Page 78 of Keep Me Safe

Thankfully, I have the day off today, so I spend it tidying up around the house. Grabbing my Bluetooth speaker, I deep clean the living room because, god, does it need it, and I also get all my laundry washed and put away. I’m feeling quite productive when the sound of a truck pulling in draws my attention to the front door.

I watch Noah as he steps inside, setting down his bag. Instantly, his mood is off. His hand brushes over his face as his eyes slide up to meet mine. My heart skips. Even when he’s exhausted, this man is handsome. He’s wearing his typical uniform, a t-shirt from the department tucked into his dress pants that fit him too damn well.

“Hey,” I say.

“I’m going to go shower,” he sighs.

I think back to that night in the shower and have half a mind to offer to join him, but something feels off. He’s never this short with me.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, closing some of the space between us.

“I’m fine. It was just a long shift.”

“Oh, okay. I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m going for a swim, so if you need anything, just let me know.”

He nods, turning to head upstairs. I stand there for a moment, confused as hell. He’s never like that. Did I do something?

I sink back into the feeling I used to get with my mom. Maybehe doesn’t want me around anymore. I’m too much of a burden.

No, he just had a rough day. Not everything is about me. I hate that I even care this much. Grabbing a towel from the downstairs bathroom, I head for the dock. If there’s anything that can distract me from the war of emotions spiraling in my head, it’s the water.

I pull my shirt off, tossing it onto the dock, followed by my shorts, leaving me in my bikini. Without hesitating, I dive into the water, the cold enveloping me. It’s almost ninety degrees outside, and the cool water is refreshing. Trying to get my thoughts under control, I sink under the surface, letting the wall of water block out the rest of my senses.

Everything is so confusing right now, and Noah is all moody, which isn’t helping. Jared still hasn’t texted me, and I’m worried our friendship is ruined. On top of all of that, Zach is back in town, which I’ve been pretending is not the case, but it’s only a matter of time before I run into him again. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.

The burn in my lungs tells me I need oxygen, so reluctantly, I push off the bottom of the lake, resurfacing to the sun reflecting off the water.

“You had me worried for a second.”

I jump, spinning around to face the dock. He’s sitting there, close to the shore, in his uniform. His shirt is now untucked, and his pants are cuffed. Swimming over to him, I stand, only half submerged now.

“What, no shower?” I ask, gasping for breath.

He’s silent for a moment, his eyes trailing over my chest before meeting mine again.

“I needed to see you.”

My heart warms at his admission. The feeling of having this man’s attention solely on me is intoxicating, but something is wrong. I inch closer to him, resting my hands on the dock between his legs. His body visibly tenses.

“Is something wrong? Did something happen at work today?” I ask, genuinely concerned. He shakes his head, his eyes landing on mine.

“You know I care about you, right?”

I nod slowly, my face likely showing that I don’t like where this is headed. He reaches for me before thinking better of it.

“You’re ambitious and assertive and the strongest woman I know. You’re going to do so much with your life, but...”

With that one word, my stomach drops.

“Please don’t.” I can’t do this right now. I am not going to sit here while he rejects me again. I knew it. I knew this was going to happen, and I’m an idiot for thinking he wasn’t going to do the same thing he always does.

“Kira, I need you to listen to me.”

I shake my head, refusing to have this conversation. I already know what he’s going to say, and I don’t want to hear it.

“Please,” he begs, his hand reaching for my wrist.

Tears prick my eyes, but I don’t let them fall.

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