Page 12 of Everything I Promise

I’m beginning to freak out a little. I just promised myself I would not do something like this, and here I am. Doing everything I said I wasn’t going to.

I hear his footsteps coming down the stairs and I pull out some chairs at the folding table I had brought with me before I let my mind go further into worry.

I motion to the table and chairs as he approaches and ask, “Want to sit and we can discuss pricing?”

I am more than a little proud when he has to readjust himself before sitting. I smile at him, hoping he didn’t see through me and this newfound brave woman that he brings out in me.

Thatwoman threw the friend zone out the window, she went for what she wanted, she didn’t care about comparing to another woman, or the current situations with divorces on the horizon. I hope she stays.

Colton looks at me for a moment, trying to decide whether he should bring up what happened a few minutes ago or if he should continue on, business as usual.

He folds his hands on the table with my sketches and looks at me cautiously. “Okay, so I was thinking about the financial part and I have a proposition for you.”

I raise my eyebrow at him. I was hoping he wouldn’t mention what just happened and be able to get back to business after he’d just made me come with his mouth, and I’m happy to see that he can do just that. My brazen behavior has been spent for the day, however.

At my silence, he continues. “Since Scarlett moved in, I have been looking for a place to stay temporarily while I build the house. It won’t be done until summer probably, but if you aren’t moving until you feel Oliver is ready, I can do some quick fixes on the apartment and if you don’t mind, I could move in. I don’t need much to live. And in return for rent you could have my labor, you'd just have to buy the materials.”

My mouth hangs open at his generous offer. “You wouldn’t charge me for labor?”

“Well, I mean, we’d be exchanging rent for labor. It’ll save both of us some money and then when my house is done you would be ready to move in here. Plus, I could work whenever I had the time and it’d probably get done faster.” He taps nervously on the table with his knuckles.

“I mean, that sounds amazing for me financially but I don’t want to take advantage of you.” I start to worry my bottom lip, a nervous habit I’ve developed over my years with Michael when I was nervous about making him angry.

I never did quite know what would set him off towards the end of our relationship, and anything to do with money was a sure fight.

“Sweetheart, if you had to listen to those two every night you would know you’re saving me, not taking advantage.” He rolls his eyes.

I have to chuckle. I can’t imagine living with Preston and Scarlett after they just got engaged. “Okay you got me there. It's a deal. If you’re sure. You can always back out.” I say, not wanting him to feel forced into anything.

A feeling that is probably a by product of not being able to ask Michael to do anything without him blowing up at me.

We manage to spend the next hour working out the details of the timeline professionally, despite what had just happened upstairs.

He is going to fix up the kitchen and the bathroom in the apartment first so he can move in sometime in the next couple weeks. I am going to try to help as much as I can with my limited construction abilities and apparent one track mind when it comes to Colton.

But when we walk back upstairs to get a better look at what the apartment will need for materials, I am blushing all the way down to my chest, especially as we enter the bathroom. I can’t help but remember how daring I was with Colton in here.

Colton comes up behind me and presses his hand into the small of my back as he passes me to go into the bathroom. I decide to stand just outside the door so I don’t do anything stupid like touch him again.

“Looks like we’ll need a new toilet for sure at first. I can shower at Preston’s until that mess is done how you want. Do you want me to get a new vanity in here or fix this one up?”

Colton is staring at me and I know he asked me a question but I was too distracted thinking about him in a shower with water dripping down what I can only imagine is a well chiseled chest that I forgot to keep listening.

“Earth to Lacey, you listening?” He asks with a sly smile.

“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought. What was the question?” I ask sheepishly, shaking my head.

Colton is smirking at me. He knows exactly where my thoughts were. Which now means that is where his thoughts are. I think I can count that as a win for myself.

“What has you so lost in thought?” He asks, still smirking, only now inching closer to me, his body heat palpable at the closeness.

“Oh, you know. Just showers, and tile.” I shrug against the doorframe.

He cups my face with his hands on my cheeks.

“And stuff.”God. Good job, Lacey, way to flirt.I didn’t think I was this inept at flirting.

“And stuff huh? Does that stuff have anything to do with what happened earlier? Because we might not ever get anything done if it does.” He whispers, only a breath away from my lips.

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