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I’d called ahead, and they were able to accommodate us after hours once they found out who it was for. Noah didn’t like using his celebrity status for special treatment, but I wasn’t above doing so, especially if it meant we could have some proper privacy while Evie was at Briana’s house.

“Years, but I’m not big on tourist traps.” He shrugged, his mouth quirking up at my indignation. “I thought most locals avoided this place. So really, who’s the odd one out here?”

Fine, he was right. The Eye was geared toward tourists, and while I understood why some people thought it was overhyped, I still loved it. I was a sucker for panoramic views.

“It’s our first date. You’re supposed to be nice to me,” I grumbled good-naturedly.

Noah’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and my heart flipped. I’d never get tired of seeing him smile. Footballer Noah, Dad Noah, Grumpy Default Noah—I’d witnessed many versions of him, but my favorite one was when he was simply…Noah. No prefix, no mask. Just a man who cared deeply about the people in his life and who could laugh, joke, and let his guard down without inhibition. That was the Noah I’d asked out, and that was the Noah I wanted to be in a relationship with.

“You’re right. I’ll be nice.” He wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Did I mention how utterly beautiful you look tonight? Like a rose that’s freshly bloomed, or whatever the saying is.”

I burst into laughter. “I said nice, not cheesy.”

My laugh turned into a squeal when he gave the side of my ass a playful slap. “Who’s not being nice now?”

Our light-hearted teasing settled into a peaceful silence as I leaned into Noah’s chest and took in the view. London during the day was beautiful, but London at night was spectacular. Parliament was all lit up, its glow bouncing off the waters of the Thames and drenching the scene in a golden-orange haze.

I’d always thought a nighttime date here would be so romantic, and I’d been right.

One summer. One trial run.

I held the same reservations about getting involved with Noah that I had when I first started developing feelings for him. I was still worried about hurting Evie, and I still wasn’t sure how I felt about being a stepmother, though worrying about that seemed presumptuous this early in our relationship. I also didn’t want to lose Noah as a friend if things went south.

But I couldn’t let fear hold me back anymore. I may not be sure about where we’d end up, but I knew for sure how I felt about him. I owed it to myself to give this a shot without preemptively shutting it down.

“How are you feeling about the tournament?” I asked, lacing my fingers through his.

“The better question is, what aren’t I feeling about the tournament?” he said, his tone dry. “Nerves, pressure, excitement. It’s all there, but I’ll be fine. I’ve done this before. I can’t get too in my head about it, or it’ll backfire.” He paused, then asked, a little too casually, “Which team are you rooting for?”

“England, of course.”

“Of course.”

I tamped down another laugh at his grumpy tone. “That’s if we’re talking about teams,” I said, turning my head to meet his eyes. “If we’re talking about players? I’m rooting for you.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Thought football and I were both too boring for you.”

“Hmm. You are, but I can’t have excitement twenty-four seven. I need a little boredom sometimes to keep me ground—grounded.” I stumbled over the last word when Noah’s lips grazed the shell of my ear.

“You’ll pay for that.” His dark, silky voice promised retribution.

Liquid heat pooled in my stomach, and I gasped softly when he pulled us onto the bench in the center of the pod. I straddled his lap, my back against his chest, his legs wedged between mine.

“Wait. The cameras,” I breathed. Each pod was equipped with CCTV.

“I asked them to turn ours off.”

“And they agreed?”

“Stop stalling, Carina.” Noah’s fingers trailed up the length of my inner thigh, leaving a series of tiny fires in their wake. “Spread your legs.”

My mind resisted even as my body yearned to comply. “Someone might see us.”

“We’re at the top, and the other pods are empty.”

“We’ll be on the ground soon.”

“Then you better hurry,” he said calmly. “Unless you want the operator to see you come all over my hand.”