Page 11 of Broken: Taylor

Chapter 4

The lost cellphone was just another of the stupid things he’d done lately. He could blame some of it on the medication. Nothing made sense lately, much less how or why he’d been avoiding the beautiful woman in front of him.

No, that was a lie. Taylor knew exactly why he avoided her. She was too much to take at the moment. Everything about her was perfection. From the locks of soft waves that tumbled past her shoulders, the plump lips that he pictured doing things better left unthought-of at the moment, and her eyes. Like something he’d never seen before. They were like pools of sapphire he could dive into and never come up for air.

Only a fool would walk away from the brink of making love to Allison Brennan. And, he was that fool.

She was the type of woman a man only dreamed of and given the chance would take it. The last two years of high school, he’d watched her every move, often doing crazy stuff just to impress her.

But of course, she was dating some jock, and although friendly, she never gave him a chance.

And now, during the worst time of his life, when he was losing control did he get the opportunity to finally get to know her, be with her. Damn his luck.

“That day...it was not my best. I should have...” Hell what he saying? It was hard to think straight when her fragrance, something soft and citrus like, tickled his nose. “Shit. I don’t know what to tell you.”

She arched a brow and placed a hand on her hip. “How about the truth. There is obviously something here.” She motioned between them with her right hand.

“If you’re not interested, then I get it. But the other day, it was you who initiated things.”

If she didn’t step back, he was going to lose control again. So Taylor walked around her and went for the coffee.

Allison rolled her eyes. “Look, forget it. Do you need to use the phone again? If not, I gotta go.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

He first dialed his own number and nothing happened. It rang a few times in his ear and then went to voicemail. He punched in the key code and listened to several messages. There was three from Tobias and one from the pain management center regarding his missed appointment.

He then called the phone provider and after six hundred computer prompts finally spoke to a human.

While he got the details on a new phone and that they’d deliver it the following day via express mail, Allison stood by the front window peering out.

The dogs were automatically beside her. She looked back to him and he nodded to let her know she could let them out. It wasn’t as if they’d go far. It was their dinnertime.

Finally the call ended and he went to where she stood. He did owe her an explanation. But how did he tell her the only way he’d pursue any relationship was once he got his shit straight?

He’d already come close to ruining his friendship with Felicia. His head was messed up with all the pain and pills he’d been forced to take. Everything was going to hell in a hand basket at the moment.

Things with Felicia could be repaired. They would go back to being ex-partners and friends.

With Allison, it was more complicated.

Hell, he didn’t even know what his problem was. Between the latest bouts with pain, which seemed worse by the day, and taking so many painkillers that fuzzed the fuck out of his brain, it was a toss up.

“Thank you.” He held out the phone, but when she reached for it, he couldn’t let it go.

Wide eyes met his and with a sharp intake of breath, she released the hold on the phone. “What?”

He cupped her jaw with the other hand. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I still can’t believe I walked away. I didn’t want to. Not sure why I did.”

Although her brows came together, she didn’t say anything.

“I don’t have anything to give Allison. There’s so much shit in my life right now. It would be unfair to push it on you.”

An electrical charge traveled through him when her hand covered his.

“Okay.” The word was soft and yet there was so much that didn’t have to be said. Disappointment, curiosity, and acceptance came through loud and clear.

The pull became too strong. He yanked her against him and covered her mouth with his. Desperate to take as much as he could, Taylor wrapped his arm around her waist and held her while ravaging her mouth.