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Looking back, it was such a stupid reason to divorce, and yet, that was the start of their failure. She refused to open up to him about what happened, and before long, their arguments became a daily activity until they finally decided to end it.
“There’s more to your story,” he said.
“I’m not going to tell you, Noah. I don’t owe you anything.”
“We’re old friends. Survivors.”
“Don’t!” She snapped the word out before she could stop herself. The couple at the table next to them gave her a concerned look. Sipping her water, she placed the glass down slowly. “Don’t bring that up. It’s in the past.”
“Is that why you and your ex didn’t survive?”
Staring at him, she shook her head. “I don’t need to sit here to listen to this.” She went to get up, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
“Sit,” he said.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but just because we haven’t seen each other in a long time doesn’t give you the right to pry into my life.”
“We went through hell together.”
“Fifteen years ago, Noah. I’m over it,” she said.
“You’re lying.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her heart started to race, and the flood of heat rushing through her body scared her.
She’d not been this aroused in a long time. She refused to think about the last time she felt like this. She stared down at his hand. He held her too tightly. For strangers, this was crossing a line, but with their history, this was the norm.
Slowly, he released her hand, and his fingers had left marks. Not bruises but red marks where his fingers had been. She touched the marks and looked up at him. She didn’t have to say a word as the waiter chose that moment to come back to them.
Instead of giving her order, she left it in Noah’s capable hands. Handing over the menu, she sat back waiting, staring at Noah.
“You’ve become a very successful businessman.”
“He couldn’t hurt you, could he?” Noah asked.
She gritted her teeth. “How does it feel being able to own whatever the hell you want to?”
“You weren’t compatible because your body remembers the touch it got from me, and I bet no man has ever been able to appeal to that first time.”
Her mouth was dry, and she hated how he kept on looking at her. He saw right through her, and it scared her. Tears filled her eyes as memories once again crashed around her, only they weren’t just of Noah, but of Martin.
She looked away. There was no way she was going to cry in front of Noah. “This was supposed to be a friendly dinner,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about my marriage or anything else. Can we please just do that without anything else?”
“If that’s what you want?” he asked, leaning forward.
“Yeah, it really is, or I wouldn’t have asked for it.” She tucked some of her hair behind her ear, sitting up a little straighter as the waiter brought them their food. She liked the service here, and the meal looked amazing. She didn’t know the name of it, but it looked like a beautiful pasta dish.
She inhaled the fragrance of tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Her mouth watered. “This looks good.”
“It’ll taste good too. You know it’s not our fault, the way we are. We’re both victims of what they did to us,” Noah said.
“I know. We’re not supposed to feel guilty about our part, and yet, that’s exactly what we are. Can we just finish dinner, Noah, please?”
“Yes.”
Another quick glance at Noah and she couldn’t quite get to grips with how controlled he was. He was a force to be reckoned with. A far cry from the young guy she’d been locked away with. Why was it then that she wasn’t afraid of him? He didn’t scare her, even when he was prying into the reasons why her marriage was a total failure. None of it made sense. Nor did these feelings he inspired inside her.
Either way, after tonight, she wouldn’t worry about it again.
Noah was not her concern, and she certainly wasn’t his.
