Broken and Beautiful

by Ryan, Kendall

  Cussing under her breath, she storms off and slams the door to her Jeep, before quickly pulling out of the parking lot.

  “You’re a dumbass,” Jensen says on a laugh. “Just thought you should know.” He shakes his head and faces me. “I’ll see you back at the house.”

  Douglas clearly doesn’t know what to say to Jensen’s little comment, because he turns and walks away, his hands pulling on his hair.

  “What was that about?” I ask once we get to my car. “You know Susan?”

  He nods and backs me against my car. “You could say that.”

  “Have you slept with her too?” I’m not sure why, but my heart beats hard and fast while I wait for his response. I don’t know why it matters to me, but for some reason it does. I hate that she’s so beautiful.

  He shakes his head and pushes away from my car. “No, and she still hasn’t gotten over it apparently.” He runs a hand through his messy hair, before turning to walk away. “Meet me at the house in an hour so we can get this shit over with. I have to run inside and do what I came here for.”

  “Seriously.” I yank my car door open and get inside, slamming it shut behind me. He’s so damn aggravating. “This guy is unreal. So damn unreal.”

  First, he pretends he’s here for me just to piss Douglas off, and now he’s back to barking orders at me as if I’m one of his employees instead of a future tenant.

  I’m still sitting here gathering my thoughts when Jensen exists the building minutes later and walks straight to his bike.

  Exhaling, I watch as Jensen straddles it and slips his helmet on. The sight of him on his motorcycle has my body buzzing with need and I hate it.

  I hate that he is so unnaturally sexy. Veronica said it right that night. I’ve never in my life seen anyone as heart-stopping and jaw-dropping gorgeous as him, and I can sense Douglas noticed too.

  His name wasn’t even needed for Douglas to know who he was. One look at the heartthrob leaning against his motorcycle was all it took for him to place him with a name.

  I’m not sure what that says about Jensen, but I know for a fact that he’s someone I need to stay away from, and I plan to do just that.

  I need to stop at the bank, get his money, and sign the contract. Once that is done, he won’t exist to me until it’s time to move in.

  The entire trip to the bank I try to convince myself, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about Jensen and how incredibly hot he looked on that bike on the way back to Veronica’s house.

  His arrogance fuels my anger and hate for him even more. I just hope it’s enough to ensure I don’t end up half naked with his filthy mouth on me like I almost did the other night.

  My stomach twists into nervous knots when I turn down the block to see Douglas’ SUV parked a few houses down from Veronica’s. Without giving it a second thought, I grip the wheel and pull into the closest driveway to turn around and go the opposite direction.

  “Ohhh. That jerk has a lot of nerve.” Once I get a few blocks away, I slam on the brakes and reach for my phone to send Veronica a text.

  Cami: Look out the window to the left.

  A few moments later, my phone vibrates with a reply from my best friend.

  Veronica: That dickhead!!!!!! I’m going out there right now to tell him he has five minutes to drive away before I send my husband after his scrawny ass. Stand by.

  Exhaling, I toss my phone aside and glance across the street at the house when I hear some people talking. I’m just about to turn away when I notice the siding is being replaced.

  I’m angry at myself for wondering if it’s one of Jensen’s properties, but I don’t have to wonder long when I look toward the driveway to see his bike parked in front of the garage.

  I stare at the front door for a few moments, before finally realizing what I’m doing. I’m looking for him. I’m actually hoping he walks outside so I can see him.

  “Ugh! What the hell is wrong with me?” I grab the steering wheel and get ready to drive off, but like an idiot, stop and stare when Jensen steps outside, followed by a pretty brunette.

  She’s busty with plump lips and long slender legs that instantly make me feel inadequate. That’s the kind of girl Jensen would look perfect with, and that thought annoys the hell out of me.

  I know I should drive off, but I can’t pull my eyes away as she reaches out and runs her hand over his chest with a sexy little smirk.

  “Really? Are there any women that don’t want this asshole?” I roll my eyes and reach for my phone when it vibrates from the passenger seat.

  Veronica: You can come back now. He’s gone.

  I lock the screen on my phone and get ready to slip it into my purse when a knock at the window causes me to scream out and drop it on the floorboard.

  Placing my hand over my racing heart, I slowly turn around to come face to face with Jensen. He’s watching me with amusement as I reach over to roll down the window.

  “I said meet me at the house in an hour, not fucking stalk me.”

  “Are you kidding me?!” I can’t control my anger over his assumption I would want to stalk him. “I didn’t know you were across the street until after I parked here to get away from Douglas. Besides, I don’t even like you enough to want to see you when I have to. It’s not my fault you apparently own this whole subdivision.”

  “You’re a shitty liar, Cami.” He reaches into my car to roll the window down farther and lean in close to my face. “If you didn’t want to see me you wouldn’t have been staring at me since the moment I stepped outside.”

  Annoyed, I place my hand on his face and shove it out of my car before I punch it. “Unless you have eyes in the back of your head, then I highly doubt you know what I’ve been looking at this whole time. For the record, it wasn’t you.”

  “Do you lie to yourself often, Cami? If so, you should probably get better at it.” He stands up straight and crosses his arms. “Meet me at the house in thirty minutes. I’ve got more checks to collect.” He gets ready to walk away, but stops and turns back around. “Oh, and you look sexy-as-fuck today. Explains why Jasmine was so jealous of my stalker.”

  “I was not stalking…” My words trail off as he continues to walk away, ignoring me. I’m so angry right now that I could scream, but instead, I drive away, mentally telling him to fuck off.

  “Whoa!” Veronica says when I stomp my way through the door and toss my purse down. “Douglas piss you off that bad?”

  “No.” I grunt and make my way to the kitchen for a much-needed glass of wine. “Try again.”

  She laughs, watching as I fill my wine glass to the rim and tilt it back. “Jensen does have that ability when it comes to women, it seems.”

  “Tell me about it.” I take a huge gulp, followed by another. “I don’t think I can rent from him, Veronica. He’s driving me mad.”

  “Then don’t.” She smiles when I turn to face her. “Buy from him. You said you have money saved up.”

  My eyes must widen to the size of saucers, because she laughs and reaches for my glass to refill it. “Is that an option?”

  She nods and hands the glass back to me. “He gave us the option when we first moved in, but it just wasn’t the right time for us. We plan to change that soon though. I believe all he requires is that you rent from him for six months before giving you the option to buy.”

  I smile and bring the glass to my lips. “Six months is doable. It’ll be a struggle to not want to kill him every month, but I think I can handle it.”

  “Good.” She pours herself a glass, before taking a sip. “Looks like Douglas can screw off. Surely, buying your own place will be enough to show him you’re moving on. This is a great idea and it’s even greater because the house you’re buying is right next door to moi.”

  “Exactly.” I make my way to the front door and step outside to look at the property next door. “And maybe it’s possible to make a few changes to his renovation plans before he gets too far. What do you think?”

&
nbsp; She shakes her head. “Nope. Hell no. Not a good idea. He doesn’t like anyone questioning his designs. Even if he does plan to sell in six months, it’s his property right now, and he takes a lot of pride in designing each one.”

  “Yeah…” I turn away from the house next door and smile at my friend. “But it will be mine.”

  I’m not afraid to fight for what I want, and I plan to show him just that.

  Jensen

  Cami will never admit it, but she was relieved when I showed up at the school and put a face to the voice for Douglas. I saw the way her shoulders lowered as if a weight had been lifted when all hope of him getting a second chance drained from Douglas’ face.

  I bet she spent the entire school day avoiding him, afraid of looking him the eyes in fear of giving into his bullshit apologies and promises of never hurting her again.

  Me being there was the distraction she needed to get away without thinking too much and getting lost in her own confusion. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I did her a favor she’ll be thanking me for later.

  As soon as I turn the corner, I notice Cami sitting in front of the house waiting on me. I made it my purpose to show up at the house late, just because I knew it would get under Cami’s skin. For some reason, the idea of her wanting to strangle me makes my dick happy, and that’s something to look forward to.

  When she looks at me with ice-cold eyes like she wants to rip me apart limb by limb, I imagine her doing that very thing with my clothes, taking her frustration out on me in the bedroom. The sexy, dirty-mouthed teacher. So many tempting fantasies…

  I love that she makes no attempt to conceal her hatred for me, unlike everyone else in this town.

  “You’re late,” she seethes from the porch step, surrounded by papers she’s most likely grading. “I’ve been waiting for over an hour. What makes you think I don’t have things to do on a Monday evening? I don’t have time to sit around and wait for you to show up.”

  Ignoring her question, I walk past her and unlock the door to let myself inside. I’m afraid that if we argue right now I won’t be able to stop myself from slamming her against the house to show her who’s in charge here.

  She has no idea how much it turns me on that she can take my controlling and overbearing personality and dish it right back. I’ve been on edge since seeing her at the school with Douglas, so one wrong word from her mouth is going to either have me fucking her or continuing with the show she missed the other night.

  It takes her a few minutes to gather her papers before she joins me in the house and slams the stack down onto the kitchen island. “Seriously? You can’t even apologize for making me wait? My time is valuable just like yours.”

  I set my helmet down and grab a beer, twisting the cap off before I make eye contact with her. “Why should I apologize? Did you fucking apologize for making me wait the other day?”

  “Well… no, but—”

  “Exactly, Teach. So, don’t expect an apology when you aren’t willing to give them out yourself.”

  Her face reddens with anger, and from the way her cute little nose flares out, it’s clear she’s holding back. “There are a few things I’d like to discuss before I sign the contract. Can we just get to it, so I can get some work done?”

  I flex my jaw and lean against the island. I’m not sure whether it angers me or I find it cute that she thinks she’s the one in control here. “There’s nothing to discuss. You sign the contract and that’s it. End of story.”

  She takes a step closer and swallows, as if she’s nervous. I can see why considering what happened the last time we were in this kitchen.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” she spits out as if it was a struggle to say. “There’s one big change I want. Huge, actually.”

  I lick my lips and grip my beer, watching her watch me as I bring it to my lips and take a swig. “Is that right?”

  “Yes.” She nods and swallows again, her eyes bouncing from my lips to my eyes. “I want to rent-to-own. Veronica said you gave them the option and I want it too. It’s the perfect time in my life to settle down and do something for myself.”

  I shake my head, because truthfully, I wasn’t planning to sell any more properties. I like owning shit. The money is good. I like for things to be mine. She’s about to learn that real quick if she keeps pushing me. “No. That option is no longer available.” I take another quick swig, watching for her reaction. “And I’ve changed my mind too.”

  Her mouth drops open in disbelief, before her perfect, plump lips turn into a scowl. “You’re not going to rent to me at all now? Why? Because I want the option to buy from you? That’s bullshit.”

  “I never said that. You’re putting words in my mouth.” I push away from the island and walk over to stand in front of her, holding my bottle to my side. “Help me fix the place up and then I’ll let you sign the contract. It’s simple as that.”

  She narrows her eyes at me and stands tall. “Is that even legal? You can’t just force someone to do something for you in order for them to qualify as one of your renters.”

  She’s right. Legally, I can’t. But I know if she wants the place bad enough she will.

  “I can do whatever the fuck I want to, Cami. You know why?” I move in close, wanting her to hear every fucking word as clearly as possible. “Because I own this property, along with a shit ton more, so you won’t be finding another place anytime soon without going through me. Now, let’s get to work, because school is out for the day and we both know you’re done grading those papers. You only brought them as a distraction to use as an excuse to get away from me.”

  I back away, keeping my gaze locked on her shock-filled face, before turning away to grab a second beer from the fridge.

  “Are you serious? You want me to help you with labor before signing the contract first?” she questions tensely. “Wow. I didn’t think it was possible for you to become an even bigger asshole, but you’ve proven me wrong. You want my help. Fine. You’ll get it.” She takes off down the hall and stops to reach for the gallon of paint that’s sitting in front of the bathroom.

  I have that there, because I chose that color specifically for the fucking bathroom, and I’m pretty sure she’s smart enough to figure that out. “What are you doing with that?”

  “Painting. What else do you do with paint?” she responds calmly, before disappearing into the guest room.

  “The fuck you are.” I drop my tools and rush to my feet. By the time I make it to her, she already has the paint poured into the extra tray and is just about to wet the roller brush.

  I cross my arms and watch her roll it in the thick Wolf Gray paint, curious to see if she’s actually brave enough to go through with it. “Did you miss me painting this room the other day when you were spying on me through the window like some perverted, sex-deprived housewife?”

  “Nope.” She stands up and rolls the brush up the center of the wall. “And I wasn’t spying, jackass. I refuse to have this discussion again, because clearly you don’t listen to the words that come out of my mouth no matter how distinctly I annunciate them.”

  I grab her arm and stop her from rolling it back up. “Go paint the bathroom.” My voice is firm, and usually that’s enough to scare the shit out of anyone else.

  Not Cami Reynolds.

  She looks up at me, her angry breath hitting my neck. “Why would I paint the bathroom? Do I need to make it any clearer than I already have that I’m painting this room? The one we’re standing in right now.”

  Aggravation takes over and I grab the brush from her and toss it across the room, not giving a shit about the mess it’s going to make. She doesn’t have a chance to say anything before I press her against the wall—right where she just painted—and block her in with my hard body. “This is my fucking house, Cami. I make all the decisions. Don’t push me. This room is staying white.”

  “White is not even a color! It’s too plain.” She stares me right in the face as she speaks, her green eyes ha
rsh and unwavering. “If you want me to help, then maybe you should let me choose which color I want my guest room since I’ll be the one living here. Oh, and by the way, you owe me a new dress.”

  My breathing picks up as I match her hard stare. No one challenges me, and I’ve discovered since I met Cami that I fucking love a good challenge. “You’ll only be the one living here if I let you sign the contract. Let’s not forget that small but very important detail.”

  She pushes my chest to put some space between us. “You’re so infuriating, but I’m sure you’re used to hearing that.”

  “More times than I can count.” I back away from Cami to grab the paint roller. There’s gray paint splattered all over the carpet, so I make a mental note to add replacing the carpet to the growing list of things she’s going to help me with before signing the contract.

  If she would’ve listened to me to begin with this mess never would’ve happened. “You really don’t care, do you?” she questions when I hand her the roller.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but yeah, most likely not.”

  I get ready to walk away, but stop at the sound of her voice. “I’ve never met someone that enjoys being hated as much as you. Leads me to believe there’s a reason behind it.”

  Her words gut me. “Just paint,” I say stiffly. “Gray will work.”

  I knew she was right the moment the paint roller hit the white wall, but I don’t give anything up without a fight. It’s too easy, and I don’t like easy. Never have.

  Especially when it comes to women, and every single one of them in this town seem to be just that when it comes to me. Again. Not Cami Reynolds.

  “Wait,” she says when I go to walk away. “This room is huge. You’re not going to help me?” She doesn’t wait for me to respond before she grabs a brush and hands it to me. “You can do the trim since you have way more experience than I do.”

  I look down at the brush in my hand and let out a silent laugh. This woman really is something else. “I’ll be back. Start without me.”