Page 57 of Christmas Criminal

I shrug. "I spent a lot of my life accepting the way people have treated me. Now that I'm on my own and doing well, it's hard to come back to a place that holds that feeling so strongly. Makes me feel like a caged animal, ready to lash out."

He nods. "Well, you're ticking them off one by one. Louis Prince and Stacy Mann. Your dad. Who else do we have to take down a peg?"

I laugh into his shoulder. "I don't know. They were the big ones." I let out a long breath. "Maybe it's this town, you know? Just the vestiges of having felt less than for so long in exactly this place that it creeps into my bones whenever I'm here."

We cross the asphalt, heading for my car. "Well, maybe it's time you show the town what's what."

I raise an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

He shakes his head as I hit the unlock button on my key fob. "I know you're committed to keeping your life now separate from what your life once was. But maybe showing off a little is exactly what you need to do to cancel out the way this town made you feel."

I purse my lips. "I get the sentiment. I don't think that you'rewrongbut couldn't it go either way? I can bring this thing that I've worked so hard for into this community–in any way, shape, or form I want, right? And see how it makes me feel. But doesn't it go the opposite way too? I'm not sure I could have built this thing if I hadn't left and started new. And if that's true, isn't it possible that even running web design classes at the local library could, little by little, chip away at all that I've worked for?"

"That's what he wants you to do? Run classes?"

She nods. "Yeah, he's been trying to get me to do that for a while. And I just… I mean, the classes themselves sound fine." I let out a long breath. "Sometimes I feel like the perfect storm had to happen for my life to turn out as well as it diddespitethe circumstances. And it feels like allowing those circumstances to mix with my new life is a recipe for disaster."

Nick nods, digesting this for a moment. "Isn't it possible that the perfect storm is who you've become? That wherever you are, you'll find success because you've gottenthroughthose circumstances?"

I shrug noncommittally. "I guess you can spin it whatever way you want. It feels dangerous to me. There's no reason for me to be back here other than holidays, so why force it, you know?" I bite my lip, realizing I'm dancing around dangerous territory with whatever new thing is happening between me and Nick. "If there is a reason for me to be back here, of course I'll figure out a way to make it work. But until that time, I don't see any harm in keeping a boundary.”

Nick nods. He doesn't seem upset, so I can only assume I didn't step in shit. In my head, we're lightly exploring something together–and it seems like he's on the same page.

A moment later, he grins. "Well, it sounds like that jerk Hank thinks you're quite an inspiration."

A blush spreads across my cheeks. "Stop! I already feel bad enough."

He shrugs, standing up straight and pulling me against his chest. "For what it's worth, I think I agree with Hank. And I think you could do a lot for this town, if you ever decide you want to. And who knows, that might be an opportunity to tell them once and for all that Noelle deserves better, damnit."

I roll my eyes, pushing away from him for a moment. "You know me too well already if you're trying to convince me into doing something by telling me it's a rebellion."

He grins down at me with his arms still wrapped around my neck, his fingers playing with my hair.

"Despite your best efforts, I've come to find that side of you quite charming."

I press my lips together to dim my smile as I stand on my toes to kiss his jaw. "How charming?"

His arms drift down, wrapping around my waist as he tips his head down to kiss me. "Very charming," he says, one hand squeezing my ass and causing a surprised gasp to jump from my throat. "But not quite charming enough."

He pulls away from me, a grin on his face.

"Oh, come on!"

"Give me your timecard, Criminal."

I roll my eyes, letting out a quick huff as I fumble around in my bag for the card and a pen. I hand them over, watching as he scribbles on the next line and hands it back.

He lets out a long breath as he tugs me into his arms again, and I can't help but notice he pauses there, like he wants to say something more but stops himself.

"You okay?" I ask.

He nods, his eyes darting to the high school behind me. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Noelle. I'm good."

He runs his hands through my hair, pausing with a hand on each cheek to kiss my forehead, my nose, my lips.

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