Broken Course (Wrecked and Ruined #3)(9)

"Shut your f*cking mouth, Leo. Goddamn it, we are not talking about this."

"It must be nice—to be able to just turn it off." I roll my eyes and head to the kitchen.

"I know you’re struggling, and it’s okay. We’re going to get you help," Slate announces, following me from the room.

"I don’t need help. I need a goddamn escape."

"Don’t spew bullshit like that. What the hell is going through your head right now?" he asks.

The truth explodes from my throat. "Her screams! That’s what is always going through my head. The sounds of her screaming while I stood helpless on the other side of that door play in a never-ending loop. All day. All night. No matter what I do. I can’t block it out!"



"SARAH! WOW. You look beautiful tonight." I lean in and give her a hug when she walks out of the restaurant. Fuck that stupid handshake shit she tried to pull earlier.

I take a step away, and she watches me blankly, but the smallest smile plays on her lips.

"All right. I’ve officially ditched the parents. Where are you taking me for my celebratory dinner? It better be good. It’s not every day I get a big, fancy receptionist position," she says playfully.

"Come on. I’ll show you." I offer her an elbow, and she doesn’t hesitate in sliding her arm through mine.

"So tell me about yourself," she inquires as we stroll arm in arm the two blocks to the restaurant.

"Well, hmmm… What do you want to know?" I smile down at the very moment she looks up through her lashes. Jesus, she is gorgeous. No one could possibly describe her as anything else, but I know there’s more to her than just her angelic looks. There’s a depth in her eyes that interests me the most. "Well I’m thirty-three, originally from Nebraska but grew up in El Paso, Texas. However, I’ve lived all over the place for the last few years."

"Where’d you learn Spanish?" she asks, seeming to be genuinely interested and not just making small talk.

"I worked on my grandparents ranch in Texas as soon as I was old enough to muck the stalls. Most of the other workers were Mexican, so they taught me a good bit in order to communicate. From there, I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Spanish was kind of a necessity."

"Wow. That’s really cool that you picked it up all on your own. I figured you were Hispanic, but with a last name like James, I wasn’t really sure."

"Nah. The dark complexion fools them every time though," I tease. "You ready for the best authentic Mexican food you’ve ever tasted?" I ask, reluctantly releasing her arm only long enough to guide her into the restaurant.

But it’s the way she arches her back to press against my hand that has my mind spinning in a million different directions—almost all of which end with her naked.

This is just a first date.

First date.

First date.

Fucking hell!





"I HAVE to admit. That place was delicious. I was looking forward to Shades, but I always give credit where credit is due," I say with an exaggerated bow as we leave the restaurant.


Jesus Christ, Leo James is intriguing. If there were ever a man who knew how to say all the right things at the right times, that would be Leo. There wasn’t a single moment of awkwardness at dinner—even at the points where there was supposed to be the normal ‘getting to know you’ awkwardness. Leo filled every minute with entertaining conversation I couldn’t help but feel comfortable with.

I was worried that we would have nothing to talk about. I wanted to stay as far away from my past as possible. A first date is not exactly the best time to air all of your dirty laundry—or, in my case, the entire Laundromat. Though, until tonight, I didn’t realize that I don’t have a ton of other stuff to talk about.

However, Leo did.

We talked about everything from stupid everyday stuff at work—his difficulty finding trustworthy employees and my switching careers so drastically. I brushed off his questions about why I no longer wanted to be a writer, and I think he actually bought it. But then we got serious. He told me all about his upbringing as an only child and his parents, who sadly passed away about the same time I lost mine. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He never pried, but he definitely asked questions as if he were actually interested in me. He’s distractingly handsome, but his sex appeal is amplified with his every word spoken.

Leo James is smooth. It’s not usually a trait I would want in a man, but there’s an honesty in his smile that really draws me in.

"How about you let me drive you home? I’m not okay with just calling you a cab," he says suddenly, turning to face me, forcing me to take a step back. "Please."

"I’ll be fine," I try to assure him, but he doesn’t budge.

"I live in that building." He points up at the tall tower only a block away. "Just let me get my car and I’ll take you home. It will be way quicker than hailing a cab from here this time of night." He smiles and it stills my breath. It’s the most terrifying sight I have ever seen.

Shit. He’s smooth and breathtaking. Red flags start flying all over the place. I’m not scared of Leo, but my legs are definitely trembling for a completely different reason.