Page 30 of Inherited Holiday

“I’m a part of this town.”

“No shit. It’s why I stopped calling you. You were still here, and I hated it had to be that way. Especially when I asked you to leave with me. I was hurt you said no, okay? Despite what you think, I never thought you wouldn’t leave with me.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Why would I lie about that?”

“I don’t know…” I shook my head, inhaling a deep breath. “It’s just hard for me to think you thought I’d turn my back on this place.”

“I guess I underestimated your love for a home I hated.”

“You don’t hate it here; you just like to pretend you do.”

“Noelle—”

“If you hated it here as much as you claim, you would have never made my yearly anniversary a special day since we met.”

“That was for you.”

“Not true. Every year, you added some sort of decoration to our secret spot in the woods, and we’d go up the mountain to see the town in all its glory. I’ve seen your face. I know what you experienced when you were there with me.”

“Whatever you have to tell yourself.”

“That’s such a Grinch thing to say.”

“Well, it’s all I got. So here I am, asking you, no, actually begging you to give me a chance to make things right between us, and I’m not talking about me making you come. That can stay on the menu all the time. Whether you love me or hate me, I can make you come as many times as you please. I have noproblem making you come morning, noon, and night if you want me to.”

I bit back a smile.

Damn him.

“But the friendship part. The best friend part.” He gestured between us. “Let me make that right again. I was young and made a mistake, and I promise I won’t do that again.”

“How do you expect me to trust you?”

I didn’t hesitate in replying, “Let me earn it.”

I wanted to believe that what he said was true with everything inside me. However, nothing could have prepared me for this moment and the emotions it would evoke.

It was evident that our connection was as strong as ever. I wanted to hate him, be mad at him, resist him.

Except I was definitely late on the resisting him part, and I’d be lying if I said the sexual tension hadn’t been building for years before he left. The older we got, the worse it became.

In four long strides, he closed the distance between us with so much force that my body slammed against the wall behind me. I hit it with a hard thud.

Instantly, Nicholas caged me in with his arms, making me feel his sorrow and remorse.

And his hate…

Not for me.

For himself.

CHAPTER 12

NOELLE

“Imean it, Elle. I’m so fucking sorry.”

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