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As I flicked off the lights in my office, he was right behind me. I felt the warmth of his hand brush the small of my back. It was like a firebrand through my thin blouse. I’m sure I flinched, startled, and he took his hand away, which wasn’t what I wanted at all.
The evening air was cooler than I expected. I looked back over my shoulder at him and gave him a smile. Noah came up and walked beside me. His arm brushed against mine, and a tingle slid up my arm just from that accidental touch.
“In six weeks you’ll be done with me more or less,” he said with a rueful smile. “I bet you’ll be glad to have me out of your hair.”
“I was thinking the same thing about you. You have a problem with women who want to run the project. Maybe you’ll get some big, sweaty man in charge of the next build you do,” I told him.
“I had a problem with it at first,” he admitted. “But once I got it through my head that this community center meant a lot to you and you had big plans for it, I understood that you were micromanaging me because you want everything to turn out perfect. It was easier to take then.”
“Were we always on the same team and you didn’t know it?” I teased.
“I think we were.”
We both reached for the door handle at the same time. His fingers closed over mine, that electric touch jolting me. My eyes snapped up to meet his. I saw it in his face for a split second before his mouth was on mine.
Noah kissed me, not a sweet peck on the lips, but a hot, passionate, open-mouthed kiss. Our tongues were tangled together, his hand in my hair. My hand went to his hip and held on, as if I could pull him any closer. My senses went haywire, everything melting into a dark purple fog of desire. My breath came hard and fast, and I felt as he pulled me in deeper that he was hard against my belly. A thrill ran down between my legs. I wanted him. I wanted this. His kiss was hungry and lush and felt so good. He kissed like I was the only woman in the world that he’d ever want.
When his hard thigh pressed between my legs, I resisted the urge to grind on him. I came to my senses and broke the kiss before we lost our minds. Before we found ourselves rutting against my car, with no sense of propriety or the fact we were in a public parking lot. I backed away.
“Good night,” I said.
“Night,” he said, “If you need some soup or—anything, give me a call.” His grin was suggestive, and I felt the implication right where he meant for me to feel it.
Neither of us noticed that we were not alone.
27
Noah
“I don’t know what’s going on,” I said, frustrated.
Max took a drink of his beer, sat back and listened.
“We’ve been talking and flirting. Then when I kissed her last night, she just broke it off. She pulled away. I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
“Have you asked her? Have you said, ‘Nicole, I’m very attracted to you. When I kissed you, you stopped me and I’m not sure what you want. Can you tell me?’”
“Who talks like that? No, I haven’t asked her. I just—I knew she wanted me the way I want her. I could feel it.”
“If she stopped the kiss, she had a reason. Maybe because you were groping her outside her office. Did you think of that?”
“She didn’t invite me back to her place. If she wanted privacy, she could have done that.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t. So maybe you should talk to her.”
“Max, I don’t know what the hell to do. Maybe I should just leave it alone. I don’t know why I’m even flirting with her and going after her. She avoided me completely after we hooked up. Am I just losing my mind?” I asked, frustrated.
Max chuckled. It was annoying.
“What?” I demanded.
“I haven’t seen you this tied up in knots about anybody since Shelly.”
“And there’s my answer,” I fumed. “The last time I got mixed up over a woman, she fucked a friend of mine and we broke up.”
“First of all, you’re older and wiser, and I don’t get the impression that Nicole is the kind to spend her Tuesday night bouncing on your friend’s balls for fun.”
“Thanks for that mental image, Max, Jesus!” I drained my beer.
“I’m just saying, she’s not the same type. Shelly wanted attention and couldn’t stand for you to be at work and leave her home alone. Nicole has her own job and her own life.”
“Yeah, but you had a point. I lost my head over Shelly and look where that got me. I need to let this go.”
