Page 57 of When Sky Breaks

I pause and shake my head at myself. Of course, I walked headfirst into that.

“Don’t you need to go take pictures or something?” I sound exasperated but refuse to look at him.

“I’d much rather work alongside you.”

I jerk my head up in his direction. Bad decision as he’s staring right at me.

Ugh. Stop being cute, August Moore.

“As long as you quit saying things like that, I suppose it won’t hurt.”

His quicksilver eyes sparkle. “No can do.”

After a beat and extremely flushed cheeks, I manage to point my roller at the wall near him. “You missed a spot.”

He chuckles but says nothing else as he swipes his brush languidly over a covered section of the wall.

We paint in silence for the next half hour. But I’d be lying if every damn thirty minutes of it didn’t heighten all my senses.

The accidental brush of his arm against mine.

The low, masculine sound of his laugh when he drips paint on my hand.

The flush of my body as he drags the pad of his thumb across my skin to wipe it away.

Sweat gathers under my arms at his closeness. He smells too fucking good, and right now would be an excellent time not to have a nose.

He breaks the suffocating silence by dropping his brush into the empty bucket. The rumble of his voice pulls goosebumps to the surface of my exposed arms. “Will you come with me somewhere?”

Specks of black paint dot his cheeks and forehead, joining the tiny freckles on his nose.

He’s expectant, his lips arranged in a small, hopeful smile.

There’s no reason why I should say no. No only leads to more questions and more time to think about him. If I do this, I can go back to taking care of Foster in peace. At least, that’s what my head tells me. My heart says another as it thumps hard in my chest.

“Maybe I should rephrase it. Would your boyfriend be okay with you going somewhere with me?”

He’s not my boyfriend, I want to shout, but instead, my smile hardens.

“I’m a grown woman, and Johnny doesn’t tell me what to do. Besides, would Lina approve?” I’m showing my cards here, but I’m too amped to care.

His sly grin makes it worse, and I glare at him even as he chuckles. “Aw, I don’t think she’ll mind one bit about this.”

My eyes form into slits, trying to read between the lines. “Where exactly would you be taking me?”

August steps into my space and I clutch the roller tight in my hand. He’s so much taller than me when he does that, and I have to crane my head to see his face. Those deep gray eyes pin me like a butterfly to a frame, and my insides quake under such scrutiny.

“It’s a surprise.”

His phone rings, so I can’t answer him, which is probably a good thing. I’m not sure I should go anywhere with August, let alone somewhere that’s a surprise.

“Hold on, sorry.” He pulls out his phone, and his brows furrow as he swipes to answer. “Alex, what’s up?”

He listens, and a bunch of emotions flicker across his face.

“Shit, are you serious?” He groans before speaking again. “Is she injured?” He glances up, biting his thumbnail. “No, keep her there if you can. I’m on my way.” He ends the call and curses, holding his hands atop his head, pacing a few feet before stopping in front of me.

“Is everything okay?”

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