Page 64 of One Last Time
He leans forward with a sexy grin. “I thought you’d have realized that by now. I rented a fucking condo here thisweek.”
I’m not sure what that means because he’s supposed to be staying here for a few weeks anyway, so it makes sense he’d rent a place. “Okay. . .”
Noah rubs his forehead while shaking his head. “I had no plans to stay here. I was visiting Eli for a few days and then going back to New York. Now, I’m signing leases, doing press shit, and thinking of excuses to seeyou.”
“Which is nuts! This is too fast, and I can’t get hurtagain.”
“I don’t want to hurtyou.”
No one ever means to hurt someone, but it’s reality. I can only carry so much pain before I’m going to break. “I don’t think you’d do it intentionally,” I say, twisting the ring on my thumb. “You’re the first man in a long time to make me feelpretty.”
Noah’s eyes flash with anger. “Kristin,” he starts, and I hold my handup.
“Let me finish, please.” I wait to see him relax so I can get all this out. “My ex-husband was abusive in ways I never saw. He put me down all the time, made me believe I was worthless to the point that I was . . . sad and lonely. He broke me so that the small scraps of love he gave felt like meals. I could live off one compliment for months because they came so rarely. I don’t ever want to be that woman again,” I say as I fight back tears. “I shouldn’t want you. I shouldn’t even be thinking about another man because I’mscared.”
He leans forward with his palms up. I want to place my hands in his, but instead, I just touch the tips of his fingers. “You aren’t the only one scared here. Trust me, I’m not sure what to think half the time. But I can promise you this”—he pushes forward so our hands are now joined—“I will never make you feel small. You won’t ever be lonely, Kristin. I promise you that, if you give this a chance, I will treat you like you should’ve been treated allalong.”
“And when you leave to go on with yourlife?”
Noah shrugs. “We’ll cross that bridge then. Look, you might go on another date with me and realize it’s you who doesn’t likeme.”
“Notlikely.”
“It could happen. All I’m asking for is for us to spend the next few weeks figuring it out. If you fall in love with me, that’s on you. The possibility is real.” He grins. “My money says you’ll want to keepme.”
That’s the issue. My wanting to keep him, and him not wanting to cherishme.
I look at our hands and then back to him. “It’s not thatsimple.”
“Nothing is, but I’m not walking away from someone who has lit a fire inside me that I thought died out. I just need you to give it achance.”
Why does he have to be so great? He’s the polar opposite of Scott. Everything he says is filled with so much meaning. It’s terrifying because what if I do give him that chance and he leaves me? How could I everrecover?
I’m only crawling today because I couldn’t get any lower than my ex-husband shovedme.
This isn’t fair to Noah, though. He deserves to be happy with someone who can give himmore.
“Noah.” I sigh, pulling my hands back. My heart is already broken, might as well pulverize it and push him away. “I’m the last thing youneed.”
He gets to his feet without saying a word. I watch him move around the table, making his way to me. My heart beats so loudly I worry it’s going toexplode.
My mind is reeling, and with as much as I want him to tell me I’m right and walk away, I don’t. I want someone to fight for me—justonce.
When he reaches me, my breath stops. I want to scream that I didn’t mean what I said, but he cups my face, moving his thumb on my cheek. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe neither of us needs any more complications, but you’re the only thing Iwant.”
I’m pretty sure I justdied.
Has anyone said anything as perfect as that? If they have, I don’t care because my entire world hasshifted.
“I want you, too.” For the first time, I’m completely honest withhim.
I wanthim.
I want him to want me, and God help me, I want itall.
Fear ruled me for too long, and I won’t allow it to do so for one more second. Noah and I might not last. We could be a flash in the pan that fizzles out before it gets going, but if I don’t try, I’ll neverknow.
“Yeah?” he asks with surprise in hisvoice.
