Stallion Magic

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  She lifted her eyes to stare at him. “So tell me what you’ve been doing since we graduated, Noah Stallion.”

  Noah chuckled. “Do you want me to recap the highlights of my résumé or give you the whole spiel?”

  “I don’t want your résumé. I know what you’ve accomplished in your professional life, remember? I want to hear about your personal life. I want to know if the guy voted best personality and most likely to marry a supermodel ever did.”

  His head moved from side to side, a slight blush warming his complexion as he laughed. He ran a hand over his freshly shaven head. The gesture drew her attention, and Catherine stared.

  Noah Stallion had grown into himself. Gone was that baby-faced high-school student. His chiseled features had matured nicely. His eyes were dark pools, his nose almost too perfect and he had the most luscious lips of any man Catherine had ever known. They were full, like thick pillows, and she couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like pressed against hers. She heard herself gasp out loud, suddenly embarrassed that she’d been staring so wantonly.

  “What is it?” Noah asked, meeting the look she was giving him.

  She shook her head, desperate to suddenly shake the rise of emotion from her. “Nothing. I was just waiting to hear about you.”

  “You were staring.”

  “I was.”

  “Why were you staring at me?”

  She blinked as he eyed her curiously. “Get over it, please. I did it, it was rude, but I’m not going to explain it or apologize for it.”

  Their gazes held, and then Noah laughed again.

  His deep chortle moved her to giggle. He suddenly reached out his hand to brush a lock of hair from her face. His touch was gentle and easy, like a cool breeze on a summer night. Catherine felt a tingle of heat waft through her, moving her to hold her breath.

  Noah finally answered her question. “There’s really nothing to tell. I’ve been focused on my career. And no, I never married. I have no children and no drama in my life other than things my siblings manage to get themselves into. And now, here we are.”

  She nodded. “Here we are.”

  Noah took his own deep breath. “So tell me about you. About your personal life when you weren’t building a multi-million-dollar empire.”

  “Doing that didn’t leave me much time for anything else.” She let out a low sigh.

  “Do you regret it?” Noah asked, noting the expression that crossed her face.

  She shook her head. “Not at all. I still have time. It’s not like I’m that old.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Do you regret not having a family yet?”

  Noah pondered the question. He’d never really given it any thought. He’d been taking care of people since he’d been a boy. Truth be told it was really all he knew. Being the oldest, he’d always been responsible for his younger brothers and sisters. He’d stepped in to do what their wayward father had refused to do and what his mother hadn’t been able to do by her lonesome. He didn’t miss not having kids because he felt like he’d already raised four of them. But he did miss companionship and having a partner by his side to share his life with.

  He met the curious look she was giving him. “I guess regret is not the right word. I wish things were different but the right woman just never came along.”

  “Until now?” Catherine’s eyes were wide, her brazen remark surprising them both.

  He laughed, his gaze narrowing slightly. “You never know.”

  Her smile was wide and bright, warming his spirit. “Noah Stallion, I do believe you are blushing!” she exclaimed, trying to deflect the attention back on him.

  “I’m sure I am. I’m not use to a woman putting me on the spot like that.”

  “Oh, yes, you are. I’m sure women put you on the spot all the time.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because you’re an easy target. I don’t think you realize...” She paused, biting down against her bottom lip as she searched for the right words to explain herself.

  “Realize what?” Noah persisted.

  “I don’t think you realize the power you have with women. You’re the whole package. You’re intelligent, good-looking, well-rounded, good-looking, kind, good-looking...”

  Noah laughed, a wave of embarrassment flushing his face. “I got the good-looking.”

  “And that’s my point. You don’t see what women do so you’re not full of yourself or arrogant, and that makes you even more desirable. I bet half the time you don’t even know when women are hitting on you.”

  He nodded. “You’re right. I don’t.”

  “Which leaves you blushing a lot, I’m sure.”

  “So, are you hitting on me?” His expression was just shy of smug.

  She smiled, meeting his gaze evenly, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she took a slow sip of her drink. The look she gave him made Noah laugh heartily. She changed the subject.

  “I was sorry to hear about your mother passing,” she said, her tone soft.

  “Thank you.” Their gazes locked for a moment before Noah dropped his eyes to the space of sofa between them.

  “Is your father still living?”

  Noah shrugged his broad shoulders. “He is, but we never knew our father. You might know him, though. Nolan Perry?”

  Her eyes widened. “Reverend Perry is your father?”

  Noah nodded. “The one and only. My mother followed him here to Utah from Texas when she was fifteen. He was the love of her life but he abandoned her and never had anything to do with us kids.”

  She pressed a hand against his arm as he continued.

  “I went to see him once but he wouldn’t even speak to me.”

  “I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

  He shrugged again. “It is what it is. I don’t think about it much anymore.”

  A look of sadness flashed in his eyes, and Catherine sensed that wasn’t quite true.

  “You came from a big family, didn’t you? You had a lot of brothers and sisters, right?”

  “Two brothers and two sisters. My brother Nicholas plays football for Los Angeles and his twin, Nathaniel, is an orthopedic surgeon.”

  Catherine nodded. “I remember the twins.”

  “And then there’s my sister Naomi. She’s a holistic life coach, and my baby sister, Natalie, is a high-fashion model.”

  “I don’t remember Natalie but I know Naomi. She and Crystal are good friends. Crystal uses a ton of her hair care products.”

  “Naomi’s actually built a very successful organic health care business. I’m very proud of her.”

  “I don’t remember you guys socializing much while we were in school.”

  Noah shrugged. “We couldn’t afford it. Besides, you and your click weren’t interested in hanging out with us poor kids.”

  “That’s not true. I remember we spent a lot of time together after football practice and at the games.”

  Noah laughed. “I remember you used to give me a hard time.”

  She grinned. “See, I was even hitting on you back then and you didn’t have a clue.”

  Noah thought back to the times they’d spent together. Catherine and her friends hadn’t cut him any slack. The teasing had been formidable. A slow smile pulled at his mouth. Back then, Noah didn’t say much but he didn’t run from situations, either. Having the cheerleaders hanging on him had, in some ways, been a badge of honor, giving him favor among his peers. But what he remembered most about that time was that it had taken little for them to leave him hard and wanting. Back then a warm breeze would leave his teenaged body with an erection. Catherine Moore and the cheerleading squad were a warm breeze times ten. He laughed out loud, and Catherine laughed with him.

  Before either realized it, they’d been talking for almost two hours. It was almost midnight, the bar had closed and they were still sitting together in the hotel’s lobby, completely enamored with each other. Noah had never told anyone as much a
bout his childhood as he found himself sharing with Catherine. They talked about his family, her parents, their dreams and their fears. They had more in common than not and they made each other laugh. Their conversation was comfortable and easy and Noah imagined that it could have lasted forever without any effort.

  “So, what made you want to leave your job?” Catherine asked. “You sound like you really enjoy what you do.”

  “I actually haven’t made a decision. I was very flattered that your organization was interested in me but I’m not sure if that’s what I really want for myself.”

  “So there’s still a chance that you might not work for Fly High?”

  “There is.”

  She pondered his statement for a moment. Crystal’s comment days before suddenly popped into her thoughts. She had never before given any consideration to pursuing a relationship with a Fly High employee. But technically, Noah didn’t work for her, and might not ever.

  Noah stared intently as she drifted off into thought, his gaze skating over her face as he inhaled her features. Catherine Moore was incredibly beautiful. Her complexion was a warm coffee with much cream and her features were fine and delicate. There was an air of fragility about her, her cover-model looks belying her authoritative personality. It was her strength that he found most attractive. Everything about her moved him like no other woman before her. He found the sensation only slightly unnerving.

  She suddenly stood up, turning to stare down at him. A wave of anxiety flitted across her face as she looked him in the eye. “So, either this is going to be a monumental mistake or it’s not.” She took a deep breath and then another, blowing the air out in a loud gust. “I think we have great chemistry, Noah Stallion. And since you don’t work for me yet and I think you and I could be very good together, would you like to come up to my room?” Her hands were clenched in tight fists at her sides, her nervousness blanketing her posture. “And please don’t think this is something I do often, because it’s not,” she said, suddenly feeling like she needed to explain herself. “You’re the first man I’ve ever invited back to my hotel room like this.”

  Noah moved onto his feet beside her. He stepped in close, and she gasped, the nearness of him so intense that it drew the oxygen from her lungs. When he eased an arm around her slim waist and pulled her even closer, she thought she might faint. She grabbed the front of his leather jacket to steady herself, her hands grazing his chest.

  “What’s going to happen if I do take the job?” he questioned, his voice dropping to a loud whisper. “If we do this, then how...” His voice trailed.

  She took another deep breath. Her eyes darted back and forth, purposely trying to avoid his. “We’re both adults. If you do decide to take the job I think we can be mature about the whole thing. I just know that...well...I just know what I’m feeling right now.”

  “And what’s that? What are you feeling?”

  She finally lifted her eyes to his, falling headfirst into the stare he was giving her. In that moment everything in her head became a muddled mess. Seconds earlier it had all made sense, now it didn’t.

  “I... Well...we...” she stammered. Her face was flushed, heat tinting her cheeks a brilliant shade of red.

  Noah puller her even closer. Both his hands snaked from the curve of her waist to around her back. She felt amazing in his arms, like she’d been born to be there. He dropped his head slightly, his mouth just millimeters away from hers. His warm breath was teasing and her own lips parted in anticipation. Noah hesitated as he pressed his forehead to hers. Her perfume was light, an airy floral scent that tickled his nostrils. He brushed his cheek against her cheek as he wrapped his arms tightly around her torso, hugging her easily. He whispered, the warmth of his words blowing past her earlobe. “I feel the same way,” he said.

  They held hands as they rode the elevator to the sixth floor, shooting each other anxious looks. Noah followed her down the hallway to her room door. Once inside, the door closed and locked behind them, Noah felt his anxiety rising swiftly. The comfort he’d initially found with Catherine was nowhere to be found. An anxious chill shot through his body and it concerned him. He was suddenly self-conscious, second guessing his current situation.

  Catherine seemed to read his mind. “If you relax, I’ll relax,” she said. She stood in the center of her room, her eyes wide and her body quivering slightly.

  He smiled. “I’m relaxed.”

  She laughed. “You don’t look relaxed and you definitely don’t sound too convincing.”

  “Really,” he said, his head bobbing up and down. “I’m very relaxed.”

  Catherine rolled her eyes. “How many women have you slept with, Noah?”

  Surprise pierced his stare. “Excuse me?”

  “How many women...”

  “I heard the question the first time.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Well?”

  “Not nearly as many as you probably think,” he answered, a smile pulling at his full lips. “How many have you slept with?”

  She shrugged. “None. I don’t sleep with women.”

  Noah chuckled. “Very funny, but I guess I walked right into that.”

  Catherine grinned. “Now you look relaxed.”

  She kicked off her high heels as she crossed the room to turn on the sound system. A Sam Smith song played. The tune was soulful and sexy.

  Noah watched as she stood with her eyes closed, taking it in. He moved farther into the room, closer to the king-size bed that occupied most of the floor space. Catherine moved to his side, brushing a manicured hand across his back.

  “Excuse me a minute while I freshen up,” she said. Their gazes locked for just a brief second before she turned away. She headed into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door between them.

  Noah let out an anxious sigh. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so nervous, despite his best efforts not to let it show. But he was anxious and excited. He dropped down onto the corner of the bed then stood back up abruptly. He moved to the window, peeking past the drapes out to the parking lot below. He eased back to the bed, changed his mind for a second time and then moved to sit on the sofa. He sat down, resting his forearms against his thighs, clasping his hands tightly together in front of his face. Feeling awkward he shifted back against the seat cushions, crossing one leg over the other. Time seemed to tick slowly as he suddenly jumped back up. He took off his leather jacket and sat back down. He let out another deep sigh, dismayed by his own behavior. Frustration creased his brow. He had never been this nervous with any other woman, not even that first time when he’d lost his virginity.

  Catherine suddenly stuck her head out the bathroom. Just as she did there was a knock on the exterior door. “That’s room service,” she said. “Can you get that while I take a quick shower?”

  “No problem,” Noah said as he jumped to his feet and crossed the room in four quick strides.

  “Good evening, sir,” the young man standing on the other side of the door greeted him. He rolled in a cart laden with silver covered trays. He turned to pass the order ticket to Noah.

  “Thanks, buddy,” Noah said as he reached into his pocket for a tip. He pulled a ten-dollar bill into his hands and passed it to the guy.

  After the door was closed and locked behind the man he moved to inspect what had been left on the trays. “What did you order?” he yelled as he lifted the silver lids from their platters.

  There were bowls of freshly popped popcorn, slices of cake, two burgers, a pasta salad dish, a liter of soda and bottles of water.

  Minutes later, Catherine exited out of the bathroom. She’d changed out of her clothes and was wearing a pair of flannel pajamas. Her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail. She’d washed the makeup from her face and she looked relaxed and comfortable.

  “Cute,” he said, smiling at her.

  “Thank you.”

  “I thought you might be hungry,” she said as she grabbed one of the burgers and a bowl
of popcorn and moved to the bed, crawling toward the headboard. “I know I’m famished and food always relaxes me.” She turned off the sound system and turned on the television.

  Noah laughed as he caught the look she tossed him. Kicking off his own shoes, he grabbed the other meal. Side by side they enjoyed the late-night snack as they watched the latest Denzel Washington movie on the hotel’s pay-per-view station. When they were done eating and the dishes were cleared away, Catherine leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. Every so often Noah would trail his hand across her arm or the back of her hand, his touch teasing. As the movie credits ran, he threw his legs off the side of bed and stood up.

  Catherine eyed him anxiously. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes.” He nodded. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”

  She smiled as he disappeared into the other room. When the door was closed behind him she sank into the pillows, pulling one up and over her head. Feeling out of sorts, Catherine couldn’t begin to put her feelings into words. She’d invited Noah back to the hotel thinking that all she wanted was a night of wild, passionate, unencumbered sex. It felt like it had been forever since she’d met a man she wanted to be with. In the back of her mind, they could have made love to each other without either wanting or needing more. But with each passing moment she was beginning to realize that a one-night stand wasn’t really what she was looking for at all.

  From the other room she could hear the sound of water running, and she realized Noah was taking a shower. She stood up, moving her body off the bed. She began to pace anxiously, suddenly realizing that she did want more. She wanted a man just like Noah Stallion in her life. And she wanted him for longer than a few passion-filled hours. The prospect of exploring where the two of them could possibly take that had her even more excited.

  Her grandmother would have said that Noah Stallion was a man worth twice his weight in gold. There was something about him that had her rethinking everything she’d ever believed about men and relationships and how both could fit into the dynamics of her life. And as the sound of water stopped, the prospect of seeing him naked, his skin heated and damp from the steam, suddenly had her salivating, her heart beating with a vengeance in her chest. She couldn’t begin to know what to do with all that emotion. Everything she was feeling scared her to death.