Broken by Kelly Elliott Read Free Book Online Page B

a real one. Yep.” She glanced back and looked down at my feet. “Yes, Court…the whole package.”
    I started laughing. “Are you seriously talking about me while I’m sitting right here next to you?”
    Whitley shrugged her shoulders and gave me a smirk.
    Yep, she’s from New York all right.
    “Listen, I have to stop and pick up some things that I left in my car, and then Layton is going to drop me off at home. Will you be there?” She let out a sigh. “You’re joking, right?”
    She peeked back at me with a funny look. The way she smashed her lips together and frowned had me adjusting myself. I’d never been so attracted to a girl I couldn’t stand to be around.
    What in the hell is wrong with me?
    “Listen, I’ll just talk to you when I get home okay?” She ended the call and glared at me. “Don’t go thinking I was talking about you being all hot and everything. Courtney is obsessed with real cowboys. That’s all.”
    I glanced over at her and smiled. “Okay.”
    “I mean, really…I hardly even know you, and to be honest, you’ve gotten on my nerves more than anyone ever has in my entire life.”
    “Wow. Nice way to pay me back for helping you out today.”
    She snapped her head over at me. I stopped at a Stop sign and looked at her. Our eyes met again, and I swore I couldn’t pull myself away from her. Something about her drove me totally insane. One minute, I couldn’t wait to get away from her, and the next, I wanted to know more about her.
    Zedd’s “Clarity” started to play on the radio as I pulled my gaze from hers and took off driving. We both reached down to turn it up. Our hands bumped, and the shock that ran up my arm startled me.
    Shit. I just need this girl out of my truck. With any luck, I’ll only run into her every now and then.
    “I’m so sorry. It’s your truck. I just, um…I just like this song.”
    I gave her a half-smile and reached back down to turn it up.

    Whitley had gotten a few items out of her car, and she was back in my truck, giving me directions to her house.
    “You live in the center of town?” I asked her as I turned down Sandstone Street.
    “Yeah. When I told my father I wanted to move to Llano, he flew here and looked at property. There was a house right on the river that he fell in love with. He sent me pictures, and I loved it, too. So, my parents bought it for me with the plan that I would pay them back.”
    She gave me the address.
    “You live in the old Peabody house? That place is beautiful.”
    She smiled as she tilted her head and looked at me.
    Jesus, I like when she looks at me like that.
    “Yes, it is beautiful. My dream has always been to buy an older home and restore it. I fell in love with the sandstone. I love that house.”
    “It’s a good thing since your dad picked it out.” I pulled up and parked in front of her house. “Why didn’t you come down with him? That’s a lot of trust you put in your dad to let him pick out your house!”
    Her smile faded, and her eyes filled with sadness. “I, um…I had some things to take care of in New York City.” She gave me a slight smile.
    I knew it. She’s from New York City.
    I nodded. “Gotcha. Well, Miss Reynolds, it has been…an experience, meeting and getting to know you.”
    She tried to look pissed but ended up laughing. “Are you going to be a Southern gentleman and help me carry this stuff inside, so my neurotic friend can eye you up properly? She’s been dying to see a real cowboy,” she said as her eyes moved up and down my body.
    I laughed and jumped out of the truck. I grabbed two boxes while she carried a few other items. As we walked up to the front door, I could already see the changes she’d made to the house. She had added potted plants, and the landscaping in front of the house was amazing.
    “You painted the front door red. I like it with that stained glass,” I said.
    She turned and gave me a proud smile. “Thank you. I’ve always wanted—”
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