Page 5 of Inked Temptation
ChapterTwo
Killian
The impact knocked the breath out of me and I fell back, slamming into the pile of leaves behind me. The slender man in my arms let out an ‘oof’, as well, as he splayed on top of me, thigh against thigh, leg against leg, and chest against chest. There were probably other things pressing against one another, but all I could do was hold my breath. I wondered why the hell I’d even rushed over here.
The man was breathing. I could tell that much from the raspy noises above me, and I didn’t think I’d broken anything on my end. Other than perhaps my dignity.
After all, I had rushed over with my arms out as a man fell off his damn roof, and here I was, shaking, pretending I knew what the fuck I was doing.
Of course, that seemed like what I usually did these days.Pretend.
“Oh my God.”
The man had a pleasant voice. I could tell that much, at least. It didn’t sound broken. Maybe I was; I didn’t know at this point.
“What the hell?” he asked as he rolled off of me. I groaned, letting out a curse as the man’s elbow got me right in the gut, and the man with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a blank expression stared at me.
“Did I crush you? You caught me. I just fell off a fucking roof.”
I lay there in the leaves, wanting to be anywhere but here, and looked over at the man.
“Why the hell did you put your ladder on those fucking rocks? You were just asking to fall.”
The other man blinked slowly, then looked down at the fallen ladder and then at me. “I’m sorry. You saved me.”
Those words were like throwing ice on me, and I slowly sat up, checking myself for injuries, grateful to not see any blood or a random bone sticking out.
“I just helped move you towards the leaves that would’ve caught your fall anyway. Didn’t have anything to do with it.” My voice was gruff, a little raspy. Considering I only spoke with Penny these days, it made sense. Talking to myself in the darkness didn’t count as conversation either.
“Oh. Well. Thank you. Seriously. And the ladder was secure. I swear. I’m a professional.”
I looked him up and down and snorted. “Sure.” I didn’t know what kind of “professional” he was talking about, but calling him a prostitute when I was in a fucking bad mood and knowing I would be bruised and achy all over later didn’t sound like something I should be saying. I was learning not to be an asshole.
The other man stiffened in front of me before he raised his chin and glared. “Yes. I’m an owner of Montgomery Builders. I’m their plumber and know what the fuck I’m doing.”
“Since when is plumbing on the roof?” I asked, wondering why the hell I kept needling him. I didn’t care. This man had nothing to do with me. Other than the fact that I had just been his landing pad for his incompetence.
“I’m more than just a plumber. Not that there’s anythingjustabout being a plumber,” the other man snarled, his cheeks reddening.
“Fine. I’m not going to judge you for your work. Because, hell, I don’t care.”
“You sure sound a bit judgy,” he singsonged, and I just sighed.
“You just landed on me, with the force of however many pounds you are. Sorry for not being in a good mood.”
The other man paled again, looked up at the roof, and sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I was just scared. I am grateful. I’m Archer Montgomery.”
He held out his hand, and I looked down at it as if some part of me was trying to remember what I was supposed to do with that.
His face fell again, and I cleared my throat and decided that they wouldn’t have wanted me to be an asshole.
I gripped his hand, shook it once before letting go quickly. I ignored the heat in it, the roughness of his palms. He did work with his hands, apparently. Maybe he was good at his job, just not great at ladders.
“Killian.”
“Cool name,” he said softly, and I shrugged.
They had always liked my name too.
