Page 9 of Resisting Temptation

Quickly I check behind me before shutting the box. “Not here.” My slightly inebriated mind thought this was a great idea for tonight. And maybe it was time,but if this is all true, I’ve lost seventeen years, and my father was wrongfully imprisoned. Someone needs to pay. “What we saw here tonight stays between us. The only other person who can know is Brody because I trust him, but that’s it. Do I have both your words?”

“We all have secrets we’ve kept for many years, this is no different,” Elliot agrees.

Parker gives a nod. “You have my word.”

“I have to take the job as mayor. To get vengeance for my father,” I say almost to myself. Originally, I just wanted the motherfucker who destroyed my life to pay for what he put me through, but now… Now things are different.

Parker’s hands come to my shoulders. “Whatever you need, you know I’m here for you. I owe you my life for what you did for me all those years ago.” His eyes meet mine with a solidarity he knows I must need right now.

I stare back at him. We all know what he’s talking about. His father. But I just did what any one of us boys would—stepped into help a friend in trouble. They all came to my rescue that very same night. “You don’t owe me anything, but your help would be appreciated. If anyone can decipher what’s on this,” I pat my pocket, “it will be you.”

Chapter 6

Paisley

Carrying a large vase of fresh mixed flowers, I walk confidently through the mostly empty foyer of the newly renovated Alexander Hotel. Placing it on a pedestal, I make sure it’s steady before fluffing some chrysanthemums out a little further. This has been my Tuesday job since I started working at Wild Magnolia the year I left high school. And one of my favorite parts of my job, escaping the customers and catching up on the gossip around the hotel.

My morning task is to refresh vases in the hotel foyer and restaurant. Today we have gone with an all-white-and-green theme to coordinate with the crisp white walls and the royal blue sofas that now fill this space. My brother Parker is head of the fix-up crew. He’s a property developer, and this is for sure his taste. I have to hand it to him, the place looks incredible. It’s gone from dated disaster to chic beachside oasis.

Returning to the corner of the conference room, I find my dedicated workspace, complete with a workbench and a sink, which is perfectly suited for crafting beautiful floral designs for weddings, events, and corporate occasions. Irritation crawls up my spine immediately when I find Noah Harrington standing in the doorway to my space with a stupid grin on his gorgeous face.

Over the last few months, I’ve gotten used to keeping an eye out for him around this place. If I see him, I scurry away quickly in the opposite direction to avoid the awkwardness. If he knew what was good for him, he would do the same. I still haven’t forgiven Brody for giving him a job here as head of security for The Alexander, and a reason to hang around even more than he already was. When he was in Jacksonville, I could handle my emotions toward him, but having him at one of my places of work is infuriating. And if my life couldn’t get any worse, I now find his face every time I look out my living room window. This morning, he went for a run, and by the time he got home, he was shirtless and stretched using his front fence, while I was sitting on my porch trying to drink my morning coffee. It’s late winter, for God’s sake, no one is so hot they need to take off their shirt after a run around the block. I wasn’t watching him on purpose, but he takes up so much space with all those muscles. He just accidentally caught my eye right as I was imagining running my hands over his sweaty inked skin. Of course, it was at the same moment his eyes met mine, so I looked guilty as hell. I immediately looked away, but not before he had the audacity to throw me a cheeky wink because he knew exactly what I was thinking.

“Is there a security issue I need to be aware of?” I push out through clenched teeth as I shove past him into my space. Taking a big fluffy chrysanthemum out of the bucket, I place it in the next empty vase. “If you’re here to ask for your jacket back,don’t bother. I threw it in the trash.” There is no way I did, but I also don’t want him to know that.

He raises a brow like he doesn’t believe me, but I just glare back at him. “Pais, don’t you think it’s time we talked about what happened? If I’m going to be stay—”

“Don’t say it,” I cut him off with a deathly glare. “You don’t get to talk about anything with me. Nothing happened.” As I speak, my hands quiver. He makes me feel so vulnerable. I opened up to him and gave him my heart, and he crushed it, like what we had meant nothing to him.

He closes the gap between us, leaning on the flower counter beside me, making himself comfortable. In this tiny space, it’s all too much. “We both know it did,” he says, his voice low, almost caring.

My heart kicks up a beat. Despite feeling his warm gaze on me, I can’t help but fixate on the empty vase, because if I look at him it will be all too much. A dull drumbeat throbs through me, causing my chest to ache. It’s a pain that I’m well acquainted with, lingering for years whenever my brother or one of our friends utters his name. Whenever I stroll onto the beach, memories of our first kiss flood back. He invaded my life; he chased me when I knew it was a bad idea, and I stupidly gave in to him because I had always wanted to. He was too irresistible to walk away from. He was every teenage girl’s dream, her big brother’s gorgeous best friend, quarterback of the winning football team. He used to look at me like he wanted to eat me alive. Turns out he did, but once he had his fun, he fucked off, leaving me to pick up the pieces.

“Paisley, look at me,” he growls out, his words holding an edge that frightens me, because I know what will happen if I look at him right now. I will fall back under his spell.

Inhaling deeply, I attempt to regain control of my emotions. Sunday was embarrassing enough. I can’t cause another scene.But why in the ever-loving God did he have to come home? Slowly, I grip the snippers in my hand. Stopping what I’m doing with the flowers, I shift my gaze toward him. My heart hammers out of control. I’m not sure if I’m going to stab him with them or burst into tears. “You don’t deserve my attention,” I seethe before taking off past him.

This is my safe space, and now he’s invaded that as well. Running seems like the safest option. I don’t want Detective McAllister around here having to deal with another incident. Escaping from him is the only option. Anywhere but here where I can smell him and his damn aftershave. His masculine scent invades my senses and makes me feel things I buried long ago.

“Where are you going?” he calls after me. “You can’t just pretend I don’t exist. We live in the same town. We’re going to run into each other.” He keeps talking, and I can feel him behind me, so I pick up my pace.

I don’t give credit to his words by turning back. Instead, I stride across the parking lot on my way to the offices, in search of one of the girls. What did he expect me to say? Sure, Noah, you fucking broke me when you left, but now that you’re back, everything’s peachy? Let’s be best friends? Fuck no. That man needs to stay away from me if he wants his balls kept intact. Because I’m feeling stabby, and I have a pair of snips in my hands and I’m not afraid to use them.

Emerson is the first one I find. She’s making her way out of her office, but I hustle her back in there quickly and close the door behind us. My breathing rages from running. I really am very unfit and stressed.

“Paisley, are you okay?” She looks me over with motherly concern.

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” I suck in another deep breath, trying to get my breathing under control. “How’s yourday going, girl? I feel like it’s been forever since we last caught up,” I ask like my behavior is totally normal.

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “I had breakfast with you this morning.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t get to catch up properly with everyone else there.” I tuck my snips into my jeans pocket and take her by the shoulders. “We should go out tonight. We could have a girls’ night; I’m sure Gisele and Mae would be up for it. Dancing, good food, drinks.” I nod along with my idea as it forms. This is good, yes, going out with the girls is what I need to do.

“That sounds like a lot of fun, but it’s a Tuesday, sweetie, and I have a massive week ahead of me. Two corporate events and a wedding, and Gisele needs my help to cover it all.”

I drop my head, sucking in a deep breath, trying to stop the swirling thoughts and craziness that’s bubbling up inside of me. I need a distraction, something to take my mind off him.

She smiles at me sweetly. “We could go this weekend or next. It sounds like fun.”

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