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Sasha had relaxed against me, a bundle of curves. In a mere second, I felt her tension. She held still and then lifted her head, her eyes searching mine, doubts passing through hers like clouds on a sunny day.
“Noah—” she began.
“I don’t expect you to say it back. I just wanted to let you know how I felt. Because it matters.”
She blinked, and her eyes were bright. A tear slipped off her lashes, and I brushed it away. “Well, now,” I whispered. “That wasn’t supposed to make you cry.”
She blinked again, another tear rolling down, which I captured with my thumb. “It’s not that. You just startled me.” She took a quick breath. “I love you too.”
My chest felt filled with lightness as if all the doors to my heart were flung open and fresh air was rushing through. I tipped my head forward, my forehead coming to rest against hers.
“Okay, then,” I whispered.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
SASHA
Another month later
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Noah was making coffee. He hadn’t moved in, although sometimes it felt like he might as well. Quinn wasn’t up yet because it was Saturday.
He hit the start button and turned, resting his hips against the counter and curling his hands over the edge as he looked at me from across the kitchen where I sat at the table. “I mean, I told him to back off.”
A flash of defensiveness rose inside, irritation stampeding behind it. We were talking about Quinn’s father. Over the past month, Quinn had had a few phone calls with him and actually met him once with me and Noah present.
About a week ago, Quinn had shared that she was comfortable with occasional contact, but she didn’t want anything beyond that. Now, come to find out, Noah had taken it upon himself to intervene.
If I had a button, this was it—anything and everything connected to Quinn’s biological father. Every decision I tried to make around him felt fraught and tangled. I felt like I was walking on a tightrope, not even sure if it was better to try to keep my balance or allow myself to fall and hope my landing would be cushioned.
Hot tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them back, feeling my cheeks flush hot and then cold. “Noah, why would you do that?”
“Sasha, I thought Quinn said—”
“Quinn said what?”
It was obvious when Noah picked up that I was upset. His eyes searched my face. “That she didn’t want it to be more than the occasional phone call to check-in.”
“But why would you say something to him? Did he call you?”
I crossed my arms tightly in front of my chest as I waited.
“He did. That’s why I’m telling you this. Because he called me.”
“But why would he call you instead of me? And why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m telling you now.” Noah crossed over to where I had stood from the table in my agitation.
“You could’ve told me last night,” I protested.
“Sasha, you were in bed when I got here last night. I had a late night at work.”
Logically, I knew what he said to be true. He had texted me that they had a break on a case and were doing interviews. He’d climbed in bed beside me and pulled me close. I had a hazy memory of waking during the night with him spooned behind me and the press of his arousal against my bottom. We made sleepy love in the dark, and I’d fallen back asleep, thinking things were good,reallygood.
And now this. I swallowed, trying to batten down my annoyance. I hated the look in his eyes. I sensed he was picking up that I was spiraling a little bit.
“I don’t know why he called me instead of you. All I did was reiterate what I knew Quinn already told him.”
