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Julie smiled and nodded. “I’m almost worried she’ll want to move in with Tricia and Bryce.”
“Never. That child adores her mommy.” He walked toward his bedroom, then stopped and asked her, “Do you want your own room to dress in? Since I assume you’ll be sleeping in mine.”
“I don’t need anymore space than you’ve got in your room and my dress doesn’t merit the element of surprise.”
Noah hated the way she looked down on herself. The strange thing was, everyone he’d met in the Southampton circles thought she was full of herself. He knew it was an act, but he also knew he had to get to the bottom of what had shattered her so completely that the spunky brash girl he’d known at NYU had gone underground.
He hooked the dress hanger on a door and set her bag on the floor, then pulled Julie into his arms. “You could dress in a paper bag and you’d still knock my socks off.”
“I guess I’m kind of nervous about meeting your colleagues.” She reached her arms up and around his neck, her body pressingclose as he lowered his head and started in on the kind of kiss he really wanted.
Their tongues dueling, his hands roamed her back down to her behind, pulling her against his already hard shaft. “I can think of a good way to relax you.”
Within minutes, he had her naked and in his bed. Feeling her legs around him as he drove his cock into her again and again. He loved the breathy whimpers she made and the way she met his every thrust, her arms around his torso, gripping him tight. Her floral scent was something he now dreamed about, the look in her eyes as she orgasmed something he thought of throughout the day.
In his twenties, wanting Julie had consumed him so thoroughly he’d nearly lost his scholarship. Now, in his thirties, he was so certain he could handle loving her and not let it overshadow every other part of his life. But when he was deep inside her, when their bodies were dancing as one, when he was spellbound by the ecstatic thrill that no one and nothing else could give him, he sometimes wondered if he was walking himself into a danger zone.
A couple hours later, as they sipped cocktails among a crowd of doctors and donors and others in the community affiliated with the hospital, Noah could see men checking out the woman on his arm. Julie wore a sleek mid-thigh dress that hugged her curves, revealed her gorgeous gams, and showed enough cleavage to be tempting but not distasteful. Between the diamond earrings and choker she wore and the way she carried herself, she looked like a million bucks.
Of course, Noah knew she was actually worth a few million, but so were other women here who could not compare to her. His pride-o-meter was on the roof as he introduced her around.
During the sit-down dinner, they were next to Jace and his wife, Chrissy, who was a nurse. His partner gave him a secretthumbs up, but then Jace innocently told Julie he’d heard she was the daughter of Trevor Vaughn, the famous architect.
Noah was aware of the strained relationship she’d had with her late father, but he had not anticipated the odd response Julie had to the mention of him tonight. Her face went pale and she replied with a stiff “Yes,” then promptly excused herself to the ladies’ room.
When Jace looked at him in question, Noah waved it off, saying, “She’s just tense tonight.” But he made sure the subject changed when she got back.
Unfortunately, a woman across the table had heard Jace and brought it up to Julie when she returned, talking about how much she admired his work. Which brought a few others into the conversation. Julie handled it with a plastered-on smile, and Noah knew this was something he would have to ask her about if he was hoping to make a family with her in the future.
Was it too early to talk about a possible marriage with her? She had already broken his heart when he had proposed seven years ago. Meanwhile, her ex-husband was already a topic he could not pry out of her, and tonight he discovered her father might be another one.
Julie was quiet and almost sullen when they got back to his house. As Noah wracked his brain trying to figure out how to get her to open up, she flopped on his sofa, toed off her killer heels and said, “I apologize for my mood swing tonight. I was hoping to make a good impression on your friends, but instead they are going to feel sorry for you and wonder why in hell you are dating me.”
Noah sat next to her on the sofa, his arm going over the back and around her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I could tell you were upset because I know you, but most people would likely figure you just don’t talk much. You were polite and didn’t insult anyone.”
One side of her mouth lifted. “I wish my last name weren’t Vaughn.”
He was about to ask her why she didn’t change it to her ex-husband’s name but then realized if their stint was as short as Jordan had implied, she would not want his name either. So, he said, “I think Julie Taylor sounds good.”
He waited for her to say something, but instead, her hand went to his cheek and she leaned over to kiss him gently. Not wanting to hear her reasons why she obviously thought it would not work, or to argue with her over the deal they’d made a promise to try, Noah silently took Julie’s hand and led her upstairs to bed.
Julie blinkedher eyes open in the morning light and gazed out at blue water along the horizon and a sandy beach. Remembering where she was, she turned, to see an empty bed. When she sat up, she smelled coffee. Noah had always been an early riser, and now, between seeing patients and delivering babies and doing surgeries on women and having to make rounds in the hospital, she could imagine he started his days bright and early and ready to go.
He’d made such tender love to her last night when they came to bed. He could always tell when she was hurting, even back when they’d only known each other for a couple weeks. Why had she reacted so childishly to people talking about Trevor Vaughn? Was it because she was trying to forge a new life with Noah and did not want her past sneaking in to ruin it? If she had only handled it calmly and taken it in stride and not allowed her emotional reaction to slip out, it would have been fine.
But that was what worried her with this romantic thing she and Noah were trying for. The walls she’d built up after everything that happened served a purpose. And she was not sure what she could handle if she let them down.
Still naked, she got up and went to the master bath to shower. Then she dressed in leggings and a long-sleeved tee and sneakers and headed downstairs.
It was a brisk October day, but bright and sunny and Noah stood by the sliding doors looking out at the water, a mug of coffee in one hand. Julie went straight to him and slid her arm around his waist, resting her head on his chest as she joined him.
“Do you start every day looking out at the water?” she asked.
“Most days unless I’m running late.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and asked, “Can I make you some coffee and eggs?”
“Sure. But you don’t have to make it. I can—”
“Nope. You are my guest.” He released her and went to his kitchen that looked modern with stainless steel fixtures and a center island.
