Chapter 6
Colby
The moment she walks in with Stella, I do a double-take. Dixie is pretty, like I do hair for a living and always have to look made up, but right now, she’s fucking gorgeous. Her fiery hair is pulled through a ball cap, wearing a pair of worn out cut-offs and a tight as fuck tank top. Damn, her tits are perfect.
“I got the paint ready,” I say to her and she smiles, walking Stella to the back. I don’t follow them. Instead, I go through the store and get anything and everything she might need. I know that once we eat, I’m out of here. I will not get in her way. She’s made that perfectly clear.
Once they finish, Stella walks back out and heads toward the bar. Dixie grabs her food and takes a seat at the counter with me.
“So, I got a few things ready for ya. Once I eat, I’ll head back to Barger’s to get out of your way.”
She stops mid-bite. “Why the hell didn’t you just eat down there?” she questions.
I shrug my shoulders, “Figured it would be easier this way. Plus, I didn’t want you be all alone in here getting started.”
“I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
“I know, but…”
“No buts, you dip shit. What’s really going on with you? You are never this nice to me, and here you are trying to make my dreams come true. I’m going to go ahead and tell you that I don’t need a fucking prince and life is no fairy tale.”
“Point taken. There’s no way in fuck I’m ever going to be a prince, but I like you.”
“Like?”
“I’m going to shoot straight. The moment you walked into Barger’s, I knew you were different.”
“What the hell are you trying to say?”
Taking my ball cap off, I run my hand through my hair. “Different in a good way. You shoot straight, work your ass off, aren’t afraid to get dirty, and hell, the way you don’t take shit from anyone is sexy as fuck.” Holy shit, I just said that out loud, didn’t I?
Her mouth falls wide open and she doesn’t say a word. Instead, she takes a long pull of her beer, finishes her food, and walks straight into the back room to get to work.
Finishing my food, I toss it in the trash and leave her alone to work. I’ve said enough.
Dixie
The moment that he calls me sexy is the moment I’ve got to get the fuck away from him. I’m no game to be played, but the way it popped out, I know that he didn’t mean for it to be voiced. Walking into the back room, I realize what he’s done while I was gone. Anything and everything I might need is here. He’s placed it all in the middle of the floor, laid the drop cloth and even started to line the baseboards with painter's tape. Something about the gesture makes me smile even though I really don’t need the help.
Popping another beer, I begin to work and soon realize that I need music. It’s too damn quiet in here. Walking back into the store, I yell for Colby, but there’s no answer. He must have left already. Going around behind the counter, I find an old radio. I take it to the back and turn it on to my favorite country music station.
I have no clue how long I’ve been working but I’m exhausted. Taking a seat, I take a break and look around to see that I’ve put a large dent in the three walls. Looking at the one where the aluminum will go, I ponder on how I’m going to make that work.
“It’s not hard. I can help you real quick,” his voice startles me as I jump.
“Nah, I can figure it out,” I say to Colby who’s propped up against the door frame. “You might want to watch out. There’s wet paint everywhere.” He shrugs his shoulder and takes a step in.
“You’ve done a shit ton, but aren’t you ready to call it a night? It’s well past midnight.”
“Midnight?” I question.
“Yeah, Barger’s is closed and when I saw your car was still here, I figured I’d check on you.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know. Come on, let me help you?” Letting out a yawn, I know I need to go to bed, but I want to keep working. I can sleep later. “Or call it a night and I can help tomorrow when there aren’t any customers.” Sleep does sound good, but so does finishing in here.
“Fine, let’s hang the back wall,” I say as a smile escapes his lips and damn, there’s that dimple again.
Taking the pieces, he walks to the wall and measures to see what will work and which ones need to be cut. Without a word, he takes them out back and cuts them as I finish painting the last wall. When he walks back in, he places it against the wall and it slides down onto the floor, making a loud crash.
“Damn, can you be any louder?” I say over my shoulder then turn back to painting.
“You could help me, you know?” he says with attitude and it pisses me off. I didn’t ask him to stay.
Putting my paint brush down, I stand and walk toward him. “I didn’t ask you to stay. You fucking volunteered. So, feel free to go on home. I’ve got this.”
Laughter escapes his lips and it drives me fucking crazy in a good way. Oh hell no, I think to myself as I channel my inner self to stay the hell away from Colby Drake. He places the piece of metal against the wall and it stays this time. He walks toward the box of beer, pulls one out, pops the top and turns it up. Holy fuck. Yeah, the thought of staying away from him has gone out of the window.
Taking a step toward him, I walk over, grab the beer from his hands, and turn it up. “What the hell?” he questions. I down the entire thing then toss it on the ground as I look up to him. He doesn’t say a word; instead, his eyes meet mine and they are thinking the same thing I am. “Let’s see how loud you can be.”