He cuts me off with a shake of his head. “Noah,” he corrects softly, his hand coming to rest gently on my cheek. “Call me Noah. I like how my name sounds on your lips. And here, it’s only you and me.”
I draw in a shaky breath as his thumb gently caresses my cheekbone. “Noah, this isn’t… w-we shouldn’t?—”
His other hand comes up to frame my face, his warmth searing into my skin. “I know the rules, Beatrice. And I want to break them anyway. Can I break them, Beatrice?”
We are alone in the elevator. It should ring some warning bells in my head. But we were alone in my place too. And we are alone in his office all the time. At the construction site. What’s different now?
Maybe his begging but patient eyes. Maybe it’s the open vulnerability in the way he handed me the control. The control is mine, I realize that. That’s the difference between now and the Commerford incident. I have control.
One short nod, and his mouth is on mine.
The kiss is far from gentle. He devours me while his tongue seeks out mine in a hungry, desperate dance. His hands are everywhere, molding my body to his, as if he’s been waiting for this moment as long as I have. And maybe he has, I think hazily, as he picks me up effortlessly and presses me against the cool elevator wall.
His hips grind against mine, and I moan into his mouth, arching my back to get closer.This is wrong, part of my brain screams, but it’s drowned out by the louder, more insistent voice that begs for more. We made the rules, and we can break them.
Noah’s hands roam down my body, seeking out the buttons of my blouse. He’s an expert at unraveling me, both literally and figuratively, and I wonder how many other women have been in my position.
The thought should repulse me, but all I can feel is him. His lips trailing down my neck, his hands under my skirt, and the heat coiling low in my belly.
The elevator feels a hundred degrees warmer, the air thick with our matching breaths. I grip his lapels, my fingers curling into the expensive fabric as the stubble on his jaw grazes my skin.
The cramped space of the elevator only adds to the intensity of the moment, the world shrinking down to just the two of us. Noah’s hips press against mine, his erection leaving no room for misunderstanding, and desire pools low in my belly. I don’t know how long we stay like this, in our own private world, but it feels like both an eternity and a fleeting second.
As if sensing my thoughts, Noah pulls away enough to trail kisses along my jawline and pauses next to my ear. “I’ve wanted this for so long, Bea,” he says, and I shiver at the endearment. “To fuck you in this elevator.” A kiss to my temple. “On my table.” A nibble on my ear. “On your desk.” A kiss. “Against my window.”
My brain screams at me to stop him, to remind him of the consequences, but my traitorous body has other plans. I tilt my head, giving him more access.
“Are you okay in there?” A sudden, metallic voice comes from somewhere around us, making my eyes go wide.
Noah pulls away and drops his forehead to mine.
“Is anyone injured?” the voice continues.
Noah gently lowers me to the floor and steps toward the control panel.
“We are fine,” he says, releasing the stop button. “It’s working. It’s Noah King.”
“All right, Mr. King. Do you need any assistance?”
“No. All good.”
The elevator jerks to life, the sudden movement sending a shot of adrenaline through my veins. Noah straightens his suit jacket, throat bobbing as he struggles to regain his composure. I smooth out my skirt, feeling my burning cheeks and pounding chest. The air between us is thick with electricity as the elevator resumes its ascent.
“That shouldn’t have happened,” I start weakly, not convincing even to myself.
“It should have. And I want to repeat it.” He turns, locking his eyes with mine. “I need you to tell me if that’s okay, Bea. Because I want to cross the line we both can’t uncross, and I need to know if you’re okay with that. Are you okay with that?”
A torrent of emotions washes over me. The vulnerability in his eyes is at odds with the confident facade he usually projects. Once we cross this line, there’s no going back.
“Noah,” I whisper, scared that he might actually listen to me. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
He steps closer, gently cupping my cheek with his hand. “Neither do I, Bea. But I know I can’t go back to where we were. Not after everything.”
The elevator doors open. He steps out first and turns to look at me. “Think about it, Bea. Think really good. I’ve never been with anyone more than a couple of nights and don’t know how to play house. Being with me might be hard. Harder than you are willing to take on.”
I feel a smile tugging on my lips. “You are really selling this whole thing.”
Noah gives me a crooked grin. “I’m just keeping it real. I don’t want you to have any illusions about what you’re getting into.” The doors are about to close, but he stops it with his arm. “But, Bea, I can promise I’ll try harder than I’ve ever tried in my life.”
