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“Fuck, I love you, too,” he rasps, scattering kisses over my cheeks, my nose, my eyes.
Our gazes clash, and something ancient and powerful passes between us. Happiness bubbles through me, knowing he loves me too, seeing it in the way he looks at me, in the fierce, unstoppable pleasure he’s given me. Impossible as it is, we’ve fallen for each other, each recognizing the missing piece of ourselves in the other.
I wince as Noah pulls out of me. He climbs out of bed and heads to the bathroom, returning a minute late with a warm washcloth which he uses to clean me gently. I push down my embarrassment, enjoying being loved and cared for in this intimate way.
Noah quickly disposes of the washcloth and crawls back into bed, tugging me against him and tangling his legs with mine. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Amazing,” I sigh. I tilt my head back to look at him. “Is it always like that?”
“It’s never been like that for me. Never,” he replies, making me shiver as he trails his fingers along my bare arm. “That was something else, like an out-of-body experience.”
“This feels so good. So right,” I confess. “I meant what I said. I’m in love with you, Noah. I know it’s crazy, but—”
He cuts me off with a kiss. “Then we’ll be crazy together because I meant it too,” he murmurs against my mouth. “I love you, Elli. Come to New York with me. Live with me. Let me love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
My mouth drops open as I gape at him. “I… What?”
“I want you with me. Not for tonight. Not for tomorrow, but for the rest of my life,” he whispers in my ear.
My mouth moves, but nothing comes out. Am I dreaming? Is Noah saying what I think he’s saying?
He cups my face in his hands, his eyes boring into mine. “You deserve so much more than this. What’s keeping you here, Elli? Your mom is gone. Your stepfather and stepbrothers treat you like shit. I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children. I want to grow old with you and watch our children have children of their own. I want to take care of you.”
Leave Virginia and my job at Mountain Ridge Resort? Go to New York with Noah, where my best friend now lives? Apart from Simone, my life is miserable and lonely here. Can I trust Noah and follow my heart? Start a new life with him?
“Elli?” Noah asks tentatively.
I throw my arms around him and smash my lips to his.
He laughs against my mouth. “Is that a yes?”
“Hell, yeah!” I beam at him. “I’d go anywhere so long as we’re together. Yes to New York. Yes to being the mother of your children and growing old together. Yes to anything with you, Noah.”
“Anything?” He smirks, sliding his hand between my thighs.
“No fair,” I moan as he parts my folds with his fingers.
“I love you. You’ve brought me back to life. You’re my sunshine,” he mutters, nipping at my mouth.
I’m in heaven, in the arms of the man I love, as he expertly moves his fingers on me. Reality will intrude soon enough, but for now, tomorrow can wait.
I don’t remember falling asleep. Noah gave me two more orgasms, one with his talented fingers and another while he was buried deep inside me before I passed out.
The sun is beginning to rise when I wake the following morning. I’m plastered to Noah’s side, one leg thrown across his body. His face is relaxed in sleep, and my heart melts as I watch the steady rise and fall of his chest. He’s so handsome. How did I get so lucky?
Fire-breathing butterflies erupt in my stomach as I remember last night. Noah asked me to move to New York with him. Start a new life together. The thought fills me with equal amounts of nerves and anticipation, but I know it’s right. He’s right.
I glance at the clock on the bedroom wall. 6 AM. Even though it’s my day off, I’m used to waking early.
I don’t want to return to the house—it’s not like anyone will have missed me—but I need to grab my few belongings. Noah said he’d come with me, but he looks so peaceful, I don’t want to disturb him. I can be in and out of the house before my stepfather or stepbrothers’ wake. They most likely have no clue I didn’t come home last night, which only solidifies my decision to move forward with my life with Noah.
I gently untangle myself from Noah, careful not to wake him. After using the bathroom, I retrieve my bag from the living room floor where I dropped it last night. I dress in the jeans and t-shirt I stashed there yesterday and pull on my sneakers before scribbling a note for Noah and heading out the door.
I enjoy the crisp September air as I make the ten-minute walk to the parking lot where I left my car last night. It’s only a short drive to the house, and I pull up in the driveway, climbing out and letting myself in quietly.
Up in my room, I pull a small suitcase from my closet and start filling it with clothes, a few books, my jewelry supplies, and my photo album, which holds all my pictures of Mom. I also remove the map from my wall and carefully fold it, stashing it on the top before zipping the case closed.
I take one last look around the small room, waiting for the doubts and second thoughts to kick in, but they don’t come. This house hasn’t been home since Mom died. My home is wherever Noah is now. I think she’d be happy for me. Noah was right—she wouldn’t have wanted this life for me. I was waiting for my prince to come along and open my eyes with his kiss. Okay, I kissed him first, but you get the gist.
