Broken Branches Excerpt

The driver’s door creaked open, and Tyler’s jaw slackened. Black combat boots hit the pavement, followed by long, slender legs wrapped in faded blue jeans. A black leather jacket hugged her frame, and waves of chestnut hair bounced over her shoulders. He couldn’t see her eyes because oversized, red-rimmed sunglasses shielded them. But the curves, the posture, the quiet confidence told him everything. This wasn’t a guy. This was a woman who turned heads without trying. 

Tyler stared, momentarily forgetting the pandemonium around him. 

“What the heck flew out in front of me?” 

Her voice carried a soft French accent. Tyler swallowed hard. Just when he pegged her as a nine-point-five, she soared to a ten. Maybe higher. His brain scrambled to form a coherent sentence. “Some kids were vandalizing the drive-in,” he said, clearing his throat. “They ride in the ditch and jump the road. You deterred the last one’s attempt across.” 

“Is he okay?” Her gaze darted past Tyler to the embankment. 

He blinked. She wasn’t shaken by the near accident. She was more worried about the kid. Ten-point-five. “He’s bruised, battered, and lucky. He’ll live. His bike? That poor thing is on life support.” 

She smiled, the kind of smile that made the world pause. Full, rosy lips parted to reveal a perfect set of pearly-white teeth. Completely disarming. 

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