Page 36 of Keep Me Safe

We fall into step together, weaving through the late-morning crowds. Shops and boutiques line the street, some sleek andmodern, others homey and cluttered with knickknacks meant to lure in tourists. The warm breeze carries the scent of sunscreen and lake water, a mix that’s so familiar it tugs at something deep in my chest. This place has always felt like a second home.

Kira veers off the main strip into a small consignment shop, and I follow. The space is tight, racks of clothes packed into every available corner. She heads straight for the back, where a modest rack of women’s shorts sits against the wall.

I watch as she flips through them, her fingers skimming over denim and cotton. She’s wearing those same jeans—the ones that hug her ass in a way that makes it impossible not to notice. This time, she’s paired them with a cropped short-sleeve shirt, the fabric loose but just short enough to tease.

She reaches up to rifle through the hangers, and her shirt lifts, exposing more of the soft curve of her waist.

I swallow, my fingers twitching at my sides.

I shouldn’t be looking at her like this.

But I can’t help but picture my hands there.

“I’m going to go try these on,” she says, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nod and follow her.

There’s a bench there, so I sit down. She disappears into one of the fitting rooms, the lock clicking. After a few moments, the door opens, and she’s now in a pair of high-waisted denim shorts. If I thought the jeans were tempting, fuck, these are sinful. They fit her perfectly.

“What do you think?” she asks me.

“They look nice.”

Her face falls a bit, and she turns to look in the mirror. Now I can see her ass in them.Jesus.I look away, focusing on a wall of purses in the distance.

“You should get them. They fit you really well.”

She turns back to me with a smile on her face. She mutters something about having to try the rest on and goes back into the room. In total, she tries on five pairs of shorts and likes two of them. We make our way to the front of the store and get in line at the register.

It’s our turn to check out, and Kira sets her items on the counter. The cashier greets us and starts entering the prices into the machine.

“You did a good job with this one. She’s beautiful,” she says, a smile on her face.

Does she think I’m Kira’s dad?

Kira quickly gestures between us, “Oh, he’s not—we’re not related.”

The lady looks up at us, confused, but then her eyes widen in realization. Great, now she thinks we’re together, and there’s judgment in her eyes. Kira senses it, too, looking up at me. I shrug, letting her know that it doesn’t matter. She relaxes and hands the lady her card.

We step out of the shop, and Kira immediately starts laughing.

“Well, that was weird. At first, she thought I was your kid, but then she thought I was your girlfriend.”

I laugh with her as we wander back toward the truck. Before we can get there, though, Kira stops and looks up at an old building. It’s a bookstore. Her eyes move to mine, and I know exactly what she wants.

“Go ahead, we have time.”

chapter eleven

kira

I’ve always loved this bookstore, the warm wood tones and books lining every wall. It’s cozy. Noah follows behind me as I browse through the sections, making my way to one in particular.

“You can go look at stuff too, you know?”

“I’m good.”

He asked for it.

I find the sign that says “Romance” and head right for it. It’s in a secluded area toward the back of the store. I can’t afford to buy anything right now, but I still love to look. I pick up one with a shirtless man on the cover and hear a quiet laugh behind me. I turn around to glare at him.

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