I remember what Noah’s breath felt like against my ear…his lips barely grazing the skin of my neck, and I rub my aching breasts. Closing my eyes, I remember him slowly pulling up my dress, and pressing his fingers into my flesh, and the ache in my channel is fierce.
I know what I’m about to do. I’m about to lose the bet. I don’t give a fuck. I need relief. I need Noah, but there are more things wrong with that idea than I can think about. I know he cares about me, and we have a blast together. If we actually got together, though, if we tried to date, it would just fizzle out, like it does with all his girlfriends. I’d become another sad ex that fluttered in and out of his life and our friendship, the thing that brings me more joy than anything else, would be gone forever.
I want to be strong enough to go to his room, climb into his bed and take what I so desperately need. Instead, I settle for the meager satisfaction I know I can provide myself.
I move my hand down my body, imagining it’s his hand. I move my fingers to my clit and imagine they’re his fingers…then his lips. I dip my fingers to wet them in the desire that’s pooling there, and stroke my swollen, aching clit until my body begins to hum.
After I come down, I remember how hard Noah felt against my ass, and I wonder if he has had to take matters into his own hands as well. Maybe I lost the bet, or maybe we’re both out at the same time.
My alarm rings painfully early. Last night was weird. Awkward, to say the least. I nearly had an orgasm at my best friend’s insanely skilled hand. He did things and said words that were confusing and sexy and everything I’ve wanted. I don’t know if that whole experience was borne out of kindness or pity, or…could it have been something else? Could he be feeling the same way I do? If he has been feeling feelings too, there’s no way that can become anything besides the beginning of the end.
We’ll have to talk about it at some point. I need to understand what he was thinking. That doesn’t have to happen today, though, and if it did, I might die of embarrassment.
So, I leave my best friend a note, and skulk down to the buffet for breakfast and coffee before he comes out of his room. By the time he catches up with me later, I’m at the table in the exhibitor’s hall, and that is not the place to talk about whatever weirdness is going on with him and me right now, which is exactly how I planned it.
Chapter 16
Elle was up before me this morning. First time ever, I think. She actually got dressed, went downstairs, and ate breakfast before I made it out of my room, no doubt to avoid me.
I, on the other hand, took a painful, ice-cold shower this morning, just like I did last night before bed.
I still can’t believe I was holding her last night. Touching her. Making her feel…I don’t know what, but definitely something. Elle has moments of insecurity, sure, especially after the breakup with the asshole. In most areas of her life, though, she is an absolute badass. She’s strong, smart, creative, decisive and one of the funniest people I’ve ever known in my life. The idea that someone like her, someone who doesn’t need me, could actually want me makes me feel like I’m fucking invincible. When she was letting me hold her, letting me touch her, letting me give her pleasure…I felt strong, important, and want to do whatever it takes to be worthy of having her whole heart the way I had full command of her body in that moment.
Now I’d seen that look on her face—that look of pleasure and happiness and contentment? All I can think about is making that happen again. That, and spending every night for the rest of my life with my arms wrapped around her and my cock buried deep inside her.
I get dressed and head down to the exhibitors’ hall to find Elle with our contractors at the display booth. I hand her the coffee I brought her from the Starbucks in the lobby.
“Good morning.” I take a sip from my own cup.
“Good morning.” Her words warble with a nervous smile.
Someone stops by the front of the booth, and the reps walk up to show them our latest insulated jackets.
“Hey,” I lean my shoulder against hers. “Are we good, Elle?”
She looks at me sheepishly, then lets out a playful sigh. “Always, Noah.”
Thank God for that.
“It’s just…,” she looks around cautiously, then shakes her head. “Why? Why did you do that, last night?”
I can’t tell her the real reason right here, right now, so I step in close, speaking low. “You seemed like you felt so miserable. I wanted to change that. I wanted you to see yourself the way I see you. I wanted you to feel good…happy.” I chuckle. “I’m a helpful guy, remember?”
She replies with a soft smile and pats my shoulder.
Despite my focus on what’s going on with Elle and me, we are making great connections at the event. We made the rounds yesterday, and talked to so many people at the cocktail reception, that we felt like the best use of our time today was manning the booth and talking about the products. Most of the buyers were in the expo hall today, and it was a good opportunity to show them the quality and features we’ve been working on with our most recent lines.
Elle created a branded backdrop, called a step-and-repeat, with a desert scene and our logos. She has postcards with the Vegas sign that have our social media info on the back, and she’s snapping photos of people in front of it, posting it live to social media. She makes sure to get photos of our reps, both of whom are dressed in our apparel, as well as getting some photos of the two of us in front of the backdrop.
Even with our two reps there, we were busy all day. By the time we pack up for the day and start to head upstairs, we’re both pretty brain dead.
Walking through the lobby, I hear a familiar voice. “G’day you two. Busy day, was it?”
Seriously? This guy again? He’s fucking everywhere.
“Hi, Ian!” Elle waves enthusiastically.
Suddenly, my whole life flashes before my eyes. Elle going on dates with Ian. Them getting married and having kids. Me having to sit and stare at the woman I love at her wedding reception as she dances with the suntanned mogul. Them inviting me to family dinners where their kids call me Uncle Noah. Me, spiraling out of control, and telling their perfect-looking little progeny over Thanksgiving dinner, “Ya know kids, that coulda been your Uncle Noah. I coulda been your daddy if I wasn’t a giant pussy who was afraid to tell Elle how much I loved her.” I had better start socking away money for the little guys’ therapy right now.
One of the reps calls me over to answer a question, and I step away, leaving Elle to chat with Ian out of my earshot, and I desperately wish this kid had asked me his product questions earlier in the day. When I return a few minutes later, Ian is turning to walk away. “Right then, Elle. I’ll see ya later on.”
“Okay, sounds great.” Elle gives him a little shrug and a wave as we walk away.
In the elevator, Elle is quiet and I don’t say anything until we get into the suite.
“So, am I hallucinating, or are you going on a date with that guy?” I ask flatly.
“I…well, it’s not a date, really. I don’t think. Is it a date?” She laughs and looks at me as if I have the answer, but I have no idea what is even happening.
“Well, he didn’t ask me, Elle, he asked you,” I shrug.
“He just wants to catch up, talk shop, that’s all.” She laughs it off.
Okay. I can deal with that. I’m not loving the fact that he didn’t include me in this little get-together, but if that’s really all it is, I’m cool. It’s just one dinner, after all. Once I get to tell Elle what I’ve been thinking, once she loses the bet and I get to ask her the question that’s been gnawing away at me for weeks now.
“Oh, okay. So, where are you guys going?” I try to make the question sound more nonchalant than I feel.
“Some old-school Vegas place Ian suggested. The Barrymore, I think?” She scrunches up her face as if trying to remember.
Pretending to mindlessly thumb through my phone, I quickly look the place up on Yelp. The first
review makes my stomach lurch. “Most romantic spot in Vegas! My girl loved the dinner and couldn’t stop thanking me for bringing her here.”
Fan-freaking-tastic.
An hour later, I’m on the sofa, not even sure what I’m supposed to be watching on TV as I throw back a beer. Elle walks out of her bedroom in a little black dress I’d like to peel off of her with my teeth. She’s hopping around on one foot, putting on her high heel.
“Hey, is this Vegas-y enough?” She gestures up and down her body with her hands.
I start to reply when the doorbell rings.
“I’ve got it,” Elle heads over to the door.
“Well, look at ya, beaut!” Ian exclaims as his eyes take her in. “You look great!”
“Thanks! Let me grab my bag,” she turns to the bar to grab her clutch. “Bye, Noah!”
“Yeah, see ya,” I say, only half turning to look at her.
“G’night,” Ian adds, leaning into the room around Elle. “Don’t wait up!”
With that, the door clicks shut, and a wealthy Australian is off with my girl, who looks sexy as sin in her little black dress.
It’s going to be a long fucking night.
I wake up and realize I’ve fallen asleep on the balcony. I look at my watch. Eleven thirty. I stumble back into the living room and look at Elle’s door. There is no light shining from beneath it. I can’t be this close to telling her how I feel and give up without a fight.
I decide wallowing in solitude is not healthy, and make my way downstairs to the closest bar. I move on from beer to whiskey, and as I’m getting familiar with my new friend Jack Daniel, I hear a deep, loud laugh followed by a phrase that sounds like nonsense. “Go on, then! Hit us again. I’m dry as a dead dingo’s donga!”
I slowly turn to see Ian Legare sitting at the far end, his attention rapt on the soccer game that’s on the TV just above the bar. I pick up my drink and park myself on the barstool next to him.
“It’s Noah, right?”
“Yeah, and you’re Ian.” I tip my glass in his direction and take another sip.
After sitting there for I’m not sure how long, I finally muster up the words to ask what I both do and don’t want to know. “So, how was your date?” The last word hisses through my teeth.
“With Elle, ya mean? Naw, yeah, she’s great. I like her. Trying to get her to come back to Sydney for a look about.” He grins and takes a sip of his own drink.
“She has a home, you know, back in Charlotte, and a job…family…friends.” I shake my head. “She’s not going to Australia.”
“Maybe not, but I plan to have a go of it, anyway. A girl like her doesn’t come round every day.”
“You can say that again,” I lift my glass and clink it against his.
“So, you two been an item or something? Seems like there’s more there than a work partnership.” Ian scans me up and down, visually sizing me up.
“No we haven’t. We might…could be. I mean, we’re pretty close, Elle and me.”
“Well, brother, no disrespect intended, but I plan to do my best to get her in my camp. May the best man win.” He holds up his glass. “Cheers.”
Well, fuck.
I may not always have been the best man, but I can be, for her, at least. I can’t let her slip away because I didn’t take action fast enough. I’m not about to lose her to another guy in America, or Australia, or anywhere else. Bet or no bet, I have to find the right way to tell her what I’ve been thinking so we can start our lives together.
Chapter 17
The place Ian suggested for dinner is amazing. After we eat, we’re just sitting, chatting when he suddenly looks at me and asks, “So, do you like working for Summit?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, nearly choking on the hunk of bread I’m stuffing into my mouth.
“I mean, I’ve done my research on you, Elle. Your marketing campaigns are spot on, and I know Donovan. We go way back. That cheap bastard can’t possibly be paying you what you’re worth.”
“Oh…well, I…,” I’m not sure exactly what to say.
“You’re, what now? A director?”
“Director of Marketing, yes.”
“I’ve got an opening for VP of Marketing at Banshee. You’re just the kind of creative, cutting edge kind of person I’ve been looking for. Whatever Donovan is paying you, I’ll double it, plus moving expenses. Whadya say? Just come to Sydney, check things out, meet the team…give me a chance to seduce you away from Donovan.” He’s talking all business but his raised brow is incredibly suggestive.
“Wow, that’s…very flattering, Ian. I don’t know what to say.” I twist the stem of my wine glass between my thumb and forefinger as I try to process what he’s saying.
“Just have a think on it. I’ll be here all week. If you’d like to come down and check it out, I’ll make all the arrangements for ya. How’s that sound?”
“I…I couldn’t ask for more than that, could I?” I smile. “Thank you, Ian.”
“I have a feeling, Elle, that this is the start to a beautiful friendship.” He lifts his glass to meet mine. “Cheers.”
When Ian walks me back to our suite after dinner, it’s dark, so he comes inside with me to make sure everything’s okay. There’s no sign of Noah, but everything’s fine, so we say goodnight, and I head for the bedroom and get ready for bed.
As I lay in the big bed alone, I can’t help but wonder where Noah might be.
A late dinner, maybe? Then another, more troubling thought creeps in. Did he meet someone?
I look at the clock. It’s almost eleven. I know Noah. I don’t think he would hook up with some random woman on a work trip. So, I try to rest my tired mind, and get some sleep.
I’m standing at the coffee machine the next morning when Noah comes out of his room, freshly showered.
“Hi,” his voice is low and cautious.
“Good morning.” I’m terrified of the answer, but I have to know. “You must’ve been out pretty late. Meet a friend?”
I don’t look at him. I just keep stirring my coffee.
“I just went down to the bar,” he replies. “I think I was asleep on the balcony when you came in.”
“Everything okay?” I am beyond relieved he didn’t find any trouble to get into.
“Yeah,” Noah puts a pod in the coffee machine, then closes the distance between us. He tucks a loose tendril of hair behind my ear and brushes my cheek with his palm. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind. Wanted to work some things out.” he shrugs.
He looks at me for a long moment, then says, “You look really beautiful this morning.”
“Thanks?” I ask more than say. I have on a simple shift dress and flats. It’s a plain outfit, but somehow he’s looking at me like I’m all dressed up. It’s the last event day. We finish at three this afternoon, then we’re done with work stuff.
“What do you want to do tonight?” Noah asks, smiling coyly at me as he stares down at me intensely.
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “What do you think we should do?”
“What do you say we go out and have cocktails and apps, then come back here, and take it easy? Maybe watch a movie? We should head out pretty early in the morning.” There’s something different about his voice…his smile.
“Sounds good.” I then remember that we didn’t have much time alone the day before.
I take a deep breath, deciding I have to tell him the truth, as much as it pains me.
“Noah, I have to tell you something,” I say softly, casting my eyes down.
He puts his coffee down and stands close. “You can tell me anything, Elle.”
I blow out a quick breath. “I’m out.”
“What do you mean? Out of what?”
“The contest. I’m out.” I look up at him from under my lashes.
“Really? So you…,” he pauses, and his brow furrows. “So, after you were out with Ian last night?” He steps backward as if offended by the thought.
“N
o, actually…it was the night before. After you…after we…it was after the party.” I can feel my cheeks burning with crimson as I say the words.
“Oh.” A sexy little smirk creeps across his face. “I see.”
Noah steps in closer, and cups my face in his hands, then leans down so close that I think he’s about to kiss me.
My pulse races and I hold my breath.
“So that means…I win.” He wriggles his eyebrows and laughs.
Rolling my eyes, I reply, “You do.”
“I can’t even explain how much I can’t wait to collect,” he steps back and pumps his fist in the air. “Now, let’s go downstairs and get this day over with so we can get to the good stuff.”
Chapter 18
For a week that started out so shitty, things have taken a significant turn for the better over the past twenty-four hours. Elle is out. She lost our bet. The best part is that she lost the bet after the party. The night I held her and told her how spectacular she really is. The night I touched her. Now, I’ll be able to collect my prize.
I’m going to kiss her. I’m going to tell her I love her, and if she’ll have me, I’m going to make her mine.
I can’t keep the grin off my face all day. Everything is finally falling into place.
When we finish with the event, we spend an hour or so uploading all the contact information we gathered this week, and sending the information our teams need to generate the follow-up plan. McMasters and Jordan have scheduled a video call for us to debrief on the event. Elle and I set up my laptop on the small dining table and join the video conference where, to our surprise, Donovan, the CEO, has joined our respective bosses in the conference room.
Vote Then Read: Volume III Page 156