Page 50 of Flirting With Forever
Chapter Fifteen
Sloane did have a migraine, but once Gage left and she’d laid down for a bit with some meds, it lessened. After tossing and turning, she gave up and decided a walk would go far to boost her dopamine levels.
She donned her sneakers, grabbed her phone, and picked her favorite music, leaving the sound low so she didn’t disturb anyone but also didn’t have headphones on, leaving her vulnerable and unable to hear. Women couldn’t be too careful these days.
Phone tucked in her pocket, she headed out, glad she didn’t have to also carry a key tucked somewhere due to the code on the house lock.
She headed east toward the water even though Gage’s townhouse was too far to make that walk doable. She supposed it was walkable to get to the canal and marina, but that wasn’t her destination.
This walk was about clearing her head and figuring out what she was going to do. Go. Or stay? Continue working for Gage and Cole—or try to find something else so her boss wasn’t also her…friend? Roommate? Boyfriend?
Those waters were so muddied that she was getting stuck in the muck at the bottom of her thoughts.
She’d made it a few blocks and had to repeatedly remind herself to take deep breaths when the pressure in her chest built up.
Go or stay. Go or stay.
Stay or go?
She liked Gage. She loved kissing him. Loved the comfort she felt in his arms. The way he tended to look out for her, checking in on her throughout the day and chatting over the phone as though just trying to get to know her. Loved their competitiveness when it came to games or…pies.
He was sweet and sexy, and darned if that wasn’t just a heady combination that made her want to break her rules and?—
A shiver slid down her spine, and her entire body instinctively tensed, but she kept her same pace, not letting on that she knew someone watched her.
The urge to run was fierce, but she reminded herself that Carolina Cove was full of curious, small-town people who liked to people watch as a pastime. It didn’t mean the feeling was more than that.
Someone on a porch or deck somewhere after their Thanksgiving meal relaxing as the world—she—went by.
The problem was, she trusted her gut, and right now, her gut told her the feeling was more. And the tears that filled her eyes and threatened to overflow took all her choices away as she turned to scan her surroundings and spotted the low-slung gray Audi R8 a block behind her.
Fancy cars were nothing unusual on the island. But this one was all too familiar. Noah.
Since she’d acknowledged him, the powerful engine growled as Noah gave it some gas and closed the distance between them. She looked around, searching for escape routes where he wouldn’t be able to follow. Neighbors’ yards would have to work because the road and sidewalk left her too vulnerable and accessible.
She swallowed hard and stepped back from the sidewalk and curb, moving quickly into the yard beside a driveway that had a large truck and a Jeep Wrangler parked toward the end, meaning Noah couldn’t pull in or get too close to her without getting out.
Then…she waited. Because the last thing she wanted to do was run back to Gage’s and have Noah follow, even though the odds were, he already knew exactly where she stayed.
Noah slowed at the end of the driveway and sat there, waiting for her to approach the car. Yeah, not happening.
He rolled the window down and shot her an impatient, tired stare.
“Get in, kiddo.”
She shook her head.
“You can’t keep this up. And you know why. All you’re doing is making things worse.”
“It’s my life. I can do what I want.”
“You know that’s not true. Now get in and let’s be done with this craziness.”
“It’s my life, Noah. Mine.”
“It’s our life as Harringtons.” He raised an eyebrow. “You know exactly how this works.”
“I want nothing to do with that life.”
