Page 26 of Surrender
He was focused and determined, and one day those things were going to be some of his greatest strengths, but right now, they just made him so damn stubborn.
He tossed the jacket onto the bed and took a seat beside itbefore pulling at the tie next, forcefully trying to yank it from his neck.
“Oh my God, stop!” I snapped, stepping forward and grabbing his wrists. “Stop. Let me do it.”
“You don’t get it. I can’t—”
“And I don’t care,” I cut in, nudging his knees apart so I could step between them.
This time, he didn’t fight my touch, and I gently tugged at the tight grip he had around the flimsy piece of fabric, trying to ignore his split and bleeding knuckles as I took over.
“What’s the other guy look like?” I tried to joke, gently using my nail to pick at the tight knot he’d now made.
It was something he always said to me to try and make me laugh whenever I hurt myself, and it never failed to do the job.
Today, though, I wasn’t sure anything would work to change the mood.
It’d been a long day.
A sad day.
One that neither of us would ever forget, but that we’d heal from as long as we stuck together. As long as we remembered that we had each other.
“I’ve gotta go, Darcy,” Nate finally answered with a deep rasp. I freed the tie and dropped it to the side, my hands moving to his face. The tension in his body eased, and he turned his cheek into my palm while my thumb skimmed over the raw cut in his bottom lip.
“I need to get some ice,” I murmured as his hands curled around the back of my thighs. “I’ll just run down—”
“Darcy,” he cut in, the low, gritty tone I was used to, wavering just a little. “I’ve gotta go.”
I didn’t understand. His words ceased to make sense as we stood there together, and for some odd reason, at thatmoment, ,it felt like it was somehow important.
He wasn’t that scrawny kid who moved in next door anymore.
He was broad and muscular, and that tint of red hair that had caught my eye the day we’d first met was still there, but it was deeper, darker, and more like a fiery glisten you could only catch in the sun.
I knew he was happy for that at least, having seen him throw more than one punch at people who’d teased him about it.
“Where are you going?” I finally questioned, shaking my head.
“Away,” he murmured, reaching for my face. His palm curled around my jaw, and I inhaled deeply as he pulled me in. His lips brushed over mine, and he flinched. I tried to pull back, not wanting to hurt him, but instead, he got to his feet and deepened the most perfect kiss.
It was frantic enough to make my heart race, but at the same time, incredibly gentle. I clutched the front of his shirt, bunching the fabric in my hands and pushing up on my toes to try and get closer.
It felt like only seconds, and he was suddenly pulling away again, shaking his head.
“Don’t go,” I whispered, clinging to his shirt and trying not to sound like some whiney child. “I need you here.”
“You’ll be okay.”
I blinked a couple of times, confusion setting in as I processed it all. “Nate, what do you mean? I don’t—”
The bedroom door creaking open behind me forced us both to take a step back, hands slipping away. I turned, instantly confused by the lack of surprise on my father’s face. “Nate, come on, man, they’re waiting.”
My head swung back to Nate, watching as he pushed hisshoulders back and gave a firm nod. “Yeah. I’m done here.”
My heart kicked into high gear, the room beginning to swirl as I watched him walk toward my bedroom door. “Wait!” I choked out. “What… what the hell is going on?”
“I told you, I got in a fight,” he answered, gritting his teeth. “Cops arrested me. They said the guy wants to press charges, so I’ll probably be doing some time.”
