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Goosebumps rise from my touch, and I chuckle at her reaction. Stella can pretend like she hates me, but we both know that isn’t the case. Her need to dislike me and everything that I represent is overshadowed by the desire I see radiating from her now.
Her lip quivers as she struggles to speak through a jagged breath. “You are right; and I don’t care. Besides, I’m not telling you where I am going. Rich boys like you don’t belong around here.”
I highly doubt that’s true. Stella’s words may say she doesn’t care, but her body and eyes are telling me otherwise.
“For some reason, I don’t believe you,” I begin, trailing my finger down her arm and then hooking it around the hem of her shorts. I touch the soft skin of her toned stomach and she sucks in a breath. “I think that you want to tell me where you are going.” Leaning in closer, I breathe against her cheek, and she visibly shakes underneath my frame. “I also think that you want me to chase you.”
This causes another reaction from Stella. She jumps back, forcing me to release my hold on her waist. Her cheeks are flushed, and her chest is rising and falling swiftly. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?” she cries out, but her words are heavy and breathy.
I’m momentarily taken aback. This isn’t at all how I expected her to react. I thought she would charge at me with another sassy comment, but this—raw emotion-- is not what I ever thought I would see from Stella.
“I was just messing around...” I begin, but Stella cuts me off.
“Thats your problem, Micah. You think this is all a game. A joke. Look around,” she yells, waving her arms around. “This isn’t a joke; this is my life. You get to come down here, act like a hero as you save the poor girl from the trailer park, then ride back to your kingdom on the nicer side of Savannah. I don’t need your pity or your help. I can take care of myself—I've been doing it all of my life.” She gasps, wiping away tears that are now pouring down her face. “There isn’t anyone to look out for me, but me.”
A sob escapes her as she finally breaks down. As I watch her crumble, I wonder if she’s ever said any of those words aloud. A pain echoes through my chest as I watch this tough, strong, and independent girl break. Before I know what I am doing, I dart forward, rushing to her, and wrap my arms around her body. Pulling her in to me, I holdher tiny body while she cries. At first, she attempts to fight me off, but soon, she gives in and allows me to hold her. She grips my hands, clutching on to me like I’m her fucking life line. And right now, I want to be.
Her body molds to mine as if she were made just for me. A gasp tears through her, but she doesn’t fight me anymore. The shift in her mood has me filled with so much emotion, I barely know how to contain myself. All of her pain is unleashing right now and damn it, I will be here to take it all on for her if she will let me.
“I will look out for you,” I whisper into her ear.
Grabbing my hand, Stella pulls it up to her mouth and kisses my palm. A smile breaks through her tears and it’s the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever seen in my life. My heart stills and my breathing stops. My eyes fall to her pouty lips. Right now, she doesn’t need me to crash my lips to hers or to ravage her body. No, what Stella needs is consistency and to feel like someone cares for her.
“That could be nice,” she says, her voice barely audible.
I have no doubt in my mind that those words were pure torture for her to say aloud. This is difficult for Stella; to trust someone else, but I will show her that I’m worth it. I squeeze her tighter and kiss her forehead. When she sighs, I know that she’s calm.
I know that I can’t take her pain away, but for this brief moment, I can give her something that she has never had before; support.
