Frost and Fuel Book 1

Chapter 6: Cambria

Willard And Sons' Auto Shop had been my second home as a child. My eyes burned as I read the sign, and I had to swallow a few times before I felt steady enough to enter the building. I had so many memories of this place. The brick and metal walls, the machinery and tools, the creative knickknacks handmade by every Carlisle boy scattered about, and the one I had made myself still perched in the same place on the corner desk.

The shop had been in the Carlisle family for decades, starting with Willard's grandpa. He had turned his back on the family banking business to pursue his passion for automobiles. That love had passed down from father to son, and the garage had been successful, up until Willard's death.

My eyes flitted from a wooden beam high above my head that had been turned into a light fixture, to the wall lined with shelves crafted out of discarded car parts, to a pen holder constructed of old keys welded together. Rusted license plates from around the world were dotted here and there, and old neon signs decorated the room. Every inch of space in the old warehouse was utilized in some way. Emotion clogged my throat, and I blinked back tears again. I missed my adopted father so much. His passing left a hole that could never be filled.

I was just getting myself under control when Kolten stormed in shattering what little peace I had managed to scrape together. He slammed the door like it had personally offended him, the resounding boom echoing throughout the large space and ringing in my ears.

"What the hell, Kolt? Are you trying to break the door or just scare me to death?" My snide comment was met with a death glare. I hadn't meant to sound so bitchy, but it was easier being annoyed rather than sad.

"I didn't even know you were here," he snapped back marching further into the room. He pulled his jacket off with jerky movements, then flung the garment in the general direction of the desk like it had insulted him as much as the door had. "What are you doing here?" he asked turning abruptly and glaring at me again. "You've been avoiding me these past few weeks."

I scowled. I had been avoiding him. That kiss we'd had in the café had scared me more than I was willing to admit.

"Who said I was here to see you?" I tried to infuse as much scorn as possible into that lying little sentence, trying to match my tone to his irate one. As he'd predicted, Henna had tracked me down and been persistent in her pursuit of spending time with me. She insisted that we needed to hang out every chance she got. I finally caved and agreed to meet her here, though she was suspiciously absent.

And as much as his reappearance into my life infuriated me, I knew Kolt and Henna were a packaged deal. Though I would fight like hell to pretend otherwise, I was irrevocably drawn to Kolten. And he knew it. Of course, he did. He used our attraction to his advantage whenever he could.

Right on cue, he scoffed, and his eyes carved a slow, heated path down my body, setting my blood on fire. I fought a shiver and a knowing smirk bloomed over his lips when his eyes met mine. "You gonna keep lying to yourself, baby girl?"

The mockery underscoring his tone made me bristle and I immediately wanted to refute, as loudly and as viciously as possible, but I crammed that reaction down. Nothing would be gained by Kolten and I engaging in yet another battle of wills, so I rolled my eyes instead.

"Kolt," I growled, running a hand through my hair, "just shut up."

"Scared of the truth, Camsy?" He bit out, anger lining his face. He was in rare form today, verging on combative which was unusual.

I wasn't in the mood. He was draining. Just being here, surrounded by the past was draining. I could feel my soul wearing out.

"Fuck off," I sighed. "I'm just here to see Henna, then I'm gone, okay?"