I blanched as my hackles rose. Where was this coming from? “Hey, I talk to a lot of people!”
“There’s a difference, though. You’re always friendly, and you have a big heart. You’ll talk to asquirrel, for god’s sake—and I know this because I’ve seen you do it—but you aren’t friends with anyone aside from Teresa. I’m the only other person you spend time with.”
I inched my coffee cup across the table as I struggled for words. How was I supposed to explain to him that college was the first time I’d really had a chance to spread my wings without worrying about the backlash? The first time I didn’t spend most of my waking hours playing the piano or dreading what my father would do the next time I messed up. That not having friends wasn’t for lack of trying, but because I wasn’t exactly sure how to go about doing it. After meeting my parents or having me bail on plans too many times because of piano, my so-called friends eventually just stopped asking me to hang out. Getting Teresa as my roommate was the luck of the draw, and it was easy to talk to Scott—he was the coffee cart guy.
I cleared my throat. “I didn’t know you paid that much attention.”
“It’s difficult not to.” Noah tapped his fingers against the tabletop. “Some days you seem like an open book, but then I’ll turn around and you’ll surprise me again. You’re funny. You’re intelligent. You’re beautiful. Emma… you’re very easy to pay attention to.”
A blush warmed the crests of my cheeks. He’d shared his feelings so easily, while I floundered for what to say. “I guess I’m just not that good at making friends?”
“That’s not it,” Noah said with a shake of his head. “I’ve seen you be very charming. But you don’t usually approach people. You wait for them to come to you.”
“I don’t understand where you’re going with this.”
Noah paused and considered me for a moment before doing what I assumed was the fancy equivalent to a shrug. He simply lifted his shoulders in a very graceful way. “To be honest, I’m wondering why you decided to talk tome, of all people.”
I blinked back at him. “You mean besides the fact that I mutilated your fancy pen and pretty muchhadto talk to you to make things right? Well, since we’re being honest, that’s exactly why I did it. I don’t think I ever would’ve approached you otherwise.”
“Why not?”
“You’re pretty intimidating.” I waved a hand at the way he was leaning forward with his body tensed. “And very polished, not to mention way out of my league.”
“That’s not true.”
“Of course it’s true. If I hadn’t damaged your property, you probably never would’ve talked to me either. I had to chase after you.”
Damn him for making me exercise.
Noah’s silence spoke volumes. We both knew he hadn’t been the most receptive to me.
“Why are you asking?” I pressed again and leaned forward the same way he had. I wasn’t above trying to intimidate him back, but I had a feeling my shorter stature and much-less-broad shoulders weren’t having the intended effect. Not sure what to do with my hands, I picked at the sleeve on my coffee cup.
“I’m not used to being approached like that.” Noah cocked his head to the side. “And you’re a puzzle that I can’t seem to make sense of.”
I snorted. “Well, good luck figuring me out.”
Three school therapists had already tried and failed.
I stopped fiddling with my cup’s sleeve and laid both hands flat on the table. Noah tracked the motion, and his hand reached out until it cupped mine. I stilled underneath his touch before meeting his gaze again.
He lowered his voice. “It’s difficult for me to let people in without understanding their motives. I can’t recall the last time someone tried to get to know me. I know with my prying it may not seem like it, but I’m glad that you chewed on my pen that day.”
I was all too aware of each nerve ending connecting his hand to mine, and the hackles that’d risen packed up and went home after his confession.
He wasgladI’d defaced his property?
“I’m glad, too,” I said just as softly, then used my free hand to risk taking a sip of the steaming coffee just so I wouldn’t start serenading the guy.
The coffee wasn’t scalding anymore, and it warmed me all the way down to the butterflies frolicking in my stomach.
“Are your parents—” Noah cut off midsentence. He let go of my hand and pulled his phone out from the inside pocket of his blazer. He glanced at the screen before apologetic hazel eyes cut back to mine. “I’m sorry, I need to take this.”
I waved him off. “Oh, you’re fine.”
“Kincaid,” Noah said shortly as he turned away. There was a severity to his voice that I didn’t recognize, and it sent a wave of chills down my spine. He walked toward the end of the patio while sending me a signal that it’d be a minute.
I sighed and fiddled with the sleeve on my coffee cup. Noah called me a puzzle, but he was the mysterious one making private phone calls.
