by Mandy Baxter
She was the most amazing woman he’d ever met. And Noah knew that once with her would never be enough. He wanted more. But as long as her secrets stood between them, tonight would be all he’d get.
“My dad used to place bets with Duane Parker’s bookies.” Naomi’s voice was barely a whisper. She rested her head on his shoulder as she pressed her body tight against his. Noah let his fingers wander down her bare spine and she shivered in his embrace. “That’s how I met Jack.”
Noah drew in a slow breath as he recalled Naomi’s comment about her father holding her to his low standards. He let his hands wander over her bare skin, over the silky length of her hair. He wanted to reassure her, to let her know that she could trust him. He let his actions speak for him in the gentle caresses. He didn’t need to talk, simply listen.
“You resent your dad for holding you up to high standards,” Naomi said with a quiet laugh. “I wish mine had given a damn about anything I did. He let me run wild. Didn’t care when I came home or who I was with. He was too busy ruining his own life to worry too much about me ruining mine.”
Noah’s heart ached for her. Byron Christensen might’ve taken away his sons’ financial advantages, but they’d never been completely discarded.
“I made a lot of stupid choices, Noah, but I never broke the law. I watched my dad do shit like that for years. Steal, gamble, con, game the system. I didn’t want that to be my life. I wanted to get away from all of that. And from guys who weren’t any better than the one who raised me.”
Noah put his mouth to her throat and inhaled her sweet rose scent. “So you found a small town out in the middle of nowhere?”
“I saw the bar listed on Craigslist. It was perfect. I had some money saved up, but I didn’t have enough to buy the building.”
Noah could connect the dots from there. Naomi had been so desperate to escape her life that she’d gone to the very people she was trying to get away from for help. “I wish you’d told me sooner,” he murmured against her cooling skin. “Jackson Fletcher is Parker’s collection agent, right?”
“Fifty thousand dollars.” Naomi’s breath hitched on the words and she shuddered. “Because my dad managed to swindle a week’s worth of bets out from under Duane’s nose, they called in my debt. I’m officially two weeks late paying it back. I have until the end of the month and because they’ve been so lenient with me”—she let out a bark of sarcastic laughter—“I only have to tack on five thousand in interest for every week I’m late instead of the standard ten.”
“That’s why Fletcher showed up at the bar last week.” Noah didn’t really need confirmation. “To collect.”
“Yeah.” Noah’s neck and shoulder became damp from Naomi’s tears and she sniffed. “He’s been calling me every day to remind me of what will happen if I don’t have the money when he comes back for it.”
For days, Noah had been imagining one terrible scenario after another in his head. He’d considered that Fletcher was a violent stalker ex-boyfriend. He’d imagined that Naomi had been a witness to one of Fletcher’s—or Parker’s—crimes and was on the run. Through sleepless nights and stressful days, he’d worried nonstop for Naomi’s safety. Knowing the truth—that she’d borrowed money from slimy loan sharks—was so low on his list of possible scenarios that he almost laughed with relief.
Sixty thousand dollars and all of Naomi’s troubles went away. Hell, Noah had that much sitting in his checking account. It would be nothing to pay off her debt and get Jackson Fletcher—and his low-life boss—out of her life for good.
He kissed her throat and across her collarbone. He couldn’t get enough of the contact. His tongue flicked out at her silky skin and a sigh escaped from between her lips. “Noah, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
His mouth found the hollow of her throat. He kissed her there, a wet, openmouthed kiss that brought goose bumps to the surface of Naomi’s skin. Noah smiled, deeply satisfied that he could so easily evoke that physical reaction in her.
“First of all,” he said. “You’re going to stop being so damned stubborn and secretive. Secondly, you’re going to let me handle this from here on out.”
Naomi pulled away to look at him. Her brow furrowed and her mouth parted invitingly. Noah reached out and swiped the wetness from her eyes before brushing her hair back from her face. Damn, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
“I can’t let you do that,” she said.
“I thought I told you that you can’t be stubborn anymore.”
Her lips curled at the corners, hinting at a smile. “Look who’s talking. I could learn a thing or two about stubbornness from you.”
True. Noah flashed a proud grin. “I’m allowed to be stubborn in this situation. You’re not. When it’s your turn to be stubborn, I’ll let you know.”
“Stubborn,” Naomi remarked. “And a little high-handed.”
“Yup.” Noah wouldn’t make any apologies for wanting to protect her. “I’m going to take care of this for you, and you’re going to let me.”
Naomi’s gaze softened and her smile became sad. “Noah, these guys are dangerous. They don’t mess around. If they find out the cops are involved”—she looked away—“it could be bad for more than just me.”
When her eyes met his again, Noah saw the worry there. “Your dad, right?”
“When Duane Parker wants to make a point, he makes it by hurting every single person you care about.”
Did she count him as one of those people? Noah brushed his thumb across Naomi’s cheek. Her eyes drifted shut as though she reveled in the contact. The simple expression stirred his cock and he grew hard between her thighs once again. Would he ever not want her?
“I can help you, Naomi,” Noah said. “Let me.”
* * *
Naomi had never known a better man than Noah Christensen. She’d worried that once he knew the truth about her situation that he’d drop her in a hot second. She hadn’t been prepared for the depth of his concern or the ferocity in his expression when he said, “I can help you, Naomi. Let me.”
And it was because of his fierce protectiveness, his gentle touch, and fiery passion, that Naomi couldn’t let him. Noah was the sort of man who’d give a person the shirt off his back to help them. What chance could they have at an honest-to-goodness relationship if he always wondered if Naomi was with him out of some sense of guilt? As though she owed him a relationship in return for his help. Besides, what could he possibly do to get her out of this mess? He was a small-town sheriff and Sanger might as well be on another planet compared to Dallas. She doubted Dallas PD would let him march into the city to shake down Duane because some idiot girl got in too deep with a loan. If Noah tried to get involved, Jack would hurt him. He might kill him just to prove a point. Naomi would never be able to live with herself if she allowed Noah to put himself in danger because of her stupid choices.
“You’re too good for me, Noah.” Saying the words nearly gutted her.
“No.” The conviction in his tone brooked no argument. “I’m not.”
“You’re caught up in the moment now but when your head is clear, you’ll realize it.” Tears pooled once again in Naomi’s eyes and she willed them not to flow. “I won’t bring you anything but trouble.”
For a long moment, Noah simply stared at her. The attention didn’t make her feel uncomfortable or nervous. Instead, she lost herself in his bright hazel eyes, and met his gaze head-on. From the moment they’d met, Naomi had felt at ease with Noah. When she looked at him she felt a sense of comfort and rightness that left her shaken. And knowing she had no choice but to let him go filled her with empty sorrow. Losing Noah was better than the alternative, though. She couldn’t bear to see him hurt.
“You can try to push me away, but it’s not going to work.”
It would work because it had to. “Can’t we just have tonight?” She wanted so much more, but admitting it would only encourage him.
“Can you honestly say that
tonight will be enough?”
His guileless expression refused to let her answer with anything but honesty. “No. But that’s how it has to be.”
“Naomi,” Noah said with a laugh. “I’m not afraid.”
“I am, though.” Tears pricked at her eyes once again. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of my bad choices. I’ll figure this out. I always do. But in the meantime, I think it’ll be best if you keep your distance.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Noah thought he was stubborn? Stubborn had nothing on him. “You can’t help me.”
He raised a sardonic brow. “What makes you so sure?”
“Do you secretly own a bank that I don’t know about?” Naomi had done some shitty things, but allowing Noah to give her even a dollar was too low even for her.
“Maybe. You don’t know everything about me.”
Her brow furrowed. True, she didn’t know everything about Noah. And his dead-serious tone piqued her curiosity. Then again, she didn’t doubt that he’d try to convince her that he did in fact own a bank if it meant she’d let him help her. He was gallant like that.
“Well, now you know everything about me,” she offered in response. “There’s nothing else to tell. I’m a class-A screwup who’s in deep with loan sharks. Impressive, right?”
“That’s not all you are,” Noah replied in his deep, warm voice. “You’re not the sum of your choices, Naomi. You’re strong, funny, smart. You cook the best food I’ve ever eaten. You’re beautiful, fiery, passionate. You’re so much more than what you think you are.”
“Noah.”
“I won’t take no for an answer,” he said. “I’m going to help you whether you like it or not.”
There was no arguing with him. For tonight, she could let him think that he’d won. But tomorrow, when his brain wasn’t fogged by lust, she’d convince him that it would be best for him to keep his distance. He needed to let her protect him. Whether he liked it or not.
She reached between them and took his hardening cock in her palm. She stroked him slowly, building his pleasure until his gaze burned from it. She kissed him once, twice, and again, until he deepened their kisses into a frenzy of slanting mouths and panted breaths. She broke the contact only long enough to retrieve another condom from his wallet. He took it from her and rolled it on before his mouth found hers once again. She could distract him with her body, let them both feel something real and intense for the rest of the night.
In the morning, Naomi would allow herself to mourn the loss of cutting Noah out of her life.
EIGHT
Last night had been one of the best of Noah’s life. He’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted and more. The memory of Naomi’s mouth on him, the silky glide of her skin against his, and the sweet sounds of every impassioned cry were permanently ingrained in his memory. She thought he could simply have one night with her and walk away? There weren’t enough nights in his lifetime to satisfy him.
He could no more walk away from her now than he could disregard his own heart.
Noah stared down at the check in his hand. He hadn’t even thought twice about writing it. Knowing that Naomi would be free and clear of those bastards was worth every last cent. Hell, he’d pay ten times that amount if he needed to. He didn’t give a damn about the money. All he wanted was her.
He took a deep breath before he pushed open the door and strode into the bar. This early in the day, the lunch crowd had yet to show up, which gave Noah a few private moments with her before Naomi would have to direct her attention to her customers. This might not have been the best place for him to hand over a sixty thousand dollar check, but she’d given him little choice in the matter last night when she’d implied that it would be best if they didn’t see each other anymore.
Noah wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.
Determination squared his jaw as Noah stalked to the bar. Naomi looked up and her expression brightened for a moment before she hid her excitement behind a mask of passivity which only fortified his determination.
“Noah, I can’t do this right now.”
Without a word, he slid the check across the counter toward her. Naomi’s brow furrowed. She scooped the check up with her fingers and studied it for a moment before dragging her gaze to his.
“Is this some sort of joke?”
She couldn’t conceive of anyone actually wanting to help her? Noah’s jaw clamped down and he leaned over the bar. “I told you I was going to get you out of this mess and I meant it.”
“You can’t afford this,” Naomi replied as she waved the check at him. “This is a check for sixty thousand dollars! Good lord, Noah, this must be an entire year of your salary.”
From the kitchen’s service window, Carl’s gentle snort drew Noah’s attention. It didn’t surprise him that Naomi didn’t know anything about his family. In the course of their many conversations, the subject had never come up. What did surprise him was that Carl hadn’t told her about him sooner.
“A year’s salary?” Carl poked his head out of the window and Naomi turned to face him, her jaw slack. “He probably found that sixty grand in the cushions of his couch this morning.”
Naomi looked from Carl to Noah and back again. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve never heard of Christensen Petroleum?” Carl asked. “Our sheriff is worth billions.”
Ugh. It always made Noah feel dirty when anyone talked about his family’s wealth. He’d never benefited from it in his youth, and truth be told, he didn’t have much use for it now. He liked his life. His modest house and patrol truck. He wasn’t flashy or fancy. He didn’t give a shit about expensive clothes and gourmet food. Once people found out who he was and what he had, they always treated him differently. He didn’t want that from Naomi. He wanted her opinion of him to be untarnished by the numbers in his bank account.
“Noah? Is that true?”
He hiked a shoulder. “More or less.”
Her arms dropped to her sides. “So basically, you’re loaded?”
Noah scowled. “Does it matter?”
Naomi’s gray eyes went wide. “Are you fucking kidding me? Of course it matters! What is this? Payment for services rendered?”
A slap to the face wouldn’t have stung more. Noah’s jaw clamped down so tight that the enamel scraped. “You know that’s not what this is.”
“You two, outside.” Carl’s commanding tone caught both of their attention.
Naomi turned in a huff and headed for the kitchen. Noah followed her past Carl as he negotiated the food prep counter and flat top. They made their way in silence through the kitchen to the rear exit. Naomi shoved open the door and Noah caught it before it bounced back to smack him in the face. She was angry but Noah was livid. How could she possibly think that he was such a slimy bastard as to pay her for sex?
Once outside, Naomi whipped around and shoved the check against Noah’s chest. “Keep your money. I can’t be bought.”
“You’ve got a hell of a chip on your shoulder, you know that?” Noah kept his voice to a controlled burn. He’d never known a more hardheaded woman. “I don’t want to buy you, Naomi. Even if last night hadn’t happened, I’d still be giving you this check right now. I’m trying to help you, damn it.”
She placed a hand on her hip and fixed him with a stern, cold stare. “So you write people outrageous checks with no strings attached on a daily basis. Is that it?”
“No, but—”
“Exactly.”
It showed just how hardheaded Naomi was that she refused to let him get a word in. Noah raked his fingers through his hair and let out a frustrated breath. “You don’t want me to investigate this. You don’t want me to get Dallas PD involved. And now, you won’t even let me pay off your debt even if it means saving your damned life? What in the hell do you expect me to do?”
“Nothing,” she said. “This isn’t a problem for you to fix, Noah.”
“Oh yeah?” H
is temper flared. “How are you planning to fix it?”
“I-I don’t—”
Noah hit her with a dose of her own medicine. “Exactly.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Her voice escalated with every word. “It’s not your problem!”
She could be as indignant as she wanted. Noah wasn’t going to let her stubbornness get in the way of him helping her. “And I told you that anything that has to do with you is my problem!”
“Why?” Naomi’s voice broke on the word. “Because I live in Sanger? Because I’m one of your constituents and you can’t bear for anything to be out of line in your perfectly ordered town?”
“Because I’m in love with you, damn it!” The words exploded from Noah’s lips. “I’ve been in love with you for a long damned time.”
“You think because—wait.” Naomi’s expression softened and her brow furrowed. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.” Noah closed the space between them. He gripped Naomi’s shoulders and bent his head close to hers. “I’m in love with you.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” Naomi murmured.
* * *
Noah’s admission nearly knocked her off her feet. Of all the things she’d expected him to say to her, that he was in love with her was at the very bottom of her list. Their night together had been beyond amazing, and Naomi couldn’t deny that her chest swelled with tender emotion every time she thought about Noah. But love?
“Whether you love me or not, you can’t just walk in here and plunk down a sixty-thousand-dollar check like you’re giving me a few bucks to buy a candy bar or something. Noah.” Naomi let out an exhausted sigh. “Do you know what sort of guilt you’re placing on me by asking me to take that money?”
His expression fell. A groove cut into his forehead right above the bridge of his nose. His gaze delved into hers and a shiver danced down Naomi’s spine. “There are no strings attached to this money.” His strained tone broke her heart. “I’m not trying to buy you.”