Page 6 of Resisting Temptation

I watch as Margo drives off, and my eyes travel to the girls’ place next door. I wonder what Paisley would make of Margo or the prospect of other girls lining up at my door. Would it make her crazy like when we dated a few summers back? She was insanely jealous of other girls back then. Even if she didn’t need to be; that summer, I only had eyes for her. Part of me hopes she’s standing at her front window peering through the curtains, the green-eyed monster of jealousy bubbling up inside her more by the second. Anything that might catch her attention and force her to come over here again.

I close the door behind my friends and throw Elliot a look. The dude needs to get out more, and now that I’m home, I’m going to make sure that happens. “That was Margo Parish from the mayor’s office. She said she got my details off you?” I raise a brow in Brody’s direction. The man’s a genius.

There is a devilish glint in his eyes. “She thinks you would be perfect. I hardly had to say your name and she was all over the idea. I didn’t expect her to stop by your house today.”

“Apparently, they need a decision by Friday.” Excitement floods through me, knowing things are going to move quickly now. No more waiting. I’m taking back some control.

Elliot slaps me on the back, a goofy grin on his face. “Well, good for you. New house and a job offer all in the one day.”

“Should I do it?” I know this is the change I need to turn my life around. Rebuild my shattered reputation and find a sense of purpose again. This opportunity is too good to be true. But I need to hear from my closest friends that this is possible.

“I’m sure Margo can catch you up to speed,” Elliot replies, flashing a playful wink, and I know his mind has gone right to the gutter.

“Sleep on it, then go down to the mayor’s office tomorrow and have another chat with her,” Brody agrees. He knows what this could mean for me. All four of them do.

I nod along. Sure, this whole thing’s come out of left field, but considering my family’s been in the political game and all, this isn’t exactly alien territory. I grew up in this world. Before Dad went and tanked his career, he was a force to be reckoned with and did wonders for the economy and small businesses around here. I can’t ignore the fact that some of that might’ve rubbed off on me. I can picture myself in this role, it would feel good to be back on top. But more than anything, I can see the motherfucker who screwed me over’s face when he works out he’s thoroughly fucked, and that thought alone drives me forward. This town is the place where I grew up. It shaped me into the man I am today, but it also left me with scars, some so permanent they’ve left gaping holes in my life. It’s time to fill them.

The smell of oregano and tomato sauce fills the air as I pull up a chair to the table, grab a greasy slice of pizza, and relax, propping my feet up on some boxes.

“So, Noah,” Gisele begins, her voice tight with suspicion, “tell me exactly what you did to Paisley that makes her hate you so much.” A playful smirk dancesacross her face. I imagine the scene from this morning caused quite the entertainment over in the girls’ house. I can only imagine how angry Paisley was when she got home this morning. To her, I’m the asshole who made promises then disappeared. But she doesn’t know the truth.

From beside me I can feel Paisley’s brother, Parker’s eyes scrutinizing me. The two of us have known each other our entire lives, he was my best friend all through high school. We would’ve done anything for each other. Still would. We share secrets no one else knows. But he’s fiercely protective of his sister after their upbringing, and he’s still coming to terms with the idea that she might mean something more to me as well. So, I don’t like to push the idea around him. “No idea.” I smirk cheekily around my pizza.

I like Gisele, she’s a nice girl, and I don’t like lying to her face, but she has no idea the can of worms she would open up if they all knew the truth right now. And if Paisley didn’t enlighten her, I won’t be the one spilling her secrets.

Chapter 4

Paisley

Our group are all over helping Noah settle into his new place. Every time they burst into laughter, I glare ice-cold daggers at the closed blinds of my living room. Noah shouldn’t be allowed to have fun with my friends while I sit here alone feeling sorry for myself. Mae, the sweetheart, offered to stay with me, but I knew she really wanted to join them, so I told her to go. Truth is, I’m not great company tonight anyway. I’m so miserable after last night. Part of me wants to call Jake up and demand he take back his hurtful words. But it’s too late. They have crept under my skin, their truth too much to stand.

Dragging my sorry body through my living room, I bump straight into the sharp corner of the coffee table in the dark. “Motherfuck…” I cry, grabbing my knee, trying to rub out the now thumping pain. Screw this shit. I need more wine. After my mammoth hangover this morning, I was going to be a good girl and enjoy just a couple of glasses tonight. But what’s the point?Right now, I need something to block it all out. I find the second bottle of wine in the top shelf over the fridge and grab it greedily.

Opening the back door onto the patio, I take a seat on the sun lounger, cracking open the bottle, and drinking straight from it. Jake’s words from this morning come back to haunt me.You’re a train wreck. Me. The girl voted most likely by my classmates to make it big. Once upon a time, I had dreams of getting out of this town and making something of myself. I wanted to work in fashion and travel the world. I could have done it too. In my senior year of high school, I was offered a position at a prestigious fashion house in Paris. The designer had been a friend of my mother’s, someone she once worked with, and it was the kind of opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime. Thrilled, I accepted it in a heartbeat and was making plans to travel abroad. I just needed to finish up the school year to keep my father happy. Staying that last month is the biggest regret of my life.

Laughter erupts from next door again, and I cringe, bringing the bottle back up to my mouth and chugging as much as I can before needing to take a breath. It slides down easily, warming my insides. I can’t do this. Live next door to him. It was impossible knowing he was hours away, even worse when he was at the hotel. But this close, I won’t survive.

“You could just come and join us.” Noah’s voice startles me with its cool charm. I thought I was alone out here. But right there peeping over my fence is his cheeky face. “My bedroom still needs to be set up; I could use your… creativity up there.” He grins slyly, and I know what he’s implying. We used to have a hell of a lot of fun in the bedroom.

Irritation snakes up my spine slowly. Of course, he thinks this is all some fucking joke. I place my wine bottle down on the concrete patio and slowly rise, strolling over toward the fencewhere he’s peering over. Smug-as shit grin on his pretty boy face. “Go back to your party, Noah.”

“What, and leave you alone to get blackout drunk again? I’m worried about you, Paisley. This isn’t you, guzzling wine from the bottle, alone.” His face turns more serious, and I hate him even more for caring. And for the pity in his voice. I don’t need any of it.

Even still, a flutter of familiarity at his protectiveness comes over me. It takes me back to our summer together, and for a second, I’m right back there, stuck in the past where he’s my savior. The man who brought me out of the darkness and taught me to live again after the hell I had been through. But then I remember what he did to me, and it’s like a cup of ice water to the face. My dagger-filled eyes meet his. How long has he been standing there watching me, and how the hell does he know about last night? “What do you mean blackout drunk again?” I snap back.

He raises an apathetic brow. “You know this town. Nothing stays quite for long.”

Spinning on my heel, I feel my hair fan out as I stalk back toward my bottle, picking it up and draining the remainder, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand for emphasis. “I’m not your concern, Noah.” I try to roll my eyes, but the action makes my head spin. I overcorrect my balance, and I trip over the deck chair, falling onto the solid concrete floor below. Pain throbs through my elbow, and I stay down in a crumpled heap on the cold floor, trying to rub the ache away, just waiting for the smug asshole to laugh his head off at me.

But when I glance up, he’s right there in front of me, his hand held out. “Come on, Paisley, let me help you.”

I shove his hand out of the way and pull myself up to standing. “Go back to your party,” I grumble under my breath. I can’t even look at him right now. I know he’s right, I know they all are. Buthe’s the last person I want helping me. He’s the reason I’m in this mess in the first place.

He takes my arm, gently pulling me back into his solid body. And for a second, I find myself momentarily lost in his charming eyes. The way he looks at me with so much longing. It’s a look I’ve dreamed about for way too long.

Tension crackles through the crisp night air around us.

Anger.

---