AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His nose roams my face and neck. “How else was I supposed to smell you all night?”
I swallow. “You could have slept with me.”
His eyes lift to mine.
“I mean in the same bed,” I clarify quickly. “Not like—”
“Is that what you wanted?”
“I want you to sleep in your own bed. There’s no reason for you to sleep on the couch. You’re making me really uncomfortable taking your bedroom.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” He slides back on his glasses. “Alright. We’ll share the bed.”
“Great.”
“We might as well since we’re just getting started.”
“Getting started?”
“If this is really happening between you and Landon, then I’m…” he drops his gaze and swallows. “Going to make sure you’re prepared. If that’s alright with you.”
I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not letting him hurt you,” he says flatly. “This thing with Landon might be a one-time thing, but I don’t know if you know what to expect. How it will feel. I don’t know that he’ll take care of you the way—"
“Noah,” my voice cracks.
“Let me be your first,” he whispers painfully.
I swallow. My eyes welling with unshed tears because it sounds like he’s setting an end date for us before we even start.
“We already know there’s no strings attached. That we’re just friends. You trust me. You feel safe with me. You know I would never hurt you.”
I nod. “I know.” They’re the only words I can say. The only words that are true out of everything happening right now.
“You don’t have to give me an answer right now.”
“Will you kiss me?”
He steps close and pulls off his glasses again. It's almost dramatic and I laugh, pressing a hand to his Clark Kent chest. “I don’t mean right now. I mean, will you be kissing me? Or just…teaching me?”
He lifts my chin, meeting my lips with his. “I’ll always be kissing you. I only have so much self-control.”
Then I don’t need to think. “When do we start?”
He searches my eyes, probably just as lost as I am in his at the moment. Then turns and hands me my coffee. “Tonight. You’re getting naked.”
I open my mouth but he cuts me off. “And bring a towel.”
“A towel?”
“Yeah,” he gives me a quick peck before picking up his to-go coffee mug and slipping his glasses back on. “We’re going skinny dipping in the lake.”
19
Itake Charlie to dinner at the Inn after work. She’s quiet again and I’m convinced it has to do with the project she’s not talking to me about. I’m tempted to take a closer look. To propose the plans to the Board myself with a damn good argument.
Because it’s what she wants.
