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“I don’t know,” she says. “Reality is never like the movies, is it? But I have an apartment with a view of the city, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance, my studio is in walking distance, and since I’m the boss, I get to make my own hours…and work twice as hard as anyone I know.”
She smiles when she talks, and I can tell she loves what she does. There’s something about a woman with passion, something that shines through that no one can take away from her.
While she talks, I watch her mouth. I want to kiss her whenever she says something interesting, which is all the time. When she looks up at me, her eyes are drowning deep.
“It’s not the life I dreamed of, either, but we adapt, don’t we?”
“We do,” I say. “And your life sounds wonderful.”
“I think when we have dreams that don’t come true, we need to decide if we want to embrace our new reality or be miserable in it. It’s a choice.”
She’s right, it is a choice. And I know she speaks all kinds of wisdom I could probably learn for myself. But all I can think about is that Raven is in front of me. I can reach out and touch her. And I don’t want her to slip away again.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” I blurt out.
“What?” her eyes are wide with surprise and a blush creeps onto her cheeks. She’s so incredibly beautiful, it makes my heart ache.
“Since our night together last week…you’re all I think about.”
She blinks at me, speechless. I know I fucked up—Inevertell women what I really feel. But this isn’t just any woman. It’s Raven and fucked if I’m going to let her slip through my fingers a third time.
“Noah,” she says softly, but before she can tell me this isn’t going to work, tell me it’s a bad idea, tell me anything at all, lean over the table and kiss her.
Chapter 6
Raven
I’m not thinking straight. It’s the wine and his blue eyes and the fact that no matter what I do, I can’t resist this man.
When he kisses me, I know I should stop him. Instead, I melt against him and let him slip his tongue into my mouth. He tastes like whiskey and stars. He puts his arm around my waist, cupping my cheek with the other hand, and I’m lost.
“Come back to my place,” he murmurs against my lips.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Okay, we can go to your hotel room.”
I smile against him and he pulls away from me, his eyes the color of the ocean. If I’m not careful, I’ll drown in those eyes.
“We shouldn’t do this,” I say.
The words are right. I’m doing the responsible thing. But my skin is on fire and I ache for him. It has to be the wine—I can’t feel like this about him.
Noah lifts his hand and brushes his fingers down my cheek. He studies my face like he’s committing it to memory.
“Take a chance on me,” he says.
“What?”
“I’m asking you to let me prove to you this isn’t a mistake.”
I want to tell him that amistakeis all it's been with him. But that’s not true. I got Ava from it, and I wouldn’t in a million years change that. But Noah…
He brushes his thumb across my lower lip before he moves his hand to my bare neck and rests his palm on my shoulder. His thumb plays across the delicate skin, and the way he touches me makes me shiver. I want him. I can’t help myself. This happened both times I’ve been with him before. Something about Noah is like a magnet, and it draws me. I want to be with him, and no logic can stop the yearning for him in my gut.
“Okay,” I whisper.
He doesn’t ask me if I’m sure. He doesn’t wait for me to think things through. He takes my hand and leads me out of the bar. He flags a cab and gives the driver an address. When the car pulls off, Noah puts his arm around my shoulder and presses his lips against my temple. I’m enveloped in warmth. This is what changed everything between us the first time, too. I’ve always been irritated by this asshole who thinks he’s God’s gift to womankind. But he’s attentive and caring, and the way he touches me makes me feel like I’m the only woman he ever wants to be with.
