Perfectly Shattered by Emily Jane Trent Read Free Book Online Page A

grab some food. Tasty soup was an easy find in downtown. After slipping into the first café they spotted, they placed their orders. Brittany had the roasted corn and crab chowder, and Cami the seasonal vegetable. Her stomach was a little jumpy; it was only hours until she saw Bradan.
    Brittany took a sip of her Coke. “So where’s he taking you?”
    “Don’t know.” Cami sipped her espresso. “How’s it going with Tyler?”
    “He didn’t call. I mean, not since that night.”
    Cami didn’t know what to say. It seemed it was all too frequent that the guys her friend liked didn’t call. “You think he will?”
    Brittany shrugged as though she didn’t care, but her expression said she did. “Probably not. They never do.”
    The few minutes they had left were spent eating, and then they jogged to the office building in time set up for the event. Malena was already there. Thankfully, it was just a short business affair, so afterwards Cami would have time to shower and get ready for her date. Nervous and excited, she struggled through catering, taking off the instant it was over.
    “Okay, call me,” Brittany said. “I want to know all, full disclosure.”
    Cami laughed. “Sure, I’ll call you. But there won’t be anything to disclose. It’s a friendly dinner, remember?”
    “Yeah, well, he better say something nice about your outfit.”
    At the apartment, Cami showered and took time to dry her hair properly. She was too keyed up to soak in the tub. After an hour of prep, she scrutinized her makeup. With just enough to add color, but not enough to look seductive, Cami approved. It took longer to look natural, like she didn’t care, than it would have been to just go for a dramatic effect.
    Her long hair hung past her shoulders, and she put one clip in it for added interest. Looking critically in the mirror, Cami decided the impression was passable. The outfit came off slightly sophisticated, but not too sexy. Yet with the blazer open, the ivory-colored sweater captured attention, subtly highlighting her curves.
    Before she had time to worry herself to a frazzle, there was a knock at the door. Bradan was early. As she walked through the room, Cami made a last-minute effort to tidy up, kicking some shoes and a forgotten jacket behind a chair in the corner. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
    She didn’t start breathing again for several seconds. Wearing jeans that made his thighs look carved from stone and a knit shirt stretched over his buff chest, Bradan was too sexy for words. His blue eyes sparkled and the half-smile she saw on his lips told her that he was fully aware of the effect he was creating.
    “You look pretty,” he said in that deep male voice that made her heart pound.
    Pretty . She wasn’t sure if that was good or not. He didn’t say beautiful , but then at least he’d said something. Nothing would have been worse. “Thank you. You look amazing.”
    Bradan smiled, this time a full smile that made little crinkles next to his eyes. Everything about him was perfect, from his thick, touchable brown hair in a casually messy style, to his firm jaw and inviting lips. Forcing herself to breathe, Cami said, “I’m ready.”
    She thought of inviting him in, but that would be too intimate. Deciding it was better to be in a more public place, she closed the door behind her and locked it.
    “So, no trouble finding the place?”
    Bradan shook his head. “No, I live in Belltown too, so I recognized this street name. I’m actually not far away.”
    It was chilly out, but not raining. Even the drizzle from earlier had stopped.
    He took her arm in a gentlemanly fashion. “Okay if we walk? It’s only a few blocks.”
    “Sure, I walk everywhere.”
    The place was on the waterfront, and their table was by the window with a view of the bay. On the opposite shore the forest looked dark, and the mountains beyond were black mounds barely visible under a pale moon. Bradan had chosen French cuisine,