Page 44 of The Billionaire's Secret Kiss

He shrugged. "It was supposed to.”

I dragged him into the bedroom, darted into the bathroom to start a hot shower, and returned to find him standing there, his bag on the floor beside him as he tried to toe off his shoes. Watching him fumble, I realized how exhausted he must be. I needed to get him warmed up and in bed. By the time I’d peeled off his wet clothes, steam billowed from the shower.

For a second, I thought about letting him go in by himself, but when his fingers closed over my wrist, and he gave a tug, I happily followed. My silk slip only got a little wet before I stripped it over my head and tossed it to the bathroom floor. Noah stood under the hot water, letting it beat down on him, gradually relaxing under the warming spray. I poured body wash into my hands and smoothed it over his skin, taking my time as I explored every inch of the body I knew so well and had missed so much.

I knew Noah was feeling better when he filled his own hands with soap and went to work on me. He took his time, exploring every inch of my body, and when he was done, I was a quivering, aroused mess, desperate for more.

So was Noah. I'd been on the pill since the middle of November, so we didn't have to worry about condoms anymore. Thank God. I didn't want anything between us when he lifted me, pinning my back to the tile wall of the shower and thrusting inside.

A month without Noah felt like a lifetime. We were doing well with the distance thing, learning patience and understanding, but nothing felt as good as being right here.

Noah surrounding me.

Noah filling me.

Noah everywhere.

Dropping his head until his lips grazed my ear, he said in a ragged voice, "Ella, Ella, I can't wait, baby. It's been so long."

I was right there with him, already on the edge of orgasm. I could barely get my head together enough to talk, but I whispered, “Don't wait, don't wait, Noah. I want to feel you come."

Turning my head, I kissed the side of his jaw and nipped his full lower lip. Against his mouth, I said, “Fuck me hard and come inside me, Noah."

He did exactly that, his deep, hard thrusts grinding the base of his cock into my clit and driving me over the edge. My body clamped down on his as I cried out his name.

It was a minute or two before we got our breath back and he set me on my feet. My knees wobbled, and I fell into his chest, knowing his arms would come around me, holding me up.

"Welcome home," I said.

Noah’s thorough kiss was answer enough. We let the water rinse us clean, then Noah shut it off and dried me, squeezing the moisture out of my hair and stroking the towel over my skin. He dried himself with brusque strokes, watching with heavily lidded eyes as I braided my damp hair so I wouldn't wake up with a tangled bird’s nest on my head.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"I can wait till morning. I got drive-through after I hit the road. I just want to go to bed with you."

That, I could do. Taking his hand, I led him to the bed. Before he joined me, he unzipped his bag and pulled something out, hiding it behind his back.

When we were securely tucked beneath the covers, on our sides and facing one another, Noah said, "I've got something for you."

He handed me a black velvet box. I looked from the box to him, confused. Was it a Christmas present? Knowing we'd be together over New Year's, we hadn't exchanged gifts yet. It looked like jewelry, but I didn't want to read anything into it.

Taking the box with fingers that suddenly felt stiff and unwieldy, I pried open the lid. And stared.

It wasn't just jewelry—it was a ring. And not just any ring. It was a perfect diamond solitaire in a classic six-prong platinum setting.

It was an engagement ring.

But Noah hadn't proposed.

Unless this was his idea of a proposal. Uncertain, I pried my eyes from the ring and met Noah’s bittersweet chocolate gaze. There was a line between his eyebrows when he said, "I know it's too soon. You don't have to see it as an engagement ring if it's too much. It can just be a promise. A promise that when you're finished with school and we can be together every day, there's going to be an engagement, and we’re going to get married."

"So this isn't an engagement ring?"

"Do you want it to be? I tried to talk myself into waiting until you're done with school, or we've had more time. But I know what I want, Ella. I knowwhoI want. There's never been another woman I've imagined as my wife. There's never been anyone I dreamed of spending my life with except you. I've loved you since the first day you sat beside me in class and asked to borrow my pen. If you’re not ready to be engaged, I’ll wait, but I want you to keep the ring. And when we're apart for too long, and life is crazy, I want you to look at that ring and know that you carry my love with you all the time, not just in your heart but on your hand."

A tear trickled from the corner of my eye. Maybe itwastoo soon. We'd barely been back together for two months. ButIknew whatIwanted, too.

Noah.