Page 23 of My Girl to Protect
Would I even be able to put myself back together if it came to that?
???
It was only yesterday I had the conversation with Millie. And here I am, waiting in Noah’s apartment, staring at another text notification from Rick. It’s an unknown number. Again. My stomach drops as I open it.
You think that boyfriend of yours scares me? He can't be at that diner every shift.
My fingers go cold. Another message comes in before I can breathe.
I know where you work, sweetheart. Sooner or later it'll just be you and me. We have unfinished business.
I swallow hard, locking my screen, like that will somehow make it disappear. Like it isn’t already crawling under my skin. Suddenly, I’m glad Noah isn’t here yet because I can’t tell him. I won’t.
If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that he’d go to any length to protect me. If he found out, he wouldn’t just worry—he’ddosomething about it. And I’m not sure what that would look like. I’m not willing to risk it. It could trigger his PTSD.
The door opens. My head snaps up—and everything else fades.
Noah walks in, dragging a hand through his damp hair, his shirt clinging to his skin, his breathing still a little uneven like he’s just finished something physical. I know he’s been helping Wilder with repairs around the building all day—and the proof is all over him. Streaks of grime on his forearms, dust in his hair, the faint smell of sawdust and sweat coming off him.
My throat goes dry. I’m still not over how dangerously handsome Noah is—days-old scruff, sharp cheekbones, those mesmerizing blue eyes.
“You okay?” he asks, already walking toward me.
I nod. Too fast. Every thought of Rick disappears from my mind. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
He studies me for a second, like he doesn’t quite believe it. But then, he steps closer until we’re but an inch apart. His hand comes up, brushing my cheek before sliding it to the back of my neck and pulling me in.
The kiss is immediate. Deep. Hungry in a way that catches me completely off guard. I gasp against his mouth, fingers gripping his shirt as he presses closer, his body warm and solid against mine.
He makes a low sound, almost a groan, and it sends a sharp pulse of heat straight through me. My mind goes completely blank. When he pulls back, my breathing is uneven, my lips parted slightly, wanting more.
Heat floods my cheeks at the direction of my thoughts. I can’t stop thinking about having his mouth and hands all over me.Insideme, stroking and thrusting deep. A whimper slips out as heat pools between my legs, my nipples tightening in anticipation.
Noah’s eyes darken as he takes in what I can only imagine is a dazed, wanting look on my face.
“Keep looking at me like that,” he murmurs, his voice rougher now, “and I’m not going to be able to control myself.”
My heart stutters. There’s something in his tone— something that makes my pulse quicken. It’s part tease, part promise.
“What does that look like?” I ask before I can stop myself. “Not being able to control yourself?”
The moment the words leave my mouth, everything changes. His expression shifts, becoming sharp, focused. Dangerous.
“Cammi,” he says in warning.
I don’t back down. Don’t look away. My need for him, for his touch, is all I can think about. “I’m just curious,” I add, my voice softer now, but steady.
A long silence stretches between us, thick and heavy. Then he steps even closer. My back hits the wall. But I barely feel it. All I can focus on is him—close enough that I feel the heat coming off his skin, close enough that my breath catches somewhere between my chest and my throat.
His hand lifts slowly, like he’s giving me time to change my mind. His fingers tilt my chin up until I’m looking right at him. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
My heart is racing so fast it almost scares me. But not enough to stop me. “I trust you.” And I mean it.
Something shifts in his eyes. “That’s what I’m worried about,” he murmurs.
My breath catches. “Why?”
His thumb hovers over my lip, not quite touching. “Because I don’t play soft, Angel.”
