Page 13 of When The Noise Stops

I caught her wrist.

She stopped.

Her breath caught. The laughter faded, but her smile was still there; it turned wicked. My thumb pressed against her pulse point. It was racing.

I hadn't even realized I'd grabbed her waist. My other hand just resting there. Curved around the softness of her hip just above her ass. I wanted to move it further. It took everything in me not to.

She looked down at my hand. Then back up at me.

"I—" She swallowed.

"I didn't mean to—"

I didn't let go.

"Lila."

"Yeah?"

My voice came out low.

"You're making this hard for me, touching me."

She didn't pull away. Didn't fill the space with a joke. Just looked at me like the world had narrowed to just me and she was fine with that.

And I knew I was in trouble.

The music kept playing. Some song I didn't recognize this time. I didn't think I'd recognize much of her music.

I let go. I couldn't do this. Not to some vulnerable girl who might just be clinging to me because she thought I saved her.

Stepped back.

"Thanks for dinner," I said, voice rough, before turning and walking out.

Just as I closed the door, I heard her. "See you tomorrow, Grizz."

I smiled at the thought and I knew I was fucked.

Chapter 5

Knox

I woke up with her name in my head and her smell on my skin.

I lay there staring at the ceiling, replaying last night. The way she'd looked at me. The way she'd felt in my hands. The way her pulse had jumped under my thumb. The way I'd had to physically remove myself before I did something we'd both regret.

She was something else. What was I going to do?

I got up and showered instead of thinking. But I was still thinking after thirty minutes under the coldest water.

I stood at the mirror. "Get yourself together, Knox."

She is just a neighbor. She's too young. Tragic. You can't do anything with her.

But I wanted to.

I shook my head and started getting dressed. I could get lost in work.