Was I supposed to join him on the bed?
A wave of warmth spread through my body just thinking about it.
So, I didn’t think twice before placing Mr. Elephant and the diary on my desk. I pulled my mostly dry hair up into a makeshift ponytail and climbed into bed next to Noah. He spared me a quick glance before focusing back on his task as I lay longways beside him. I rested my head against one of the many pillows and watched him turn the flimsy paper towel into two little balls.
He fussed around with his nose again before taking a slow, deep breath. My eyes trailed down to his chest as it rose and fell before Noah rolled over on the lumpy mattress and faced me.
A small smile fought its way onto my face, and I couldn’t help the way my lips twitched as Noah’s eyes met mine. Two little balls of paper towel jutted out from his nostrils, and it looked so flipping adorable I had to suck my lips in to stop myself from bursting into laughter at his expense.
Noah rolled his eyes toward the ceiling as he waved a hand at me. “Go ahead and laugh. I know you want to.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice.
My body erupted with giggles, stomach muscles bunching together as I rolled onto my back.
“I’m sorry,” I said through the mess of spasms running through my stomach, but just as I’d managed to tame them into submission, they started up again with a vengeance. I snorted into my palm, and my eyes welled up as I fought back the onslaught of giggles. “Noah, I’m so s-sorry. This is so rude. I sh-shouldn’t be laughing.”
Tears leaked from my eyes as I tried to get ahold of myself. I looked back at Noah, surprised to see a pout forming on his bloodstained lips.
That put a quick stop to my giggles, and they died off quietly as I regarded him fondly.
“Please forgive me?” I whispered. I reached for his hand and wove my fingers between his on the comforter.
My plea was met with silence, and I snickered at his reluctance.
“I had no idea how stubborn you could be,” I said just as quietly, followed by another chuckle. I bit my lip and let my eyes trail over his poor nose and endearing pout. “It’s just that you look really cute like this.”
That got his attention, and Noah gave me a subtle side-eye as I giggled against the pillow.
He didn’t seem very impressed by my assessment.
“And handsome, too, of course,” I said dutifully, giving his fingers an affectionate squeeze. “Very handsome, in a… bloody… nose-vampire sort of way, if those exist. Wait, no! Handsome like a rugged cattle rancher who got kicked in the face by a calf.”
That was flattering, right? Cattle ranchers were both visually appealing and strong. They kept cattle safe and protected, but also wore things like cowboy hats.Win-win.
“A calf?” Noah echoed in a voice that I would not call pleased. Maybe something closer to indignation. “Why a calf? Why not a grown one?”
I gave him a wide-eyed look. “Because if a grown-up cow kicked you in the face, you’d probably be dead. And because I’m not sure if they’re flexible enough to do that when they’re grown up.”
“But they’re flexible enough when they’re just born?”
I shrugged against the mattress, at a loss for any convincing arguments. “Let me try that again. You look handsome in a good kind of way?”
He blinked slowly, and a soft smile overtook his insulted expression as he gazed back at me.
“Your eyes are very grey,” Noah said softly, his own eyes turning curious as he examined mine.
My brows rose, the surprise so tangible I thought they might skyrocket off my face. “Are they?”
“Yes, incredibly grey. Smokier than the smokiest smoke,” Noah assured me with an accompanying nod against his pillow as his smile turned decidedly dopey. I tried and failed to follow what he was saying. “Emma the grey-eyed girl. The grey-eyed, gorgeous girl. The gorgeous… grey… goddess.”
I opened my mouth, but there were no words. His eyes had taken on a dazed look as he blinked slowly while watching me, and dread pooled in my stomach.
“So grey.” He leaned closer, dedicated to studying my bugged-out eyes. “Like a beautiful storm. Or a hippo.”
Awhat?
“Hold that thought, Noah.” I quickly rolled off my side of the bed and kneeled beside my desk. I popped the lid off the first aid kit and snatched up the bottle of pain meds. Twisting it around until I could read the front, I jolted in horror at the label.
