Broken Beginnings

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chloe

“Do you always drive with this contraption hooked to the back of your truck?” I glared at the odd looking apparatus he planned to tow my car with before setting ‘are you kidding me’ eyes on him.

“This contraption as you called it, is a tow dolly.” He informed politely. “And no, I don’t keep it on all the time. You’re lucky to have caught me with it attached, actually.”

“Why is that?” I cocked my head.

“I was working on a customers vehicle at home and brought it into town for her today.” He shrugged. “I usually only bring this baby out once or twice a year. There’s usually no need.”

“I see.” I picked at an invisible piece of lint on my sweater. “Well, I suppose I’m lucky then.”

He nodded. “You’re going to have to help me with this.”

“I am?”

“Yeah.”

I shifted nervously as I looked at the tow dolly. “What do you want me to do?”

“You’re going to make sure I drive the car onto the dolly straight.” He pulled down the tailgate of his truck. “That is if it starts. Come here.”

I walked slowly to where he stood waiting for me, my fingers fidgeting nervously. “Should you be driving my car?”

“Nope.” His hands clutched my waist and I squealed, tensing under his hands as he lifted me into the back of his truck. “But I don’t have much of a choice.”

I wiggled around to face him as soon as he released me. I was angry and for no good reason. What would have been normal for others sent me into a blinding rage. Nothing had happened to make me this way, I just was. I think it was the knowledge that everything I cherished could be so easily robbed from me. All I had left to my name was my body. It was all that I had protected from the damages Dale had allowed to consume our lives. I didn’t like to be touched without first giving permission, and I most definitely didn’t like the burning his touch had seared into my skin. “I was perfectly capable of getting into the box alone.”

His eyes shifted to meet mine and I saw surprise in their depths at my obvious dislike for being touched. He shifted awkwardly. “Sorry,” he ran a hand through his hair. “I guess it just comes naturally to me.”

“Throwing girls into the back of your truck comes naturally to you?” I replied smartly.

He chuckled, grinning cockily. “No, but throwing girls around does.”

I frowned. “You’re perverted.”

“You’re hostile.” He returned in response to my accusation. At my glare, he raised his hands. “I’m sorry for touching you. I won’t do it again,” his eyes glimmered with mirth. “Without permission.”

“Good.” I said sternly as I folded my arms over my chest. “And you won’t be getting my permission.”

“We’ll see about that,” he walked to the door of my car and my mouth fell open. “You’re going to have to guide me onto the tow dolly, now. I’ll roll the window down so I can hear you. Let me know if the tires are aligned.” I couldn’t believe he had gone from joking about something as inappropriate as touching to giving instruction about a tow dolly. I stood, dumbfounded for a moment, before finally finding myself.  

I nodded, watching as he climbed into my car. He started the car and I actually wanted to burrow into a hole at the sound it made into the peaceful silence of the sunset. Galen didn’t seem to mind, though. He pressed down on the gas, steering the car right onto the tow dolly without any help from me. The front wheels of the car fell into place and he killed the ignition, grinning at me through the windshield proudly. I couldn’t believe my car started, much less had the get-up to drive forward onto the dolly. It was a miracle, I was certain.  

I folded my arms over my chest, sitting on the dropped tailgate. “You didn’t really need help, did you?”

“I might know what I’m doing.”

I felt a grin tug my lips and I fought it without success. “Well, aren’t you the master of deceit?”

He frowned, walking slowly to stand in front of me. Only a few inches separated us and I felt an overpowering need to lean into him. Thankfully, I was strong enough to fight against such rash desires. His voice was deep and husky when he spoke. “There’s something about the way you say that,” his eyes searched mine. All play had vanished. “I don’t like it.”

My breath caught. “Oh,”

“I won’t deceive you.” He pulled away to crouch down beside the tire. He tugged a rope over the rubber, fastening it in place before moving to the other. “I’m not a bad guy, Chloe.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Galen.” I shifted. “And I don’t think you’re a bad guy, either.”

“You look at me like you don’t trust me.” He stood, brushing his hands off on his jeans. “I have no intention of hurting you.”  

Well, this had gotten quite serious quite fast. And although I didn’t want to offend him, I also didn’t want to lie. I settled on the truth. The truth was often painful and this was no exception. “I don’t trust you.”

He shifted on his heel, thrusting his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a woman so wary of me before I’ve given her a reason.” He chuckled, but the sound was one of offense.

“Do you give women reasons to be wary of you often?” My question was barbed – and so was my tone.

His eyes were suddenly narrowed. “I don’t lie to women. They know what I want from them before anything get’s started. If they concoct a fairytale ending when I haven’t even seen a beginning, it’s not my problem.”

“I see.” I nodded as though his words made sense. They didn’t. I didn’t understand his sudden hostility toward me, but I wanted to. I wanted to understand him – regardless of how dangerous getting to know him would be. “So you’re not a relationship kind of guy?”

“I’ve never met a woman who made me want to commit. That’s not saying I’m against relationships.” He shrugged.

“Well, you’re a puzzle.” I stated lightly and he chuckled. I felt relieved at the sight of the shimmering humor in his blue eyes. We were back on safe ground. I could keep my balance on safe ground.

“Hop on up in the truck, Chloe.” He gestured to the passenger side door. “I’ll take you to a hotel.”   

I slid down off the tailgate and Galen pushed it back into place. I moved slowly around to the passenger side of his truck and he jogged to meet me there. I raised surprised brows as he pulled the door open for me. “I could have gotten that.”

“That wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me, now would it be?”

I frowned over my shoulder at him as I climbed into the truck. It was a feat. The thing was a beast. “You can close the door now.”

“Just making sure you’re settled,” he grinned and I felt my heart dance in my chest. I cursed its susceptibility to his smile, forcing my eyes to look straight ahead. He chuckled, closing the door. I watched him round the front of the truck and I slid down against the leather. I was suddenly feeling a whole lot of nervousness I couldn’t seem to quell, and I set to picking at the hem of my sweater.