Free Pieces of Broken Time by Lorenz Font

to look at him.
    “Thanks,” he said, reaching for the little cup.
    “You’re welcome.” Her voice was low and had a sweet ring to it.
    He eyed the tiny handle and wondered how in the hell he was going to get his finger through the small opening. Like an uncivilized grunt, he grabbed the bowl of the cup and stiffened. The scalding heat of the porcelain left him motionless.
    As though he had no control over his limbs, his hand twitched and the cup fell to the table with a loud clang. “I’m sorry.” He brought the hand to his mouth and blew on it. He hated looking like a pansy in front of a woman, or anyone for that matter, and his anger boiled over at the idea that she had seen him flinch.
    Without a word, Jennifer reached across the small table and pulled on his arm.
    He tensed at her searing touch.
    She applied pressure on his arm until he relented. With care, she turned his palm and started massaging it.
    The sensation was electric. She rendered him weak and vulnerable.
    For Pete’s sake! When did I become such a pussy?
    “You don’t have—”
    “Oh, be quiet. You almost burned yourself.”
    Her statement struck a sensitive chord. He cocked an eyebrow. “If you used a cup that could fit a normal finger, this wouldn’t have happened.” He yanked his hand from her grasp and stood up. He ignored the pain radiating throughout his legs. “Thanks for the coffee and enjoy the rest of your day.”
    Without a backward glance, he stormed out of the room, whistled once on his way toward the front door, and headed for his Jeep.
    Drew followed behind him.
    He had no business drinking coffee in her kitchen, and without a doubt, he had no right to enjoy the warmth of her touch.
    Damn his life to high heaven.

Chapter 8
    At the crack of dawn, Jennifer was up and ready to go. She had a nine o’clock presentation in LA that her agent had scheduled with a new client. This was one of the rare situations when she left the house.
    The trip doubled as a perfect excuse to meet up with Coleen. Ever since she’d moved to Lancaster, and Coleen had relocated to San Diego after she’d gotten married, finding opportunities to see each other had been close to impossible. Although they often spoke on the phone, nothing could beat a face-to-face gossip session. Los Angeles was the perfect meeting spot, being the halfway point between their residences.
    Still smarting from Blake’s abrupt departure the day before, Jennifer hadn’t gotten enough sleep. She had tossed and turned, rewinding every detail in her head, remembering his reactions and his misplaced anger. If she hadn’t met him before and seen the sweet smile not only tilting his lips but also lighting his eyes, she would have discounted him as a rude prick.
    There had to be a reason behind his rage, and while she’d love to find it, there was little chance she’d be knocking on his door again. Not only had he made it clear that she repulsed him, but his actions left no doubt that he preferred to be alone.
    “So be it!” she said out loud, punctuating her determination with one good nod.
    The hour-and-a-half drive to West LA was uneventful, with light traffic and parking readily available. It was going to be a good day.
    Feeling confident, she strode into the high-rise building, took the elevator to the nineteenth floor, and was promptly whisked to the conference room.
    Her agent, Matt Crest, was already seated in one of the plush leather chairs. He stood up and smiled easily as she breezed in. “Jenny . . . you’re still pretty and punctual. What a combination.” He walked forward and gave her a peck on the cheek.
    She smelled his aftershave and wrinkled her nose. “And you’re still trying to flatter my socks off, Matthew.” She took the chair next to him and placed her briefcase on top of the mahogany table. “How many clients do we have to convince today?”
    “Just one buyer from Maxie’s. If Ms. Holloway likes your designs and orders all of them, then we