by Alexa Powers
Walking in the front door, he carried their bags, while Emma clutched the cake that she’d made that morning. It felt strange using the front door, as that was reserved for guests, but Emma had marched up the front walkway so quickly once they’d gotten out of the car that he didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise.
“You must be Emma.” She was instantly enveloped in his mum’s arms as soon as they crossed the threshold, before he’d even had the chance to introduce them. “Well, aren’t you lovely?” his mum smiled as she pulled away, taking a good look at her.
Once his mum released her, his dad took her into his arms for a warm embrace. “Hello, Emma. It’s very nice to finally meet you.”
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Parker. It’s nice to meet you too, and thank you for having me.” Noah could tell she was still struggling with her nerves by the slightly elevated tone of her voice, so he placed their bags on the floor and rested a reassuring hand on her lower back. Feeling her lean slightly into his touch, he gently caressed her with his thumb and felt her relax further.
“We’re happy you’re here, Emma. Noah’s told us so much about you. But, please, call us Carol and Jim; we try not to be too formal around here.” His mum’s smile was warm and genuine as her eyes drifted to the cake tucked against Emma’s side. “What have we here?”
“It’s a mandarin cream cake. I hope you like it. It’s one of my favorites. I made it this morning. It’s an Easter tradition in my family.”
“Well, thank you for making it for us then. I can’t wait to try it. It looks fantastic.” She eyed Emma appreciatively as she reached for the cake. “Noah, why don’t you take Emma upstairs and get her sorted. I’ve set up the guest room for her.”
He knew it was his mum’s way of being subtle, letting him know they wouldn’t be sharing a room. His bed was only a single, but he’d have found a way to make it work, or he could join her in the guest room. Either one would work for him, as long as his sweet Emma was wrapped around him. Where she belonged.
Sleep without Emma snuggled against him was restless, at best, and he wasn’t looking forward to the long nights alone in his cramped bed. He traveled so often that, when he was home, he didn’t want to miss even one single night with her, sinking into her. Melting into her.
“Thanks, Mum. We’ll be down in a few minutes.” Noah moved to embrace her before heading upstairs with Emma. “It’s good to be home. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, my boy. Now run along.” He chose to ignore the childish way his mum addressed him and the blush he felt rising in his cheeks, and reached for their bags. With his free hand, he laced his fingers through Emma’s and led her up the stairs.
“So, this is where it all began?” Emma teased, as she stepped though the doorway and into his childhood bedroom. It was a small room with a single bed along the outside wall. A wooden dresser occupied the opposite wall, and there was a small desk in the corner. She struggled to visualize Noah sleeping in the tiny bed, knowing he couldn’t roll over on the narrow mattress without falling onto the floor.
She took a seat on the rolling chair that sat in front of the desk and watched as Noah sat down on the bed, seeing it sink beneath his weight. She’d been so nervous on the drive to his parents’ house, but now that the introductions were done, she finally felt at ease. Noah calmed her, relaxed her, and his parents were very welcoming. She knew that Noah rarely brought women home to meet his family, so she’d really wanted to make a good impression, to make Noah proud.
“I guess you could say that,” Noah answered her. “Is it different than what you’d imagined?” She knew he was probing, looking for her approval.
“Your parents’ home is beautiful, but honestly, I hadn’t really thought about it, other than when we spoke that night you stayed here. I can’t picture you sleeping in that small of a bed, though.” She swiveled back and forth in the chair, watching his eyes on her.
Noah looked the bed up and down and then turned back to Emma. “Yeah, it is small. A big bed was the first thing I bought when I got a place of my own. I got tired of my feet getting cold from hanging off the edge, eh?” He let out a slight chuckle as he reached for her knee, gliding the chair from the desk, along the hardwood floors, and situating it between his legs. “And as much as I enjoy a good sleep, I also enjoy sharing my bed with a warm woman wrapped around me, and that would be a wee bit of a problem in a single.”
Emma braced her feet on the edge of the bed and straightened her legs, backing away from him. “A warm woman?” She tried not to be jealous, but his words stung.
“You know what I meant, Emma. You know that you’re the only warm woman I want in my bed.” He gave her the sweet sexy smile that never ceased to unleash the butterflies in her stomach and snaked his fingers around the backs of her knees, bringing her back between his legs. She planted her feet on either side of his hips, her legs bent at the knees and enjoyed the feel of his hands as they stroked up and down her thighs.
“I know.” She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Trusting Noah was easy, and he’d never given her any reason to question his loyalty. “I just don’t like to think about you with other women, that’s all.”
“I know it sounds cliché, but you’ve ruined me, Emma. Anyone who came before you has literally faded away. Can’t remember them, and I don’t want to.”
His honest words melted her heart. “You always say the sweetest things, Noah.” She paused and exhaled a deep breath as she gazed into his gorgeous eyes, getting lost in them. “I love you…so much.”
“I love you too, babe.” His grip tightened and curled around the backs of her knees as he slid her off the chair and onto his lap.
Adjusting herself so that she was sitting on his thighs, Emma draped her arms around his neck. Nothing felt better than being held by him. His strong arms enveloped her, holding her against his broad chest. Bringing her lips to his, she smiled against them. “You know, this is kind of naughty, Noah.”
“Yeah, I know. But I see you and I want you. Period. And…this is one of my favorite positions to have you in.” He gave her an unapologetically wicked grin as he closed the gap and kissed her. It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.
Emma felt herself shudder at his words, as his tongue slid along the seam of her lips, requesting entrance. She complied instinctively and their tongues mated and danced in the comfortable rhythm that they’d perfected over time. It was familiar, but new at the same time. His lips were warm and soft against hers, as he maintained the gentle pressure of his kiss.
The memory of their lovemaking from the night before and that morning were still fresh in her mind as he continued the slow seduction. His hands were roaming up and down her back, softly massaging her as they traveled, then finally landed on her backside, pulling her tightly against the hard bulge pressing against her belly.
Breathlessly, she backed away slightly and placed a chaste kiss against his lips. “We really need to stop. I don’t want your parents to think poorly of me if they find us like this.”
Noah rested his forehead against hers, releasing a shaky breath. “Remind me again why we came here, because I’m ready to leave and take you home. Straight away.” His breath tickled her lips and unable to resist, she kissed him again.
Regaining her thoughts and her last ounce of self-control, Emma cupped his face in her hands while she stroked his cheeks and lifted her eyes to meet his. “You wanted me to meet your family…I wanted to meet your family. Remember?”
The low growl emanating from his chest expressed his displeasure, but he reluctantly pulled away, after pressing his lips against hers for one more taste. “Yeah, you’re right. How about a walk? We’re only a block from the lake and the domain. Let you see where I ran amuck as a wee fella. I’m going to need a few minutes before I’m ready for mixed company, though. Go sit over there.” He pointed to the desk that sat in the corner of the room. At her questioning look and raised eyebrow, he added with a pleadi
ng smile. “Please.” Emma complied as she slid the chair across the small room, settling at his desk.
They leisurely strolled hand in hand, their fingers entwined, along the path that encircled the lake at the end of his street. A cool breeze chilled Emma and she leaned against Noah’s side, wanting to absorb some of the heat that radiated off of him. The man was hot, literally and figuratively.
The path led them to a picturesque park that sat along the edge of the lake. It was the place where Noah first discovered his love and talent for the game of rugby and held so many of his childhood memories. There were several young boys gathered in the center of the field, running and tossing the ball to each other.
Leading her to a bench, they sat and watched the boys for a long while as Noah regaled her with story after story of his early days as a promising, but unskilled boy, daring to dream of the life he would one day achieve. After a while, one of the boys realized that it was Noah Parker sitting on the bench and the group rushed over to them with nervous smiles on their eager faces.
Emma watched as Noah patiently posed for pictures and then joined them on the field to give them a pointer or two. He was reluctant to leave her, but seeing the hopeful look on the boys’ faces at the possibility of having a private coaching session, there was no way she could let them down. After the initial excitement and nervousness wore off, they got down to business.
An hour quickly passed as Noah worked with them, helping to perfect their technique. Emma kept busy by getting caught up on her various social media sites and texting back and forth with family and friends. It was starting to get dark when Noah said his goodbyes to the now-fatigued boys and made his way back to where Emma waited on the bench.
“Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to be gone so long,” he frowned, his eyebrows knitting together, but she could tell he didn’t really feel that sorry about it at all. He may have felt guilty for leaving her sitting alone for so long, but he’d definitely enjoyed himself as much as the boys did, and she loved him all the more for it.
“Don’t be sorry. You just made their day. Maybe even their year,” she chuckled, lifting off the bench to join him.
Noah lazily draped his arm over her shoulders and placed a kiss on her temple. “Yeah, maybe, but you must have been bored, just sitting here watching us.”
“I wasn’t bored at all. I don’t need you to entertain me, Noah. Anyway, I liked watching you run around and that one boy was almost as fast as you are. He certainly gave you a run for your money.” She bumped her hip against his and slid her arm around his waist as they set off for the lakeside path back to his house.
“If he stays focused and puts in the hard yards, he may just have a future as a footy player. Not many young fellas get stuck in, though. There’re plenty of boys who have the physical ability, but lack the mental focus and vice versa. You have to possess both to make it in super rugby, especially to be selected for the All Blacks. It takes a lot of hard work and a lifetime of sacrifices to get there. But there’s nothing that compares to the feeling of putting on that black jersey.” He gave her a thoughtful smile and clutched her shoulder, pulling her tightly against his side. “Well, maybe one thing.”
She tilted her head and looked up to find him smiling at her. “Oh yeah…what’s that?”
“At the risk of turning in my man card…the feeling I get when you smile at me when you first wake up in the morning with your sleepy eyes. It does something to me. In here.” He rubbed his chest over his heart, then finished his thought. “Nothing compares to that.”
Emma felt her heart swell and she stopped walking, turning to face him. “You are the sweetest man, you know that? And you make me so happy, it almost hurts sometimes.” She hugged him tightly around his waist, then gave an extra squeeze as she lifted onto her toes and pressed her lips against his, reveling in the feel of his warm lips against hers. “And you don’t have to worry about losing your man card. Real men can admit their feelings and make a girl dizzy by saying what you just said. That, my love, is a real man. At least in my book.”
“You mean you don’t want your man to come with a ton of baggage and mummy issues?” he laughed sarcastically.
“God, no!” The sound of her laughter echoed over the expansive lake. “Been there done that and it left me dizzy for all the wrong reasons.” They started back down the meandering path beside the lake, strolling quietly along the trail. Noah watched as she was deep in thought.
He could tell she was gathering her thoughts, so he remained silent and waited for her to continue. “I’ve watched my mom virtually swoon when my dad walks into the room or whispers in her ear. She actually blushes. It used to embarrass me, seeing her giggle like a schoolgirl. Especially when I had friends over. But I’ve come to realize that I want that too. I want to spend my life with a man who loves me so much that, even after thirty years of marriage, he can still make me feel that way. Most people think that’s unrealistic, and maybe they’re right. But I grew up in a house that was filled with love and laughter, so I know it’s possible. I don’t want to settle for anything less than that…and I won’t.”
Noah listened intently as she spoke. He could give her that life, wanted to give her that life, the one she longed for. He’d spend the rest of his days making her happy, just so he could hear the sound of her laughter and see her pretty smile, knowing he played a role in it. “You deserve that, Emma. Any man would count himself lucky to have you. Should want to spend his life making you feel loved and cherished for the gift that you are.”
“Thank you, Noah. And I could say the same things about you, you know. I think you’re pretty amazing. I watched you with those boys. You were so patient with them. I could almost picture you with our…” She stopped so suddenly that he almost tripped. Her hand went to her lips, as if it would prevent the rest of her thoughts from tumbling out.
After a brief moment, realization settled over him as her words registered. Was she picturing him with their children? Was she actually thinking of staying with him? He didn’t dare bring it up, didn’t want to make the rest of their stay awkward if she said no.
He’d been thinking more and more about broaching the subject with her, but he wasn’t going to do it at his parents’ house. He wanted to be able to celebrate with her if she was agreeable or even just agreed to think about it. Or, if things didn’t go as he hoped, he needed the ability to lick his wounds in private if she turned him down. So, he bit his tongue and pretended he missed her slip of the tongue.
“Well, I love kids. I’ve thought about coaching once my playing days are over. And, if I’m lucky enough, I hope to have a house full of my own one day.” They’d spoken about their mutual desire for a big family before, and he was more convinced than ever that Emma would be the mother of his children. He just needed to gather up enough courage to ask her to stay with him.
Where Emma was used to laughter and good-natured teasing at family gatherings, Noah’s family quietly tucked into their meal. Between bites, the banter consisted of local gossip, workplace happenings, and Jacob and Maddie’s various milestones. It was very formal and polite and not at all what she was used to; no one spoke over each other or needed to raise their voices to be heard.
She couldn’t help but miss the chaos that accompanied family get-togethers at home. This was the first time she’d ever spent a holiday away from her family and, even though Noah’s family had gone out of their way to make her feel at home, it just wasn’t the same. She missed her rambunctious family.
She’d spoken to her mother the day before when she couldn’t remember the recipe for the mandarin cream cake she’d wanted to bring with her to Noah’s parents’ house. It just wouldn’t have been Easter without it, and she needed to bring a little slice of home with her. As winter approached, it was getting colder in New Zealand, but back home, spring had sprung, and her mother had gushed over her blossoming flower gardens, and Emma ached for the familiar sounds and fragrances of springtime in North Carolina.
“So, Emma, Noah tells us you’re a student. What’re you studying at university?” Noah’s father’s words snapped Emma out of her ruminations and back to the cozy dining room where she looked up to find seven sets of eyes watching her expectantly.
Swallowing her food, she gave herself a moment to gather her thoughts. “Yes. I’m a business major. I’ll have one semester to go once I get back home, and then I’ll finally be done. It’s taken me longer to get my degree because I started off as a pharmacy major, but changed my mind after a few years, so I basically had to start over again.” She knew she was babbling, but she always felt the need to explain why she was still working on her undergraduate degree.
“I see that quite often, actually, but it’s better to realize it while you’re still in school than after you graduate. Too many people are afraid to change course, or feel they’re too far gone to start over, then are unhappy in their careers.” His warm reassuring smile reminded her of Noah’s and set her at ease.
“Well, I’ll just be glad to be done. I’m tired of school and ready to start the next chapter of my life.”
“What do you see yourself doing, once you graduate?” Noah’s sister Lara chimed in.
Her future was once clearly-defined in her mind’s eye, but now was murky and uncertain. Emma wished things were different, that Noah worked in a field that he could transfer to America so they could have a future together, but the harsh reality was that he couldn’t play rugby at his level in America, and she couldn’t see herself living half a world away from her family.
Or could she? The thought didn’t induce the aching homesickness it once did, and as she looked at Noah, she was sure he was the main reason why. New Zealand was a beautiful and magical country, filled with awe-inspiring vistas and friendly people, and she’d always loved visiting throughout the years, but she had no doubt that the man sitting across from her in the cozy dining room was the reason why New Zealand was feeling more and more like home to her every day.