Page 26 of Keep Me Safe

I can help who’s next, please!”

I rush over to the counter, needing to escape the situation.Glancing over, I see Jared still talking to him. His voice is low, so I can’t hear what he’s saying. I hope it’s not nice. Setting my items on the counter, I hand the cashier my card. I’ll meet him in the car.

What is that guy’s problem? It’s not like that’s a new insult for me, but I wasn’t expecting it to come out of some random person’s mouth like that. Jared’s door swings open, and he climbs inside, words already spewing from his lips.

“I am so sorry about that. I don’t know why he said that,” he says, worry in his eyes.

“It’s fine. I can handle it. Let’s just go home.”

I try to turn my head away, but he reaches up to cup my cheek, making me look at him. His fingers are so gentle.

“Don’t listen to him, okay? He’s an idiot.”

I nod, looking away as we pull out of the parking lot.

When we get back to the house, Jared works on getting the fire started. It’s not quite dark yet, the sun sitting right above the horizon. I’m in my room. The temperature has dropped significantly, and I need layers. Slipping on a hoodie and some leggings, I try to ignore the feeling seeping in from our interaction with that guy earlier. He’s wrong. I’m not a whore. It wasn’t my fault. Taking a deep breath, I head downstairs, pushing myself to smile. I grab the bag of marshmallows and head outside.

We sit by the fire for a while, each of us in our own folding chairs. We talk about college and how excited he is to go. I’m happy for him. He deserves it. Glancing up, I notice him staring at me.

“What, do I have marshmallow on my face?”

His eyes hold mine, the fire reflecting in them. He smirks ashis eyes trail down my body.

“No, you’re just beautiful.”

There’s more emotion in those words than there should be.

“I know,” I laugh, winking at him, needing to distract from the gravity of his statement.

Disappointment flashes in his eyes, and he looks at me like he has more he wants to say, but instead, he sighs, shaking his head.

“I think I’m going to head inside. It’s getting late,” he tells me before standing and turning away.

“Oh, yeah, I guess I should too.”

What was that?

Stepping out of the shower, I dry off quickly and toss my damp hair into a towel. Guilt wraps itself around me like a heavy blanket. I don’t understand why Jared reacted like that, but it feels like it’s my fault. I pull back the comforter and slide into bed. The cool sheets against my skin do little to soothe the knot in my chest. I stare at the ceiling, thoughts swirling in every direction. What’s going on with him? Why did that asshole earlier feel the need to say those things?

I try to push the thoughts away, but they linger. I’m exhausted, my body begging for rest, yet my brain refuses to cooperate. After what feels like hours of tossing and turning, I throw off the covers and slip out of bed.

The stairs creak beneath my feet as I tiptoe down. A glass of water is all I need to clear my head. The cabinet door opens with a soft groan, and I pull down a cup, filling it with water from the fridge. I’m about to turn back when I hear footsteps behind me.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Noah asks, his voice low.

In the soft moonlight streaming in from the window, I see him standing in the doorway, shirtless. I’ve seen him like this countless times before, but tonight, it feels different. The air between us is thick with something I can’t quite name. His muscular torso is covered in tattoos, one of which—a raven perched on a branch—I recognize. It’s one of my favorites.

I feel my gaze slip lower, unable to stop myself. His sweatpants sit low on his hips, highlighting the V of his abdomen. My eyes wander further, catching the outline of something I shouldn’t be looking at. Something impressive. My pulse picks up.

“Eyes up here, sweetheart.”

I bring my gaze up to meet his, my cheeks heating. Oh my god, he just watched me check him out. I brush it off, mostly because I don’t have another option. Choosing to ignore his last comment, I answer his question.

“No, I couldn’t sleep. I came down to get some water,” I mumble, gesturing to my glass, now sitting on the counter.

“How did your class go this morning?” he asks, stalking toward me.

His eyes move down my body, darkening when they reach the tops of my thighs. Following his gaze, I realize that I forgot to put on bottoms. I’m standing here in a T-shirt and panties. Leaning over me, he reaches up into the cupboard above my head.

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