Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

P ope

The half-finished beams of the library cast long shadows across the site as I move about, trying to focus on the work in front of me. My hands are steady, muscle memory guiding me through each swing of the hammer, but my mind—hell, my mind keeps drifting back to Ruby. Last night keeps playing in a loop, and I can't get the feel of her out of my head. The way she kissed me, like she'd been holding back for so long, and the way she melted into me, like I was the one thing she could rely on. I thought… I thought we'd crossed a line, broken through something real.

But now she's pulling away. Again. And it's eating me alive.

From across the site, I catch a glimpse of her. Ruby's organizing her notes, pretending to be focused on the design, but I can tell she's avoiding me. The fire I've grown used to—the one that usually lights her eyes when we argue about every damn detail of this project—it's dulled. Her shoulders are tense, and she's moving like she's trying to disappear. What the hell?

Frustration tightens in my chest. I don't get it. Did I misread everything? Was last night just a mistake to her? I thought… I thought it was something more. But now, she's acting like nothing happened, like we didn't share something raw, something that meant more than just… heat.

I grit my teeth and set my hammer down, wiping my hands on my jeans as I make my way over to her. I can't keep doing this. This back-and-forth, push-and-pull—it's driving me insane. Ruby's got walls up, I know that, but damn it, I thought I was starting to break through. Now, she's building them even higher.

She's standing by one of the unfinished walls, her back to me, her head bent over those damn notes. I know she feels me coming—her body tenses, her fingers tightening around the edge of her notebook. I stop a few feet away, my voice gruff but softer than I intend. "Ruby."

She doesn't turn around, and that only makes my frustration spike. "We need to talk," I say, the words rough in my throat.

Ruby finally turns, but the look in her eyes hits me like a punch to the gut. She's pulling back, retreating into herself, and I have no idea why. "There's nothing to talk about," she says, her voice calm but distant. Too calm.

I take a step closer, my brows knitting together in frustration. "Don't do that. Don't shut me out like this." My voice drops lower, too close to something that feels vulnerable, and I hate it. I'm not used to being this exposed, but damn it, I need to know where her head's at. "Last night… that wasn't nothing, Ruby. You know that."

Her eyes flick away from mine, and she bites her lip, like she's holding something back. "It was just… it was a mistake," she says, but I can hear the tremor in her voice. She doesn't believe her own words. "We can't do this, Pope. You're just—" She cuts herself off, shaking her head like she's trying to find the right words. "You're too much like him."

The second those words leave her mouth, it's like the ground's been yanked out from under me. "Like him." Her ex. Her abusive, manipulative ex. Those words slice through me, and I take a step back, my chest tightening. "You really think I'm like that asshole?" My voice is rougher now, disbelief mixing with anger. I can't even wrap my head around it—the idea that she sees me as anything close to the man who hurt her. The man who messed her up so bad she can't trust anyone.

I don't know what to do with the anger swirling inside me. I'm pissed, yeah, but more than that, I'm hurt. Mad at her for pushing me away, but even more mad at myself for not being able to make her see that I'm different. That I'd never hurt her.

But how the hell can I prove that when she won't even let me in?

"I'm not him, Ruby," I growl, running a hand through my hair, frustration etched into every damn line of my body. "I would never try to control you. I'm not here to suffocate you. I'm here because I… because I care about you."

I barely get the words out. They hang heavy in the air between us, and I see her eyes soften for just a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing her face, but it's gone as quickly as it came. "That's what they all say, Pope," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "And then it turns into something else. Something I can't escape from."

I exhale slowly, trying to rein in the frustration clawing at me. This isn't about me—not really. This is about her past, about the damage her ex left behind. And as much as I want to tear down every wall she's built around herself, I know I can't just bulldoze through this. "I'm not going anywhere, Ruby," I say, softer now, my voice raw. "I'm not your ex. I don't want to control you. I want you to feel safe… with me."

The words hang between us, heavier than I expected. I'm not used to putting my feelings out there like this, but I need her to believe me. I need her to know I'm not going to hurt her.

Ruby's eyes meet mine, and I can see the war going on inside her. She wants to believe me—I can see it in the way her breath catches, the way her body leans just a fraction closer to mine. But she's scared, and that fear is still holding her back. "I can't, Pope," she finally whispers, her voice trembling. "I don't know how to trust anyone after what happened."

Her words hit me hard, but I don't push. I know this isn't just about me. It's about what her ex did to her, how he twisted everything, how he made her doubt herself. I thought last night would be the turning point, but now I realize this is going to take more time, more patience than I ever expected.

And the truth is, I'm willing to give her that. As much as it frustrates me, as much as it hurts to watch her pull away, I know I'm in too deep to walk away now.

I take a slow breath, flexing my hands at my sides, trying to calm the urge to close the gap between us. "I'm not going to push you, Ruby," I say quietly, my voice steady. "But I'm not going to let you keep pushing me away either. When you're ready, I'll be here. But you've got to meet me halfway."

Ruby doesn't say anything, but the look in her eyes tells me she's heard me. She's not ready to trust me yet, but maybe—just maybe—there's a part of her that wants to. I step back, giving her the space she needs, even though every instinct in my body is screaming at me to pull her close, to tell her everything's going to be okay.

As Ruby turns away, I watch her go, my chest heavy with a mixture of hope and frustration. I don't know how long it'll take for her to let her guard down, but one thing's for sure: I'm not giving up on her. I'm not giving up on us.

The tension between us is still thick, still unresolved, but I'm starting to understand that this fight isn't just about her ex—it's about the walls she's built to protect herself. And I'm willing to spend as long as it takes to break through those walls.

I run a hand through my hair, glancing at the half-finished library around us. Just like the building, our relationship is still a work in progress. But I've always been good at building things. And this? This is something worth building.

"Pope?" My heart somersaults in my chest. She's back.

"Yeah, precious?"

She blinks, then opens her eyes to catch mine in a burning stare that nearly takes my breath away. "Thank you for…everything." She presses her lips together as if she wants to say more. "I–I like you and I want to get to know you but…things are complicated with me right now."

"I understand, and I'm here for you whenever you're ready."

I'm surprised when she steps closer, raises a fingertip to drag across my cheek and then smiles sweetly. "You're so sweet, I don't know if I deserve it."

"Oh, I know you do. And anyway, I'm not always so sweet."

"Are you saying you have a dark side?" She giggles.

My eyes hover on her full lips as I hum an affirmative.

"I'd like to see it–your dark side, I mean."

I grunt softly, eager to have her soft body pressed against my hard one. My gaze travels down her creamy legs, the hem of her summery floral dress barely covering her thighs. It's short. Really fucking short.

Thank God for dresses like that.

I take a sharp breath as she rests her hand on my chest, struggling with the straps of her heels. "These things are killing me."

I huff and grab her wrist to steady her. "Take them off. I always question the sanity of any woman who wears those death traps."

"So..." She tilts her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "You're saying I'm insane? Is that your way of charming all the ladies?"

I can't stop the grin that spreads on my face. It's been a long time since anyone has made me smile. "Forgive me, I can be a blunt asshole sometimes."

"Is that so?" She slips off one shoe, letting it dangle from her finger. For some reason, I feel an intense urge to wrap my lips around that finger and suck. Instead, I drop to one knee and unclasp the strap on her other ankle, carefully removing the death heel from her foot.

My fingertips glide over her soft skin, as smooth as silk. I trace a line up the gentle curve of her calf and notice her shiver. Her hand tightens on my shoulder and she almost loses her balance before catching herself.

"Thanks," she says when I stand up, our eyes still locked together.

Time seems to stand still as we continue to gaze at each other, my heart beating loudly in my ears.

"You shouldn't be wearing heels on the construction site."

"Is that a rule?" Her eyes twinkle with amusement.

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the bundle of nerves in my throat. I lick my lips before answering, "I'm the boss. What I say goes." I step closer, feeling a strange pull towards her as if we're connected by an invisible force field. My fingers reach out and touch her temple, admiring the lush lips, the way they quirk into a flirty little grin.

She turns to face me, her dark eyes hidden under heavy eyelids as she looks up through the fan of her lashes. She's fucking captivating and being this close to her mesmerizes me. Her heartbeat flutters at her throat like a hummingbird's delicate wings. Everything about her seems graceful and perfect and my hands ache to cover her soft skin with caresses.

I can't help but want nothing more than to kiss her right now, regardless of how forward it may seem. No woman has ever had this kind of impact on me before.

Finally, she clears her throat and admits, "We should keep this professional."

"We should go out for a drink sometime."

She meets my gaze and shakes her head slightly but a sweet smile plays on her lips.

My desire for her intensifies as we get closer but so does the need to be intimate and vulnerable with her, reveal things that I've never revealed to anyone before.

"I don't really drink," she confesses as one hand hovers near a wooden beam.

I can see the moonlight illuminating her face, drawing me in closer. "Dinner then?" I ask, trailing my finger down her arm and watching goosebumps rise in its wake. "You're so turned on," I murmur, inching closer to her lips. "We both know why you've been coming every day."

She sucks in her thick bottom lip, and the urge to bite it nearly overwhelms me. A low growl ripples from my chest before my hands push into her soft waves and my tongue traces the moist seam of her pink lips. One of her arms winds around my neck as my palm digs into the creamy flesh of her thigh and wraps her leg around my waist. Moving her seamlessly against the beam, I plant one hand behind her head, cupping her gently while my mouth melds with hers.

Quiet moans slip past her lips, the nails of one hand biting at the muscle of my shoulder as our tongues twist. "You taste sweeter than candy, precious."

A soft hum of pleasure escapes her lips. My hands race up her body, delving into her creamy curves and wishing I never have to come up for air.

She arches, her hips moving beneath me. My cock presses against the teeth of my zipper, grinding with just enough pressure to release the pain and prevent myself from sinking into her for God and everybody to hear. Then again, guess that'd announce to all those bastards around town, including that no-good ex of hers, who she belongs to. My balls tug with something primal at the thought.

Claiming her.

Planting my seed in her sweet pussy and tying her to me for life.

With one palm sliding up her calf, I lift the skirt of her dress and then drop to my knees. I kiss my way along the path to the promised land, taking my time and savoring every inch like a man starved. I'm enjoying the way she squirms and arches when I hit all her sensitive spots. The scent of her juicy pussy pushes me on, the hemline of that short little dress rising higher and higher by the second until a pair of bubblegum-pink satin panties come into view.

A strip of bubblegum fucking pink stands between me and the only thing I want.

"Jesus, look at you wrapped up all pretty like a piece of candy for me." I dust a fingertip across the damp satin, a serrated sigh burning off her lips when I do. "Can't wait to taste your sweet come on my tongue."

A smile spreads across my face as I trace a fingertip along her waistband, down to the apex of her thighs and landing on her silky covered pussy that is now mine.

Her chest rises and falls with every breath as she watches me with lust-filled eyes. Every time my knuckle brushes against a sensitive spot, her body shudders. I beam with satisfaction at how responsive she is to my touch.

She stops breathing when our eyes meet and lock. I wink before sticking out my tongue and licking at the soft satin of her panties. I follow the trail of the hem, savoring the sweet aroma of her arousal until the damp spot at the center of her panties grows bigger and the scent of her turned on for me fills the air.

I need to be inside her now. My thoughts are clouded by desire but I push them aside for the moment. I will deal with any consequences tomorrow, but right now all that matters is pleasing this woman beneath me with mesmerizing dark eyes and soft features.

I move my tongue along her thigh. I wish those panties were edible so I could never stop tasting her. Finally, I reach the small X atop her clit and eagerly suck it in through the soft satin, groaning at the delicious taste of her.

If I wasn't bursting with need, I would pound my dick into the wooden beam right now. But she's special, and I want to please her first. I want her desperate for me.

I nibble on her silky, satin-covered clit before locking my lips around it, warming it with my breath and gently tugging on the sensitive flesh with my teeth. She pulls softly on my hair, her hands a sign of the pleasure she's experiencing.

"Oh God, oh my God," she whimpers, making me want to slide a finger inside those bubblegum panties and tear them from her body. Soft moans turn to ragged gasps as I slide one thumb against the mound of her clit. Like I push a button, she shoots off in a thousand shudders around me. She sounds like a goddamn angel when she comes. I didn't know that was a thing, but hell if it isn't true.

"Watching you come makes me want to take you home and tie you up to my bed and do this on repeat all weekend long."

A lazy smile spreads over her lips. "That sounds amazing."

"Mm, well, I don't like to make a habit of inviting strangers to stay in my home, but an exception could be made..." I slide my hands up her body, cupping her full breasts as I do, licking at the flesh that pushes out of the V-neck of her dress. Sucking between her succulent cleavage then over her collarbone, I taste the hollow of her neck, making a point of leaving a small hickey. My mark on her, just like it should be.

Our lips connect, soft and slow, my cock nestled against her hot pussy and grinding as my head and heart war. I want to dive into her. I have a feeling if I do, I'll get lost and forget to come up for air, but I don't want to overstep.

"Love making you cum, precious."

Her eyes twinkle with mischief. And just like that, a fucking mortar bursts inside my chest.

She is gorgeous. How the fuck have I gotten myself here?

I groan, suddenly feeling like her touch burns, launching off her body as though my life depends on it. Hell, it does. I'm about to fuck the town librarian on the construction site. I'm not even sure if this is ethical, not to mention the age gap that separates us. She's looks at least a decade younger than me, but she's here and writhing under my touch so I don't think she minds.

"Fuck me." I step away, the realization that I'm playing with fire when it comes to Ruby is like a bucket of ice water in my veins. If I have her, I'll never be able to let go, and she's not ready for that. Not yet.

"I–I should get home." Her eyes are darting around the library and landing anywhere but on me.

"Let me walk you–"

"No! No, I mean thank you, but I'm fine." And before I can protest, she's gone, the only thing left lingering is the soft scent of her need and my annoyance at myself for fucking this up. Again.