Page 5 of Sturdy & Dirty

After enduring the title of “husky kid” for most of my life and into adulthood too, I didn’t need that self-esteem blow.

Those men had a lot to offer a woman. Some were considered handsome or well built. Others were wealthy with large families and grand futures on the horizon.

I, on the other hand, had nothing to offer but my heart and winning personality. Which was actually more quiet observer than winning.

You keep your head down and work hard. There’s nothing wrong with that.

It was true. But I didn’t think it was enough.

Not for either of the James sisters.

They were outta my league.

And it was true that Ivy was on the plus side of life. She belonged to the Chub Club at our gym, so maybe that meant she could look past any outer disappointments.

But it was her sister that had captured my full attention.

We passed each other a lot at the gym. She was always leaving as I was arriving. But once, when I held the door for her, she grinned and it was like the sun breaking through clouds. It reached all the way to her jewel green eyes making them crinkle a touch at the sides.

And completely stole my breath.

She had the prettiest damn smile.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Or her.

So I kept making a point to hold that door as much as possible just to get more opportunities to bask in her glow.

She wasn’t smiling now however.

When we impacted, it was like she’d hit a brick wall—myself being the wall—and went flying.

Now, she was flat on her back gasping for air as I stood over her, trying to shake off the shock that held my body immobile.

Move asshole. Help her.

All at once, my brain connected with the will to move and my muscles unlocked. I slung the mortar mix aside and stepped forward to reach for her.

But instead of finding the solid concrete floor… my foot found a nearby mixing bucket and my boot became lodged inside.

Before I could recognize what had happened, my weight, all on one foot—the bucket foot, to be exact—shifted, causing the bucket to slide along the floor until I was nearly forced to do the splits. In an attempt to right myself, I lost my balance, and before I knew it, I’d come down hard, right beside her, my hip and elbow taking the brunt of the fall.

An audible ooof left my mouth as all the air was socked from my lungs.

Well, hell.

At least now I knew what she must have felt hitting the floor. And the idea that I might’ve caused her pain left a hot regret in my chest.

Shit.

Was this a nightmare? Could I wake up from this?

The pain in my ribs told me it wasn’t.

I blinked up at the unfinished ceiling, trying to wrap my mind around the last few seconds.

Was she okay? Because my clock was rocked in the worst way, and I would die if I’d hurt her.

Before I could look over to check on her, a slow, sluggish chuckle made its way to my ringing ears.

---