Take My Breath Away (Summers Love Series Book 3)

Chapter Two

The next day Brody happily went to Brittany's boutique 'Bluebonnet Fashion House' to see his lady love, Valentina. He would surely ask her out today. His mom had made some delicious brownies yesterday, his favourite, which he packed in a Tupperware container and carried it over for her. 

The moment the small bell on the boutique's door tinkled, Valentina looked up to welcome the visitor. Her face turned pale at the sight of Brody, looking handsome as ever. Alexandra's words, her warning rang again and again in her ears like a broken record. 

"Hi, how's your first day going so far?" He asked happily, going up to her. She was looking so good in her cream sundress and matching jacket.  

"Good, " she said pointedly.

"Here, I got this for you. My mom's brownies. I thought you would love them," he said,  handing her the container. 

"Thanks, leave them on the counter," she said as he just stared at her.

What was wrong with her overnight? Maybe the stress of a new job was taking its toll upon her nerves. If he took her out for dinner, she might calm down and relax. 

"So, I was thinking if you were free tonight, we could have dinner together. What do you say?" He asked hopefully.

So Alexandra was right about him. He was planning dinner and then he would try to have his night of fun with her.  She panicked at the thought. No Valentina, don't agree.

"No actually I'm helping my mom with cleaning her closet tonight after work," she lied. 

"Oh ok, some other time then," he said, with a smile.

"Do you need anything? I don't want to be caught chatting on the first day of work," she said, wanting to get rid of him.

"Oh, I'll leave then, see you, " he said, his face falling at the thought of leaving her so soon.

She turned her back to him and then went to the stockroom  at the back of the store. He found her behaviour odd but not giving it too much thought, he went home to complete his work.

The next two days he was away with Bryce to the neighbouring town foa shopping mall, which was their next project. He was dying to meet her, hear her sweet voice, stare at her beautiful face. So the day he returned, he went straight to see her. It was already evening and he parked his car in front of the boutique.  

Going inside, he didn't find her anywhere. Searching at the back of the shop, he thought he heard a groan coming from the store. Hurrying to the store,  he was horrified to see Valentina on the floor, holding her ankle, obviously in pain. He rushed to her side.

"What happened Valentina? Oh God, you're hurt," he said as he looked at her ankle.

"Yeah, I fell from the ladder," she said, relieved that someone had come to save her. Her handbag was in the shop drawers and her mobile was inside it. With her sprained ankle she would have been stuck on the store room floor the whole night, without any means to summon anyone for help.

"Can I see it?" He asked her permission.

"Yeah, it seems I have sprained it, " she said as he touched her ankle. Electric tingles shot up her leg at his touch. She closed her eyes, why did she feel so helpless when he was around? As if her whole body had a mind of its own refusing to listen to any logic or facts. 

"Is it very painful sweetheart?" He asked, his hand tenderly massaging the area, in circular motion.

She was intensely aware of his touch, his endearing words. No she wasn't in pain but yes, his touch made her yearn for him. If only he wouldn't have been what he was, a casanova.  She could fall in love with him. 

She nodded at him. "Can you walk?" He asked, his eyes drinking her in. He was lost in her mesmerising light blue eyes. He could sit here with her forever but she needed to go home. 

"No," she said in a small voice. 

He placed his hands under her and picked her up effortlessly into his arms, bridal style, walking towards the shop. Her soft body against his chest, his hands on her creamy skin, her hands around his neck to keep herself from falling, all had a hypnotic effect on him. His eyes couldn't leave hers as his hot gaze drank her in from so close. 

She felt his eyes on her, blushing furiously while looking here and there. He was so muscular, she could feel his biceps, his hard muscular chest, his soft hair at the nape of his neck, his intoxicating smell of citrus and pine. 

"M my handbag," she whispered, glancing towards him.

"Where's it?" He asked her, not removing his eyes from her face. His eyes taking in the movement of her lips as she spoke. He wetted his lips, still staring. 

"In the drawer, there," she said nervously, pointing to the drawer. He went near it and lowered her. She opened the drawer and took out her bag and the shop's locks and keys. 

Hoisting her up again like she weighed peanuts, he strode to the main door. He opened his car door and placed her on the passenger seat. Taking the lock and keys from her hands, he strode to the shop and locked it well. 

He took her home and carried her inside. Her parents were shocked at her condition. "What if Brody wouldn't have gone there to check?" Asked her mom in panic.

"Thank you son, you saved her life," said the sheriff.

"It's nothing uncle. Can I place her on her bed? She sprained her ankle," he  informed them.

"Yes yes, come this way," said aunt Chloe. She had always loved Brody and his gentlemanly manners.

She opened her daughter's room,"Place her on the bed. I'll get the medicine box," she said.

He placed Valentina on the bed. Kneeling before her, he removed her shoes. He gently massaged the ankle with his hands. They felt so good. Like he could feel exactly where it was paining. 

Her mom got an ice pack and he sat and iced her ankle for 20 minutes. Valentina's heart melted at his help. 

"You have to do this  every three or four hours until swelling starts to subside," he advised her and she nodded. 

He compressed the injury with an elastic wrap that her mom brought,"That should help," he said with a smile.

"Thank you Brody," she said shyly. He grinned happily, like he won the biggest trophy in the world. He picked up her mobile from her hands and punched in his number, giving himself a missed call. 

"Anytime you need my help, just call me, ok?" He said and she nodded. He took his leave reluctantly and went home with a stupid grin stuck on his face. 

Valentina kept thinking of him and smiling to herself. Was she in love with him already? Maybe. Her phone buzzed and thinking it to be Brody, she picked it up. 

"Brody?" She asked happily.

"No it's Alex," said an angry Alexandra. "You're still harping in his name?" she asked irritatedly.

"No I just," she was rudely stopped from finishing her sentence.

"Brody came to me two days back, begging me to fu*k him. I took pity on him and we had sex," she said."Did you too do it with him? He just wants one thing from women. Are you sure that's the type of relationship you're looking for?" She said, her voice laced with irritation.

"N no," she said. All her friends knew that she didn't go for casual flings and one-night stands. No wonder that she was still a virgin at twenty-two.

"Then stay away from him. If he begs me again for it, I will oblige again," she said angrily.

She didn't know what to say. Her heart was breaking. Brody didn't visit her for two days. Was he really with Alexandra? Maybe. 

"Ok, talk later. I've got to go," said Alexandra and disconnected the call.

Valentina knew that she should stay away from Brody, but her heart didn't want to. His attitude towards her was so different from what Alexandra claimed. How?