by Bee Daniels
He kissed her again as he grinded into her. Even through the cloth, Noah could feel her wetness seep through his own briefs as Melanie ground her own hips against his.
"Uh, fuck," Melanie moaned as she ripped her lips from him and held onto him as she moved faster. Noah hadn't done stuff like this since his middle school days, where the only way he could get remotely close to having sex with a girl was like this. Stuff like this didn't satisfy him anymore, but with Melanie, it was different. The sound of her moans, the way she moved her hips, grinding into his hardness shamelessly as she held onto him. It made him so hot feeling the pressure of her sweet sex and her wetness till the point that he shuddered, and spilled inside his briefs just as Melanie's thighs quivered against him.
They both breathed heavily, Melanie's unlocking her legs from around him. Noah pressed one last kiss against her neck, and she shivered from that alone.
"God," he whispered. "I want to fuck you so bad, Mel."
She looked at him, her brown eyes searching his own, and Noah wondered if she was contemplating that very idea; if she was having the same thoughts that he was. If she imagined going to the front door and locking it so Damon wouldn't be able to come back in, and then they would spend the rest of the night together on the bed as Noah pound into her, giving her something worthy of an A. But then those thoughts quickly disappeared when they heard the front door open.
Noah sighed, pulling back and giving Melanie space to get down. He pulled his joggers back up. Noah got one glimpse of Melanie's ass that he wanted so desperately to grab before she pulled her dress back down.
Noah grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling of his own seed being on him as he adjusted his pants. He would need to go to her bathroom before he left.
Melanie walked over to her printer and pulled out a few plain sheets before passing them to him. "You should go," she said, unable to look him in his eye.
He could leave now without a word, but that wouldn't work for him, especially since he knew that Damon was still here, waiting to take his place.
"I have an assignment for you, Melanie."
Melanie frowned as she finally looked at him before she crossed her arms together across her chest, protectively. "What?"
"Over the weekend, I want you to think about what our relationship could be."
"Nothing," she quickly said stubbornly, and Noah chuckled. He walked over to her, pressing a kiss on top of her head. There was just something about her that he really loved. He couldn't explain it, but everything about Melanie, even when she was stubborn, made him happy.
"I said think about it," Noah said. "You haven't even done that. You don't want to get an F, do you?"
"Noah—" Noah kissed her lips one last time before he grabbed a few tissues off of her nightstand that he would definitely need.
"Just think about it, Mel. What's the harm in that?"
With that, he left out of her room and nodded at Damon before he left. He had a feeling after what happened between them, it wouldn't be long before Melanie made up some excuse to ask Damon to leave. And Noah was right. After using those tissues to clean himself in the car, just as he was about to leave, Noah saw Damon leaving the apartment building, and Noah couldn't help but smile, satisfied that Melanie was no longer on a date. There was no way he was going to let anyone else have something that precious to him.
CHAPTER
30
NOAH
A
FTER THE WEEKEND, WHEN NOAH SAW MELANE AGAIN, he wasn't surprised to find that she was ignoring him. Throughout class, she didn't bother to look at him or acknowledge his presence, even when he raised his hand to answer a question, she would call on someone else instead. It was annoying, but Noah couldn't complain much because he expected her to freak out after what happened between them. But what had surprised him was the later on that day, when he made it to their study session, she was there. Noah came, more than likely, expecting her not to show up. He expected some bullshit text message with her telling him not to bother to come. But there was no text because she was at the whiteboard, scribbling down notes on the board.
Noah hesitated at the door, not quite sure what to say. Usually, he would joke with her, throwing on his best charm to make her smile. Everything with Melanie was always simple, but now, it wasn't that way, not after what had passed between them last Saturday night. It would never be the same. And though Noah wanted to know Melanie's answer to his assignment, he knew that from the way she stiffly wrote on the board, that right now was not the best time to ask her anything about their personal relationship. They had gone at his pace that night. Today, they would go at hers.
Instead of saying anything, Noah stepped inside the room and took a seat. Melanie turned into Professor Bryant right before his eyes as she went over Chapter 15. Noah wrote down the notes that he would surely need for the upcoming final exam in two weeks. Soon, the semester would be over, and though ever since he started getting tutoring from Melanie, he was passing all of her assignments and exams, Noah could not slack on this last one which was a big portion of his grade. To pass this course, he would need to ace this exam, and so he pushed his thoughts of Melanie to the back of his mind, and instead, focused on the lesson at hand.
It wasn't long before the full hour of tutoring was up, and Melanie began to wipe the board down. Noah placed his notebook and pen back into his bag before he slowly stood up from his seat, unsure of what to do and what to say. Everything was more awkward than he had expected, and all the bravado he had that night from the jealousy he felt seeing her with another man was gone, leaving him naked, vulnerable, and unable to break through the wall she was so obviously placing between them.
Stiffly, Melanie placed the dry eraser down before wiping her hands and grabbing her purse. She looked like she was ready to flee, but she paused in her step and sighed before giving her full attention to him. Noah's heart beat rapidly as he waited for her response. He hadn't felt this way since the first time he had played hockey, a chilling feeling that jacked his nerves up to the point that he felt his heart in his chest. He desperately wanted to know her response, but on the other hand, he feared it. He feared it because a part of him already knew what the answer would be.
"Noah," she started as she breathed out another deep sigh. "I'm sorry, but I can't be with you."
Noah looked down, feeling defeated, the same way he felt whenever he knew a game was lost, and there was no chance of him saving it. A part of him already knew the answer from the beginning. Had this been any other woman, they probably would have given in. They wouldn't have questioned what this was and what their titles were to each other. Noah had met plenty of older women before who had made their attraction known to him. But Melanie was different. She wasn't that type of woman. She wouldn't just act on her emotions even if she felt it, not when her brain was working perfectly fine.
Noah gave a hollow smile that he did not feel as he slowly nodded, trying to work his way towards acceptance even if he did not feel it.
But how could he accept it? How could he take not being with her?
"You're my student," Melanie continued, "and it wouldn't be right for us to do anything. I already crossed the line with you once, but I won't cross it any further."
"So, that's it," Noah said with a hollow laugh that he did not feel. "Is it the end of everything, our tutoring, our—"
"No," she quickly said. "I'll keep tutoring you, and we can be the way we were before, but…but if something inappropriate happens between us again, I'll definitely end all of it."
"Then why not just end it now?" Noah asked because, for him, he knew it was impossible to let go. Not after everything that had happened, not after he tasted her. Maybe it was just better to end it cold than continue when it would be torture to be around her without kissing her beautiful, plump lips that were so desperately asking to be kissed, even now. It was best to leave temptation at the door rather than bringing it in, and being around Melanie wa
s temptation itself.
"I like you," Melanie said. Noah wished that liked meant something entirely different, and more so in the way he felt about her. "You're my student, but you're also my friend. I don't want to lose that."
Noah dropped his bag and walked closer to her, but she quickly raised her hand, stopping him before he could get too close— stopping him before he could kiss every worry she had away.
"I don't want to lose that either," Noah said, also wanting to convey how he felt for her, feeling frustrated by the lack of words that were coming to his head that could explain exactly what he wanted from her. "But, we could be that and more—"
"Don't," she said, shaking her head, as she shakily gripped her purse. "Don't ruin it all, or there won't be anything between us at all."
Noah slammed his fist against the table, before he reluctantly took a step back, understanding her words loud and clear, and hearing the threat behind them. Either he could accept what they had before, or nothing at all, and Noah would rather have friendship with Melanie than not be able to see her smile and laugh like she used to do before. If this were all he could get from her, then he would accept it gladly, even though he wanted so much more. Even though he knew they could be so much more. And she knew it too.
"Okay," Noah agreed, biting down his protests and accepting her word.
Melanie gave a small smile. "See you tomorrow, Noah," she said before she left the room, leaving nothing but her scent behind and him hollow.
CHAPTER
31
MELANIE
“A
RE YOU OKAY?” ABIGAIL ASKED MELANIE, who nervously fiddled with the bangles on her wrist. They sat in the car outside of the Ice Topic Skating Rink, a city away from Weston.
"I'm fine," Melanie said, though it was a complete utter lie, and Abigail knew that as well from the look she gave her, but instead, Abigail kept her mouth shut this time. At least her friend knew when not to push her because right now, Melanie was a ball of nerves, and the reason why was because of the person inside of that skating rink now— Noah Walker.
"When did you both plan this again?" Melanie asked Abigail as she pulled down the sun visor and looked at herself in the mirror. She tugged on her blue knitted cap that had flattened her hair underneath. When she realized she was checking herself out in the mirror, she quickly closed the sun visor. What did it matter what she looked like? "And why did I have to come?"
"I already told you this morning. Before we had gone to get your new car when lover boy was at your apartment, I talked to him about how I wanted to learn how to ice skate, and he said he would teach me."
"But what does that have to do with me?" Melanie asked, annoyed.
Abigail gave her a look. "Would you really want me to go ice skating with Noah alone?"
Melanie swallowed thickly as she shrugged. "What would it matter to me? You're talking like I own Noah or something. If he wants to teach you how to ice skate, that has nothing to do with me."
Abigail turned off her engine and pulled off her seatbelt before fully turning in her seat to face Melanie. "Is there something you're not telling me? Because you're acting very strange. Aren't you and Noah friends?"
That was thing Melanie didn't really want to explain because she did not know how to define her relationship with Noah. After that tutoring session, she'd been walking on eggshells around Noah, unsure of what to say and how to act. With every part of her, she wished she could go back. She wished she could create a time machine and never kiss Noah, but she also knew that was impossible. Because no matter how desperately she wanted to return to the way they were before, more and more, she was starting to realize how impossible it was just to be friends with Noah. Everything was awkward between them now, and she didn't know what to do. She also didn't know what to do with those feelings she locked up that kept spilling out on their own.
"We're friends," Melanie told Abigail, not because she was lying to her, but because she was determined to be friends with Noah again. She was determined to go back to the way they had been before at all costs. She would overcome this like she had managed to do with everything else in her life before. Well, except for love, but that was a different story because she wasn't in love with Noah Walker. She just liked him a little more than she was supposed to.
"If you say so," Abigail said in a tone that said she didn't believe Melanie.
They both got out of the car together and headed inside the building. Luckily, it wasn't packed, and they could easily spot Noah talking to a woman behind the counter. Of course, he was his charming self as usual as the woman smiled and giggled. Noah just flirted with everyone in sight. He would flirt with a dog if he could.
"No need to look so jealous over a friend," Abigail said, laughing as she pinched Melanie's cheek, and Melanie slapped her hand away.
"I'm not jealous," Melanie said, annoyed with herself for being annoyed. As they walked over to them, Melanie couldn't help but wonder why they had come all the way to this ice-skating rink when there was one closer in Weston that they could have easily gone to.
"If you say so," Abigail said again, and Melanie was this close to slapping her.
"Hey, Noah." Abigail greeted him with a huge smile. Noah turned his attention from the woman behind the counter to them. He shot Abigail his signature grin before his gaze dropped on Melanie, and Melanie immediately froze. His eyes took in every inch of her, and Melanie felt her heart race, but when his eyes locked onto her own, it nearly burst. He needed to stop looking at her like that. Like she was dinner, and he wanted to eat her right here.
"Hey, Abi," Noah said as he pulled her into a short hug. Melanie waited for her hug, but to her surprise, Noah only gave her a friendly shoulder clap and a mild nod.
"Hey, Mel," he said, and Melanie found herself speechless and the only thing she could was nod back. What was that? Why did he give Abigail a hug but not her? Was he doing it to annoy her? Or was he doing what she asked for— distance.
"Okay," Abigail said slowly, noticing the awkward interaction between them with a curious stare. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Jemma. She's the daughter of the owner here. Jemma, these are my friends, Abigail and Melanie."
"Noah was just telling me all about you guys," Jemma said with a huge smile. She had vibrant curly hair that was pulled into a messy top bun. Her hazel eyes sparkled with excitement, and Melanie had to admit she was a bit put off by her enthusiasm.
"I wonder what he had to say about us," Abigail said, giving Melanie a look. And Melanie wondered the same herself. What did he say about her? Did he tell Jemma that she was his professor?
Jemma opened her mouth to speak, but Noah quickly cut her off.
"Uh, what about those skates?" Noah asked pointedly, and now Melanie was very curious about what he had said about her.
"Oh, yeah. I totally forgot," Jemma said and turned to them. "What sizes are you both?"
Melanie and Abigail rattled off their shoe sizes, and Jemma headed to the back, rummaging around for a bit before she returned with their skates. It seemed that Noah had brought his own pair.
"Have fun and be careful!" Jemma called after them as they walked to the bench next to the skating rink. Melanie plopped down next to Abigail as they both removed their shoes.
"You're not going to let me fall out there, are you?" Abigail asked Noah pensively.
"I wouldn't do that," Noah said as he sat down next to Melanie. And once he did, Melanie felt very aware of him, especially every time his arm brushed her own. She tried to calm down her beating heart in hopes that neither of them would hear it. Why was she so nervous around him? She hadn't been at first. She could be calm and relaxed around Noah, something that she hadn't been able to do with other men before. But then again, in the beginning, she hadn't seen Noah as a man. She had seen him as only her student and her friend, and now she saw him as something else entirely.
Melanie shifted over closer to Abigail and conti
nued to put on her skates when she felt that there was enough measured distance between herself and Noah.
"Now, I definitely know something happened," Abigail whispered to Melanie, "since you're practically sitting on my lap."
"Shut up," Melanie whispered back.
"Are you both ready?" Noah asked as he stood.
"I'm ready," Abigail said. "Though I'm not sure how I'm supposed to stand on the ground."
Noah chuckled. "Use the railing for now. It'll be easier once you get on the ice."
"How about you, Mel?" Noah asked her.
"Do I really have to go out there?" Melanie asked as she eyed the skating rink where a few people played. Ice skating had never been something on her bucket list. Then again, she wasn't the most adventurous person to begin with.
"It'll be fun," Abigail said, "stop being a sourpuss."
Melanie rolled her eyes and glanced at Noah, waiting for Noah to join in on the 'you're so boring' comments. But he didn't say anything. What was happening?
"How about this? To make sure that neither of you falls, I'll take Abi out first, and then I'll take you next."
Melanie blinked, feeling a pang in her chest. His suggestion made sense. Melanie was nervous, and in fact, she didn't really trust that with her and Abigail out there, even with an experienced skater like Noah, that one of them wouldn't fall. But on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel like there was something else behind it. Why was Noah so different now? He was dismissive of her like he didn't want her to be here.
Abigail glanced at Melanie with a questioning stare, and Melanie shrugged. It was the practical decision, and though Melanie wanted to ask why he didn't choose to take her first, she knew that Abigail was the one who wanted to do this, not her. Yet still, it was strange.