Chapter 11 #2
Somehow, I don’t feel too afraid that he might be here tonight. Max’s presence is sure to scare my stalker away. I don’t want to admit that I need protection from a man, but I’m glad I have it tonight. Though it’s not protection from my stalker, but protection from what I might do…
I’m still thinking about Max as I climb up the ladder, books in hand. As I reach the top, I hear the sound of footsteps.
He’s here.
Instinctively, I try to twist around to see and lose my balance. With the books still in my hands and my bad leg the only one now on the ladder, I’m unable to right myself.
I realize the inevitable a fraction of a second before it happens.
I fall backward.
With no way of breaking my fall and only the cold, hard tiles beneath me, this isn’t going to end well. If I hit my head, it could be fatal.
Time seems to slow down, and I do my best to tuck my head so it won’t be the thing that comes into contact with the floor.
I land with a soft thud, and it takes me a moment to register that I’m not dead. I’m not even injured.
My stalker has caught me.
I dazedly look up to see the owner of the strong arms that hold me close to his warm, hard chest. All I can see are his blue eyes; his face is still obscured by that ski mask, his hands by gloves. I could have died. If he wasn’t here, if he didn’t catch me…
He’s still holding me close to his chest, and I’m surprised to find that the closeness doesn’t disgust me. I tell myself it’s because of the adrenaline surging through my veins.
“Thank you for catching me,” I say, uncertain of what to say. What’s the appropriate response to give the masked man who’s been terrorizing you when he saves your life? “Umm… you can put me down now,” I add before realizing that the last time he spoke to me it was in Russian.
Reluctantly, he sets me on my feet. As always, he stands silently surveying me.
I reach up to touch the base of his mask, wanting to pull it off and reveal who he is.
His hand reaches out, quick as a flash, to circle my wrist, stopping me.
There’s a guttural growl that rumbles in his throat as he looks at me.
He’s now touched me twice. It might be with gloved hands, but I still feel on fire from the contact. More confusingly, I don’t hate it.
The touch of any other man, even one simply trying to hold my hand, has made my skin crawl with repulsion.
I don’t move. I have no idea how to react, or what his next move will be. I sense that he doesn’t want to hurt me—why would he have caught me if he wished me harm?—but like a wild animal, I fear sudden movements might cause him to lash out. My heart is racing, and my mouth is dry.
The chiming of the clock announcing it is closing time pulls his attention and he lets go of me. With one final glance, he walks away, his silent movements graceful and predatory like a lion stalking its prey.
I stand still in shock for a moment before letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Then I’m rushing after him.
“Wait, who are you? What do you want?” I say, but he’s already disappeared into the night.
I stand there breathing heavily, looking at the door as I wonder what the hell happened.
Max comes racing through the door only a few moments later, his eyes wide and panicked.
“Nora!” he shouts. He sees me and instantly his body relaxes, “Nora, thank god you’re okay.
I saw a man running out of the building, he was wearing a mask and…
god, I was worried something had happened to you,” he says as he rushes over, surveying me for injury.
“You saw him?” I say, relieved that it isn’t all in my head after all.
“Yes. What did he want? Did he hurt you? I should have run after him, but I was worried you might be hurt and need my help,” he says, his eyes darting back to the door as if contemplating running after him.
“No, no, I’m fine. Really,” I say when he looks skeptical.
“What the hell was some guy in a ski mask doing running here?” he asks, his blue eyes studying me.
“Nothing. I mean, there was a customer here who left a moment ago, but he wasn’t wearing a mask. Perhaps he was running because he was late for something?” I lie, aware that it sounds like a feeble explanation and unsure why I’m hiding the truth from Max.
“And the ski mask?” Max says, the disbelief clear on his face.
“It’s cold out. He must have put it on as he left.” When Max still looks unsure, I insist, “I’m fine. Honestly.”
Still unconvinced, Max says, “Sure it wasn’t your overprotective colleague, too chicken shit to run into me without you to protect him?”
His jealous tone should piss me off, yet, somehow, it only adds to the intrigue.
Plus, it’s nice to know someone is looking out for me.
I might be having all sorts of fucked up reactions to my stalker, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t scare the shit out of me.
Max could have anyone he wants, yet he seems determined he wants me.
Not that I’m going to let him know that I like it.
“Jealous much?” I say sarcastically.
“That little weasel thinks he’s got some sort of claim over you when you’re my girl,” he growls. I don’t want it to be sexy, but, damn, it is.
“What gave you that impression? I told you I don’t date,” I reply, trying to look annoyed at his caveman response when inside I’m squealing like a schoolgirl who found out her crush likes her back.
“I know, but you’ll change your mind,” he replies confidently. “You were mine the moment I laid eyes on you, you just haven’t realized it yet.”
I have no witty or sarcastic comeback; he’s floored me with his conviction. I get the impression that Max isn’t the kind of guy that has to deal with rejection, he probably always gets what he wants.
There’s something undeniably attractive about his confidence, and he’s right, I want him, despite what I’ve said.
My body reacts without me thinking and I step closer to him.
We’re so close, all it would take is for me to move a fraction closer for our lips to touch and all would be lost. But then I catch myself.
What is wrong with me? I’ve gone from hating the thought of physical contact, to wanting two men in the space of a few weeks.
One who lives in the shadows, and the other standing right in front of me. And the weirdest thing, is I feel like being attracted to Max is somehow betraying my stalker…
“Why do you even want me? We barely know each other,” I say, trying to push those traitorous thoughts out of my mind.
“I know enough to be intrigued, and you can’t deny there’s chemistry between us. Ever since I saw you in that towel, I can’t stop thinking about what’s underneath it, what you taste like, imagining how fucking gorgeous you look when you come,” he admits frankly.
Good god, his words have my knees going weak and my pussy getting wet with anticipation. My mouth parts and my breath hitches.
“See, you want me, too. You’re just not ready to admit it,” he murmurs, slowly closing the gap between us, giving me ample time to move away, to say no. But I don’t.
God help me, he’s right.
I press my hands against his chest, neither pushing him away nor drawing him closer. The contact sets me on fire, and I can hardly think, my senses surrounded by him.
It would be so easy to surrender, to let my instincts take over.
But, as always, my past holds me back. It wouldn’t be fair to Max to get involved, not when he doesn’t know the truth about me, the danger that comes with getting close to me.
“Max, I… there are things you don’t know about me. I can’t…” I whisper, looking down at the floor, unable to formulate what I want to say. Because there’s no way to explain what’s going on inside my head without sounding batshit crazy.
Gently, with his thumb and forefinger, he tilts my chin up to look at him. “You don’t need to tell me, not if you don’t want to. But I’m not giving up on you either,” he promises, his voice a low hum that I feel in my core, and I believe him.
The way my body is singing right now, it wouldn’t take much to tip me over the edge to forget myself and beg for him.
Instead of being repulsed by the thought of a man’s touch, I ache for more.
Every inch of my body wants me to fall headfirst off that cliff and to let this happen.
This is entirely new for me. Being touched by a man and not only liking it, but craving more.
Well, that’s not true, you liked how your masked watcher felt too.
Unbidden, the thought crosses my mind and it’s like a bucket of ice water being dumped on my head. What is wrong with me? Clearly, my body is going into meltdown, and I can’t let Max become collateral damage for the fucked-up things going on in my life.
Who knows how my stalker might react if he saw me with Max.
With that on my mind, I step back suddenly as if scalded. “You should go.”
Confusion flits across Max’s face for a moment at the sudden change in my demeanor. “Okay. But, Nora, you know that if there’s anything bothering you, you can tell me. I won’t let anyone hurt you. If you’re in trouble, I can help keep you safe,” he says gently.
We barely know each other and yet I know for sure that his words are true. Despite having just met him, Max makes me feel safe, protected, and it’s comforting to know he’s across the hall should I ever need his help. But I have to keep him away, for both our sakes.
“I know, thanks, but really, I’m fine,” I insist, moving to grab my stuff and start locking up.
Max sighs but doesn’t press the matter. “Come on, I know a great late-night pizza place nearby.”
I’m ridiculously grateful for his kind understanding.
I should end things before both of us get hurt.
Max is a good guy, but there’s no space for good guys in my world.
Part of me yearns to reach out and take his hand, to act as though I’m just a normal girl going on a first date with a guy she likes, but my life will never be normal.
“I’m not hungry.”
Max looks at me with an expression that tells me he won’t take no for an answer.
“I know that has to be a lie. You’ve gotta eat, Nora.
” When I still look uncertain, he sighs.
“What if we agree that this isn’t a date, it’s just two new friends going for some food and getting to know each other better? ”
“Alright, fine,” I reluctantly agree.
He can’t help himself, though. As he holds the door open for me, he adds, “I’ll take you somewhere much nicer for our first date.”
Despite myself, I laugh.
Where did this perfect man appear from?