Page 15 of Resisting Temptation

I respond with a small chuckle. I love this girl, no one knows me like she does. When I’m about to fall apart, she’s right there for me. She knows all my favorite things and understands more than most how bitterly alone I feel. Because I know she feels it too. When your family’s estranged, you find your people. The ones who, even though they don’t know why you’re acting crazy, they don’t care. They just want to make you feel better. “He really hurt me, Mae,” I admit, wanting someone I can talk to about it.

She wraps an arm around me as we take the stairs up to our front door. “I know, honey.” She turns the key in the lock to let us in. “Is hanging on to it making you feel any better?”

“No,” I huff sadly. “It’s making me feel like shit.”

Her pretty green eyes meet mine. “Maybe it’s time to let it go?”

“I can’t,” I admit. I can’t let go of how much I hate Noah, because if I do, what we had really will be over. And after loving him for so long, it can’t be.

Chapter 9

Noah

“So, you’re really doing it? Following in your father’s footsteps and running for mayor?” Parker asks. And by his expression, I can see he’s not fully sold on the idea.

I nod. “I can’t let the Prescotts have this as well. They already have too much power.”

“Someone has to stop them. If what your father’s journals say is true, then the last thing we need is them having any more power over this town.”

I nod, agreeing with him. For the last couple of days, the two of us have been reading over my father’s journals, years of documentation of all the illegal stuff he witnessed going on.

“Fuck,” Parker snaps, looking straight to me.

“What is it?” I ask, fear creeping over. The deeper we get into these journals, the more I worry about the state of this town.

He hands me the book he was looking over, and I spot his father’s name.

I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Our town’s beloved Doctor Whittaker accepting a large sum of money for a job well done, after performing surgery in his office on the Rebel Raiders’ leader instead of taking him into emergency and having the authorities take care of him.

He’s tangled up in the Prescotts’ world of lies and deception as well.

Parker’s head drops. “I knew my father was up to something dodgy! That night I overheard him on the phone with someone. He told them if he was going to keep his mouth shut about this, they needed to pay him more. I have no idea what the person on the other side of the phone said, but he threw his phone across the room in a rage and then turned his furious attention on me.”

I think back, remembering the night he was talking about all too well. “The night of the game. Do you think he knew they were going to make my dad the scapegoat?”

“I’d say he knew something. He had to.”

“That’s why he wants me away from Paisley. Looks bad for him to be associating with a Harrington after what he did to my father. He must be shitting himself that it’s all going to come out now that you’re home and the two of us are spending so much time together. Couldn’t look good for him,” I agree. His father is a piece of shit. And I’m not surprised to find out he’sinvolved with the Rebel Raiders gang. He might have this town fooled, but I’m not.

“Wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen him since I got back. I have nothing to say to the man. And if what we’re reading in here is true, I’m even more glad I severed ties with him all those years ago.” He looks me over more seriously. “What is going on with you and Paisley? The truth this time, no avoiding my question or changing the subject.”

I run a hand through my hair trying to find the words to explain what she means to me. “She’s not just some girl to me, Parker. She’s the only girl, has been for a long time,” I admit, meeting his gaze with a seriousness that tells him I’m full-on serious about this.

He straightens up, and I see the wash of protectiveness coming over him I expected. “Is that why she hates you? Don’t you fucking hurt her.”

“I would never, it’s your father we need to worry about, if he could hurt me the way he did. And now this is all coming to light, he could literally be capable of anything.”

When I get in from celebration drinks with the fellas at McAllister’s, it’s late. I head straight to my bedroom for a shower. Glancing out through my open window, I spot Paisley. She’s in her room lying on her bed in just a silky-looking camisole and short shorts, the kind with lace trim. A sexy little number I haven’t been able to get out of my mind for days. I’m hard instantly and wonder if she’s all dressed up just for me. Convenient that her room is the only one in the house that looks on to mine.Right now, she’s facing away from me, engrossed in her phone. Probably writing notes on how to run me out of town.

Fuck, I wish she would talk to me.

Hear me out.

Her avoiding me has gone on long enough. Doesn’t she realize I’m going to keep annoying the shit out of her until she gives in? I remember what it was like to be with her. I could tell from the desire in her eyes, she remembers how good we are together as well. She was turned on big time. I knew when I walked away that nothing was going to change for me. And even though she’s resisting it, she feels the same. I still imagine her perfect body laid out before me. She drove me fucking crazy, in the best way possible. And I’m not willing to let go of the idea that what we had is completely over. She just needs to warm up to the idea of me being back again. Then she will come round. When she knows what really happened.

I pull out my phone as I watch her. She refuses to speak to me, but there’s a chance she’ll text me, and I’m not done with the foreplay from the bar.

NOAH: Your Pajamas are sexy as fuck

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