath. He took his hands away from her and pulled back a little. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was a mistake.”

  Kat felt as if cold water had been splattered on her. A mistake? She could still feel the heat of his touch against her. That had been true, honest passion. How could he call that a mistake?

  Jason finally looked at her, his eyes now warm and slightly abashed. No longer was there that expression of dark desire.

  “I…” he started, seeming unsure as to what to say. “I got a little carried away there. I apologize. That’s not what I meant to do. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  Kat looked at him, feeling hollow. “Of course,” she answered without thinking. That had instantaneous passion between them just now had been real. Very real…hadn’t it?

  Jason gave a small smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I know it’ll be hard having someone traipse about your town like this but it won’t be for long.” He cleared his throat. “And then we’ll be out of your hair in a few weeks when another contract comes in.”

  He’s leaving again.

  Kat could only nod dumbly. For a second, she had felt like the Jason Daniels from two years ago was here again. She could feel him in his arms and in his kiss.

  But she had been mistaken.

  He was gone.

  Instead there was this Jason Daniels. The man who was aloof and goddamn confusing as hell.

  Kat shook her head, clearing her mind. Not wanting to seem like a naïve girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, she also gave him a ghost of a smile that never reached her eyes. “Just the neighborhood repairman,” she said. “That’s you, right?”

  Jason nodded, his gaze looking very close to regretful. “That’s me.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jason leaned his head against the door. He could hear Kat’s steps fading into the distance outside.

  You fucking moron.

  How could he have kissed her? Because you’re a goddamn moron.

  Jason closed his eyes and sighed.

  He was. He was a Grade A moron.

  He shouldn’t have kissed her. He knew that. But no power in the universe could’ve stopped him in that moment.

  Kat. His beautiful Kat. He had carried her memory through hell and high water. He had remembered those sweet almond eyes through scorching hot desert rides. He had remembered her soft sweet lips and her warm smile through fierce and bloody battles. He had remembered her satiny skin and her shining hair through every chilly night, sweat inducing nightmare, and every horrible, lonely day of his deployment.

  And then seeing her in the flesh. Holding her so tightly against him. Seeing those clear and open eyes look up at him.

  He knew he had to have her. He had to taste that sweetness. He had to hold that softness.

  Her body seemed meant for him. Every curve fit perfectly against him. He had barely been able to restrain himself once his lips had met hers.

  But thank god he had.

  It had killed him to tell her that their kiss had been a mistake. That kiss had been the culmination of two years of waiting and dreaming. But Jason knew what the right thing to do was.

  And that was to tell her the kiss had been a mistake.

  He had immediately seen the pain in her eyes. He had seen her body shrink away from his, wounded and confused. God, if she only knew how much he wanted her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and lose himself in her. He wanted to feel himself sink deep into her warmth and to never let go.

  Jason shook his head as he headed back to his bedroom.

  But that wasn’t possible anymore. He still remembered the first day out of Iraq.

  He had been taken to a base in Germany to receive treatment for a leg injury and concussion he had received on his truck ride on the way out. A little parting gift from the terrorists for his last day.

  He had woken up confused and angry. Nightmares had been floating through his head the entire journey. Bloody comrades, dead friends, hidden insurgents, IEDs.

  As soon as his eyes had opened, his body was tensed for action. He felt a surge of adrenaline as soon as he realized he had no weapons. He immediately tried to assess the surrounding area, despite a splitting headache and double vision.

  A hand had gently touched his shoulder out of nowhere and Jason had immediately sprung into action. He had shot up, completely disregarding his injured leg and had thrown the hand off his shoulders and reached out, gripping the attacker by his throat, slamming him against a wall.

  It had taken five male attendants to push Jason back onto the bed. By then, his vision had cleared and his senses had returned to him. He had just enough time to see a nurse crying and clutching her neck before she was ushered away by a doctor.

  Jason felt guilt wrack his body before a nurse gave him a tranquilizer.

  And that had been the start of it.

  He had always had nightmares. He had seen too much death. He had been apart of too much death. And it followed him wherever he went.

  He had sleepwalked and even sleepfought because of his nightmares. His old friend Al had that faded scar running down the side of right temple where Jason had punched him in his sleep, mistaking the old man for an insurgent.

  Jason was tainted.

  He knew it.

  He was death incarnate.

  As a sniper for the Special Forces, he had personally shaken hands with death on more occasions than he cared to count. And that had permanently altered who he was.

  Through it all, he had carried the memory of that one brave girl who had taken a chance on an unknown soldier. He remembered her sweet smile and her loving words. He remembered the warmth he had felt as their two hearts had connected.

  But now, he also knew, she would be no more than a memory.

  There was no way he would taint her with his dangerous darkness. Of all people, she was the last person he wanted to see again. He had no control over his nightmares. Sometimes they even came during the day, when he was awake.

  No, he would never endanger Kat Ryans with his demons.

  He would stay far the fuck away and keep her in his memories to warm his heart when he felt the chilly of dark loneliness.

  That was until she barged into Reggie’s that night in Fayetteville.

  Of all the places he could’ve seen her, that was the absolute last place he expected to see Kat.

  Two years later and she looked just as good as he remembered. But even still, he could see her thinner cheeks and the dark smudges around her eyes that spoke of sleepless nights.

  He had known even two years ago that Kat was clearly the glue of her family. Although Uncle Doughy was the undisputed leade
r, Kat was what made them an actual family. He had seen her tireless love spilling out of her that day at the diner.

  And when she had looked so disappointed at Reggie’s death, he had known something was up. Something was wrong. Her lips were turned down in a familiar way that made it seemed like she had not truly smiled in a long while. The glow in her eyes had dimmed from the sheer amount of worry she was clearly under.

  It hadn’t taken much research to understand the problem at hand. No wonder she was so stressed. No wonder she had been desperate enough to enter a bar like Reggie’s.

  Brothers Construction was quite a successful company doing work all over North Carolina but in no way could it save a whole town on its own. He quickly made some calls to other business associates to ask around for any advice or tips. That was how he had found out about the Carolina Society.