"She and Blaine." I closed my eyes. It was absolutely amazing, but I'd actually managed to underestimate how bad this night would be.
"Are you and Emma in competition for him?"
I opened my eyes. "No," I snapped. "Don't be ridiculous. He's just a friend."
Noah studied me. "Is he?"
"He's a pretentious bastard who's usurping my secretary time and making my working life even more hellish than it already was. The last thing I need is for Emma to be doing the nasty with him, so I have to see him in the bathroom in the morning, you know?"
Noah lifted a brow. "Perhaps if he's dating your roommate, he'll have more incentive to be nice to you."
Ah. See? That would be a good thought, if I suspected Blaine had any kind of decency in his soul, but seeing as how he didn't, I failed to see how his shagging my roommate would be of any benefit to me whatsoever.
Ray appeared at Noah's shoulder. "Family meeting in the cigar room. Now."
Apparently realizing I was seriously contemplating bailing, Ray grabbed my arm and directed both of us to the cigar room, named for the days when only men were allowed in there to smoke, because how could a man enjoy a cigar if there were women there to cramp his style? Impossible.
I stopped in the doorway. Present were Mom, Dad, my two over-achieving brothers, Noah, my sister and her fiancé…and Max? Wasn't he no longer family? He smiled at me from the other side of the room, and my gut answered with a thud.
Travis, my stockbroker brother with the two-and-a-half-million-dollar house at age thirty-two, tapped his champagne glass with a spoon. "Can I have everyone's attention?"
Great. A private toast to the happy couple. So unfortunate I didn't have my own glass to raise in their honor. No problem. A quick trip to the country club bar would take care of that.
He tucked his arm around April and pulled her up against him. "April and I wanted to tell you in private so we didn't take away from Lindsay and Geoff's spotlight, but we had to tell you now, because you'll be figuring it out soon enough."
What? Had April been arrested for insider trading? That would be interesting.
Travis grinned at his girlfriend, then looked at the family. "We're going to have a baby!"
The place erupted into shrieks and cheers as my family swarmed them, pummeling them with questions about when the baby was due. My mom was mooning about her first grandchild, and my dad was clapping Travis on the shoulder.
Uh, hello? Was I the only one who noticed that the announcement was missing something important? Like a wedding date?
I stared at the ebullient room. What if I had showed up tonight and announced I was knocked up and wasn't going to marry the baby's father? That would be the final blow. I'd be excommunicated once and for all. Probably find myself becoming fast friends with a major Rhode Island crime family as they loaded cement around my feet prior to offering me a nice little swim in Boston Harbor, per orders of my family. But with Travis and April? Golden children who could do no wrong. My parents could see only the good in what they did. Unlike me. They could see only the bad.
I watched April whisper apologies to Lindsay for making the announcement at the engagement party, but explained that they felt it would be best to say it now, so their news would fade as Lindsay's wedding approached. Give me a break. Yes, there wasn't that long between the engagement party and the wedding, but that's what happens when the bride has just graduated from college and is getting married right away.
My parents couldn't miss out on the opportunity to show off their new son-in-law repeatedly, and since Lindsey had been tied up in senior year festivities, there'd been no opportunity until after her graduation. But with the wedding so soon, April could have waited for her announcement until after the wedding. Or she could have made the announcement one by one over the phone, or even at a family dinner in two weeks. But she'd chosen Lindsay's engagement party. I might be a bitter, rejected sister, but even I wouldn't do that to my sister.
And I watched Lindsay hug April. What was up with that? If I did that to Lindsay, there'd be no hugging, that was for sure.
"You know they love you."
I looked up to find Max standing next to me, and something cracked inside me. How could I turn this man away? He knew me. Knew what made me tick. "Max..."
He gave me a soft smile, then walked away.
I almost laughed at his retreating back. So that was his plan now? Break me down, piece by piece until I was a crumbling pile of goo, begging for him to come back to me. Touch my heart, and then run before I could get annoyed.
Unfortunately, it felt like it was working. I so needed to go home and look at my Max pro/con list, of which the con list was way longer.
"Want to get a drink?"
This time when I looked up, it was Noah standing next to me. Noah. I'd forgotten about him. He would understand what I was feeling. Not as much as Max, but enough. "Sure."
He nodded and tucked his hand under my elbow. "To the bar in the ballroom or the club?"
"The club." No more festive atmosphere for me, thanks. Off to a secluded place to drink with Noah sounded much more appealing.
Wait a sec. Off to a secluded place with Noah? When I was single for the first time in my life? I was suddenly feeling better.
Much, much better.
Chapter Eighteen
"So, tell me, Mr. Almost Family." I paused for a long sip of the Chardonnay the bartender had brought. "How is it you stand being around them?"
Noah wiped some of the frost off his beer. "You have a great family. Give them a chance."
"Me, give them a chance? What about the other way around? Until I get a graduate degree or invent electricity, I'm never going to be good enough for them."
He cocked his brow at me. "Maybe that's your own fault."
"According to them, it is." I scowled at Noah. "I didn't realize you shared the same opinion." Part of my crush on Noah had been that I always thought he saw me as something more than a failed McCormick.
He scowled back. "You're way too sensitive."
Oh, so that's great. I was too sensitive now? The way I saw it, I actually put up with quite a bit.
Noah wasn't finished. "Did it ever occur to you to stop worrying about what they think? Enjoy them and live your own life. Easy enough."
"That's what I've been trying to do. It's not that easy." I frowned. "Their standards are different for me. Travis and April are having a baby, but apparently aren't even thinking about getting married. No one appears the least bit concerned about that. Can you imagine if that was me?" I shook my head. "It's all about the money. They're happy about Travis and April because both of them are professionally acceptable to them, mainly because they make good money."
My not-so-sympathetic shoulder-to-lean-on shrugged. "So make some."
I eyed Noah. "There's more to life than making money."
"Then don't bother to make any."
I raised my brows at him. "Well, aren't you Mr. Helpful?"
He lifted a brow right back at me, imitating me. "What do you want me to say?"
"How about, 'Gee, Shannon, I think you're great the way you are, you're getting a raw deal, and you rock even though you're a social director."
"I'm sitting out here with you, aren't I?"
I blinked. "Yes."
He shrugged and took a sip of his beer. "There you go."
I had to lean back in my chair for that one. Noah knew all my ugly secrets, and he was here in the bar with me while legions of well-connected people were mingling in the ballroom?
I offered nothing. Yet he was here with me. Interesting.
Hey! Don't let your wine-fogged brain read too much into that, Shannon. He's like your big brother, not some guy who has been lusting after you for years, just waiting for you to become a free woman.
The bartender slid another glass of wine across the bar. Was it my third? Not my fourth. I'd never drink four glasses. Except when I was home alone on a Friday night feeling lonely and watching
old war movies. "Thanks."
He nodded and glanced at Noah. "You driving her home?"
"No." I sat up. "I'm calling a Lyft."
Noah smiled and trailed his fingers over the back of my hand. "I'll drive you."
Check it out. He was touching me, and it didn't feel very brotherly. I picked up my drink and swirled the wine, eyeing him over the rim. "I've always had a crush on you."
He lifted his brow. "I know."
Oh. So much for that revelation to bring us together. "I hid it well, huh?"
He laughed and tucked my hair behind my ear. "No, not really."
My heart hit a speedbump, and I set the glass down. "Why are you touching me like that?"
His hand froze. "Like what?"
"You know what." I grabbed his hand and pushed it away. "Like you actually noticed I'm a woman."
Noah frowned. "Maybe we should go back to the party."
"Yeah, sure." Good idea. Things were getting too weird. I left my wine untouched and headed back to the party. I stopped in the door of the ballroom. "Um, Noah?"
He stopped next to me. "The party seems to be over."
"You think?" The only people still present were the facilities people, who were taking down the tables and chairs. I hadn't realized we'd been in there for so long.
One part of me was glad I'd been spared the ordeal of the party. The other part? Well, I felt like a heel for bailing on my sister's event, even if she wouldn't care. And what about Blaine? Oh, wait. That's right. He left with Emma. And Max? No, that was good too. If I'd seen him again, I was quite sure I would have been too weak to resist a friendly face.
"Come on. I'll drive you home." Noah put his hand on my back and guided me out of the country club. Even the white roses in the lobby were still perky and happy. So I picked up two vases and carried them out. And when Noah lifted his eyebrow, I accidentally stepped on his polished dress shoe and ground my four-inch heel into it.
He wisely kept his mouth shut.
Chapter Nineteen
By the time we got to my apartment building, I was asleep. I woke up to discover I'd drooled all over his jacket, which I'd balled up in a pillow. I also woke to find Noah gently stroking my cheek while saying my name.
Dammit! There was that "this does not feel like a brotherly action" siren again. I sat up and looked at him. And then I saw his eyes flick to my chest. No way there was nipple action again!
I glanced down. No nipples, but with my shoulders forward, there was a nice gap in the front of my dress. And Noah had noticed.
I looked at his face again, and there was no mistaking the gleam in there. It had just occurred to Noah that I was a woman.
And I'd noticed long ago that he was a man.
I was single.
He was here.
"Noah."
He grunted.
"Want to come up for a few minutes? For a drink?"
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Neither did I. I wasn't sure what to say. A part of me was nearly orgasmic at the thought of taking Noah upstairs, but a much less welcome part of me was shaking its head and ordering me not to do something so foolish. This was Noah! He was practically one of the family!
And he was hot.
So, what was the problem? Wasn't that what I wanted? A man who I adored, who knew what I was really like and liked me anyway, who knew what my family was like and didn't want me only so he could hang with my family? Noah was already connected with them. He didn't need me for an in.
Tonight would be only about us.
"One drink," he said.
Good God! He was coming upstairs! I managed a smile. "Great."
He followed me into the lobby, up the elevator, and down the hall, saying nothing. The casual camaraderie that had been our relationship for the last twenty years had vanished, replaced with a silent sexual tension.
Sexual tension with Noah. What a concept.
I opened the door and let him in. "My palace."
He stepped inside and took a glance around the apartment I shared with Emma. "I haven't lived like this since I was in law school."
"Yes, well, that's because you make lots of money, and I don't." I pulled open the fridge. "Anything look good?"
"No." He shut the fridge and turned me so my back was against it, his hands pressed against the freezer, on either side of my head. "You realize this is the first time we've been single at the same time since before you went to college?"
"So, you're single, too? I wasn't sure." I swallowed hard. Did he smell good or what? Like some very refined and perfect cologne. Subtle, but rich and pure. Probably cost a hundred bucks an ounce.
He trailed one finger over my collarbone. "I like this dress."
"Thanks. My mom was disappointed it was off the rack."
His finger came to rest over my lips, and he shook his head. "Stop it."
"Stop what?" It was difficult to talk with his finger still on my lips. Difficult in a good way, I mean.
"Stop putting yourself down."
I frowned. "Do I put myself down?"
He made this noise that was sort of like a disbelieving grunt.
So communicative. Typical guy. "Um, Noah?"
"Yeah?" His finger had trailed off my collarbone and was now drawing circles on my chest. Which was exposed, due to low neckline of my cocktail dress. Which meant we had some skin-to-skin contact going on right now.
I hesitated. What to say? A part of me wanted to ask him what was up. One-night stand or the first step of our new relationship, from friendship to lovers? But then I might scare him away. But if I did, then that would be good, right? Because if having a discussion about the repercussions of tonight scared him, then he didn't want repercussions, which meant I didn't want him.
That's right. I was a relationship girl. Not a one-night-stand girl. I'd never slept with a guy before I had some serious commitment, and I wasn't about to start now. Sure, I was lonely. Sure, my job sucked. Sure, I was vulnerable. Sure, I was afraid I'd tumble back into Max's arms at any second. That didn't mean I was going to be handing off my body to the highest bidder.
Then Noah kissed me. Not on the forehead, or the nose. On the lips. Yessirreee. His lips. On mine.
This was no "you're like a sister" kiss. No way. Hello, Noah's tongue. Let me welcome you.
I was kissing Noah. Noah! His hands were on either side of my head, pressed up against the freezer. His body was still a good six inches away. All that was touching were our lips.
I had never realized exactly how much talent a man could have in his lips. Or maybe it was because I'd been dreaming about those lips for the last two decades of my life. Whatever it was, I felt like my body was going to explode right there. My stomach was all loopy, nerve endings in my nether regions were squirming for attention, and I felt this most incredible sensation of wanting.
He broke the kiss, but kept his lips against mine. His breath was hot in my mouth, and it was sweet, delicious. Loved it. "Emma."
"My name is Shannon." Whoosh. The flame went right out. I'd never had a man whisper someone else's name when kissing me. I wouldn't recommend it. Turns out, it's a real mood killer.
Noah smiled and kissed me. "I meant, is Emma coming home tonight? It might be awkward if she walked in right now."
"Oh..." My inner pilot light was lit again. "So, you think we should stop?"
"Or move."
"Move." Like, to where?
"Do you have a room where we could close the door? You know, so we don't cramp Emma's style." He nibbled for a moment on the right side of my neck. "Like a den or something?"
I was going to dissolve into flame right there. "Um...no den. Only three rooms have doors. Emma's room. The bathroom." I swallowed. "And my bedroom."
"If we went in Emma's room, it wouldn't solve the problem." He removed one hand from the freezer and let his fingers drift down my arm. Then he brought my hand to his lips and gently sucked on each finger, his blue eyes locked on mine.
&nbs
p; Oh, wow.
He set my hand on his chest. His muscles twitched under my touch. "And the bathroom seems rather cold. And tile is hard. And what if she needs to brush her teeth?"
"Wouldn't want that." I watched my fingers dig into his chest. Did I tell them to do that?
Now that my arm was no longer by my side, Noah took advantage. His hand started on my shoulder, then his fingertip trailed down my side, over my ribs, and the back of his hand brushed the underside of my breasts.
"So I guess that leaves your room." He suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and hauled me up against him, his lips fierce on mine. Demanding, like he owned me. Like he was the man, and he wasn't going to stop until I was chanting his name and writhing beneath him in the throes of multiple, overwhelming orgasms.
I was down with that, and as a polite hostess, it would probably be best if I showed him exactly how supportive I was of his plans.
So I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried my best to inspect his tonsils, by Braille, of course.
"Which way?" he asked, between kisses.
"Second door on the right." It was interesting how difficult it was to articulate clearly when my tongue was exploring his molars.
He seemed to conclude he'd gotten the gist of it, as he lifted me up against him. Hmm...I was kind of heavy. To be helpful, I wrapped my legs around his waist. Purely for altruistic purposes, so he wouldn't pull out his back or anything like that. Because we had that kind of relationship.
When I felt his hands on my butt, I realized that I hadn't given serious consideration to what would happen to my short, tight dress when I anchored my legs around him. Nowhere to go but up. Like around my waist.
I guess he knew I was wearing a thong by now.
My precarious position gave me an insider's view to the fact that he seemed to be liking what he was finding. Liking it quite a bit. I hoped his suit pants were loose in front.
I felt him shift, and then heard my door slam. What a rugged hunk of hotness, kicking my door shut. This was like Dirk from the bar, only a thousand times better because I totally wanted Noah as a person and as a lover and because...well...it was Noah. Need I say more?
One More Kiss (A Too Many Men Romantic Comedy / Chick Lit Novel) Page 12