Page 82 of Cruel Proposal
"I'd want to know that you were going to stay. I'd need to know that you value the woman I am, not the one people try to force me to be. I'd need you to see that you could be more too."
"And if I'm not capable of being more?"
"Then you don't see yourself like I do."
As I peel my shirt off over my head, I'm already toeing off my shoes and socks.
I look over my shoulder at him while reaching for the clasp on my bra.
His gaze rakes up and down my body.
I peel off the rest of my clothing as I walk down to the lake, standing naked at the edge for a moment before getting into the chilly water. Even with the sun beating down from above, there's still an initial shock in getting into the water.
Turning around and sinking beneath the water until it's lapping at my collarbones, I motion to him. "You coming?"
Noah walks toward the lake, stripping as he does.
It's like my own personal show. I don't know if we're ever going to stay off each other long enough to talk about anything important, but this seems like a start.
I don't know what's going on in his head as he follows me deeper into the lake.
His hand wraps around my ankle beneath the water, and he pulls me closer.
My legs wrap around his waist as he stands, the water at the base of his neck.
"Why all the questions?"
His arms band around my waist as he holds me close. "Because I need to figure some things out in my life. And I thought figuring you out might be a good place to start."
Chuckling, I trail my hands along his shoulders, enjoying the way his muscles flex beneath my touch. "You know, talking like that is starting to make it hard to think you're a monster."
His cock is already hard and pressing against me. "Don't get it backwards. I'm horrible. You should be running for your life right now."
"No, I think I've got other things I want to do with you."
Noah smirks, his lips brushing over mine. "And what might that be?"
Hector jogs down from the top of the hill, stopping at the edge of the lake, averting his eyes while I sink back beneath the water. "We've got a problem!"
"What is it?" Noah moves in front of me slightly, blocking more of me from sight.
Hector grabs my clothing and piles it on the bank for me. "There's a matter that needs to be handled at the Long Island warehouse. We need to hurry."
\\\*
When we turn into the warehouse parking lot and see the thin plumes of smoke curling from the windows and swirling into the sky, I know something's wrong.
Really wrong.
Noah clenches the wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.
People pour from the building, but as they do, gunshots are fired. One person after another hits the ground.
Noah glances over at me. "You need to stay here. I can't be worried about you."
"No." I glance at the building, the first glimpse of orange flames flickering up the side of the cement structure, peeking through the windows. "You're going to get hurt. Just?—"
He shakes his head, checking his gun to make sure it's loaded before opening his door. "I mean it, Summer. Stay the fuck here."
