The way she's looking at me right now has my heart aching.
She is worried about me, so worried, and she wants to help and knows she can't but she's here keeping me company anyway. We've been sat in the kitchen for about an hour now, Juni sat up on the counter, and me leaning on the island opposite her.
She explains her day in epic detail with fluttering hands and an amazing grin on her face. Granted, I only got her to tell me about it after she asked me if I was sure I was okay like ten times. I couldn't help but love every second of her pandering though so I didn't mind. "Anyway, I'm sorry, I've been talking for so long. What about you? How was your day?"
She bounces off her counter and hops up onto the island right next to me. Her soft hair comes tumbling out of its ponytail and teases me as her perfume floats across me, her hairless than a centimetre away from my shoulder. I just want to reach up and touch it, along with the soft skin of her neck that she reveals as she tilts her head to look at me better.
I clear my throat as I think about what I could do with that skin or the lips that are currently stretched out over her smile.
God, she is so fucking gorgeous.
"It was okay, I was on babysitting duty after Nova dealt with my injuries as Doc and Sav were completely drunk. Since I was sober I had to help with the kids and make sure everyone was getting their fluids, boring things like that."
"What happened if you don't mind my asking?" Her fingertips drift over the skin around the cut on my arm and I fight the cascades of shivers at her gentle touch.
I think she notices as her cheeks turn pink, her fingers don't stop their movement though and I'm grateful for it. I've never had someone touch me like this and it feels too good to stop.
"I was walking back from the club and there was a woman being assaulted by a few men, I got in between them and I was at a disadvantage. These were gifts from an overgrown man child who can't control his urges."
"Knight in shining armour, huh?" She asks with a soft giggle, her hand still distracting me and encouraging my thoughts to go haywire.
"Nope, just in the right place at the right time." I squeeze her hand and her blush deepens. I feel an overwhelming urge to kiss her but I damper down on it, I've known her for two days and she doesn't need that kind of complication in her life right now.
"I should probably go home, I'm so tired... thank you though, for keeping me company." Like I would ever pass up the opportunity to spend time with her. I help her down and she kisses my cheek before dashing off, quite literally yanking my heart out with her. I take a heavy breath and lean onto the counter, viciously rubbing my face in frustration.
"Oooh, Mr. Rubble looks like you've got yourself a crush." Riley coos as she throws her arm over my shoulder, ruffling my hair and laughing.
"Fuck off, Riles," I whine, smacking my head on the counter like it's somehow gonna knock out these newfound feelings for the gorgeous, sad girl that has been through it.
"It's okay, Rubble. She'll be good for you and you're good for her."
"The last time I had feelings for someone, I was very fucking wrong. I can't do that to Juni, she's already been through enough." Riley turns me around and puts her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look her in the eye.
"Rubble, that whole thing with Cassidy was over a year ago, you know how that felt... do you feel like that now?" I think about it, flicking my eyes between hers and the wall behind her.
With Cassidy, it was a warm feeling like the sun on your face after a long day indoors. With Juni, it's like fire coursing through my veins and she's the only salve like if she stopped touching me my entire world would implode.
"Yeah, I didn't think so. You need to stop comparing every communication with a woman to Cassidy and me, Juni is different. But you know that already."
"I'm not good enough for her, I'm a fucking criminal." I get smacked for that, hard.
"You are not a bad person, Rubble, you never fucking have been. Stop convincing yourself that you are." I rub my face again. "Besides, who says she likes you back?" I glare at her with a huff as she dissolves into a laughing fit. "For God's sakes, Rubble, just spend time with her."
I was planning on it.
--------
"Hi, welcome to Indi's Cafe, what can I get for you today?" I greet the blue-haired woman at the till as she grins up at me. I recognise the look in her eye and while I'd usually enjoy it, my mind just flashes straight back to Juni.
"Uhh Juniper, please." I request and a blush coats Indi's cheeks as she looks up at me. Her eyes changing immediately.
"Rubble, I assume." My heart stops right there, she fucking talks about me? I should not be that excited about something as simple as that.
"That's the one." I agree and she gestures for me to follow her back to the kitchen. I walk in to find Juni facing the other way and watching something on the TV as her hands work away at something on the table. "Hey, June." She spins around with a smile on her face, her hands and apron are coated in flour but she doesn't seem bothered by it.
"Hey! Come try this." I'm surprised by her willingness to just let me into her kitchen without even questioning why I'm here. She's wearing a bright yellow dress that has my breath catching in my chest, fucking hell I'm too far gone already. "I remember you saying you liked bear claws so I tried a new recipe."
She points to the tray of fresh bear claws with her floured hands and a large grin. "Don't tell Indi." She winks and dashes off to throw something else around. I quite happily eat the bear claw as she hurries around looking perfectly at home in the chaos of this kitchen.
"Juni, I need more cupcakes!" Indi shouts and Juni squeaks.
"Since you're here... I need your help." June basically begs, her newly washed hands pressed up against my chest and big eyes looking up at me. Yeah, like anyone could refuse that. I agree immediately and the smile she gives me is unreal. "Great, I need those trays out of the big ovens."
I do as I'm told as she starts putting cupcakes in the chiller so she can ice them as soon as possible. She manages to do this at the same time as filling the cannoli and mixing the icing for the cinnamon swirls. "You're really good at this," I comment and slip another tray of uncooked cupcakes into the industrial oven.
"Thank you! It's definitely a learning process, I still manage to make a mess of both myself and the kitchen but the products come out well anyway so I don't mind." She squeals as a bag of flour falls over behind her before she starts icing the cupcakes. "Indi! Cupcakes!"
Indi dives in a swirl of receipts and review cards. "Ah shit, it's like a free for all out there. I can't wait until those two start next week."
"Careful, Indi. You'll hurt yourself!" Juni exclaims as Indi tries to pick up both trays at the same time. I only just manage to catch the second tray before it hits the floor in front of us.
"Thank you, Rubble."
"Sure, I'll help you get these out. I'll be back in a sec, Juni, no hurting yourself." I warn her playfully and she rolls her eyes before I follow Indi out with the tray.
I'm so far into this already and it's been two days.
What the hell is happening to me?
YOU ARE READING
Rubble (Riders of Apollo #7)
Romance"That's Rubble." I tune back into the conversation, having missed the entire thing, I think introductions were made but I got bored so. "He's the biggest pain in the ass when his best friend isn't here so be warned." Saviour teases and my jaw drops...
