“You don’t need to do that,” I say as he guides me to the table.
“I know.” He helps me into my chair before taking the one across from me. It feels almost like a date, which is insane to think about. “But I want to. I want you to feel safe and secure here, Sophia.”
I do,I think, offering him a smile.With you, I do.
Sleep evades me.The wind keeps my eyes open with how loud it is. Like it’s calling for me, begging for me to make a choice.
Run and hide.
Fight or flee.
Stay and accept what my heart is telling me.
Or escape before I can get hurt.
Sleep is useless when the only thing I’ve ever actually fought for is lying in the next room. Even if I don’t want to admit it to myself, I fought for his survival. I made sure he lived long enough to see the burn unit. I battled anyone who told me he wouldn’t wake up. I cried myself to sleep so many nights because I knew I couldn’t let Noah go.
And not just because I’ve had a massive crush on him for years. Not just because he’s a hero to this town who needed us to fight for him.
I knew I had to because he would have done the same thing for me.
I don’t even know why I’m certain of that. Maybe it was his admission about bringing me here or the kiss, maybe it’s the way he’s been caring for me these last couple of days and making sure I’m safe. It could be any number of reasons or none of them at all.
If the roles were reversed, he would have been at my side. Would have fought for me. Would have made sure I made it through.
But am I scared of this because he knows what I did, and he feels some sort of debt is owed? Could that be the real reason why he saved me and is caring forme now? Because he thinks he owes me something and now it’s being repaid?
Even as the thought strikes me, hard like the wind howling beyond the window, I shake it away. That’s not like Noah at all.
At least, not the Noah I know.
The Noah I know wouldn’t be cruel enough to tease me like he did today only for it to be payment.
But I need to know.
Does he actually care about me? Or am I just another thing for him to save?
SEVEN
NOAH
Itoss and turn restlessly, my last conversation with Sophia still on my mind. Her words are etched into my consciousness, and I’m not entirely sure what part of our conversation and our kiss had me struggling more: the idea that she could even want me in my current state, or the fact that she didn’t run until it suddenly becamereal.
Whatever it is, I can’t shake the tension, the heaviness in my chest.
Rolling onto my side, I try to close my eyes and focus on the warmth of the fire, not on the woman sending me spiralling. Her beautifully curved body is imprinted in my mind, and no part of me wanted to forget the brief feeling of her on my lap, her lips on mine, her sweet little?—
A groaning from outside forces me up and out of bed. The wind is stronger, harsher now, but that’s not why I’m concerned. It’s the generator, which is keeping us alive and with light that I’m worried about.
There’s a clanking sound, and then another groan, followed by a flickering of the hallway light.Fuck. It’s the only thing keeping Sophia warm in the main bedroom. But there’s nothing I can do when the light flickers again and the entire cabin falls into complete darkness and silence.
I curse under my breath. It’s only by the light of the fire that I find an old flashlight and turn it on. Now that there’s no buzz of the generator or electricity, I distinctly make out the creaking trees and heavy wind outside, both sounds making me tense.
Before I reach Sophia, I hear the bed shift and the click of the lamp that doesn’t work. Her curse brings a smile to my lips as I carefully make my way to the bedroom, knocking once before entering.
I shine the light over the bed, and find her sitting at the edge, her hair mused and my shirt, which hangs loosely off her shoulders, twisted. “Power went out,” I say, feeling tension thicken the air. “It’s going to get cold in here fast, so you should come sleep on the pull out.”
Her eyes widen slightly before flickering down to her lap. “I should be fine?—”
