I Broke My Heart Read Free Page B

Since you said it’s in your DNA to want to look beautiful, I’ll be testing your DNA for that.”
    I laughed and punched his shoulder.
    Fun was the word that could best describe the drive to my house. Cleve wouldn’t stop teasing me, and I enjoyed it.
     
    ****
     
    Finally, he pulled up in front of my house. Even though the drive to my house took about thirty minutes, it felt as if it were only five minutes with Cleve. I wanted to spend more time with him. “You should come in for champagne. Our success at the laboratory today calls for celebration.”
    “Okay.”
    That was easy. I had thought it would take a lot more to persuade him to stay. 
    When we stepped into my house, he helped himself to the couch. Pulling at the knot of his tie, he loosened it a bit. He was relaxed in my home, and that alone made me feel that he belonged with me, that he had always been a part of my life.
    Quickly, I dropped my purse and rushed to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of champagne and two clean cups. When I got to the living room, I set the cups on the table and began to shake the bottle of cha m pagne to create a bubble. As I opened it, I turned the bottle toward his direction so that the bubbles would splash on him.
    Before I could open it, he stood and rushed t o ward me to stop me from splashing it on him. When I didn’t yield, he subdued me in his arms. As we struggle together, the bottle opened. I swirled and let the cha m pagne splash all over him. Twenty seconds later, he was drenched .
    He staggered back, his expression completely blank. I couldn’t make out what exactly he was thinking. For a moment, I thought that maybe I had annoyed him by splashing the drink on him. I was at a loss as to what I should say or if I should apologize.
    Suddenly, he gave a loud laugh. Relieved, I laughed too. He was just trying to psyche me out by pretending to be annoyed and it worked.
    He held the two glass cups in his hands and I filled them with the small amount of Champagne that was left. Although we had wasted most of the drink, the little left in the bottle was enough to celebrate the m o ment. He handed one of the cups to me and then he took the empty bottle from me. He dropped the bottle on the floor and came closer to me. So close was he that I could feel his breath on my face. We stood frozen for a few silent seconds and I realized that I was holding my own breath.
    I lifted the cup. “To our success at the laboratory today.”
    He lifted his cup, and his strong charming eyes crashed confidently into mine. “To you, Addie Warren, and to me Cleve Reeves, for a hope of a future toget h er.”
    Did I hear what I thought I heard in that toast? Did he just say to a hope of a future together? I was so surprised that I found it difficult to gulp the wine down my throat. I swallowed hard and forced the drink down. I didn’t know if he meant more than what he said. I didn’t know if I should attach more meaning to what he said. I didn’t even know if I should ask him what he meant by a hope of a future together .
    He finished his wine and sank into the couch. “My shirt stinks.”
    Really? The man makes a toast to a hope of our future together and then just changes the conversation without explaining what he meant by those words.
    He was definitely trying to drive me insane. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, so I played along.
    “I am sorry for that. I could clean it up for you before you leave,” I offered.
    “Oh! No. you don’t have to do that. We were just having fun, and getting dirty goes along with it som e times. My only regret is that I didn’t get to spray you with the wine.”
    I laughed. “All the same, it was my mess and I’d like to fix it. My laundry machine takes twenty-five minutes for washing and twenty minutes to dry. Your shirt should be clean in less than an hour,” I insisted, telling myself I was just trying to be nice. But something told me I was only looking for an excuse to make him