Page 26 of Aria

"God, I don't even want to know what I said," I whimpered. I hated that Noah was seeing me so vulnerable. So exposed.

"I mean, it's not a big deal. Like I said, I won't tell anyone.Not even Devon."

I swallowed and looked up at him, my eyes stormy and glistening."Itisa big deal.It's a huge deal.” My voice caught as I drew in a deep, shaky breath. "My past is something I try to forget every day."

"I get that," he said, his tone oddly sympathetic."But your past is something that happened to you.It's not who you are."

I blinked back tears, nodding in agreement. "Look at you… being all insightful."

"What, you think I made it this far on just my looks?"

"No, I figured it was a toss-up between your charming personality and your uncanny ability to make a girl feel special. I know I was swept off my feet."

“That's true.” His shoulders shrugged with modesty, a smirk hinting. "I'm basically a triple threat."

"How am I not falling in love with you right now?"

"I don't know," he laughed. "Where did I go wrong?"

I couldn't help the smile that broke free.

I never expected to be sitting in my living room, exchanging quips with Noah Hayes. Regaining my composure, I cleared my throat. "Can I get you anything? Something to drink?"

Noah cocked his head, following me as I stood and trekked into the kitchen. "Sure, why not? But I'm going to watch you make it. I don't want you slipping any rat poison in there."

"You would deserve it." I gave him the side-eye as I opened the refrigerator. My lips puckered with disappointment when I realized I hadn't gone shopping in two weeks. There was a half-gallon of Sunny Delight, an assortment of odd condiments, a package of hot dogs, and month-old string cheese. "Uh, my tips were kind of bad this month. Sorry."

"Yikes. Sunny D, it is."

I pulled a glass out of the cabinet and poured the drink. "Not exactly a celebrity-worthy cocktail,” I said, offering him an embarrassed glance. "Want to sit down?"

Noah followed my lead as I made my way back to the living room sofa, a silence settling between us. The last thing I wanted to talk about was my unexpected confession, but I needed to find out what Noah knew about my past. "So," I began, watching as Noah took a swig of his juice. Wringing my hands together, I took a deep breath. "What exactly do you know?"

* * *

Noah

I found it hard to believe I was sitting on Chelsie's couch, sipping on Sunny Delight, when a few days ago she was just another one of Devon's conquests I’d aimed to annihilate.

Today I was her confidante; an unlikely companion. I knew all about her dark past—more than Devon may ever know—and for some peculiar reason, I felt inclined to give her solace. Maybe it was the wounded, forsaken look in her eyes, or maybe it was the troubled way she'd spilled her guts to me. Her strong and fiery spirit had been reduced to a lost and lonely young woman who'd experienced more than her fair share of trauma.

I would never forget the way she had climbed into my lap, taking my face between her shaking hands andbeggingme to never speak a word of it to anyone.

“Noah, this… this is serious,” she’d rasped, holding me tight.

I’d stared at her as she’d straddled me, my arms instinctively wrapping around her to keep her steady as we sat on the floor, my back to the hotel bed. “What is?”

We weren’t talking about French fries anymore, that much I knew. Her eyes had glazed over with more than just alcohol, dark shadows lurking inside the smoky green of her irises.

Chelsie’s breath had all but stopped as she licked her lips. “The monster. The monster I thought I loved.”

I’d been confused, frowning as she’d clenched her thighs around me. I’d also been getting hard, but was too distracted by the desolate look in her eyes to focus on the effects of her squirming on me. “I’m not following. What monster?”

“Ian. He beat me. Raped me. He said I was a disease, and no one would ever love me.” She’d dipped her eyes to my mouth before glancing back up. “Devon could love me, right?”

My own breath had caught as my skin prickled with alarm. “What?” I’d questioned, searching her face for answers. “Are you in danger?”

Our drunken, inconvenient rendezvous had shifted into something far more dire.

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