Free Trust Me by Melanie Walker Page A

from brooking any argument. “I just needed a little, I got shit on my mind.” He didn’t bother with excuses, he simply walked away from me. He slammed his door with enough effort to make my teeth rattle. Seconds later I could hear the blasting echo of Alice in Chains ‘Down in a Hole ’ coming from his room, and knew I had no desire to sleep in this house tonight.
    I walked back to my room and grabbed a few pillows, blankets and my cell charger and flipped the light switch before storming down the stairs. I opened the door to the small boathouse in the back of our property and lit the small propane lantern before I set to task making my bed on the old pull out couch.
    There wasn’t much to be said about the place, but it was mine. I had a small desk in the corner with a rolling chair and a pull out sofa for the nights I stayed up writing, or in this case, when Noah got high. It had been where I practically lived when Noah started using four years ago. As my soul supporter back then, I was desperate for him to change, but also terrified of leaving him or of telling Seth and Lilly. I restored the boathouse to livable standards and made it my home away from home. I came out here to write, or sometimes just to think, and it had been my safe place for years. It was quickly becoming my hideout once again.
    My phone beeped. I had forgotten about Chad in all the shit that went down with Noah. All day I had been looking for a distraction from my Chad muddled mind. What I wouldn’t give for that all encompassing feeling again.
    Out front where are you?
    I quickly responded.
    Come out back to the boathouse. I’m inside.
    I tossed my phone on the small desk in the corner and leaned back on the fold out bed I made. I had a passing thought that Chad would get the wrong impression at seeing the bed, but before I could fold it up he tapped on the door and walked in.
    Every time I saw him he took my breath away. He was dressed in perfect fitting jeans that looked soft and well worn, though I was certain he paid greatly for that look. He wore a deep grey henley with a Ramones vintage tee over the top. His head was wrapped in the black bandana that made my insides boil in precarious temptation. Just his hands and neck were showing the ink on his skin. In this moment I had an inappropriate thought that he would be the angel on my shoulder while Noah was the devil to my left. I had never seen Noah that way before, but knowing Chad had suffered with me in Noah’s former abuse, I knew he would feel the same now.
    He took one look at me in my jeans and v neck black top and sauntered over, eyeing me like a piece of candy.
    “Fuck, you’re beautiful, Carrie.” He said and took my hands in his, pulling me to him and pressing us tight while he stroked my back and rained kisses along the top of my head. This sexy man, a real life rockstar, could be anywhere, in any bed right now. The fact he chose to come to me, knowing there was no promise of sex, well, it wrecked me quite easily.
    I felt my eyes swelling with the need to cry; blinking back the tears I took a deep breath and inhaled all that was right in my world. It was an astounding emotion to know it was him that was right. He smelled like a man, musky, just a hint of soap. He’d likely showered when he’d gotten home and the scent that now enveloped him was uniquely Chad. It was fucking amazing.
    “I’m so glad you’re here, Chad.” I spoke softly into the fabric of his shirt and pulled him tighter to me, feeling my tears fall against all hope of holding it in.
    Chad noticed and squeezed me tighter. “Please, tell me that whatever has you so choked up right now has nothing to do with me not responding to your text earlier.”
    His hands stroked gently up and down my spine and he made no move to stop anytime soon. I drank the comfort in like a dying woman in a desert and let him hold me.
    Sometime later we had shifted from standing to lying side by side on the pullout bed. I was