AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lennox waves a hand. “It has to do with market data. Apparently, low angst romance is in high demand now and they want me to tone down the drama, make the characters less prone to fly off the handle and get emotional.”
“The characters acted exactly as I would have expected them to act based on the emotional wounds you gave them. I don’t see how you can make a romance about a billionaire motorcycle club president and the mayor’s daughter low angst.”
Lennox nods. “Cynthia was way ahead of her time.”
“I do have a few suggestions for raising the stakes and tightening up the plot if you’d like to go over those now.” Before I talk to her about Tenth Avenue Books, I need to demonstrate the level of editing she can expect there. She needs to understand exactly what she’s getting into.
At least that’s what I tell myself. The truth is I’m terrified of crossing this line. I’m scared of making her angry, but I’m moreafraid of never being able to return to who I was before this moment.
I can tell myself all I want that I’m doing what’s necessary, that I’ll even be helping Lennox, but deep down, I know what I’m doing is wrong.
Outside, there’s another boom, and the lights flicker again. “We’d better do it now before the power goes out.”
Chapter Sixteen
Noah
The storm over the valley is dark and brewing with electricity and lightning flashes, but I can’t take my eyes off Daisy. She’s speaking to Lennox with assurance and such obvious love for what she’s doing. The way she leans in and uses her hands to express what she’s saying, the way she listens, really listens, and then thinks, silent, over how to bring Lennox’s vision for the book to life.
Seeing her like this eases some of my worry. Daisy’s not just pushing herself for the sake of being successful, she truly loves what she’s doing.
And she’s damn good at it, judging by how excited Lennox is getting about their decisions and the changes to make her book even better.
Daisy’s manner is something a lot of doctors would kill to have, but it’s not something that can be taught - that genuine empathy for a person. Lennox might not be in pain or ill, but they’re talking about her art, something that’s clearly precious to her.
Lennox catches me watching and winks, before giving Daisy her full attention again. Daisy’s so caught up in their work she doesn’t seem to notice the exchange.
I’m not sure if Lennox is flirting or just noticing my fixation on Daisy. Either way, I don’t want to distract them, so I turn myattention back to the storm. The rain has started way out in the middle of the valley and it’s coming our way in a sheet, the storm above a maelstrom.
The wind picks up and branches clatter against the roof. It’s already three in the afternoon and we’ve got a four and a half hour hike ahead of us, but we can’t go anywhere until this storm lets up.
I must drift off to sleep, because I’m woken by Daisy looming over me, a gentle smile on her face. Maybe I was dreaming about her, or maybe I’m still more asleep than awake, because I sit up, grab the back of her neck and kiss her.
She must lose her balance, because she falls into my lap, fitting against me like she belonged here all along. I nip her bottom lip, not caring where we are, not caring what this might look like to Lennox. I just need to show Daisy how wonderful I think she is.
Daisy kisses me back, pressing her body into mine, and I wind my hand in her hair, the smooth strands soft under my fingers. Kissing her lights me up like I’ve been struck by lightning, the energy between us as unrelenting as it’s been since the first time I laid eyes on her.
Too soon, Daisy pulls away.
I let her go, though she doesn’t immediately climb off my lap. “Lennox is upstairs. There’s no one to put on a show for.”
“I wasn’t putting on a show. I just wanted to kiss you.”
Her cheeks pink, and she looks away at the storm outside. Only now do I hear the pounding of the rain on the roof, like the gods are trying to drive us into the side of the mountain.
Daisy climbs off my lap. “I’m sorry to wake you, but I know how grumpy you get if you nap too long.”
I sit up and rub a hand over my face. I hate the bleary, groggy feeling of waking up from a daytime nap. “Thanks. Are you and Lennox finished?”
“We are.” She walks over to the windows, the gray light outside illuminating her perfect silhouette and forcing me to realize just how dark it’s gotten inside the house.
“Is the power out?”
She turns back to face me, her expression shadowed. “Yep. Lennox says there’s no way we can hike back tonight, even if we use her shortcut. She’s only got one guest room, which she’s getting ready for us now.”
“And I brought towels.” Lennox appears in the living room, her arms full of fluffy material. “I’ve got clothes Daisy can borrow, but I don’t think I’ve got anything that will fit you, Noah.”
“I packed a change of clothes,” I say. “Thank you for letting us stay.”
