Page 20 of The Billionaire's Secret Kiss

"Noah, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Did I burn you?"

Noah pulled his hand back and examined the pink skin where the tea had splashed his hand. “It wasn't that hot," he lied.

My shoulders slumped. I was a jerk.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "And I'm sorry I punched you yesterday. I shouldn't have hit you, especially while you were in the middle of a meeting with investors. That wasn't okay."

"It was a little awkward, I’ll admit. Did it make you feel better? Hitting me?"

“Am I a total asshole if I admit that it did?" I asked, avoiding his eyes.

Noah took the wet rag from my hand and dropped it on the counter before picking up his tea.

"Not an asshole, Ella. Never an asshole. Just human and angry. You have a right to be angry. Looking back, neither of us handled things very well. We were too young."

"We were young," I agreed. Young enough to think that love solved all problems, healed all wounds. I was old enough now to know that love was a gift, a beautiful, essential gift worth any sacrifice, but it wouldn't solve my problems.

In my experience, love only ended up making everything more complicated.

“Are you willing to consider it?” Noah asked, shaking me out of my reverie.

“Consider what? Getting back together?” I asked.

“I miss you, Els,” he said. My heart squeezed when he called me ‘Els.’ I hadn’t heard that nickname in forever.

“How would that even work, Noah? You’re in California. I’m here.”

“You could come to California,” he said.

I stared at him, heart sinking. Had I really hoped we could make this work? I must have, just a little, to feel so let down.

“Noah, I can’t. I have to finish school.”

He stared at me, not saying what we were both thinking. I wasn’tinschool. I was working as a nanny and freelancing on the side. Even when I managed to save up the money to go back, I still had over a year left.

Stating what I thought was obvious, I said, “I can’t move across the country, Noah. What would I do?”

“There are graduate programs out there. Carnegie Mellon has a program right in the valley. You could—”

“Noah,” I interrupted. “Stop. Please. It’s not the same. You know it isn’t.”

How could he not get it? He knew how hard I’d worked to get into my program at Tech. It was unique, just like Oliver’s project was unique. If I transferred to another school, I could get my degree, but it wouldn’t be the same.

Noah cradled his mug and took a sip, his shoulders set, eyes hard. I knew that look. Noah wasn’t going to give up. The worst thing was, I wasn’t sure I wanted him to.

“I’ll wait for you. We can do long distance. Would you be willing to come to California when you finish school?”

“Maybe,” I hedged.

“Is it California you’re not sure about, or me?” Noah asked, meeting my eyes.

“You,” I answered honestly. California sounded great. Thousands of miles away from friends and family if Noah flaked on me again? That part wasn’t as appealing.

Noah set his half-empty mug on the counter and crossed the kitchen.

“Then let’s see what I can do to change your mind.”

It had been a while, but Noah still knew me better than anyone.