Page 21 of Fall Apart

I walk to the door, running my fingers through my close cropped hair, already knowing who’s waiting on the other side.

I swing it open with my best fuckboy grin. If she wants to start shit with me, I can play this game with her. I’m Tanner Chapman’s little brother after all. I love to start shit. I was born for it.

Standing in front of me is all five foot three inches of blonde, pink fury. She looks pissed. Smoking hot as always, but fuming mad. She’s wearing baggy sweats and oversized cropped t-shirt and I have to practically pry my eyes away because she’s not wearing a bra. Theway she’s crossing her arms is just propping her tits up more, making me almost forget that I’m pissed as hell at her and she thinks I’m some kind of cheating prick.

I look away from her chest and clear my throat, smirking at her. “Can I help you with something?” I lean into the doorway, stretching my arm out to grip the doorframe over my head. “This is a job site and we’re on a schedule.”

She’s still stone cold angry with me and her jaw is tight, but I don’t miss the way her eyes quickly dart from my outstretched, flexed arm and all the way down to where my tool belt is hanging off my hips. Clearly she wasn’t expecting me to be standing here shirtless when she barged in. Her eyes come back up and go wide when she see’s that I caught her eyefucking me, again. I click my tongue in my cheek. “You can keep window shopping if you want.”

She huffs out a breath. “I told you the other day, Clay. Can youtryto be quiet on off hours? I get it that most of the building is only seasonally occupied by people on vacation and empty most of the time. But not my unit. Not for the foreseeable future. Some people actually live in this building and try to sleep occasionally.” Her deep, sapphire blue eyes stare right back into mine, but there’s zero playfulness there. Just cold, icy blue gems trying to cut through me. “You guys stomp around and make so much noise I swear my ceiling is going to cave in or one of you is going to come crashing through it.”

Yep. She’s definitely pissed.

“I remember what you said before.” I wink at her. “And I told you,princess, it’s a construction site. Kind of hard to be quiet.” I keep grinning at her and clearly that was thewrongthing to do. Well, the right thing if I wanted to really get under skin.

She uncrosses her arms and steps toe to toe with me, digging her finger right into my sternum. Her face is now only inches from mine and I’m swimming in that coconut and citrus scent that’s been haunting me for weeks.

“I don’t care. I’d like to actually get a solid night of sleep or take a nap after work. Maybe you’ll appreciate that when you’re not a twenty-something-year-old fuck boy and you’re in your mid-thirties. So can you just be a good boy and please do what I ask?” Her nostrils flare and I watch as her chest rises and falls. It takes all my will power not to stare down at her chest, put my hand on her hip, or lean into kiss her.Thisis the fiery little blonde I saw that night in the bar. The one that wasn’t going to put up with my shit then, or right now apparently.

My self-preservation instincts kick in. I know when to pick my battles and this isn’t one I’m going to win.

I clear my throat and put my hands up in front of me. “I’m sorry. I willtryharder,” I say softly. Her lips part like she’s confused that I’m giving in. It really is killing me not to fist that ponytail and pull her in for a kiss. I’ve been dying to find out what that snarky little mouth tastes like when she hasn’t been drinking bourbon.

I take a step back and she squints at me. “What? That’s it? No witty comeback? You’re just going to rollover and do what I want?”

“I can be agood boy, sometimes.” I wink before shrugging and turning my palms up. “And I didn’t make any promises. I just said I’d try.”

She rolls her eyes, but finally lets out a long sigh and relaxes. “Thank you. Pleasetryhard. I don’t like to miss out on my beauty sleep.”

“Why? You don’t need it.” I blurt the words out before I even realize it. Her lips part again and her cheeks go a shade of pink matching her t-shirt. I look down and wring my hands, trying to spare both of us the awkwardness of more eye contact.

After a moment, I lift my eyes but she’s looking down at my hands. I trace her gaze to the tattoo on my wrist.

“It was this tattoo, wasn’t it?” I ask, getting her attention.

Her voice is softer than I’ve heard it before and almost catches me off guard. “Yeah. I’ve seen Tanner’s, Veronica’s, and Collin’s. Plus you have Tanner’s eyes. What is it with you Chapmans and your freakishly perfect green eyes?”

I grin back at her and flick my eyebrows. “Perfect?” I point one finger at my eyes, running my hand back and forth. “You think my eyes are perfect?”

I swear her eyes roll into the back of her head as she sighs in exasperation.

“Alright. Fine. What time do you wake up?” She looks up, bobbing her head side to side like she’s counting.

“If you’re asking what time loud noises would be ok in the morning, how about after quarter till eight? I don’t have to be in the office until nine, so that would be amazing.” She looks almost relieved at the idea.

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Whatever, Clay. Justtryto keep it down. I don’t have the energy for this tonight.” She laughs, but with no real enthusiasm. I take her in again, she does look tired and worn out.

Walking into Finch,I always feel out of place until I talk to the staff. The woman owned coffee shop and independent bookseller just off Main Street is a welcoming store. Still, I’m pretty sure grumpy tattooed contractors aren’t their main clientele. But they have the books I like, they have good coffee, and it’s on my main route between Kimball Junction and Aspen Valley, where most of the job sites I work are at.

After walking the rows of shelves, I grab a book I’ve been waiting for the release of and head to the counter to place my order.

“Morning, Hannah.” I lean against the butcher block countertop and smile at my favorite barista and fellow book enthusiast.

“The usual?” she asks and I nod. She sees my book and shakes her head with a quiet laugh.

“Yeah, you know me. Creature of habit.” I watch while she heads back towards the nitro tap to get my cold brew. I’m on track to get to the Aspen Grove Club on time as usual. But today, I willtryto be quieter. Not sure if my idea will work, but Lizzy asked last night and I can’t quite shake how worn out she looked. I’m all for tormenting her, but I don’t want to be anactualasshole.

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