He kissed me again, this time longer and slower and even sexier than the first, and when he was done, he pulled away and raised his brows at me.
“Mmmm, I don’t know, I’m still not sure. Something about it is ringing some bells, but . . .”
“Oh, fine! You leave me no option then.” And with that, he grabbed me and dipped me like you would do inStrictly Come Dancing. This time, the kiss was not soft and slow. This time, it was something else entirely. He held me like that in his arms, kissing me hard and deep, and I’d never been so vulnerable before. The only thing stopping me from falling backwards onto the hard marble below were his arms around me. And even though he was physically stopping me from falling, I couldn’t help but think I was falling for him in another way entirely.
CHAPTER 65
Three hours later, after the briefest nap in my room, which Noah and I had both agreed we needed, and a really long soak in my bath, I was getting ready for my first date with Noah. The sun had started setting, and the view out my bedroom window was stunning. The orange from the sun was painting the waves a warm caramel color that I was quite mesmerized by. I didn’t have a large selection of clothes to choose from, only the ones Sindi had lent me, and they weren’t exactly very “first-date-y.” I was feeling excited and nervous, I’d never really been on a first date before—well, not one that meant anything, and this one meant something. I was almost done when my phone beeped and was lit up by a message from a number I didn’t recognize. I clicked on it and read, and as soon as I did, I knew exactly who it was from.
Noah:So, I’ll pick you up at seven.
I smiled to myself, walked up to my bedroom door and looked out. Noah was standing in the doorway of his bedroom, phone in hand, staring straight at me. We smiled at each other and then I looked back down and typed my reply.
Zoe:I can see you, you know.
I glanced up at him again, and couldn’t stop the huge smile that spread across my face. His face too. He lowered his head and typed while I watched my phone with painful anticipation.
Noah:I can see you too.
Noah:You look good.
I felt a warm rush through my body, starting at my toes and ending in my cheeks.
Zoe:So do you.
Noah:Thanks. I’ve got a hot date now, so I needed to scrub up.
Zoe:You scrub up well.
Noah:Not as well as you . . .
I looked up again and our eyes locked across the suite. I felt myself bite my bottom lip, and his eyes immediately went there. So, this was flirting? So, this was what it felt like to be giddy, and swept up and tingly? I looked back down at my phone. I didn’t want this moment to end, so I messaged him again.
Zoe:Who’s your date with?
Noah let out a soft laugh, looked up at me briefly and then started typing again. It was taking forever, and the anticipation I felt as I looked down at the dancing dots was so overwhelming that, I swear, it made me feel physically itchy.
Noah:She’s this woman I met recently. I didn’t plan on meeting her, she kind of met me, you could say. And she’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. She’s strong and funny and caring and gorgeous and brave and silly, in the best way possible. And I think she’s probably totally out of my league, so I’m really going to have to impress her with this date.
I read the message and, I swear, my heart missed several beats. It started jumping back and forth in my chest, as if it were doing hopscotch. I lowered my fingers to the keyboard and was just about to start typing, but didn’t. Instead, I put my phone down and looked up at him.
“She’s not out of your league by the way,” I said.
“Really? So, you think I stand a chance with her?”
“I do, actually.”
Noah’s blue eyes darkened, and his cheeks flushed just a tiny bit pink. “That’s good to know.”
“Does she stand a chance with you?” I asked, a pitter-patter of nervousness building inside me.
Noah tilted his head to the side and smiled. A sexy half-smile spreading across his face that I wanted to climb into and swim around in. “I would say she standsmorethan a chance.” His words melted me instantly. I was chocolate and he was the microwave.
We both stood there in silence, staring at each other across the suite. We didn’t need to say a word; the silence was speaking volumes. I felt a tug in my chest that made me pull away from the doorframe. I guess Noah must have felt the same tug, because he pulled away too. And then, like an invisible lasso had been thrown around us and was now being tightened, we started walking towards each other. Step by step, getting closer and closer, until we both arrived at the golden rose in the middle of the marble floor. He stood on one side, and me on the other. We both looked down at our feet. Only this pattern in the floor was separating us, and I didn’t want to be separated anymore. We stepped straight into the rose and straight into each other’s arms.
“So, shall we go?” Noah asked, his lips at my ear.
“Where are we going? I hope it’s nowhere too fancy. I’m not really dressed for a date.”
