But I don’t say that out loud, not when the crew is hovering over us and watching our every move.
Instead, I pry up more flooring and reveal a larger chunk of subfloor, and Scottie stands up, backing away.
“Absolutely not,” she gasps. “Nope. This is disgusting. It’s a crime scene under there.”
“It’s just wood.”
“It’s moldy.”
I look down and smirk. “I guess it is a little moldy.”
“A little?” She gestures wildly. “That’s an entire civilization of mold. That’s?—”
I stand quickly, gently placing my hand in hers to stop the tornado that’s about to tear through her. She freezes at my touch.
“Breathe,” I whisper.
She does, shakily, but she breathes, nonetheless.
And something in me goes soft in a way I didn’t know could. Neither of us move as my thumb brushes over the pulse in her wrist, back and forth until I feel it steady under my touch.
Scottie talks like chaos and works like sunshine, and I’d tear down every wall I’ve built if it meant I got to stand in the light with her because she’s the kind of mess that makes a man want to roll up his sleeves and stay a while.
Not to fix her, but to smooth her out.
Just…stay.
And I don’t ever stay.
But with her? I’m already half rooted without meaning to be. And maybe that’s what scares me the most. I’m starting to crave the parts of her she hides. The shaky inhale when the cameras stop, the tight smile she uses like armor, and the way perfection is her shield.
She clears her throat, pulling her arm from my touch. “Okay. New plan. We burn the house down.”
I freeze.
Only for a second.
Just long enough for something old and sharp to drag its claws up my spine. I shove it down—fast and hard. Like I always do.
She doesn’t know.
She wouldn’t know.
Instead, I do what I do best…I smirk and pretend nothing inside of me just caved in for a heartbeat. “No. Arson is frowned upon.”
“Fine. We get a new house.”
Now it’s my turn to breathe since there’s no way she noticed the way I reacted to her joke.
“That’s not how renovations work, Scottie.”
She huffs. “I know. But sometimes I think the house is winning.”
“It’s just because you’re overwhelmed. And that’s okay.”
“I’m not overwhelmed,” she lies.
“Right.” I smirk. “And that’s why you’re threatening to commit felony arson.”
