Chapter 23
NOAH
“You promised!”
“I never signed a contract!”
“I don’t care! This place means everything to me, and you’re going to destroy the one chance we got to save it!”
We’re almost touching, it takes every ounce of my strength not to reach out, to stroke those porcelain cheeks with my fingers, wondering if they feel as soft as they look.
God, she has me in a chokehold. What the hell is she doing to me?
But she also pisses me off… It's infuriating. She’s wasting her time with me, and yet she’s so goddamn persistent.
I don’t want to yell at her, but she doesn’t get it, and it’s no fault of her own.
Fooling around with Cassy last night did me no good, not after my verbal battle with Red.
I’m taking deep breaths, closing my eyes to make sure I don’t say another stupid thing. When I open them, her expression softens slightly, her blue eyes coax the next words from my mouth. “I don’t mean to be.”
Red blinks, somewhat stunned. She makes the first move, stepping back. “Tomorrow. At seven. If you’re not there, I will burn your cabin to the ground.” The door shuts tight behind her, my breathing ragged.
It’s her threat while leaving that does it for me, because if she stayed any longer, her body would’ve been pinned to the wall, my lips all over her soft skin.
This back and forth of wanting to devour her, then to push her away, while wanting to be vulnerable, is enough to drive anyone insane.
What is she doing to me? The guys return minutes later, glancing around to see if she left. I’m back sitting on the bench, trying to calm my heart rate down. She makes me anxious, furious, and incredibly horny.
I hate it.
“Surprised you didn’t trash the place,” comments Taylor, coming to sit beside me.
“Hmph,” I grunt, my heart rate not quite slowed down yet. “She is something else.”
“I agree with her,” announces Cody, and all of us turn to him, standing by one of the treadmills, adjusting his headphones. “We all let you accept your fate, but she’s willing to help you back out there, regardless of her distaste for you.”
“She was forced to,” I remember.
“Nobody is forced to save something they love.” Cody steps up, pressing start, and begins his warm-up walk.
Mark crosses his arms. “I support your decision, but I also agree with Cody. At least sleep on it?”
Picking up a fifty-pound weight, I start my reps again, getting a look from Mark. I roll my eyes, knowing he’s waiting for an answer. “Yeah, yeah, I will.”
He walks away without another word, taking the other treadmill beside Cody.
Taylor watches my reps, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, chin in his hands. “I mean, you have to admit, it’s kind of hot that she used to snowboard competitively.”
“She doesn’t know how beautiful she is,” I mumble, switching hands for another set of reps.
“What was that?” Taylor asks, leaning closer.
“Nothing.” The concussion definitely messed with my rational thinking.
“Would it be so wrong to get to know her? You might actually enjoy her company.” Taylor leaves me with his comment as he heads to the water station.
But I know there’s more to her underneath that hard exterior, and if I peel back her complicated layers, I’m sure to find her heart.
The problem is, I can’t show her mine.