Noah chuckles, rubbing his neck. He doesn’t seem to like Ian’s praise.
Kennedy says, “I hope that isn’t supposed to impress me. I have no idea what that is.”
Ian rolls his eyes. “He scores points.”
She shrugs it off.
Noah looks at me again, and this time I hold his stare. I don’t know why. Maybe because his dark eyes are full of something I see in the mirror every morning. Somebody who doesn’t like the attention but has it anyway.
“What about you?”
“Me?” I squeak.
The right side of his lips quirk up. “Does it impress you?”
Ian shakes his head, tsking at him. “None of that, Fuller. Everly may not be on the team anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can go after his girl.”
Noah’s brow arches. “His girl, huh?”
Kennedy giggles at something, but I’m too struck over Ian insinuating this stranger is trying to steal me.
When I don’t speak up, Noah shoves his hands in his jeans pockets. “Well, damn.”
That’s all he says before Ian starts talking to him about a party being thrown by some guy I’ve never heard of. Then they walk away, leaving Kennedy and I alone again.
“Interesting,” she draws out.
“What?”
She just smirks to herself, and replies, “Nothing, Opal. Nothing at all.”
I finish putting away the last of the dinner plates when I hear the door unlock and creak open from behind me. I drape the dish towel across the edge of the counter, turning to see a tired Noah walk in with his bags.
He barely has time to set them down before Addison takes notice of his return.
“Noah!” she yells, dropping her doll on the living room floor and running at him. He catches her when she propels herself into his open arms, squeezing her in a tight hug.
“I missed you, Ad,” he murmurs into her hair, kissing her head. He looks up as he sets her down, opening his arms for me. I step into his warmth and close my eyes when his arms envelope me. My hands press against the planes of his chest, my cheek caressing his heartbeat.
“I’m glad you’re home,” I whisper into him, the relief of his presence lightening the weight that’s been sitting on my chest since he left. It’s like I can finally breathe again.
His lips press against the top of my head. When I draw back he captures my lips with his, showing me how glad he is to be back.
It doesn’t last long before Addy’s tiny voice intervenes. “Eww.”
Noah pulls back chuckling and ruffles her hair. He takes both of our hands and leads us into the living room, ignoring his bags resting on the kitchen floor.
As soon as he sits down on the couch, Addy climbs on his lap with the new doll Kennedy gave her for being good when she was sick. He listens intently to all her stories about school, the movies she watched when she was ill, and how much she missed having him around. Even when she went on for ten minutes about a girl in class who wore the same shirt as her, he nodded along and smiled like he enjoyed hearing every detail.
And what I love about Noah is that he truly does. He loves being here with her, no matter how long she talks about how her favorite color changing from pink to purple, or when she insists on telling him all about the planets in the solar system like he doesn’t already know. I can tell by the way his eyes light up as he hangs on to every word. He adores her babbling.
When she finally turns her attention back to the cartoon playing on the screen, he squeezes our fingers together and looks at me.
His tired eyes still find a way to smile despite him traveling all day to get home after his last meeting this morning. “I missed you, baby. So much.”
I bring his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles.
“Addy seems better,” he notes, glancing at the distracted child on his lap.
I nod. “Between Kennedy and me giving her cold meds and juice, she recovered in no time.”
We chat about his deal and what it means for his company. He tells me about the men he met, and the jokes they shared that I don’t understand. I laugh anyway.
After a few hours, Addy falls asleep and he puts her to bed. When it’s just us, I tuck my feet under me, nervousness settling into the pit of my stomach.
“I couldn’t tell him, Noah.”
He brushes my hair behind my ear, not giving away his thoughts on the matter.
“I went to his house ready to bring up Addy, but I just … froze. I almost puked I was so scared. Then I chickened out and listened to him apologize for everything and I lost all my nerve.” I peaked at him through my lashes. “You must be upset.”
That got a reaction. “Upset?” he repeats in surprise. “That you didn’t talk to your ex?” He chuckles. “No, baby. I’m not upset.”
My lips twitch. “Disappointed then.”
He shakes his head. “I could never be disappointed with you, Opal. Listen, I know I pushed for you to tell him, but it’s a big deal. Huge. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was unfair to tell you to come clean. I can’t fathom what it’s like to be in your position.”
My brows quirk up. “You can imagine some. I mean you’ve raised Addy. You know how hard it’s been for me. For us.”
He pulls me into him, so I’m nestled into his side. Wrapping his arm around me, he says, “It isn’t the same. I barely knew Sebastian. You spent years with the guy. He was there for you when you needed it.”
But that was where he was wrong.
“No,” I whisper against his chest. “You were there when I needed it most. Bash … he was there when I thought I was too weak to handle things on my own.”
“You have never been weak.”
He doesn’t give me the chance to argue before he tilts my head up to graze my lips again. But this time, there’s no barrier and nobody to stop him from deepening it.
His fingers linger against my jaw before moving to the nape of my neck, digging into my hair and pushing me against him. He makes a strangled noise when I climb onto his lap, straddling him so we’re closer.
His hands move to my hips, his fingertips digging into the material of the sweatpants I’m wearing. I know for a fact that I look frumpy in my clothes, but when Noah draws back to study me, I feel like the sexiest woman on the planet.
“I really missed you, Opal,” he moans, arching his hips up so his hard length is pressed against me. I bite my lip and squirm, causing his eyes to roll back in his head.
Instead of talking, I show him every way I missed him back. My fingers slowly undo the buttons of his dress shirt one by one, kissing my way down his chest as his shirt falls open. I feel him twitch underneath me, making me smile against his heated skin. I inch off him as my lips trail below his belly button, my tongue tracing where his shirt meets his dress pants.
“Shit fuck,” he hisses, reaching toward his belt. “Babe, there’s a solid chance I’m going to bust out of my pants if you keep this up, and I really like these.”
I giggle and help slip off his belt, our eyes meeting when I flick open the button of his black slacks. His eyes are clouded over with lust, and I’m sure mine look the same. The sound of the zipper is music to my ears, and the heat gathering between my legs intensifies when my knuckles graze his length.
He bites down on his lip hard, helping me undress him. He slips off his shirt as I move just enough away to slide his pants down his toned thighs. Before he lets me get to his boxers, he pulls my shirt over my head and dips his hands under the waistband of my sweatpants, drawing them slowly down my legs as he caresses my skin.
I lean forward to kiss him, trailing my hands down his chiseled stomach. I play with elastic of his boxers before dipping my hand in and gripping him in my hand. He growls into my mouth, as he arches himself further into my palm. I work him over as he finishes sliding my pants off, and when both of his hands are free, they roam over my breasts, still covered by my bra.
“Fuck,” he murmurs, palming me. He dips his lips in
the crook of my neck, nipping the tender flesh there.
His lips trail up, his tongue tracing a line from my jaw to ear, right before his teeth tug on my earlobe causing me to gasp.
“We should take this to the bedroom,” he rasps, although his body seems perfectly content staying right where we are.
When I make no effort to stop, his hand catches my wrist. “Baby, I’m going to come if you keep doing that.”
Drawing back, I peck his lips. “That’s kind of the goal.”
He lets out a chuckle. “Believe me, I’m looking forward to it. But I’d rather be inside you when that happens. Preferably when we’re completely naked.”
“I think,” I whisper, “I can help with that.”
Reaching behind me, I unclasp my bra and let it drop, pushing it to the floor. The hunger in Noah’s eyes sparks as he reaches for me, but I smack his hands away.
“Not yet,” I tsk, wiggling my way out of my panties. He helps me discard them before we both reach for his boxers, sliding them off until there’s nothing between us.
Our breathing is ragged as we explore each other, his hands teasing my breasts before trailing down my stomach and cupping me. I moan as he works a finger, and then two, into my slick heat.
I close my eyes and ride out the sensation of him, reeling in how much I missed this. Missed him. He always makes me feel worshipped.
I’m reminded of that when I reach for his cock only for him to shake his head. “This is about you right now, baby.”
And my heart … it melts.
My body reacts to the words, riding his hand as he picks up the pace. I bite down on my lip so I’m not loud, but it’s hard to do when I can feel my orgasm building from deep inside my core.
“Noah,” I whimper, pressing my palms flat against his chest. “Please, I need you inside me.”
He doesn’t make me ask twice, positioning me above him before sliding himself inside. My head tilts back in a silent scream when he jerks his hips forward, filling me completely. We stay like that for a moment, just staring at each other. It’s like we’re searching the loneliest parts of our lost souls, reuniting more than just our bodies.
Then, I move. Slowly at first, creating a slow rhythm. He begins to meet my hips, the sound of our bodies coming together setting me on fire.
His fingers grasp my hips as his movements become more demanding, faster, harder. He’s lifting me and slamming my aching body down on him, while I curl my fingers into his chest creating little half-moon scars across the taut muscles of his pecs. Every single time we connect I absorb the pleasure he’s ensuing—our connection almost more than I can handle.
He curses and hooks his arm around my waist, flipping us over. His eyes are dark as he crashes his lips on mine, spreading my legs apart and burying himself deeper inside me. The way he tilts my hips upwards intensifies the feeling of his thrusts until sweat dots both of our foreheads. I grip his shoulders, leaving scratch marks on his skin.
When his hand trails between my legs and his index finger circles my clit, I’m done for. My climax explodes through me and it takes him only a few more punishing thrusts before he’s fisting the couch and pouring himself inside me, groaning out his own pleasure.
He slowly pulls out, lowering himself to my side and kissing my sweaty cheek. “I love you so fucking much, Opal.”
Finally catching my breath, I give him a sleepy smile, nuzzling my head in the nape of his neck. “I love you, too. And I vote that we do that every time you come home from a business trip.”
He chuckles against me, the sound vibrating my lazy, orgasm induced body. “I think we should do that every time I come home from work,” he amends.
“Mm,” I murmur, feeling myself drift. “I like the sound of that.”
The last thing I remember before slipping away into a peaceful slumber is being picked up and tucked into bed, with Noah’s warm breath caressing my ear as he says goodnight. When he settles in next to me, my body eases into his and drifts off into the first peaceful sleep I’ve had in over seven days.
***
Kennedy looks at me with a wide grin on her face as we walk down Main Street. She’s been staring at me like that since she kidnapped me for a girl’s day.
Noah insisted on spending time with Addy one on one, taking her to some pottery making class that’s being hosted at the community center. While I would have loved to soak in a bath with a good book, spending time with my best friend is nice too.
“You’re glowing,” she beams, sipping on the latte we picked up from Roy on the way out. “Who knew Noah’s cock was the answer to all your troubles.”
I nearly spit the delicious coffee out, eying her as we pass two little old ladies on the street. The way they stared tells me they heard Kennedy loud and clear.
“We’re in public,” I scold her, hiding my fiery cheeks behind my cup.
She waves it off dismissively. “I’m just so proud of you. And, really, you have me to thank. You’re welcome.”
I snort as we walk into a thrift shop. “Why exactly am I thanking you?”
She eyes me, slapping the shirt I’m looking at from my hands. “Are you forgetting who told you to give Noah a chance in the first place?”
I roll my eyes, walking over to a pair of pink heels on display. “How can I forget? You only remind me of it once a week.”
“Well if I’d known he had a magical penis, I would have suggested it sooner,” she taunts, throwing her empty cup in the trash.
I glance around to make sure nobody heard. I’m used to the vulgar way she talks, but that doesn’t mean I like her doing it in earshot of random people.
“Would you relax,” she muses. “It isn’t like people don’t know you’re sleeping with the guy. They know you’ve had sex, bitch. You popped a kid out of your vagina, for Christ sakes.”
I dismiss her argument. “Doesn’t mean I want them to know.” I relent. “And I am glad you convinced me to give him a chance. I needed it. He’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”
She opens her mouth to say something, but quickly snaps it shut when her eyes widen over something behind my shoulder. When I turn around, I see Bash outside the window watching us. He slowly lifts a hand to give us a small wave.
Please don’t come in here.
He walks inside.
I curse.
“Kennedy Hanson is that you?” he questions, grinning. Kennedy smiles and goes to wave, but he opens his arms for a hug instead.
She looks at me first like she needs permission, and Bash notices. He clears his throat and drops his arms, stepping back.
Well this isn’t awkward.
“So …” I peer between them. “What are you up to?” I ask him lamely. I wince at the question but can’t take it back now.
“I was actually on my way to the café.”
The implied, to see you, is left up for interpterion.
“Well I’m not there.”
Both Kennedy and Bash chuckle over the obvious remark. He says, “Yeah, I got that. Are you off today? Maybe the three of us could try grabbing some lunch?”
My eyes snap to Kennedy’s, unsure of what to say. Part of me wants to appreciate that he didn’t isolate the invite to just me, and I know he didn’t extend it to Kennedy just because she’s here. Being in the same room together brings back old memories—ones where we were three peas in a pod. The pairing that everybody expected to see whenever we went out.
Kennedy speaks up. “Actually, we were planning a girl’s day. And I’ve seen your band’s posters, Sebastian. You’re definitely not a girl.”
He laughs, rubbing his hand across his jaw like that embarrasses him. Did it? All the Relentless guys had shirtless pics up for sale, whether on posters, album covers, or tees.
As much as I wanted to keep him in the past, he has never stayed there. Not when a Relentless song would blast through the radio any given day. Not when the boys made the local news about some charity work and event they
were doing for a pet shelter. And definitely not when they came back to town after their tours. The band originated here in Clinton, which meant everyone has something to say about them, the hype over extended and drawn out.
Bash wasn’t just the boy who dumped me in the middle of Coyote Café anymore. He was the boy who did this town proud once the first song topped the music charts.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud, too.
“Maybe lunch wouldn’t be so bad,” I find myself saying, taking them both by surprise.
Kennedy gives me a weird look, while Bash’s timid smile transforms into a victorious grin.
I try to smile back but it must look like I just had a mild stroke because Kennedy shakes her head at me. I press my lips together and brush my hair behind my ear.
Clearing my throat, I tell him, “Kennedy and I were going to do some shopping, but we can meet you at Sal’s around noon?”
“Geez, that place is still around?”
That place happens to be the best pizzeria in the county and won numerous awards for their creativity in pizza combos. But when his wife left him nearly fifteen years ago, it was the sign he put up that stretched across his entire store front and lit up at night that got the most buzz.
Why need a relationship when you have Sal’s?
Kennedy scoffs at his question. “Sal’s is thriving now more than ever,” she informs him matter-of-factly. “Another pizza place opened here a few years ago but they closed down from lack of business not even a year later. Sal is the man.”
Bash grins. “Bet his wife is kicking herself.”
Kennedy mirrors him. “Oh, yeah. He makes bank and doesn’t have to share it with anyone. You missed the new slogan contest last year. The suggestions the high schoolers came up with were hilarious. Too bad the town board shut it down.”
Bash’s brows pinched. “Why?”
Kennedy and I shared a look, breaking into a fit of giggles. “The suggestions were getting a little … inappropriate,” I explain.
The Choices We Make (Relentless Book 4) Page 10