I Told You To Run But You Didn't (Georgia) novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58

成89%

Finished

Georgia’s POV

He let out a short, incredulous laugh. “Are you really that blind? Do you make a habit of kissing men you despise?” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, intimate murmur. “You kissed me back, Georgia. In the river. In your bedroom. Don’t pretend you didn’t feel it too.”

Before I could even form a denial, he added, “And we’re doing it again…”

And just like that, his mouth was on mine. There was no warning, no gentle approach. One second we were talking, the next his lips were claiming mine with a possessive heat that stole the air from my lungs.

It wasn’t angry, but it wasn’t gentle either. It was a kiss that stated, simply and absolutely, You are mine.

My mind was spinning from the kiss. He was so bold! But I felt a spark of fight inside me. I grabbed his hair, kissed him back hard for a second, then pushed him awy.

“Catch me if you can,” I dared him, laughing a little as Iurned and ran down the mountain path.

I heard him laugh behind me. “Are you really playing games with me now, Georgia?” he called out. “Are you sure you want to tease me?”

I didn’t answer. I just ran faster. The path was rough, with rocks and roots. I looked back. He was just walking slowly, smiling that annoying smile.

Jerk. I ran even faster around a corner, hoping to hide in the trees.

Then I heard him running behind me. Much faster now Wow, he’s fast! He wasn’t playing. He was really chasing me!

I felt scared but also kind of excited. I pushed myself, running as fast as I could, watching the path. I didn’t see the big tree root sticking out. My foot hit it hard.

I flew forward, my arms waving wildly. The world spun Below me, the path ended. Just rocks and a long drop down. Oh no.

I screamed as I fell towards the edge.

Then, pain! A hand grabbed my wrist super tight, pulling me back just as I was about to fall off the cliff. I swung in the air for a second before Estevan pulled ine back onto the path. We both fell onto the dirt.

He didn’t hug me. He leaned over me, looking really, really angry. But his eyes also looked scared.

“Are you crazy?!” he yelled, his voice shaking a little. “Are you trying to kill yourself?!”

My mouth felt dry. My heart was beating so fast it hurt. almost died! I was shaking all over. I couldn’t talk. All I could say was a shaky whisper, holding onto his had tight.

“D-Don’t let go…”

He let out a long, shaky sigh, the anger slowly draining from his eyes, replaced by a lingering fear and something else… frustration. He gently helped me sit up then pulled me to my feet.

The moment I put weight on my left foot, a sharp, searing pain shot up my leg. I hissed, biting back a cry. Sprained ankle. Perfect. Just absolutely perfect.

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10:36 Tue, Mar 10 M M

Chapter 58

89%0

Finished

I tried to hide it, forcing myself to stand straight, putting on the stoic soldier face I had worn for years. Endure the pain. Don’t show weakness. I took a tentative step. It was agony, but I managed.

Estevan watched me, his eyes narrowed, missing nothing. He saw the slight grimace I couldn’t completely suppress, the way I subtly favored my right leg.

Before I could protest, he swore under his breath, bent own, and scooped me effortlessly into his arms, cradling me against his chest as if I weighed nothing at ll.

My eyes flew wide in surprise, my arms automatically going around his neck for balance. Our faces were suddenly inches apart again, his jaw tight, his scent-pine needles, damp earth, and something uniquely him-filling my senses.

“You don’t need to do that,” I protested, my voice tight with embarrassment and annoyance. “I can walk.”

“No, you can’t,” he stated flatly, his voice cold again, all traces of the earlier fear gone, replaced by a stern authority. “And we are miles from the house. You don’t ave a choice.”

He started walking back down the path, carrying me as asily as if I were a child. The anger I’d seen in his eyes moments before seemed to be simmering just beneath the surface again. It made no sense.

“Why are you so angry?” I demanded, frustrated by histony silence and the confusing signals he was sending. “It wasn’t you who almost fell off a cliff!”

He stopped abruptly, his dark eyes snapping to mine, blazing with unexpected fury. “Because you scared me, Georgia!” he bit out, his voice a low, rough growl. “You scared the absolute hell out of me! Watching you fall… thinking for one second I wouldn’t be fast enough. Do you have any idea?!”

His outburst shocked me into silence for a beat. Then my own temper flared. “Don’t yell at me!” I snapped back.

“You’re screaming too!” he retorted, his grip tightening almost painfully.

“Because you are!” I yelled back, utterly bewildered by de intensity of his reaction. Why did he care so much? Why was he the one yelling when I was the one who almost died?

He carried me in silence for what felt like forever, his long strides eating up the mountain path. My ankle throbbed, but the bigger ache was the confusion swirling in my chest.

Finally, the trees began to thin, and I could hear the gerle gurgle of running water nearby. We were almost down, maybe twenty minutes from the house.

“Put me down,” I said, pointing towards a small, clear steam tumbling over smooth rocks. “I need to drink something.”

He stopped, his expression dubious, but he carefully se me down on a large, flat boulder beside the stream. I leaned down, cupped my hands, and drank deeply ofe ice-cold, clear water. It tasted pure, clean, like the mountain itself.

He was just standing there, watching me, his face a facade of faint disgust,

“What?” I asked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “It’s drinkable. It’s clean. Comes straight from the mountain spring!” I scooped up more water. “Try it

He hesitated for a second, then knelt beside me. He washed me drink again before cautiously cupping his

III

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