Page 24 of A Hard Habit to Break

Don’t look at him. Don’t think about lips or biceps. Or how many months it had been since her last intimate anything. That was it. Her lady parts had been out of practice too long. Her reaction wasn’t because of Noah. It couldn’t be, but she couldn’t think with her digits in his big strong mitts. She thought his naked silhouette had overwhelmed her senses. But feeling the pad of his thumb brush over her racing pulse, the way he assessed each ofher fingers, stroking her knuckles one by one, oh so gently, had her sinking her teeth into her bottom lip.

“Something wrong with me?” Slowly, he wound the bandage around her wrist, tugging to ensure its added support. Rachel’s skin heated with each rotation, her temperature climbing, her breathing more unsteady.

She glanced at his mouth again. “It’s not for me to judge.”

“Now you don’t want to touch or explain to the leper. What do you like to touch?”

She swallowed, digging deep for strength. For a new, thicker barrier to erect around her heart and mind. Finally, she said. “I like to run my hand up and down walls. Solid, immovable, impenetrable walls.”

He stood, careful not to jostle her wrist. She stood, too, which in hindsight brought her impossibly close to temptation. His scent, his size, and his sheer presence all appealed to her. This was so wrong. She couldn’t do this again.

“Hmm,” he smirked. “I like a good sturdy wall myself. Keeps fire contained.”

Rachel’s breath hitched at the sudden fire blazing in Noah’s eyes. Okay, that was enough innuendos for one night. She scrambled backward. “My cat isn’t here. I need to go.”

He pointed. “We’re not done with your hand.”

Wrong answer.The pain, though present and intensifying, did nothing to detract from the Noah effect. ClamClam might be MIA, but Rachel’s kitty was definitely purring. If she stayed a second longer, more thoughts of his lips, his hands on her body, might have her embarrassing herself.

“I’ll toss back a few pain pills when I get home.” Maybe wash it down with a beer or two.

“Wait here. I’ll drive you to the Whynot Clinic.” Noah came to stand in front of her.

“Why can’t you put away your superhero cap and let me go?”

He met her eyes. “Does it bother you that much to let me take care of you?”

Rachel’s heart flipped at the confusion marring his tightening expression. Of course, he reduced this interaction to its surface appearance. She was injured. He wanted to help. She wanted to run for the hills—literally.

“Noah, you don’t have to do anything for me.”

He nodded. “I remember. You told me enough times. But”—he brushed one thumb across her cheek—“you don’t like hospitals. So, I’ll drive. Stay with you.”

She hated that hospital scent, the thick stench of antiseptic cleanser and citrus air freshener. It clung to her mother, even when Rachel picked fresh flowers from the garden to place on her mother’s bedside table. There was no way to sweeten the smell of death.

“Right.” She rolled her eyes. “’Cause we’re neighbors. Doing what neighbors do. Helping each other in a time of need.” As if she could pretend her heartbreak never happened.

“Sure, Six. You’re just the girl next door.” He reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers. “That’s why you’re going to let me take care of you.”

“I don’t need—”

He held up a hand. “Me. You don’t need me or my help. I know.”

“Good.” She nodded. “’Cause you don’t get a second chance to wreck my heart.” Oh, she should have kept that part to herself.

He pulled her up short. “You wanna battle over who’s the most broken? I tried. I tried to fix us.”

“No,” she bellowed. “You tried to nail me down.”

“Oh,” he sneered. “That’s rich. Good ol’ Noah Calvary, a ball and chain around your pretty little neck.” He spun on his heel, her hand in his. “Let’s go. The sooner we get back, the sooner I can prepare for tomorrow’s town hall.”

She matched his stride, going along of her own free will, not because he had convinced her to change her mind. Her father had counted on her to build the arch. She couldn’t do that if she’d done real damage. And the pain pulsing through her wrist screamed,Make adecision,Rachel. “I never said our relationship was holding me back.”

He led her toward his truck. Like him, it was beautiful under the moonlight. It had a sleek metallic blue finish, chrome running boards, and massive tires.

“Huh, fooled the heck out of eighteen-year-old me.”

Her mouth hung open. How dare he play the victim? Noah ignored her shock, lifted her body into the truck’s cab, secured the seat belt at her hip, and closed the door.