Broken Pieces (Cape Isle, #3): A Cape Isle Novel by Allie Able Read Free Book Online Page B

with you than eat alone, but I am really tired. Do you mind if we eat at your house or mine?”
    “Sounds good. You still want to ride with me or do you want to bring your car?” I ask.
    “I'll ride with you. We can get my car sometime later.”
    I nod my head and crank my truck. “Mind if I stop and pick up Lady on the way to your house? She’ll probably enjoy playing with Duke.”
    “You know I don't mind,” she responds with another soft smile.
    Shit.
    I have to stop looking over at her or I'm going to wreck the damn truck.
    * * *
    We walk into Lexie's house and Duke comes bounding towards the front door. Lexie gives him some attention before letting them both outside into the large fenced-in back yard.
    “Let them run off some energy,” she says as she walks back towards the refrigerator.
    “Beer or wine?” she asks.
    “Beer for me, please.”
    She hands me my drink before uncorking the red wine and pouring herself a large glass.
    “Busy day?” I ask, walking towards her.
    “Yeah. With Summer on her honeymoon, it's just me and Jenna.”
    I walk up behind her and set my beer down on the counter. I place my hands on her shoulders and rub. I dig my hands into the tight muscles, trying to get her to relax. She moans and drops her head forward.
    “Oh, that feels good.”
    I keep going until I finally feel her start to loosen up.
    “Better?” I ask, as I drop my hands away from her and pick up my drink.
    She nods her head and turns around to look up at me.
    “Yes. Thank you.”
    She boosts herself up on the counter and swings her legs back and forth.
    “Dinner?” I ask.
    “I'll make pasta, if you will talk,” she responds.
    “What do you want me to talk about?” I ask.
    “Why you wouldn't have sex with me last night and what in the hell we are doing here,” she says bluntly, motioning between us.
    Well, shit. I guess this is going to happen sooner rather than later.

Chapter Seven
    Lexie
     
    I WATCH AS Z ACK RUNS his hand along his scruffy jaw. He does this when he's nervous, but why is he nervous to talk to me? We've always shared everything with each other. Why do I get the feeling that's not true now?
    “Alright, you start on the pasta. I'm going to fix your door and then we'll talk,” he finally says, after a long moment of silence.
    “Fix my door?” I ask, raising an eyebrow in question.
    He takes a drink of his beer and nods his head. “You need more locks.”
    “What? I need more locks?”
    “Just let me do this. Please?”
    Whatever. If putting more locks on my door is what he wants to do, that's fine. My dad has been on me about that since I moved in over a year ago anyway.
    “Whatever you need to do,” I say dismissively, waving a hand in the direction of my front door. I jump down off of the counter and start getting everything I will need for the pasta out of the cabinet and I hear him sigh before he walks away.
    I'm not mad. I'm frustrated that he just won't talk to me. I know he can feel my frustrations, but all he has to do is freaking talk. I start filling the pot up with water when I hear him come back into the kitchen. I watch him as he lays a paper bag down on the counter and walks towards me.
    His hand covers mine and he turns the water off, before picking me up off of the ground. I squeal and hold on to his shoulders, as he carries me towards the living room.
    “What are you doing?” I ask in shock.
    He sits down on the couch and places me in his lap. He pulls me close to his body and wraps an arm around my waist, while his other hand moves the hair off of my face.
    “The locks can wait. I don't like it when you're mad at me, Angel,” he says with a serious expression.
    I squeeze his shoulder and shake my head. “I'm not mad about the locks. I'm frustrated because you won't talk to me.”
    He stares into my eyes for a second, before taking a deep breath. “I'm not sure how this is going to go and I don't want to screw us up,” he whispers.
    He sounds so vulnerable.