Page 22 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

He needed to hear that bang, feel the car race along winding country roads. His anger coiled under his skin, racing through his body with his blood, every pump of his heart. Ruby’s text to not bother showing up was a challenge he happily accepted.

If she didn’t want him to show up, that’s exactly what he was going to do.

The bus stood out like a sore thumb among the dead and dying trees, barren of leaves but not the glittering dust of snow. Colton pulled into the driveway, having to drastically cut his speed no thanks to all the fucking potholes riddling the gravel stretch. As he came to a stop, Ruby hopped out of the back, curls sticking in all directions out of her messy bun. The absolute scowl on her face was a bonus, her gloved hands on her hips the cherry on top. She was furious in a way he’d only seen a handful of times, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling at how fucking cute she looked. Like one of those tiny ass dogs that follows close on the heels, yipping and yapping like it believed it could actually be a threat.

He kicked his door open, popping the trunk as he went. He leaned against the car, crossing his arms while he looked her over. Long legs perfectly sculpted beneath tight yoga pants, black fleece sweater bearing a hint of cleavage. He could practically see the dragon breath escaping from her nostrils, her ears and cheeks a brilliant pink as she glared.

Which just made him smile, a laugh nearly letting loose.

“Are you kidding me, Colton?” She stomped right up to him, the fierceness of her gaze not detracted from the angle of her chin as she looked up at him. He could smell a slight undercurrent of lemon and jasmine, a scent that took him back to hours of being tangled in sheets, holding her body against his.

He shrugged. “What?”

“I told you not to bother coming. I don’t need your help and I certainly don’t need your attitude.”

Colton leaned forward, tempting her to step back. She didn’t, and while he didn’t think it was possible, her cheeks went a deeper shade, hiding most of her freckles.

“I don’t know if you heard me last time or not, but this part is dangerous. I have means to make it less so, and you better bet your sweet ass that I’m going to do what I can to make sure you don’t get hurt,” he said before leaning back and going to the trunk. “Besides, how could I live with myself if something happened to you that I could’ve prevented?”

Ruby threw daggers at him while he grabbed the tool. It was heavy for being essentially a high-powered drill, and when he passed it off to her, her arm dropped with the weight.

“Careful, Sprinkles.” Colton smirked at one of the nicknames he used for her in high school, her freckles reminding him of stars sprinkling the sky. He caught the slightest angry shake of her head before trailing the plug to the extension cord leading from the basement window. He squatted and unplugged the angle grinder. When he stood, he caught her checking him out.

“Can I help you?”

“No,” she spat. “Since you absolutely insist on being here, let me show you what’s happening.”

She turned on her heel and hauled herself up through the back of the bus. Colton followed, bringing the chisel with him. He immediately felt too small for the narrow bus. Even without the seats, there wasn’t much room to move. It didn’t help there were tools littered on the ground, but even so he had to bow his head and was pretty sure he could touch both walls at once.

But seeing Ruby in the space, it was the perfect size.

For her.

“How big is this thing?” he asked, looking around as he made his way to where she stood behind the driver’s seat.

She played with her bun, avoiding his gaze. “Um, it’s about six foot two from floor to ceiling and about seven and a half feet wide. I’ll lose some space with insulation and coverings, but it’s fine. So anyway,” she pointed to the ceiling panel she was beneath. “The panels are steel and held together with rivets. I’ve managed to get these ones out by doing this — “she pulled a punch from her pant pocket and a hammer from the ground, and when the punch popped the rivet center back, she pulled a wood chisel from her other pocket. She wedged it under the rivet head, pounding the end until the rivet head shot forward. His ears rang, and Colton noticed she had kept earplugs in.

“Are you trying to make me go deaf?” He wiggled a finger in his ear for added effect, annoyed that she’d cross that line. Whatever the tension was between them, construction was a safety issue. Not a playground for Ruby’s petty behavior.

“Of course not. Why?” She crossed her arms and stared at him.

“Ruby, this shit’s serious. If you’re going to be banging metal on metal — especially in a metal box — I need earplugs.”

She shrugged. “You’re the construction guru, I figured you brought your own.”

“And you’re the project manager, I figured you’d take care of your crew.”

“Oh, are you my crew now?”

“So long as I know you’re doing dangerous shit, yeah. Yeah, I am.”

“I told you to not bother coming. I don’t need your help, Colton.”

“And I don’t want you to get hurt, Ruby.” Their rising voices settled with his admission, the words shaky as they left his lips. She stared at him, chest heaving from the heated verbal sparring.

She sighed and held out a hand. “Fine. Temporary truce?”

“Temporary truce. Now where are those earplugs?”

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