by Vivian Wood
“All right, then,” Noah said, rising to his feet.
“I’m so sorry, I wouldn’t have made our date for tonight—” Charlotte began.
“Don’t even start apologizing. Let’s go,” Noah said.
“We can reschedule,” Charlotte said.
“Let’s just get you over to the hospital, okay?” Noah asked.
“Oh…” Charlotte paused, taken aback. “I was just going to take the train.”
Noah gave her a long look, pursing his lips.
“I don’t think so,” he said. He pulled out his wallet and tossed a twenty on the table, though they hadn’t been served anything more than water yet. “My car’s in the valet. Let’s get your coat, darling.”
Charlotte followed him, unable to stop the shiver that skated across her skin at his casual use of the endearment. Noah took over, getting her coat and the car in no time, and before she knew it he was pulling into a space outside the hospital.
When Noah climbed out of the car and came around to open her door, Charlotte felt even guiltier. Not only was he being more than calm about their blown date, he was being a complete gentleman. Then, somehow, Noah managed to take things even further.
“I’m going up with you. I’ll stay out of the way, I promise,” he said, giving her a soft smile.
“Oh, Noah… I could be here all night,” Charlotte said, shaking her head.
“I’ve got tons of books on my phone. I’ll make friends with the nurses,” he said, taking her arm and escorting her into the hospital’s wide glass automatic doors. “Don’t worry about me, okay?”
Charlotte took a deep breath and plunged ahead, leading him to the employee elevators and up to her wing. The second that she hit her ward, every single nurse was staring at them. More precisely, at the incredibly hot man on her arm.
Connie, her closest nurse friend, cocked an eyebrow. Connie eyed Charlotte’s sage green dress and white heels, Noah’s slick dark blue suit and tie, and then her own pink rubber-ducky-covered scrubs.
“You brought a guest?” Connie asked, her chocolate-brown eyes devouring Noah inch by inch, head to toe.
“Yeah… We were sort of… interrupted,” Charlotte sighed. She made the quick introductions. “Connie, this is my friend Noah. Noah, this is Connie. She can get you settled somewhere comfortable, get you something to drink if you want.”
Charlotte gave Connie a pleading look, swallowing when Connie flashed her a mischievous smile in return.
“I’ll take good care of your man, I promise,” Connie said.
“Okay. I’m going to grab a gown and a mask and go see Sarah,” Charlotte said, referring to her seven-year-old patient with acute myelogenous leukemia.
Connie’s smile dimmed, her eyes softening. She nodded and patted Charlotte’s shoulder, turning to lead Noah to the waiting room. Charlotte headed down the hallway, glancing back once to find Noah’s gaze on her, his expression pensive and concerned. Stomach churning, she forced herself to turn away and focus on her patient. In Charlotte’s book, her patients would always come before the men in her life, no matter how sexy and wonderful they might be.
43
Thirteen
Bleary-eyed and emotionally exhausted, Charlotte stripped off her gown and mask and tossed them into the trash near the nurses’ station. She’d long since traded her heels for a pair of practical flats from her work locker, a backup pair that she frequently made use of on middle-of-the-night trips just such as this one.
She checked her phone, sighing when she saw that it was nearly four in the morning. She’d missed half a dozen texts from Abby, asking how her second date went. Charlotte huffed out a tired breath and gathered up her stuff. Feeling like a zombie, she headed for the elevators. When a pair of big hands landed on her waist, she actually shrieked and jumped.
It was Noah, looking rumpled yet somehow still delicious.
“You— you’re still here,” Charlotte croaked. Seeing him crumpled the last tiny bit of her reserve, and tears pooled in her eyes. She hadn’t cried the whole night until she looked up into those sea-green eyes, saw her own sadness reflected there.
“Hey, hey,” Noah said, his voice soft. He turned her around and looked down into her face, his eyes searching her face. “Are you okay?”
“No,” Charlotte said, sagging. When Noah pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, holding her up as much as he was embracing her. He was so big and warm and firm, felt so good in her moment of complete weakness. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, Charlotte holding back tears as she let Noah comfort her.
“Let’s get you home,” Noah suggested, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. Charlotte could only imagine that she looked like a complete wreck.
“Actually…” Charlotte said, shaking her head. “I have a thing I do. A ritual, I guess.”
Noah’s brow arched, but he just waited patiently for her explanation.
“When I lose a patient, I go to this diner and have a last meal in their honor. It sounds dumb, but it’s sort of…” Charlotte trailed off with a shrug.
“Closure,” Noah supplied.
Charlotte tipped her chin up to look at him. Noah joked a lot, and he was wildly sexy, but there was something more there, lurking under the surface. Something dark, a part of him that understood pain and death. Thinking of his big family and seeming air of privilege, she wondered how he’d acquired such depth.
“Right,” she said finally. “Closure.”
“Hope this diner has omelets,” Noah said, giving her another of those smiles. That deadly dimple flashed in his cheek, and in her frail state she thought her heart might just give out right then and there.
“You really don’t have to come,” she said.
“We’re not even having this conversation. Come on,” Noah said, taking her hand as he pressed the button to call the elevator. “I’m starving.”
For the second time that night, Charlotte let Noah take the lead, even though none of their activities benefited him in the least. As they drove to the diner in silence, Charlotte realized that she had some serious revising to do where her impression of Noah’s character was concerned.
44
Fourteen
Noah settled into the cramped diner booth across from Charlotte, feeling a little shell-shocked. He’d seen several facets of her before: the dutiful Berserker woman, the social flirt, the protective cousin. The pleasure-hungry conquest, something he would certainly never forget.
But this side of Charlotte, this deeply compassionate creature… this was something he could barely wrap his head around. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks flushed pink from crying, her hair thrown up into a messy ponytail. She’d changed shoes at some point, making her noticeably shorter than he was used to. And yet, she was more beautiful than ever.
Noah realized that Charlotte was blushing under his appraising gaze. Snapping up a menu, he peered at the limited list of choices in order to distract himself. After ordering a veritable mountain of food for himself plus pancakes and coffee for Charlotte, he found himself at a loss for words. His normal M.O. was levity, which didn’t work at all in light of Charlotte’s rough night. Luckily, she saved him.
“So how many bad magazines did you read while I was working?” Charlotte asked.
Noah grinned, glad that she was making things so easy for him.
“I only got through about three, actually. Connie introduced me to one of your patients and we hung out for a long time.”
Charlotte’s brows shot up in surprise, and Noah felt himself nearly insulted by her reaction.
“Who?” she asked, brow puckering.
“Max. He was awesome,” Noah said, keeping his tone casual. Truly, the young panther shifter had started things off with a surly-ass attitude. But things had turned around quickly when Noah spotted the kid’s Xbox.
“He talked to you?” Charlotte asked, her look turning skeptical.
“Yeah. We played Metal Gear Solid for like… f
our hours. He said he has trouble sleeping.”
Charlotte nodded slowly.
“Yeah. He’s a typical preteen boy, keeping it all inside, but he’s really sick.”
“Is it— would it be rude for me to ask what’s wrong with him?” Noah asked.
“He has osteosarcoma, bone cancer. It’s super painful,” Charlotte said, looking down as she toyed with her coffee mug.
“Where are his people?” Noah asked. When Charlotte’s expression went black, he wondered if he’d overstepped somehow.
“Max is in the foster care system. He’s been in and out of Children’s Hospital for years now, and he’s never had the same foster parent more than a couple of times. No one wants the burden of a kid who’s that sick.”
Noah frowned.
“What about the local cat shifters? Shouldn’t they take him in?” he asked.
“There aren’t any panther packs in this part of the country, and the lions seem unconcerned. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
“Well…” Noah tried to find the right words, then shook his head. “That fucking blows.”
Charlotte nodded and sipped her coffee.
“So you guys got along, huh?” she asked. There was some emotion brimming in her eyes, something that Noah couldn’t begin to read.
“Yep. I told him I’d come back this week.”
Charlotte downright scowled, her sudden intensity making the hairs on Noah’s neck raise.
“You shouldn’t make promises to him. Kids like Max seem tough, but they’re really lonely.”
Noah raised his hands, feeling defensive.
“I just said I’d come back this week, and I will,” he said.
“I’m not—” Charlotte stopped, and sighed. “Just don’t promise him anything else, okay? He’s had it so rough. He needs stability.”
And not globe-trotting Noah Beran, seemed to be left unsaid. Charlotte was starting to sound an awful lot like Finn.
The waitress delivered their food and they dug in. Noah hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he’d plowed through a mountain of bacon and French toast, plus an omelet.
“This place is incredible,” he said when he’d finished, stacking his empty plates at the edge of the table. “I’ve eaten at a lot of diners, and this one is in my top five. Easy.”
Charlotte chuckled.
“I’m so glad I could impress you,” she teased.
“Well. It’s no breakfast in Paris, but it’s pretty damned satisfying.”
“I eat here a lot. Not just after… you know, a patient passes away. It’s comfort food, for sure,” she said. “Though I’m not usually such a wreck. Sarah was with us for almost a year. I thought she was going to turn the corner and go into remission.”
There was a long pause in the conversation while Noah tried to figure out the right thing to say. Charlotte’s face reddened, and she gave him a guilty glance.
“I’m sorry. I know this isn’t good conversation. This is like, the worst second date ever.”
Noah reached across the table and took her hand.
“I’m not uncomfortable with death,” he said, keeping his sentiment simple.
“No?” Charlotte asked, cocking her head.
“No, not really. Everyone teases me about my job and how I just get to travel and hang, but I actually see a lot of terrible shit. Suicide bombers, police assaults on college kids, women and children killed by American drone strikes…” He waved a hand. “And me, right in the middle.”
Charlotte shuddered.
“I can’t see why you’d want to do that,” she said.
“There’s a reason why journalists cover war zones and political uprisings, you know. It’s not just sensationalism. When journalists and photographers do stories on the people effected by violence, they bring the issues to the Western world. A lot of the aid money and peacekeeping troops and medical support that these countries need comes from the West, but it doesn’t come unless politicians make it happen. If citizens don’t see the stories and realize that people are in trouble, the politicians aren’t interested. Journalists are just one little cog in the whole grand scheme,” Noah explained.
“I had no idea,” Charlotte said, looking impressed. “It seems like you’re really passionate about it.”
Noah shrugged.
“It’s started to wear me down. First I was lonely overseas, and then jaded. Now I see these amazing things, terrible things, and I just feel sort of… empty.”
Noah swallowed and reached for his coffee cup, realizing that he’d said a bit more than he intended.
“Maybe you just need to be a little more grounded. How often do you go home to see your family?”
“Not very often. I have all these great childhood memories, and they’re the best ones I’ve got. I don’t want them to get the wear and tear of everyday life, you know?”
Charlotte considered him for a long moment.
“You’re lucky, you know. My family isn’t nearly as stable.”
“I’d expect it to be pretty quiet if you’re not in the Alpha’s family,” Noah replied.
“That’s the thing. My father was Alpha for over a decade, until my teens.”
“He stepped down? Was he sick or something?”
“No, my uncle Jared actually challenged him. Uncle Jared won trial by combat, and graciously deigned to let my father keep his life.” There was no missing the sarcasm in her tone as she spoke of the event.
“How old were you?” Noah asked. Losing Alpha status must have crushed her father, and brought a great deal of confusion and embarrassment to Charlotte.
“Fourteen. My parents have always pressured me to stand out, be this irresistible girl that no one can turn down. My father wants me to take an Alpha as a mate, someone who will lead a clan one day. I think he feels like he’ll have power and influence again. Which is funny considering that I go home about as much as you do.”
“I think you’re irresistible, darling,” Noah informed her. “I’ll never be a major Alpha, though. Too much politicking.”
Charlotte gave him an amused glance.
“That doesn’t matter to me a bit. And all joking aside, you really need to see your family. If you can tolerate being in a room with them, you should do it as much as possible. You’re much more lucky than you know.”
Noah ducked his head, acknowledging her words. The waitress brought the bill, and Noah stared Charlotte down when she tried to give the waitress her credit card. He handed the waitress a wad of cash and then ushered Charlotte out of the restaurant.
45
Fifteen
Noah drove Charlotte home, following her directions to a cute blue bungalow complete with a picket fence. He got out and opened her door, helping her out of the car and ushering her up the walkway to the house. He paused at the front door as she fished out her keys, thinking he shouldn’t invite himself in, but Charlotte merely glanced up at him with a tired smile. She unlocked the door and grabbed his hand, tugging him along in her wake. Noah certainly wasn’t going to resist; he was curious about her life, and wanted to see her living space.
“Your house is beautiful,” he told her, looking around at her neat, comfortable open living room and kitchen.
“Thanks,” Charlotte sighed. She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge pulling out two bottles of water and offering him one before dropping onto the oversized tan leather couch. Noah took a long sip of his, still standing as he looked around. She had several bookshelves, all overflowing with texts of every kind. A large TV and DVD collection, a Macbook sitting on the coffee table, and even a pretty nice sound system.
“Come sit with me?” Charlotte asked, turning her sapphire gaze up to him. She looked a lost and tired, in need of more comfort than diner food could give.
Noah’s lips quirked as he abandoned the bottle of water on the coffee table, sitting down and pulling Charlotte close. He wrapped her in his arms, intending only to hold her, though his body hardened at the simple contact.
“You smell so good,” Charlotte murmured, her face pressed against his chest. Before Noah could blink, Charlotte shifted and pressed her lips to his, her arms twining around his neck. Her kiss was hard and hungry, her need evident as her lips parted, tongue seeking his.
Noah groaned as his arm tightened around her waist, crushing Charlotte’s incredible curves against his body. Her breasts pressed against his chest, making him yearn to cup and lick and squeeze them even as he deepened the kiss.
Charlotte took control, her hands plucking at the buttons on his shirt. Noah sucked at her earlobe, nipped the sensitive flesh at her neck, traced her collarbone with his tongue. Charlotte’s chest heaved, her breath coming in short pants. She kicked off her shoes and shifted on the couch, adjusting her dress.
Noah growled low in his throat when she wriggled out of her panties, straddling his lap.
“I need you, Noah,” she whispered, her fingers working at his belt and zipper. She shoved his pants partway down his hips, making him hiss with pleasure when her fingers wrapped around his aching cock. She pumped her fist up and down his length, and Noah ground into her, giving her control. She stripped off his shirt, dropping kisses to his neck and shoulders, her luscious mouth burning his too-warm skin.
Noah pushed down the shoulders of her dress and the straps of her bra, roughly shoving it to her waist to bare her glorious, full breasts. As he cupped and nuzzled the soft globes, Charlotte moaned and pulled up the hem of her dress, her hand guiding his erection to her hot, slick core.
Noah couldn’t hold back a rumbling growl as he slid into Charlotte’s tight channel, thrusting deep.
“Yes!” Charlotte cried, her hands running up his bare chest to brace on his shoulders.
Noah gripped her hips, setting an insistent, driving rhythm as he guided her movements, thrusting up into her willing flesh. Charlotte tightened around him immediately, and he knew she wouldn’t last long. He was floored, his body tensing, balls drawing tight with the need to finish.