Page 36 of Inn To You

Never been sure of anything but having Jonas. But this…this moment, I will hold on to for a long time.

“Please, Noah.”

His head pops up, and he narrows his silvery eyes at me. “Please what?”

“Make love to me.”

Noah stills. His body stiffens for a second, and his eyes widen. Then he nods and presses inward. I half expected him to surge forward, but the slower pace spreads me in a way I’ve never been, and I welcome the time he takes to enter me, filling me.

Once nestled deep within me, he exhales. “I need a second.”

Could I possibly be unraveling him like he’s unraveling me? I doubt it. Noah is worldly, experienced, and I’m positive he knows his way around a woman. Still, I reach for his jaw and stroke over the fine hairs bristling his face. He lowers to kiss me. Our lips are like brushes over a fresh canvas. The strokes are measured for a moment before Noah pulls back.

“I need to move.” His voice is strained.

“I need you to move,” I tease.

With that, Noah draws back to my entrance, taunting me with an exit before sliding forward and filling me once more. Back and forth, he drags before his arms shake at my sides.

“Faster,” I whisper, and Noah moves.

His hips thrust, his cock surges, and we both groan with the increased pace.

“What are you doing to me?” Noah mutters. I meet him thrust for thrust, drawing him into me. Eventually, he slips to his knees, lifting my lower half up his thighs. His thumb comes to my clit.

“What-what are you doing?” Our eyes meet briefly before Noah’s gaze lowers.

“Come on me, little bird.” He watches where he’s touching me, quickly sparking another build.

“I’ve never… I can’t…”

“You will.” His tone teases. His mouth curls in a knowing smirk. My thoughts return to him knowing his way around a woman. I’m learning how practiced he is. Within seconds, I’m coming for the third time, and as I clench around him, he grips my hips. Leaning forward, Noah pistons into me.

“Jesus,” he mutters. “So perfect.”

I continue to come as he stills his body but not his cock. Deep within me, he pulses and pumps, and for a moment, I wish nothing was between us.

Eventually, Noah falls forward, blanketing me with his weight before rolling us to our sides. His eyes find mine in the dimly lit room. With the blinds open, only the natural glow of early nightfall lights the space. Noah brushes back my hair before lowering his fingers to my throat.

What does my heart say? As he seems to be the reader of my pulse, I want to ask him. But I’m afraid he won’t answer. The unspoken truth would be unsettling.

Noah Weller is a man I could fall in love with… if only he weren’t leaving.

14

[Tessa]

“Ms. Brogan, we regret to inform you…” The remainder of the loan officer’s voice drowns out.

With Zack Weller beside me, I clench my fingers together as blood rushes through my ears.

I don’t know Zack, having only spoken to him on the phone, but I recognized him immediately upon entering the bank. He looks so much like his older brother, minus the snowflake effect in his hair. Zack’s face is stern, more edgy than Noah's, but he was kind in his greeting as we shook hands. He’s here because of Noah, and I don’t know how I’ll pay his legal fees.

I don’t even know what I’m going to do next.

Zack is asking a question, and all I hear are two words. “Back taxes.”

“What?” My uncle has been in charge of finances since my father’s death. Joe turned over some of the bookkeeping to Isaiah. Joe trusted our resident artist, saying he’d been a good friend to us during a difficult time. He also appreciated Isaiah’s willingness to work at the inn while making his sculptures. The tradeoff was multiple. Isaiah ran the inn. He still created art. And Joe could be more hands-off. Unfortunately for me, I should have been more hands-on.