Page 22 of The Break Out

“I do. Because you want me. It’s okay to admit it, I won’t hold it against you. Well…”

She scoffs, “This was stupid. I had a moment of temporary insanity, I’m leaving.”

“Wait.” I reach out, and take hold of her arm as she starts to walk away. She narrows her eyes at me when I don’t let go. I’m not holding her hard, but I don’t rush to let go either. “One drink. You’re already here.”

Her eyes flick over to the mechanical bull, and she smiles. “I will if you try that out.”

I drop her arm and ignore how I feel about not touching her and that I don’t like it. Shaking my head, I respond, “No, if we’re making a bet involving Bill then we’re making it more exciting.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Bill? The bull’s name is Bill?”

I nod.

“Must come here often,” she comments.

I just shrug. It’s one of the places I frequent more often than others because I know none of the team will ever come here, and it reminds me of home in a weird way. Not L.A. home. Childhood home, back before anything involving my childhood was shitty. But I’m not telling her any of that.

“If I try out Bill, I want something more interesting,” I tell her. “Like you inviting me back to your place.”

She barks out a humorless laugh. “If you can last eight seconds on Bill you can negotiate something ridiculous like that.”

“Baby Collee, I always last longer than eight seconds.” I give her a wink that results in an eye roll from her. “So, if I last eight seconds, then you come home with me. And if I don’t, what do you want?”

“You to leave me alone and never talk to me again,” she answers easily.

I shake my head, “No, that can be what you get ifyoulast eight seconds.”

“I’m not getting on that thing.”

“It’s only fair, Princess.”

She groans. “Fine. If I last eight seconds, then you leave me alone forever.”

I smirk. She’s not lasting on the bull so I’m confident enough to make the deal.

“Fine, and if you don’t, then you give me your number. I’m tired of messaging you through DMs.”

She cringes but agrees. And her reaction makes me chuckle, because she showed up here, so she can deny that she wants me all she wants, but her actions are showing a little differently.

“We have a deal then? If I don’t last the full eight seconds, then I’ll buy you a drink,” I offer, putting my hand out for her to shake.

She hesitates for a moment before sliding her slim hand into mine and the warmth shoots up my entire arm the second her skin touches mine. I smile down at her,let’s do this, baby Collee.

12

Ihate how attractive Colton is.

I hate that I noticed it as soon as I caught sight of him at the bar when I walked in.

I hate that I’m even here.

I was bored, all of my friends were busy with their men returning from the road trip. Brent is busy, and my other siblings aren’t talking to me. I have yet to make any other friends around here.

So yeah, in a weird desperation forsomethingI actually showed up to the bar Colton told me to, around the time he told me to get here. And when I did, I saw his shaggy light brown hair under his black baseball cap. The white t-shirt stretched across his muscular torso like a second skin showing the tattoo sleeves on both his arms. He towers over everyone around him and the way his jeans hug his ass should be illegal.

But I’m pretending not to notice any of that and rememberwho he is and that I hate him. Which doesn’t change just because he’s good looking. He’s still an asshole.

An asshole that is currently making his way onto Bill, the mechanical bull, to try and win a bet with me. One I can’t let happen.

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