Page 65 of Broken: Taylor

Chapter 27

Eric pacedand once again wondered if he’d made a mistake asking Mindy over. He should have offered to pick her up. Or better yet take her out to eat somewhere in town. It was stupid to expect a woman to come to his place on the first date.

Why hadn’t Taylor convinced him to change the game plan?

Headlights shined through the window as a car neared and he let out a breath. She’d arrived.

He glanced around the room. The television was on, there was a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and although dim, the lights were on. He didn’t want her to think it was more than what he’d suggested.

Letting out a breath, he smoothed the front of his shirt and went to the door just as she got out of the car. Mindy wore a thigh length red coat sashed at the waist and a matching small red purse hung from her left shoulder.

In her right hand, she held a small bakery box, which she held up. “I brought a couple of cupcakes. I like sweets when I watch TV.”

“Great. Come on in.” He moved back to allow her into the house. Once she did, Mindy stopped and handed him the box.

Suddenly nervous like a teenage boy, Eric stood like an idiot unsure what to do next.

“Nice place. It’s much bigger than mine.” Mindy placed her purse on the closest chair and then removed her jacket to reveal a form-fitting outfit.

And there went his composure. His spit dried up and he fought to swallow.

“Want to put those down?” Mindy asked, her brows coming together in question. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah. What movie do you want to watch?”

* * *

The coupleon the television screen was in the throws of making love when the doorbell rang. It was Tori’s favorite scene in the movie, when the hero and heroine finally got together after the hero returned from the war.

“Ugh, who could it be at this time of night?” Tori glanced at the time. Ten o’clock at night. Nobody visited that late except maybe Mrs. Clarkson, her nosy neighbor. If that woman’s cat ran away again, she was going to scream.”

Plastering on a pleasant expression, she peeked out the blinds and immediately scowled.

What in the living hell was Tobias doing there? In the years since he’d moved back, he’d never once came to her house.

Opening the door just wide enough to frame her body, but allowing no more space, she peered up at him. “What?”

The corner of his mouth lifted into a crooked grin. “Hello to you too.”

Tori wasn’t in the mood for his antics. “It’s ten o’clock at night. What the hell do you want?”

“Need to tell you something.”

“You could have called.”

“You never answer when I do.”

“Other than the other night when you called by mistake, you never call me.”

“I did. To check on you when your Mom got sick.”

“It could have been bad timing and me not recognizing your number. Oh I don’t know, maybe I had a moment of amnesia.” Tori huffed and rolled her eyes. It was damn cold and the air didn’t waste any time penetrating through her socks.

“Come in. It’s freezing,” she snapped. Once he closed the door behind him, she instantly regretted inviting him in. Tobias had a way of shrinking a room. Without trying, he became the focus of every situation. He was tall, muscular and handsome.

And... he was also an asshole.

To keep from shoving him back out the door, Tori crossed her arms. “Is there some kind of emergency or something?”