AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She bobbed her head. “I’m afraid so.”
“I think your date is wondering if you might like Chinese food,” I asked. I didn’t know what we were doing here, not really, but I was enjoying it. And I wanted to ask her to be myValentine—in every sense of the word. I wanted to kiss her and pour out every bit of my soul to her. Yep. I wanted that, even if it was crazy. And it wasn’t just the heated glances we shared or the little looks, even her smiles, and the waves over the last month. It wasn’t even that kiss we had shared. It was the way I wanted to know everything about her, to get to know her inside and out. To share the things I had never told anyone before with her, and only her. It was everything about her.
She nodded. “You can tell my date that I do like Chinese food. But only on one condition.” I raised an eyebrow. “Surprise me.”
I laughed, and she turned her attention back to the cookies that sat on the table in front of me. “You’ll have to tell me if you like them. I’m a little famous for my sugar cookies, you know?” She grinned. “But don’t tell everyone else,” she glanced around the coffee shop like she was guarding a precious secret. “Can’t have anyone else think I’m playing favorites, you know?”
Oh. I couldn’t help it—the corners of my lips tilted up. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her so fucking bad. “Well, I better go make sure everything is all set up for said date tomorrow.” I picked up my coffee cup from the table—she had ordered it for me— and spun it around in my hand as I fumbled with something else to say to her, and that was when I noticed a red kiss mark on the side of the cup. I glanced back up at Noelle’s face, noticing her matching red lipstick, and she blushed shyly. This girl. I swear.
Her cookies were incredible—and that was coming from me, a guy who hardly ate sweets. They all had a little saying on top, icing in reds, pinks, and whites that spelled out different phrases just like those disgusting candy hearts. I liked the one that said kiss me because it made me think of her glossy, red lips—totally kissable. Which made me think about how I wanted to kiss her again. I had been wanting to kiss her again since the last time. Why couldn’t I get her out of my mind?
I saved the final cookie for when I got home that night—one that read text me—and I couldn’t help taking a picture of it on my counter, sitting next to a cup of coffee, and sending it off to Noelle.
Me: Your wish is my command, sweetheart.
Me: Thanks again for the cookies, I loved them.
Noelle: Well, of course, you did. I made them, after all.
Me: See you tomorrow, Noelle.
Noelle: See you tomorrow, handsome.
~ ~ ~
“Hey, Noelle,” I said, noticing the way the very tip of her nose was reddened from the cold, and the top of her head and hair was slightly damp from the constant Portland drizzle. I had asked her to meet me in my office, and I watched her eyes look around the room as she entered.
I was glad I had finally gotten around to unpacking all of my boxes and hanging my frames. It was still fairly sparse in here, but I had the bare minimum of decorations at least.
“Hi, prof.” I laughed at her insistence on calling me the ridiculous nickname. Noelle gave me one of her warm smiles, and I was so happy to have it all for myself. To have her all to myself, even if it was just like this.
“Why do you call me that?” I wanted to reach over and run my fingers through her damp curls. Needed to touch her, but I knew that I had to wait. Just a little longer.
“Have you considered that maybe I like calling you prof, Matthew?” I didn’t miss the way she added a little pop to the word or a little emphasis over my name. Honestly, I loved the way it sounded coming from her lips. “Maybe I like seeing the way it gets under your skin?” She grinned.
I was beginning to think she loved torturing me. I didn’t think she missed the red that was creeping up my neck. I just hoped my face didn’t show it as much as the rest of my body did.
Noelle sat her stuff down in the chair across from me and then she shed her coat, revealing her long-sleeved red dress and the heart-printed tights she was wearing underneath it.
“You look incredible,” I said, and I meant it. “So this is the infamous Valentine’s Day outfit, huh?”
She shook her head. “No, this is my special occasion Valentine’s Day outfit,” Noelle declared, with a nod. “So… what’s the plan? You promised me Chinese food if you didn’t forget.”
I laughed. “I did not, don’t worry.”
“Okay, sweep me off my feet,” she said, kicking her feet up on the edge of my desk. “I am ready to be wowed.”
“Grab your coat,” I whispered in her ear, brushing the hair off of her neck. “We’ll go eat.” I lifted the picnic basket I had packed as a surprise. I had gotten us Chinese food—and red velvet cheesecake for dessert and even slipped a bottle of wine into the basket.
“Oh. We’re—we’re having a picnic?” She slipped her arms into her coat before looking up at me, expectantly. “But… It’s like forty-something degrees outside right now. It’s freezing.” She narrowed her eyes. “Where are we going to have a picnic in this weather, Matthew?”
“Come on,” I said, steering her out the door. “I have a place.”
She probably thought I was crazy as I led her, hand in hand, down the path that led to one of my favorite spots on campus.
A hidden gem. It was a gazebo, nestled at the edge, overlooking the river and the city beyond it.
I had already come here earlier, putting out a blanket, a lantern, and a space heater.
