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He showed no signs of relinquishing her arm, and Zara knew she couldn’t overpower him. She took the half step she needed and brushed his lips with a drive-by kiss.
“Good girl,” he said, seemingly satisfied with her half-assed effort. He scanned her face before saying, “It wasn’t about the kiss, sweetheart. It was about doing what I told you to do.”
It was all she could do not to screech at him, but he turned her loose, and she went back into the house, looking to put some kind of distance between them. She tried to sit down on the bed, but the pain was intense, and she sprang to her feet. Taking two of the fluffy pillows, she placed them on the bed and sat back down with her back to the door, a death grip on her thighs to keep from bursting into tears. The man was quite possibly the most maddening human being she’d ever come across. The fact she was rapidly losing her will to resist him was terrifying. She’d far rather face a horde of assassins than lose her heart to Noah Taylor.
Chapter
Nine
Noah watched her go. He wasn’t unaware he was upsetting her equilibrium. In his opinion, it was time someone did. The half-life she had relegated herself to after Damian’s death was no way for a woman of Zara’s passion and intellect to live. He’d never imagined he’d be the man to do it, but now that he had her, even though it was a tenuous hold, he had no intention of letting her go.
As he entered the cottage, he could see her sitting on the bed with her back to the door, her entire body rigid with tension. Noah decided to put together something for a midday meal and give her a bit of space, although his cock throbbed in opposition to that decision. The fact was, he looked forward to having her suck his cock, but not in the way she wanted. He had no illusions her plan was not so much to please him as to allow herself some semblance of control. Noah was quite sure, if he gave her an inch, she’d take the bit in her teeth and run for miles.
While the kiss she’d given him wasn’t much as kisses go, in terms of learning to yield to him, it was a step in the right direction… not a big step, but a step, nonetheless. Noah prided himself on being able to learn from other men’s mistakes. For instance, Mac had allowed a job promotion to cost him andWilla five years together, a decision Mac bitterly regretted. And Croft had tried to allow Finn to reconcile her conflicting feelings on her own, which had resulted in her taking off on him before realizing her foolishness and returning home. He’d have to remember to thank Finn for that. If she hadn’t, Zara might never have become embroiled in all of this. Certainly, it might have taken him longer to decide he and Zara were meant to be together.
Noah looked at what they had on hand to prepare. Ah, the ultimate comfort food—tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. He often wondered why that was such a universal thing in most western cultures. He went about blending the tomatoes and preparing the sandwich, ensuring the bread was buttery and well toasted.
“Zara? Come on, sweetheart. I made you tomato soup and grilled cheese.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Seriously, is this going to be a thing with you?” He left the kitchen with the sandwich toasting on the grill pan and stalked across the cottage, stopping just inside the bedroom door. “Get your ass off that bed and come eat.”
“I’m not hungry,” she repeated, but this time he heard her voice catch in her throat.
Noah walked around the edge of the bed. The evidence of the tears she had shed was apparent. Sitting next to her, he drew her resisting body into his lap, holding her close, and rocked her gently.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. I know it’s been tough, and I probably haven’t done all I could to make it easier for you. I just don’t think lying to you about how things are going to be is productive or helpful.”
“No,” she wailed as the tears began to fall again.
“Shh, I’m here. Everything will be all right.”
She pushed ineffectively at his chest, but he held her close. Zara fought, but Noah knew it was more with herself than him. She would come to see he could be her port in any of the storms that came her way. Finally, she quit struggling and just held herself perfectly still. He rocked her, offering wordless comfort and support. When she wrapped her arms around one of his and clung to him, he kissed her temple in reassurance.
“I don’t like it when you’re nice,” she whispered.
“Good thing for you, it probably won’t happen all that often,” he teased.
She didn’t laugh or giggle, but he could feel her smile.
“I’ve had it. I’m just exhausted. Would you mind if I just stretched out?” she asked.
“Not at all. Do you want some company, or do you just want to be by yourself in here for a while?”
“Just by myself… if that’s okay.”
He kissed her cheek. “It’s fine, but don’t think you have to go through this alone. I do understand it’s a big change for you.”
“It is, and I don’t know that I want it.”
He laughed softly. “You don’t, but that’s okay… I’m not giving you a choice about that.”
She shook her head. “You really are a sonofabitch, you know that?”
“I do indeed.”
That made her laugh. He ran his hand down her leg and removed her shoes and socks. Standing with her in his arms, he placed her on her feet, then pulled back the covers and helped her undress. Reverently, he kissed her lips and briefly sucked and kissed each of her nipples before helping her into bed. Noah watched as her eyes riveted on the growing bulge in his pants.
