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Matilda’s claws clicked on the floor in front of us with her tail swaying in the air as she turned into the bedroom.
“I don’t know,” I finally replied. “This is all just…” I lifted my hand as we followed Matilda. “I don’t know. Not what I expected, I suppose.”
Uncertainty slithered through me as I looked up at him. “Are you sleeping upstairs? Or just escorting me up here?”
“I’m definitely not sleeping downstairs,” he said bluntly.
A few hours later, I woke in the darkness at the insistence of my bladder. Noah’s arm was curled around my shoulders, and my knee was hooked over one of his thighs. I didn’t want to get up, but I wasn’t going to sleep comfortably through the night until I did.
Reluctantly slipping away from him, I tiptoed across the dark room to the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I took care of business and then flicked on the light above the sink to look in the mirror. My hair was a tousled mess, and my cheeks were still flushed. I looked like a woman who had been thoroughly satisfied.
My belly did a little tumble as I stood there alone in the bathroom with only my reflection for company. I didn’t know what to think about any of this. No matter what, I had absolutely no regrets. I didn’t even know if anything would happen the rest of this week, and I told myself it didn’t matter. For the first time in years, I felt like someone other than a harried mother. Not that I wanted to cast off that part of myself. It was genuinely impossible. Yet there was a freedom in stepping out of that role, even if only for a few hours.
I turned off the light and made my way back into bed. Noah reached for me the moment I slid under the covers, murmuring something unintelligible and then letting out a sigh before curling up behind me and spooning me in his embrace.
The following morning, after showering with Noah, which turned out to be a revelation, the cold air struck my cheeks as I stepped outside, watching as Matilda dashed into the snow. I let her frolic for a few minutes before clipping on her lead and walking her down the long driveway. By the time we returned, I could smell coffee when we made our way down the hallway after I had divested myself of my jacket and boots.
Noah smiled over at me from where he stood at the counter. “Coffee’s ready.”
Somehow, although last night and this morning had both been momentous occasions for me, I suddenly felt bashful. The morning after was something I had limited experience with. I hadn’t hadnoexperience with it, just not very much.
I managed something like a smile as I crossed over to him. “Thanks for making coffee.” Matilda looked up at us expectantly. “Oh, you need breakfast,” I said to her.
“I’ve got it,” Noah offered. “Get your coffee.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve watched you feed her. It’s not complicated. You have a measuring cup and her food in a bin.”
I wasn’t used to having help with anything, not even feeding the dog. Of course, Quinn helped plenty with things like that at home, but no one else did.
“Okay.” I turned and started pouring a cup of coffee, thinking I shouldn’t be this flustered about any of this.
The sound of Matilda’s food falling into her bowl met my ears, followed by her wolfing it down in her usual fashion. With coffee in hand, I crossed over to the windows, looking out over the snow-covered yard.
I felt Noah’s presence seconds later. He stopped behind me, dropping his head and pressing a kiss at the base of my neck. Goosebumps chased in the wake of his touch, and I took a shallow breath as butterflies tickled my belly. I needed to be casual about this, but he wasn’t making it easy.
Turning, I took a swallow of coffee. The rich, dark flavor slid across my tongue, steadying me as I swallowed. I decided honesty was the only option.
“I don’t really do this, so I don’t know what to do.”
“Do what?” he countered.
I was relieved he had a mug of coffee in his hand and took a sip as he rested his hips on the edge of the windowsill. This house had deep, tall windows, tall enough to stand within the wide and generous windowsills.
His eyes held mine expectantly. “I’m a single mom, Noah. That should explain everything.” Pausing, I took another sip of coffee. “I don’t know how to do this casual thing,” I added, my hand kind of flailing in the air, representing how I felt inside.
He nodded slowly. “Well, it’s just you and me until Christmas. That’s five days away. I don’t see why we can’t enjoy our privacy thoroughly.”
Okay,thoroughlywas just a word. Yet it signified how I’d felt last night with the way he took care of me. I flushed from head to toe, heat suffusing me. I knew my cheeks were bright pink as I stared back at him. “Oh.”
An absolutely brilliant reply on my part. My cheeks got even hotter.
“I mean, unless you’d like to limit us to last night, or this morning, I should say.”
I shook my head slowly.
ChapterTen
