Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | Broken (Broken #1) |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | A.E. Murphy |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | 9781310141782 |
| Book Information: | |
Caleb is perfect in every way, almost too perfect and Gwen has never felt so happy. He is hers and she is his. Life can't get much better and their love can't get any stronger. That is until mistakes are made and their world comes crumbling down. She's left alone with no money, no home and a growing person invading her stomach. How will she survive? Forced to leave culinary school, the job she needs and the home they made together. Gwen finds a knight in the most unlikely source. Caleb's brother Nathan. A complex man with a phobia she doesn't understand and mannerisms that aren't of this day and age, will she be able to melt his seemingly frozen heart and become his friend? Or will he forever push her away and wallow in his loneliness and self loathing? | |
| Books in Series: | Broken Series by A.E. Murphy |
| Books by Author: | A.E. Murphy Books |
Chapter One
I walk along the shore, my feet sinking into the soft sand with every step. Looking over my shoulder I smile at each individual imprint my feet have left behind. Footprints are an amazing thing, even the ones you can’t see. They make you wonder who’s walked right where you’re walking. Who’s travelled this same path? What were their concerns? Who did they love? Are they still alive?
Life is so beautiful.
Everything is good right now. No. Everything is great. It’s peaceful. I’m happy.
“Can I walk with you?” An unfamiliar voice asks from two steps behind me.
I glance at the male. My heart stops.
I stare at him, at his face, at his eyes that are a light brown I can’t name. A shade away from milk chocolate. I lose myself in them so easily, so quickly, the sounds all around dim and my heart seems to be beating in my head.
He smiles slow and easy, his entire face lights up with the motion. So handsome, so beautiful. The way the light hits his long dark hair. Not too long but long enough to tuck behind his ears.
The sun catches every curve and contour of his sculpted chest. His lean body like none I’ve ever seen before.
“Wow,” I blurt and my face heats.
Why did I say that?
There’s no denying the fact I’m probably as red as a tomato.
His smile widens, his eyes crease at the corners, “I’m Caleb.”
“Caleb,” I repeat his name, it tastes good, feels good. I want to say it again. “I’m Gwen.”
“It’s great to meet you Gwen,” his smile doesn’t falter, not until he brings my knuckles to his mouth and plants the softest kiss upon them. He can’t be older than twenty, yet he’s already a gentleman.
I’m never washing this hand again. Once he releases it I look at the sand beneath my feet and tuck my hair behind my ear with the same hand. Fighting off the urge to touch the spot he just sweetly kissed.
“Can I walk with you?” He adds, his easy smile now contagious. He looks so happy and carefree. I’ve never met a person so seemingly happy. It oozes off him in waves, so much that I can almost see its glow coming from his body.
“Are you going to murder me?” Shut up! You sound like an idiot!
“If I answer that question will you believe me? I mean, either way you won’t know I’m telling the truth until I’ve started the sick and twisted process a murderer would probably be cooking up in their head right now,” he takes a step closer, two shallow dimples now appearing in his cheeks as he grins with his mouth closed.
“Good point,” I laugh, giving him a smile of my own.
“There it is,” he grins and stops me with his hands on my arms, the contact of his warm palms and fingers against my cool flesh sends tingles to places I didn’t know existed until now. He turns me to face him, blocking the sun with the back of his head. I look up, almost unable to see him due to the shadow cast between us.
“There what is?” I purse my lips, trying not to smile.
“The moment you steal my heart,” he announces, his eyes twinkling, his hands remaining on my shoulders.
I want to gasp but fortunately I don’t. I’m not totally sure what to say. “Huh?” So I say something stupid clearly.
“I knew, the minute I saw you walking down the sand I had to know you,” he leans in closer, as if preparing to tell me a secret. “And then you looked over your shoulder and smiled. You smiled at nothing. I knew I was yours.”
“You’re mine?”
He chuckles and turns me to face the front so we can walk side by side again, “Yep. I’m all yours. Be gentle with me, I’m not as strong as I look.”
I know he’s joking, he’s fooling around. He’s clearly crazy, “So Gwen is short for Guinevere huh?”
I nod, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye, “Caleb is just Caleb right?”
The smile remains on his face, how I wish I could just smile that beautifully all of the time, “Yep. And how old are you Gwenny?”
“Gwenny?” I snort, quirking a brow at him.
“Well, I’ve given you my heart I figure the next thing I need is a pet name. What’s mine going to be?”
Umm… “Umm…”
He waves me off, “That doesn’t matter. Those are details we can figure out another time. So… age?”
“Are you profiling? Making sure I’m the right target for your list of victims? What is it I have in common with the others? Is it my green eyes or my sparkling youth?”
He throws his head back and laughs, it’s a beautiful sound. “You know Gwenny?” His arm slides around my shoulder as casually as if we’d known each other years. “I think I gave my heart to precisely the right person. What a glorious day this is.” Pulling me tighter to him I smell the scent of coconuts lingering on his skin. No doubt it’s the scent of his sunblock, but it’s delicious all the same. “I’m twenty. Just turned twenty, two weeks ago.”