Page 45 of The Rule Breaker (Colton U Playbook #1)

ISABELLA

I stare at my reflection in the tiny dorm mirror, tugging at the hem of my dress for the fifth—no, sixth—time.

“This works, right?” I twist left. Then right. Then back again, trying to see myself from every possible angle. “I don’t look like I tried too hard? But also, not like I just threw something on? Like, I want to be hot, but effortlessly hot. Cool, but put together. Like, I?—”

“Okay, woah . You need to calm down,” Aurora cuts me off, flopping down onto her bed. “It’s just a date.”

I shoot her a glare. “First of all, rude. Second, I haven’t been on a date in… ever,” I admit, blowing out a breath. “I have no idea how this works.” I press my lips together. “I just don’t wanna embarrass myself. I like him, and?—”

“And you’re spiraling.” She smirks. “Deep breaths, babe. If you didn’t like him, you wouldn’t be having a breakdown over an outfit.”

I shoot her a glare, grab a pillow and chuck it at her head.

She dodges it, letting out a laugh. “So violent. I’m just saying, this is a good thing. It means you actually care about him. Unlike your ex.”

I press my lips together. “Jacob wasn’t that bad.”

Aurora snorts. “Since coming here all you’ve talked about was Ryan. Be honest. Did Jacob ever make you nervous?”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“Did you ever overthink a text? Get butterflies when he called? Debate for six hours over what to wear?”

I groan. “Okay, okay, point made.”

The relationship I had with Jacob was purely physical. I grew to be accustomed to it, to expect that to be what a relationship is. But from the moment I met Ryan, everything between us has been completely different.

We might have had a physical relationship, and snuck around at first, but it was worlds apart from what I had with Jacob. We actually talked and spent time together.

“You look hot,” she assures me, flashing me a smile. “He’s not gonna know what hit him when he sees you.”

I sigh, glancing at the mirror again. “But what if?—”

“Nope.” Aurora sits up, stabbing a finger in my direction. “We’re not doing this. No self-sabotage. You like Ryan. Ryan likes you. End of story.”

“My brother won’t like it,” I say with a harsh breath.

I still don’t know how we went from only once to okay, let’s hook up in secret to now… in a relationship . All while my brother and my dad have no idea.

Aurora gives me a look. “You’re both adults. If Nathan has a problem with it, that’s a him issue. Besides, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

I blow out a breath. “I guess.”

“Good. Now, stop touching your hair before I physically restrain you.” She hops off the bed and grabs her curling iron. “Sit.”

I take a seat, and Aurora helps me curl my hair, fixing the pieces I couldn’t reach.

By the time she’s done, I’ve mostly stopped freaking out.

But then there’s a knock at the door.

My stomach flips.

I take a deep breath, smooth out my dress, and open it.

The door swings open and Ryan stands there with his hands in his pockets, dark jeans sitting low on his hips and a black tee stretched across his chest. His hair’s a little messy, like he ran a hand through it on his way here, and his eyes sweep over me in a way that makes my skin warm.

“Wow,” he says, dragging a hand across his mouth. “Fuck, Bels. You look?—”

Aurora steps directly in front of me, blocking his view before he can finish that sentence. “Alright, Romeo. Listen up.”

Ryan freezes.

She crosses her arms. “I’ve been rooting for you two since the welcome week party. But if you hurt her… I will make sure you never reproduce.”

Ryan blinks, thrown by her threat. “Uh?—”

“And I mean that literally,” she says, completely serious. “Screw with my best friend, and you’ll find out.”

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask, my lips curving into an amused smile.

She shrugs. “Just making sure we’re clear.”

Ryan recovers quickly, chuckling under his breath. “Duly noted.”

Aurora stares him down for another second before stepping aside. “Alright. You may proceed.”

Ryan shoots me a grin like none of that just happened. “Ready?”

“Please,” I mutter, brushing past her before she starts listing methods of castration.

Ryan’s hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining as he leans down to press a kiss to my cheek. “I like her.”

“She’s a menace,” I say with a dry look.

“She just loves you,” he says, his grin softening as he glances at me.

When we reach his car, he opens the passenger door, and I stop, raising an eyebrow.

“What?” he asks, looking confused.

“You’re being all… polite. It’s suspicious.”

He shuts the door with a grin, and when he slides into the driver’s seat, a chuckle leaves his lips.

“It physically pains me that you think it’s suspicious I’m doing something nice for you,” he says, reaching across the console to cup my face. His thumb brushes the corner of my mouth. “I’ll only ever make you feel like a princess, baby. Nothing suspicious about that.”

My heart stutters in my chest.

He leans in, kisses me, then pulls back and shifts the car into drive.

“So,” I say, turning toward him, “where are we going?”

Ryan glances over, a grin spreading across his lips “It’s a surprise. Sit back, relax, and let your boyfriend handle it.”

I raise a brow. “Boyfriend, huh?”

His smirk deepens. “Hell yeah. The best boyfriend you’ve ever had.”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t help but smile.

The drive is quiet, with the radio playing music on low, one hand on the wheel, the other occasionally resting on my thigh. And by the time we pull up outside a small studio, I’m too curious to be nervous anymore.

I squint out the window. “Wait… this is my pottery studio.”

Ryan lifts a brow. “Look at you. Knew you were smart.”

I narrow my eyes at him as he kills the engine and unbuckles. “Why are we here?”

He jogs around the car and opens my door, holding a hand out. “Figured I’d impress you with my total lack of artistic talent.”

I laugh, sliding my hand into his and letting him tug me out. His hands settle on my hips automatically.

“Lucky for you, I actually know what I’m doing,” I say, bracing my palms against his chest.

“Perfect.” He grins. “You can teach me.”

He slides his hand into mine as we walk inside, and my brows tug together when I look around the place.

It’s quiet. Empty. No instructor, no staff. Just soft music playing overhead and dim lighting casting shadows across the studio floor. In the center of the room, only two pottery wheels sit waiting.

I stop short and turn to him, brows raised. “You rented out the whole place?”

Ryan shrugs, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Wanted our first date to be special.”

I shake my head, already smiling. “You’re ridiculous.”

“But charming,” he adds, flashing me a wink.

“Jury’s still out.”

His chest shakes with a chuckle as he closes the door, and we walk into the empty studio.

I break the eye contact and walk over to the wheel and sit down on the stool, preparing the clay and glance over my shoulder.

A slow smile curls onto his lips as he shifts closer. His eyes never leave mine—or the way my hands move as he takes a seat on his stool beside me.

“What made you want to do pottery?” he asks.

I shrug, focusing on centering the clay. “It became my hobby over the summer. I needed something that could keep my mind busy.” I chuckle as the wheel spins a little too fast and I have to steady it. “Clearly I’m not amazing at it, but?—”

“Don’t do that.” He nudges my shoulder gently. “I’ve seen your pieces in your room, baby. You are amazing.”

I pause, warmth blooming across my cheeks. “Thank you.”

He arches a brow as he watches me. “I think I got the hang of it. Lemme try.”

I move aside as he settles in front of the other wheel, rolls up his sleeves, and dives in like he’s done this before.

He has very clearly not.

Within minutes, his hands are covered in clay, his concentration so serious it makes me laugh. But the thing he’s creating is… well, unidentifiable.

I bite my lip, trying so hard not to laugh. “Wow. That’s… really something.”

He glances at his sad, lumpy mess and then flicks a bit of clay at me. The tiny blob lands on my cheek.

My mouth falls open. “You did not just do that.”

Ryan flashes an unapologetic grin. “What? It was an accident.”

I scoop up a chunk of clay and smear it across his forearm. “Oops.”

His brows shoot up. “Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be?”

“Maybe,” I reply, my lips twitching into a smirk.

Before I can react, Ryan’s hands are on my waist and I’m suddenly lifted off the stool, a squeal ripping from my throat as he hoists me into the air.

“Ryan!” I laugh, kicking my feet. “Put me down!”

He chuckles. “Say I’m the greatest artist of our generation,” he demands.

“Never!”

His fingers dig into my sides, and I squirm, caught between gasping and giggling.

“Okay—okay! You’re a genius!”

He grins as he lowers me back down, hands still warm on my waist. “That’s what I thought.”

I swat at his chest, but I’m grinning too hard to mean it. Clay is smeared across his arm, there’s a smudge on his jaw, and I’m sure I look just as messy, but I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun doing something so stupid.

The kind of fun that makes your cheeks hurt from smiling and your stomach do flips.

Ryan keeps his eyes on mine, the laughter dying between us. The air shifts. Or maybe I imagine it. Either way, I feel it.

Something flutters in my chest, and I know without a doubt…

I could really, really fall for him.

I think I already am.

We’re quiet for a second, before he leans in and kisses me. His lips are warm. His clay-slicked fingers brush my jaw like I’m something delicate, and I swear the ground wobbles under my feet.

When we finally break apart, I’m breathless and one hundred percent blushing like an idiot.

“What was that for?” I whisper.

Ryan doesn’t answer. Just gives me that crooked smile that messes with all my internal systems and nods toward the pottery wheel.

“Come on, Picasso. Show me how it’s done.”

I arch a brow. “You want to try again? After that mess?”