Page 83 of Beautiful Broken Love

Her thick mop of curls covered half her face, and her magenta lips were pouty, begging me to kiss them. She was still naked from the night before, with only a blanket covering her butt and thighs.

I sat up and stared out the window as the sun slowly made its debut. It was so quiet in this office. So serene. I didn’t want to leave ... but I’d already made an obligation, so I had to be there. Plus, Arnold would’ve flipped his shit if I didn’t show. If I drove back to ATL now, I could pack a quick bag and still make my flight at twelve.

I put my focus on Davina again and brushed some of the hair away from her cheek so I could place a kiss there. I wanted to wake her up but remembered her telling me how she’d been restless the last couple of months. At this moment, she was sleeping like a baby.

As much as I wanted to kiss her mouth, then trail kisses down her naked body until my tongue woke her up, I didn’t. I had no doubt I’d have another chance to do what I really wanted soon enough. Instead, I went to her desk, grabbed a loose sheet of paper and a pen, and left a quick note.

Before I walked out the door, I stopped and took one last look at her. As I watched her, something expanded in my chest like the swelling of a hot-air balloon. The heat was rising, the flames growing, filling the hollowness of my heart with warmth. Everything in me wanted to stay and hold her a few seconds longer.

This woman was doing strange things to me—things I couldn’t explain or understand—but there was one thing I knew for certain.

Davina Klein had all of me. Every cell, every breath, every heartbeat—she had it all.

She just didn’t know it yet.

FORTY-THREE

DAVINA

My phone chimed with the familiar 7:00 a.m. alarm, and I groaned, blinking to get rid of the bleariness.

When my surroundings were clear, I stopped the alarm, then stared up at the vaulted ceiling. Then I smiled when it all came rushing back to me.

I had sex with Deke.

I brought a hand to my mouth, trying to conceal the goofy smile as I looked where he’d been lying last night. I felt both relieved and disappointed to not see him there.

Half of me wished he were there to talk to—maybe even have a quickie before I got my day started—but the other half knew it was better that he’d left. After all, thiswasjust sex. That was the agreement we’d made, so it was fine.

I sat up as the sunlight spilled over the spiked skyscrapers. There was a raw feeling between my legs, a sheer reminder that a well-known basketball player had been buried there.

With a blissful sigh, I stood up and collected my bra and panties. When I found my clothes from random corners of the office, I slipped into them, then walked to my desk. There was a folded sheet of paper lying on top of it that wasn’t there last night.

I picked it up, and my heart pounded a little bit faster as I read it.

Hey D,

Didn’t want to wake you up. You were sleeping peacefully and I figured you needed the rest after the way I put it down on you. Want to see you again soon. I’ll call you when it’s calmer on my end.

Btw you’re so pretty when you sleep. Hope I get to see you like that again.

Deke

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me.Put it down on me?He was silly. I liked that about him, though, and it felt good knowing he’d enjoyed me the night before too.

Of course, if he didn’t get around to texting or calling me, then maybe he’d left the note as a courtesy. Iwasa little rusty, I admit, and I was sure he’d had sex with women ten times better than me. I would’ve understood him not coming back for seconds, though it would’ve hurt the hell out of my feelings.

I shoved that thought aside and folded the floor mattress, cleaned up my greasy dinner from last night, then collected my sandals and purse. When I locked up the office, I walked barefoot through the building to reach the parking lot.

It wasn’t until I was in the car and driving that I thought of Deke all over again.

His hot mouth on my skin.

The way he kissed me like heownedme, like my lips were the only lips he wanted to feel.

The way we talked until we fell asleep with such ease, like we’d known each other our whole lives.

I ordered a quick coffee from my favorite family-owned coffee shop and drove home. When I walked in and dumped my things on the table, I couldn’t help looking at the pictures on the wall.

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