Page 88 of More Than Just Friends

Cue more excited fizzing in my belly. With all this stomach flip-flopping, and fluttering, I’d have a six-pack by dinner time.

Me

Now I’m even more excited! I’ll be ready!

Noah

Great! I’ll pick you up then. xxx

I leapt out of bed, had a quick shower to wake me up, then got dressed and did my make-up.

Although I knew Noah would be happy even if I turned up in a bin bag, I wanted to make an effort. I wanted to look nice for me, but also for him.

Five minutes before the agreed meeting time, there was a knock at the door. I didn’t even need to open it to know it was Noah. He was always early. That was one of the many things that I loved about him.

‘Whoa,’ he said as I opened the door. ‘You look incredible, Ali.’

His eyes popped, then roamed over my body, starting from my head, down to my toes, then back up again, twice for good measure.

I’d opted for a strapless, fitted yellow-and-pink ombré dress and was wearing my curls down.

‘You scrub up well too,’ I replied, drinking him in. His tan shorts showed off his thick thighs and muscular calves and the white linen shirt displayed the perfect ratio of delicious forearms with a hint of sexy chest. I approved.

‘Thanks.’ Noah leant forward and kissed me softly on the lips.

My whole body lit up like the entire IKEA lighting department.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

‘As much as it pains me to stop—’ Noah pulled away slowly ‘—we really need to go. We can’t be late.’ He held out his hand and as soon as I took it, my pulse quickened.

We walked to the chauffeur-driven car and it only occurred to me once we were inside that we’d just kissed and held hands in places that other people might see.

People like hotel guests, Love Alchemists, or my sister.

I hadn’t even replied to Sammie’s messages yet or told her about what had happened with Noah.

I could hear her smug words in my head right now. I knew you guys would end up shagging! I’ve been telling you for years that Noah fancied you, but would you listen to your wise, brilliant sister? No!

Yep. I was never going to hear the end of it.

Then again, maybe it was better if I didn’t tell her.

Noah and I hadn’t even discussed this yet, so maybe I needed to wait until we had, before broadcasting that we’d slept together, which was exactly what Sammie would do the second I told her.

She’d get the wrong idea and be straight on the phone to Mum who’d then call me and ask if I wanted her to book the church and how many guests she should expect for the wedding reception.

Mum had always adored Noah and she was almost as bad as Sammie when it came to trying to push us together.

Then there were our friends…

Just thinking about the whole thing was so overwhelming. I didn’t want this kind of pressure. This was sex, not the start of a full-blown relationship.

I couldn’t think about this right now. I just wanted to focus on tonight and see what this surprise date was.

‘You okay?’ Noah asked, squeezing my hand.

‘Yeah!’ I said, snapping out of my thoughts. ‘Excited to find out where you’re taking me.’