(un) Broken

by Charlotte Daniels

  His hands move down my body, their path leaving me a shivering mess. Squeezing and massaging my ass, he presses me against him, his hard length against my pelvis sparking a wildfire within me. His hands move down to my thighs, and he hoists me up on to the rail. My legs wrap around his waist without thought.

  “I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” he growls.

  He deepens our kiss, his hands on my thighs pulling me harder against him, and I’m helpless to fight the overwhelming desire coursing through me.

  Pulling back, I gasp, my breath catching up with me. “I thought you hated me, I… Why? Why now?”

  Garrett laughs huskily. Resting his forehead against mine, his arms wrap around my body, holding me to him. “Because I could never tell if you wanted me too. Every time I see you, you do something to me. I never hated you—I hated that I couldn’t have you. And then when I saw you and Gabe together, I just… I knew I had to try… to see if there really was something between us, or if it was just all in my head.”

  My heart pounds in my chest, threatening to break free with the swirling waves of fear, hope, and longing. Do I want Garrett? I mean, sure, I’ve fantasized about him, but do I actually want him?

  Indecision eats away at me. Looking over his face, I’m drawn into the depths of his eyes; the need shining through them sets my body on fire.

  But it’s Garrett… He doesn’t like Georgie, and he’s kind of an asshole… Sometimes.

  Biting my lip, I push him back, his face dropping at the distance between us. “Garrett… This whole situation is… I wasn’t expecting this.”

  Garrett’s lips pull up in a small smile, his hands moving to my waist to help me down from the rail. He brushes my hair back from my face, caressing my cheek with his thumb. “It’s okay, Ellie. I get it.”

  The elevator chimes, signaling our arrival. Taking my hand, he leads us out and to my apartment door. Georgie’s barking eases some of the tension between us.

  “Sweet dreams, Ellie.” Kissing my forehead, he squeezes my hand before striding to his door and disappearing inside. The warmth surrounding me begins to fade.

  Walking into my condo, I throw my handbag on the counter and bend to scratch Georgie’s head. Toys litter almost every inch of the living room floor, his toy box overturned and empty. “Looks like you had a good night.”

  Georgie barks loudly, racing around my feet as I pick up his toys and straighten his bed. Padding over to it, the little dog hops in, circling around a few times before settling down to sleep.

  My mind drifts back to Garrett and his confession. I wonder what he’s doing? Shaking my head, I head to my room, thoughts of tonight plaguing my mind. Why now? Is he only interested because of Gabe?

  I strip off my clothes, throwing them hazardously into the basket before turning on the shower, and stepping into the spray. The warmth heats my skin; a ripple of pleasure rushes through my body, releasing a contented sigh.

  Was it a mistake? Should I have said yes to a night with him? Grabbing my peach-scented soap, I scrub every inch of my skin until it flushes red, the smell and sweat from tonight’s activities swirling down the drain with the suds.

  Hopping out of the shower, I wrap a fluffy towel around my body. Wine calls my name, so I retrieve a bottle from the fridge, rip the seal off and take a swig directly from the bottle. Classy.

  I flop onto the couch, tucking my feet up beside me. Leaning on my elbow with the bottle of wine to my lips, Garrett’s crooked smile plays on repeat in my mind.

  Why now? I think again.

  Letting out a frustrated sigh, I take another sip of wine and let my eyes drift to the myriad of colorful paintings decorating my walls.

  He is good looking. And hardworking. But he’s a jerk. And kind of rude. But even though he acts like an ass, he can be… nice? And he does care. I mean, he notices if I’ve slept, and he doesn’t push me too far when we argue.

  And that crooked smile? Ugh. It makes me want to drag him to me and kiss him senseless.

  My eyes widen. I do like Garrett… Not fantasy Garrett. But Garrett, Garrett. Why did I say no?

  Groaning, I flop against the back of the couch and take another sip of wine, the cool liquid somewhat easing my overheated body. Maybe I just need to see him again? To make sure that this isn’t all just in my head.

  Dropping the wine bottle onto the coffee table a little harder than expected, I stumble to the door, my feet not quite keeping up with my brain.

  Not bothering to shut the door behind me, I head to Garrett’s apartment, pausing in front of his door, and knock loudly.

  Stepping back, I stare at the door, a sense of realization washing over me. God… what am I doing? It’s three in the morning. And it was all in the heat of the moment. This was such a stupid idea. Spinning around, I take two steps before hearing the click of a lock.

  “Ellie? What’s wrong? And why are you in a towel?”

  Looking down, my face burns hotter than the sun as I stand in the middle of the hallway in my large, fluffy bath towel. I’m never drinking again.

  “Ellie? Is everything okay?”

  Why does he have to sound so concerned? Groaning, I turn around.

  My heart skips a few beats. I knew he was fit… but this? Drawing in a shaky breath, I can’t help but stare, my eyes moving from his disheveled hair and his muscled, tanned body, to his pajama pants, slinging low on his hips.

  Please tell me this is real and I’m not having an erotic dream?

  Garrett’s husky laugh snaps me out of my stupor. Horror dawns on my face at his smirk.

  “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

  “Yep.”

  “Can you forget I said it?” Or maybe dump some cold water over my head?

  “Nope.”

  Closing the door behind him, Garrett steps toward me. The electricity between us sparks wildly. “Why are you here, Ellie?”

  Biting my lip, I stare up at him, his eyes curious and questioning. Closing the distance between us, the heat of his skin burns against mine, the feeling soothing, but also tempting.

  “I need to know something.”

  “Okay?”

  Gripping his hair, I pull his face down to mine, my lips crushing against his in a battle of desire and longing. I melt against him as his arms wrap around me in a tight embrace.

  Then, pulling away, I gasp for air. “This… This is what I needed to find out. If I was imagining a fantasy Garrett, or if this was real.”

  “And what have you decided?”

  “You’re… real. This, whatever it is between us, is real. And so much better than fantasy Garrett.”

  “Should I be jealous of fantasy Garrett?”

  “God, no. You are so much better than I imagined.”

  Kissing me on my forehead, he pulls back, the sparkling light in his eyes dazzling, hypnotic.

  “Come back to my place,” I blurt and heat rushes to my face. Why am I such a mess?

  “Why, Ellie, are you trying to lure me to your apartment to have your way with me?”

  “Er… yes? Would that be okay? I mean…” My eyes flick to my open door, then back to him. “Do you want to?”

  Garrett quirks his eyebrow, that damn crooked smile making an appearance.

  “Right… Of course.” Why do I ask such stupid questions?

  I start to turn, but Garrett’s broad hand lands on my shoulder, stopping me. I look back to see his eyes piercing mine, his eyebrows pinched together.

  “Ellie, I want to get to know you—the real you. I want to go out to dinner or watch TV and binge on popcorn—just spend time with you. I don’t just want to have sex with you—even though I’m sure it will be amazing.” Winking, he wraps his arms around me, my body molding to his.

  “Everything about you draws me in, and all I want to do is know more about you. What makes you tick. What makes you happy or sad. That’s what I want, Ellie. But what do you want?”

  You.

  Grabbing his hand, I lead Garrett
to my apartment, ushering Georgie away from his legs. The door closes behind us, and Garett walks into the lounge, looking around my apartment as if it is the most fascinating thing in the world.

  I stand for a moment in the hallway, at a loss of what to do. I never figured I’d make it this far. Garrett turns back to me and smiles, albeit awkwardly, as Georgie continues to prance about at his feet, bringing him toy after toy as offerings.

  “Er… wine…” I say quietly, spotting the bottle still on the floor by the sofa. I turn to him. “Would you like some?”

  Garrett raises his eyebrows. “Ah, sure,” he says. “Do you need any help?”

  “No. No, that’s okay. Go sit on the couch…” I say as I cross to the kitchen, then stop abruptly. I turn to him with a gentler smile. “I mean, please go sit on the couch?”

  Garrett raises both of his hands and does as he’s told. Pulling out two of my favorite mismatched mugs, I hurry over and sink onto the couch beside him, nudging him slightly with my hip to shift over. Then, picking the wine bottle up off the floor, I fill both mugs to the brim and hold one out to him.

  With a smirk, he takes the mug from my shaking hand, then takes a sip, watching me from over the rim. Setting down his cup, he scoots closer, taking mine from me and placing it next to his.

  Picking me up in one swift move, he seats me on his lap, his arms wrapping around my hips. “Is this okay?” he asks.

  I kiss him, letting my mouth spell out my approval. My hands roam over his shoulders and down his chest. Pulling me flush against his body, he grinds himself against me and pleasure ripples across every nerve ending.

  Untying the knot on the towel, he takes his time unwrapping it as if I were a delicate present he doesn’t want to break, but the heat in his eyes as they roam over my naked skin has me yearning for more. “Please tell me you weren’t topless or naked on that stage tonight?”

  “Mia and Katie picked out a lingerie set for me to wear. And I had a trench coat.”

  “Ellie…” Groaning, Garrett closes his eyes. “Do you know who should be seeing you in something like that?” His fingers trail over my shoulder and down my neck, sending shivers of need through my body. “Only a man who can appreciate how incredibly sexy and beautiful you look should ever see you like that. Or like this.”

  Moving his fingers down to my breasts, he traces their outline softly, the gentle caress raising goosebumps.

  “Are you thinking that you’re that man?” I moan as he pinches my nipple between his thumb and finger, pulling on it, the mixture of pleasure and pain intoxicating.

  He leans in, claiming my lips with his.

  I groan and grind myself against him, my mouth devouring his as if it were my last meal. “Bed. Now.”

  Wrapping his hands around my thighs, he lifts me up in one, swift move, his mouth never leaving mine.

  “Which way?” he breathes into me.

  “Hall… On the right.”

  Cupping my ass with his hands, he strides purposefully down the hallway, pausing at my bedroom door. “You’re going to need to open it. My hands are full,” he smirks.

  Pausing reluctantly, I smack the door a few times, finally finding the handle, and shove it open with a smack against the inside wall. Carrying me toward the bed, he drops me onto the mattress, the fire in his eyes searing every inch of me.

  I roll over onto my stomach and push myself onto my knees. “My turn,” I quirk an eyebrow at him.

  Smirking, he lies back on the bed, his arms resting casually behind his head. “Well?”

  Crawling over to him, I straddle his waist, his length nestling against me. The muscles in his arms twitch, but remain behind his head, as I continue to explore him.

  “What do you want, Ellie?”

  His husky voice combined with his heated, hooded eyes, confirm my decision. “You.”

  “Then you’ll have me.”

  Moving back, I pull down his pajama pants and his cock springs free. I stare at it, relief surging through me. I run my fingertip down his length, the silkiness of it making my mouth water. His six-pack ripples as he shivers under my touch. I’m so glad he trims. No one wants to floss with pubic hair. I snort, laughing at my own joke.

  Garrett grunts. “I don’t know whether I should be embarrassed or offended.”

  I shoot him a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I was just… Never mind.” Shaking my head, my eyes meet his amused ones, need overwhelming me.

  “Well?”

  “I thought I was in charge?”

  “You are. But I would like to be in you sometime soon, Ellie.”

  Fire ignites in me at his words. Crawling to him, I kiss him with such force that our teeth knock together. Grinding myself against him, I moan against his mouth.

  Reaching down between us, I run the tip of his cock along my clit, shivering in response.

  “Ellie, wait.”

  I freeze, my stomach dropping. He’s going to say no.

  “Condom… Do you have any?”

  My eyes widen. I can’t believe I forgot. Scrambling from the bed, I pull open the draw in my bedside table but come up empty.

  “Hold on. I’ll run back to my apartment.” Shuffling off the bed, he pulls up his pants and heads to the door.

  “Wait.”

  Running to my dresser, I grab the box of sex toys completely upending it over the floor. A selection of dildos and vibrators cascade across the bedroom floor, and a few round balls on string roll under the bed. Come on, Mia. No way you sent this crap without some. Digging through the mess of packages, my eyes spot a box and relief sinks through me.

  “Here.”

  Tossing the box to Garrett, he catches it in his hands, smirking, before taking one out. Shoving off his pants, he rips open the packet and rolls it onto his cock.

  Oh, boy. We’re really doing this.

  Striding back toward the bed, he lies down in the same position, his hand stroking his cock.

  I waste no time, in straddling him before sinking down on his hard length. His cock stretches me, almost painfully, but the fullness overrides the pain as I gasp with pleasure.

  I squeeze his shoulders as I rock back and forth, groaning in pleasure as tidal waves of feeling evaporate from my entrance up to my ears. Garrett thrusts into me, keeping to my rhythm as his hands squeeze my hips, helping me to balance.

  I lean down and nibble his ear, the new angle pushing pressure onto my clit. I press my chest onto him as I hiss a gasp into his ear. “I need to cum.”

  Garrett’s hand clamps my jaw, bringing me to face him. “God, Ellie,” he breathes, his eyes alert, bright and ravenous. He closes them, pulling me down and capturing my lips with his. He kisses me senseless, thrusting harder and faster as his thumb circles around my clit.

  His hand sinks back down, grasping my ass cheek and squeezing hard. Breaking our kiss, he locks eyes with me and says, “Cum for me, Ellie. I want to feel you.”

  Oh, God. I let my head drop to his chest as I clench around his cock, pleasure ripping through me. My mind goes blank and all I can do is let the wave take me.

  Garrett groans my name, his whole body shuddering as his thrusts slow down. Eventually, his head drops back against the pillows and his arms rise to wrap around me. I lie on his chest, panting, his heart pumping wildly against my cheek.

  After a few minutes of silence, Garrett’s pulse slows, and he says, “What’s on your mind?”

  With a sigh, I maneuver off his chest and sit cross-legged next to him, wincing at the tender pain in my pussy.

  Garrett chuckles, a satisfied, smirk pulling at his lips as he pulls off the condom and ties it in a knot, throwing it into the bin next to my bed.

  “So… how does this work?” I tilt my head at him. “Do we bump fists now? Do you want sex in the morning or would you like to go home? Do you want to stay the night? How about a shower? I have an extra toothbrush. But it’s pink. And I don’t have—”

  Garrett’s rises in a second and his lips press against mine,
the tenderness in it melting away my anxiety.

  Pulling back, he smiles, his eyes crinkling with laughter. “I would like to stay the night, but only if it’s okay with you. I think we both could use a shower, but it doesn’t have to be together. I own an online sex store, so I think I can handle a pink toothbrush.”

  I open my mouth to speak, but he puts a finger up, moving close to me. “As for sex? Well, I wanted this to be your choice; your decision.” Kissing my lips softly, his eyes light up. “But tomorrow, it’s my turn.”

  My body quivers in response to the heated look in his eyes. I bite my lip, and a blush spreads across my cheeks, the prospect of spending the night, and the morning, with him is exhilarating—and scary.

  6

  Garrett

  “Holy crap on a cracker. Where do you keep that thing?”

  My eyes fly open, spotting Mia standing in the doorway of the room, staring toward the sheets. Glancing down, my erection stands to attention between my legs. Fuck.

  “Why are you yelling? Can’t you wake Ellie up like a normal—” Katie walks into the room and screams, covering her eyes. “Oh my God. Oh my God. I’m so sorry. We didn’t—”

  “Auntie Ellie?”

  “No!” Mia and Katie’s eyes bulge out of their heads, as they spin around, blocking the doorway.

  Grabbing some of the sheets from around Ellie, I give them a heavy tug, flipping the woman over as I try to cover my junk. She yelps in surprise, landing in a heap on top of me.

  “Come on, Jake. We have to go… buy ingredients for muffins,” Katie says from the hallway.

  “Aunt Katie, I don’t want to!”

  “We can stop in at the park on the way there.”

  “What’s going on?” Ellie groans, rolling off my chest. She lifts her head, and her mussed hair and sleepy eyes land on me. The soft smile on her face sends my heart thumping.

  Katie’s eyes appear around the corner, flicking between Mia and me before she is apparently tugged along by her hand and disappears. Their footsteps echo down the hall, and the sound of the front door opening and closing has Mia—and more so me—relaxing.