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“Yeah, well…that seems to be the story of my life lately,” she murmured before taking another bite of her burger.
“I know the whole surgery thing isn’t ideal, but…”
“It’s not just the surgery, Noah!” she cried. “I mean…what are we doing here?”
“Um…”
“You didn’t have to come here tonight, just like you didn’t need to pull me into your office and kiss me today,” she said hotly. “You said it was only going to be last night. You said ithadto be only one night. And I totally respected that decision, even if I didn’t agree with it. But you are throwing me all kinds of mixed signals and it’s making me crazy! Like I didn’t already have enough to deal with, now you’re doing…well…the whole um…throwing thing!Gah!”
The only thing he could say to her was, “You’re right.”
She gasped softly as her eyes widened.
“Do you want to know what I was thinking when I decided to come over here?” He tossed his burger down. “Even though I know there’s something wrong with William, all I could think of was how he wasn’t going to be home tonight, and that meant we could be together and no one would catch us. How messed up is that?” And because he hated how that made him sound, he stood and kicked the chair out from under him.
Another soft gasp as her burger dropped from her hands.
“Do you have any idea how much it bothers me that I’m being like this? I get that we don’t know each other very well, but I’m strict and regimented with myself and my career for a reason! I grew up in near poverty with a deadbeat father and a mother who practically worked herself to death to take care of me and my brothers. I saw firsthand what giving into whims and whatever it is you wanted can do to a family, and I refuse to be like that.” Pacing away, he raked a hand through his hair in frustration. “Then I met you and you just pushed all my damn buttons!”
“Noah, I…”
“That week in Asheville? You had me tied up in knots, Lily! I’ve spent three years trying to redeem myself for one indiscretion that wasn’t even my fault!”
“I know, and…”
“Can I find another job with another finance company? Sure,” he went on. “Do I want to? No! I’ve put a lot of time and energy intothisparticular job and yet one look at you and I’m ready to throw away everything I’ve worked so hard for! It’s like I don’t even know myself anymore and it scares the hell out of me!”
She stood and walked over to him, her eyes wide with wonder. “What are you saying?”
“That’s just it, Lily,” he said gruffly. “I don’t even know. Being with you genuinely freaks me out because you take me out of my comfort zone. You…”
Her hand reached out and raked through his hair as she pulled him down and kissed him. It wasn’t helping anything. It was simply making it possible for him to avoid actually answering her question. Still, as his arms wrapped around her, he didn’t have the will to care. All he wanted was this woman, even if it was for only one more night.
Which was something they were going to have to deal with.
Just…not right now.
Right now, he wanted to pick her up and carry her to bed and make love to her all night long again. And when his hands slid down her back and cupped her ass, she automatically jumped up and wrapped her legs tightly around him. They both broke the kiss and stared at each other.
“What about the rest of dinner?” he asked.
“We’ll order a pizza later,” she said breathlessly. “I want you, Noah. So much.”
He swallowed hard. “I know. I want you too. So much it makes me crazy.”
She gave him an impish smile. “Then I suggest we go inside and get crazy together.”
That sounded like heaven to him. Turning, he walked across the room without taking his eyes from hers. And when he placed her down on the bed, he knew he’d never seen a more beautiful woman. With her arms thrown over her head, her hair fanned out, and all those magnificent curves on display in snug yoga pants and a tiny t-shirt. She was a living, breathing fantasy, and he had another night with her.
And he intended to make it memorable for both of them.
EIGHT
They didn’t order pizza,but they ended up making a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches around eleven that night. They were sitting on her sofa. Noah was shirtless and wearing nothing but his boxer briefs and Lily put her t-shirt back on and a pair of sleep shorts. They were thoroughly mussed up and yet this was the best she had felt in a long time.
“Okay, not to bring up a weird subject…”
“But…?” he prompted.
