I pinched my lips closed and shook my head. I didn’t want to speak because I knew that, as soon as I did, I’d lose all control.
“Emery.”
Tears were flowing now. There was no stopping them. My makeup was a mess. I was a mess. There was no way I was going to make it to the bar.
“I can’t go,” I whispered, my emotions choking me.
“What?” His voice was soft and smooth.
“I can’t go, Noah. I just…can’t.” A sob escaped and then another. “I can’t go on a date. I can’t marry some stranger. I just…Carson.” I buried my face in my hand. I didn’t want to be so open and vulnerable with this man, but it was too late. I’d opened Pandora’s box, and there was no way I could shut it now.
He was quiet for a moment. “Do you want me to get Abigail?”
I rested my head against the seat once more. My eyes were still closed and I shook my head. “No. I don’t…no.” I took in a deep breath. “Will you come get me?” It was strange, but the only person I wanted to see me like this was Noah. I knew Abigail had the best of intentions, but I didn’t want to go over this with her once I had composed myself.
I didn’t know much about Noah, but I knew this: he was good at keeping his distance. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would bring up the past. If I broke down and cried in front of him, he would wait as I pulled myself out of the slump and then never mention it again.
That was what I needed right now.
“Please, come get me.”
He was silent. At first, I wondered if I had overstepped, but then I shook my head. Even if he didn’t want to, it was still his job. He was my bodyguard. Protecting me was in his contract.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” His voice was gruff and commanding.
For some reason, his words mixed with his tone made me feel safe. It made me feel calm.
He’d hung up before I could even respond, so I clicked off my screen and set my phone down in my lap. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Now that I’d made the decision not to go meet Will at the pub, I felt calmer. My head had cleared and I could focus on quieting my mind and body.
Headlights shone into my car, and I opened my eyes to see a white SUV pull into the parking spot in front of me. I squinted as the door opened and a dark figure got out. He spoke to the driver for a few seconds and then headed toward me.
Noah.
He didn’t stop until he got to the driver’s door and knocked on the window. I pulled on the door release. Noah grabbed the top of the door and pulled it the rest of the way open. I wiped at my eyes, hoping that I wasn’t a complete mess as he peered in at me.
His eyebrows were knit together, and his gaze was dark as he ran it over my body before focusing on me. “You okay?” he asked.
My body felt hot and cold at the same time. The ocean breeze hit my exposed legs, causing me to shiver, but my body had warmed in response to the concern in his voice and the protective way he was staring at me.
“Yeah,” I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt and moved to climb out.
Suddenly, Noah stepped around the door and extended his hand. Out of instinct, I grabbed it before I realized what I was doing. The roughness of his hands and the heat from his skin shocked me. I instantly glanced up at him as panic set in.
What was happening to me?
I’d officially gone insane. Not only did I have a breakdown in this small-town grocery store parking lot, but I was now physically reacting to Noah. This was not normal.
I was not normal.
I didn’t drop my hand and Noah didn’t say anything as he helped me out of the car. His fingers lingered with mine before I let his hand go to make my way around the car to the passenger side. Noah followed close behind me. When I got to the door, I reached out to grab the handle, but he beat me to it.
“Let me,” he said, his voice low and gravelly.
I was exhausted, so I just nodded and stepped back. Normally, I’d fight him, stating I could do it myself, but not tonight. Tonight, I wanted to get home, take a hot shower, and go to bed. If that meant letting Noah be chivalrous, then I wasn’t going to stop him.
He held the door as he watched me situate myself on the passenger seat. After a once-over, he gently shut the door and then jogged around the car to the driver’s side. He climbed in and buckled. With his left hand on the wheel and his right hand hovering over the drive button, he glanced over at me.
“Ready?” he asked.
