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“Will you tell me why?”
His saddened expression transforms to one of misery.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.” I start to shake my head, not wanting to force him to divulge the reason for such pain.
Noah continues to gently caress my cheeks, his watery eyes killing me from within.
“The last person who cut my hair was my mom,” he explains, softly making my aching heart cry even more for the lost boy in front of me. “She was probably the only person that ever loved me, and I loved her with all my heart. I still do. I always will even if everyone else has forgotten her.” I hiccup on a pained sob as he tightens his hold on me. He gently presses his temple on my forehead, his nose running through the length of mine. “I guess it’s only fitting it was you who cut it off now.”
“Why? Why me?”
He pulls away just an inch to pierce me with the eyes that hold the key to my locked heart. My chest heaves up and down, unable to bring oxygen into my lungs as he stares at me with such intensity that my toes curl. I can see the answer to my question in his eyes. It’s right there for me to grab it and store it safe in my heart. All I have to do is be brave enough to reach out for it. And when his gaze falls to my lips, I wait on bated breath for the kiss that will undoubtedly change my reality forever.
But just as my heart leaps to my throat, ready for him to steal it away from me, we hear a car turn into our driveaway. As quickly as I can, I jump off his lap, just as my sister swings the front door open.
“Dude! You cut your hair!” she exclaims in shock, ignoring the boy who is honking in his Porsche for her.
“Hmm,” Noah mumbles. “Where are you and Derrick heading to?” Noah asks, dismissing her shock and getting up from the torture chair.
“We’re heading into town,” she replies, still eyeing the butchered job I did on him.
“Mind if I tag along? I need to get this sorted.”
“I don’t blame you,” she teases, but then her brow furrows when she sees me shift uncomfortably from left to right. “You want to come, sis?”
I shake my head.
“Okay, then.” She shrugs, bouncing off toward her date.
“I’m going to need that,” Noah says, his voice stern.
It takes me a few minutes to realize he’s staring at the leather jacket I’m still wearing.
“Oh, right,” I stammer, hurriedly taking it off me and feeling instantly cold when I hand it to him.
He grabs his jacket right where my hand is gripping it, my heart doing a stupid backflip when his thumb discreetly brushes my fingers.
“Thank you,” he whispers, making me realize that his gratitude isn’t for having his jacket back.
I lick my lips and nod, too overwhelmed to utter a word.
He turns around and heads toward my sister and Derrick, while my feet remain planted to the spot. I’m unable to move long after they’ve left.
All because it’s at this moment that I’m hit with the stark truth that my subconscious has been desperate to keep hidden away from me.
I’m in love with my stepbrother.
And the worst part…
There is a small part of me that believes he might be in love with me too.
Chapter 17
Skylar
Eighteen years old
One year later
