by Jenika Snow
Yes, I’d come to realize that in the short amount of time I had been here. “I heard a little bit,” I admitted, not bothering to try and deny it.
“I’m sure Flora told you the majority of it.” He didn’t seem upset. “I saw you two at the diner. She knows us well, so it’s only natural she’d tell you things.”
I remembered that day at the diner, when he’d looked right in my eyes before he left, when I’d felt the chemistry move between us. “You know her well?” Although Flora hadn’t said she’d been in a relationship with Noah, my heart sped up slightly at the fact he might admit that. Maybe that’s how she knows the Ash brothers well?
“She’s lived in Rockbridge her whole life. That and my brother is in love with her but is too much of a hardass to admit it.”
I felt my eyes grow wide at the fact he’d just told me that.
“But Flora and my brother Johnny’s relationship, or lack thereof, is a story for another day,” he said and chuckled deeply. “Even if Flora hadn’t told you about my past someone else in town would have, I’m sure.”
I glanced down at my hands. “Yeah, she mentioned you moved away but came back.” I looked up and stared in his eyes. I didn’t bring up the tragedy, didn’t want to talk about him losing his girlfriend.
He exhaled, not saying anything for long moments, but then I felt the air, which had been thick with tension, lighten up. And then he opened up to me, a woman he didn’t really know, telling me about the love he’d had once, what he’d lost, and how he had been single ever since. He’d immersed himself in work, in his business, had focused on everything but himself. A part of me broke for him, for what he lost, what he’d lived through. I couldn’t even imagine.
“I’m so sorry,” I finally said after he was done.
He smiled but shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s been a long time. I’ve changed as a person, moved on with my life. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, even if those things are pretty fucking bad.”
I nodded. I believed in that, too.
We sat there in silence for long moments, but it wasn’t uncomfortable, wasn’t the kind that made a person shift in their seat, needing to get away.
“Tell me about you. Where did you come from originally, what brought you to Rockbridge?”
I settled back in the chair, feeling so comfortable in this man’s presence that it startled me. For the next hour I talked about myself, where I used to live, what had brought me to town. I told him about needing to get out of the city, and he seemed to get that, to get me. It was crazy to think that I could click with someone in such a short amount of time, but there it was.
Then there was the silence again. He’d started a fire, and the sound of the flames licking over the logs was soothing. Before either of us could say anything else, could strike up a conversation again, his cell phone went off. He answered the call and I could vaguely hear someone on the other end, the muffled voice deep.
“Shit, you okay?” Noah glanced at me, his brows lowered over his eyes, concern on his face. “Yeah she’s here.” Now it was my turn to feel confused. “I’ll let her know. No, no, don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.” Noah disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the coffee table.
“Everything okay?”
“That was the tow. He got in an accident right outside of town and can’t get your car tonight. He said he’ll get it first thing in the morning. The only other tow truck he has is out doing runs, so if it frees up he said he’ll swing by and get your car.”
“God, is he okay?”
Noah nodded. “He’s fine, said he tried calling you but there was no answer.”
I thought about it and cursed. “I think I left it in my car.” I thought back to how I’d set the phone on the seat instead of my purse. “Dammit,” I cursed under my breath, then heard Noah chuckle.
“Listen, I have a spare room in the back. You’re more than welcome to use it, or we can brave the roads and get you to town.”
I wasn’t going to risk his safety just to get home, not when I felt comfortable with him and he’d gone out of his way to help me. Maybe I should have been more cautious seeing as we were strangers, but the truth was I felt safe with him, as insane as that sounded.
“Your room would be great, thank you.” I instantly felt my cheeks heat at what I’d just said. “Well, not your room, but the room you have in the back.” I laughed nervously, but noticed the way Noah looked at me. He had this intense gaze and it was locked right on me.
He cleared his throat and shifted on the seat. “How about I get you something to eat, then I’ll look at fixing up your ankle?”
“That sounds really great actually. Thanks.”
He nodded and got up, and I couldn’t help looking at his ass as he walked away. Lord have mercy, Noah Ash looked good in a pair of jeans.
It was about twenty minutes before he finally came back, set a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a half sandwich and a beer in front of me. He also grabbed me a glass of water and some ibuprofen.
“Thought you could use some,” he said and smirked at me.
Once I took the pain meds, downed the water, and started in on the hot soup, I started feeling better despite my throbbing ankle. “This is delicious. It’s homemade, isn’t it?” This didn’t taste like a can of soup, that was for sure.
“It is. Made it myself.” There was pride in his voice, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“It might be the best chicken noodle soup I have ever eaten.”
Noah didn’t seem like the blushing type of guy, but I swear his cheeks turned pink then. He cleared his throat and gestured for me to finish eating.
Once I was finished I set my bowl down and leaned back. The ibuprofen was kicking in, and I was full and warm.
“Let me take care of that ankle, then I’ll find you something to wear for the night and show you the room.”
The very thought of staying here had my heart racing again, my blood rushing through my veins. Whatever I felt for Noah in this moment was dangerous, but also pretty damn exciting.
CHAPTER SIX
Mia
The feeling of Noah’s hand on my leg, strong and steady, had everything in me tightening. I was focused on his big fingers working the bandage around my ankle. It probably wasn’t necessary since it was just a sprain, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy his touch.
I found myself transfixed by his presence. He personified what I envisioned a strong and virile, powerful and dominating man would be like, act like. He was a man of few words, but he didn’t need to speak for his actions and meaning to come across loud and clear.
“I’ll grab some ice. Just keep it propped up for now.” He glanced up at me and I saw the way his pupils dilated, the black eating up the green. My heart raced faster and I felt my palms start to sweat.
He rested my leg up on the ottoman he had just been seated on and walked into the kitchen to grab the ice. When he returned, his focus down on the ice tray, I couldn’t help but stare at him. I watched as the muscles underneath his white T-shirt flexed. I let my gaze linger on his broad shoulders, wander down to his six-pack, which could be clearly seen underneath the fabric, and make its way lower to his narrow waist.
I felt like some hormonal teenager, like I wasn’t myself. It was as if something possessed me, this heat rising through me, consuming every single part of me. Every erogenous zone in my body tingled, pumping with increased blood flow. I felt like my nipples were hard enough to cut through my shirt, and found myself gripping the material and pulling it slightly away from my body so he didn’t see.
Noah came back over to me with a bag full of ice wrapped in a towel. He put it on my ankle, but despite the chill, my body was still overheated. The silence stretched on between us and I tried not to look at him, knowing my emotions were erratic.
There
was this man, so attractive and powerful, who’d chosen a celibate, lonely life.
Because I was obviously not thinking clearly, I reached out and placed my hand over his, which still rested on the bag of ice. His hands were so much bigger than mine, his skin so much more tanned despite the bleak weather we’d been having. His body heat seeped into me and I shivered. And when he lifted his gaze to mine and our eyes locked, I felt as if the world tilted.
Being at his house, surrounded by his things, and the woodsy scent of him invading my senses had all rational thought leaving me. I felt like I was losing my mind.
I could see the way his body shifted, how he started breathing harder, his broad shoulders going up and down from his increased respirations.
I felt my heart race faster; my palms started to sweat. Everything in me was on high alert and I didn’t know how to stop it. It was like a derailed train and all I could do was sit and watch the destruction.
I wanted to reach out and run my hand over his beard, just drive my fingers along the short strands that covered his cheeks and chin.
And then I found myself leaning forward, holding my breath, and praying that what I was about to do wouldn’t completely ruin this.
Whatever this was.
I found myself reaching up and cupping his cheek, the hair on his face soft against my palm and fingertips. I didn’t know what I was doing. This was totally out of character for me, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to, and the way Noah hadn’t pushed me away, and how he seemed to be breathing even harder now, told me he liked this, as well.
I leaned in another inch and heard the bag of ice crinkle slightly as he did the same. We were so close now, practically sharing the same air, our mouths slightly parted. The heat in the room went up another ten degrees and I felt beads of sweat dotting the area between my breasts.
I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to kiss me. I licked my lips and heard him groan, the sound animalistic and primal and doing something wicked to me. In Noah’s presence I felt like a woman, feminine in every single aspect.
And then, as if he read my mind, he leaned in and closed the distance that separated us. His mouth on mine felt like heaven, ambrosia that made me desperate for more. And when I felt the light touch of his tongue against the seam of my lips, I gasped. He took that moment to slip his tongue inside, stroking mine with his, and flaming me even higher.
The bag of ice tumbled to the ground with a loud clatter that didn’t even penetrate the haze of arousal that held me prisoner.
And before I knew what was happening, he had his hands on my waist and had hauled me onto his lap. The moan that left me was uncontrollable, but he swallowed it, mouth-fucking me like I wanted him to do between my thighs. I was so wet that my panties were soaked clean through. Never had I felt this kind of arousal before. Never had I even thought that this was possible.
“Touch me,” he said in a rough growl against my mouth.
I speared my hands in his short dark hair and pulled at the strands hard enough that he hissed. But the groan that followed told me he liked it. I felt so small and fragile on his lap, his body so big compared to mine. And the things he did to the inside of my mouth, the way he played with my tongue, had me grinding harder against him.
And the stiff rod I felt between us… God, it was huge and thick. I imagined what he would feel like inside of me, stretching me, making the pleasure and pain morph into one. I was rocking back and forth on him now, rubbing myself on his erection.
His hands on my hips were painful, but it was the good kind of discomfort, the kind I craved. I knew there would be fingerprint-sized bruises in the morning. I looked forward to seeing them.
“This is insanity,” I found myself saying, the words tumbling out of me on their own. But still he kissed me. Still he devoured me.
“No,” he said and used the leverage he had on my hips to press me down farther on him. “This is fucking perfection.”
Now he was the one making me rock back and forth on him, grinding me on his jeans-clad cock.
He broke away far too soon and I was left panting, gasping for air. He stared right into my eyes, one hand now cupping the side of my neck, holding me prisoner. But I didn’t want to escape. I wanted to ask him why he’d stopped. I wanted to tell him to do more.
“Tell me what you want.” His words were gruff, serrated, like a blade across my skin.
Could I be so bold and brazen as to tell him what I wanted? Could I actually be the type of woman who went after what she desired?
“Tell me what you want, Mia, because I guaran-fucking-tee it’s exactly what I want.”
“I want you.”
“What do you want me to do to you?”
He was pushing me, making me stretch my boundaries. The uncomfortable sensation turned me on even more, and because I’d never experienced anything this turbulent and incredible before, I found myself saying things I never thought I’d say to a man. “I want you to fuck me.”
He growled again like a bear in the wilderness, making my pussy tingle.
“I’m going to fuck you so good and hard that come morning you won’t be able to sit comfortably.”
Heat filled my entire body. My nipples became harder, more painful as blood rushed to the surface of my skin. I was so ready for him, so ready for Noah to make good on that promise.
I didn’t want to sit comfortably after he was done with me. I wanted to feel him still between my legs days later, the stretch and burn of his cock deep inside of me a memory that lasted an eternity.
God. Was this really happening?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mia
The way Noah looked at me was possessive. “You’re looking at me like…”
“Like I want to devour you?”
I nodded, my throat tight, dry. I was nervous, but I anticipated this. And before I knew what was happening, Noah stood, his strong arms holding me to him. I couldn’t do anything but stare at him, not able to breathe, my body on fire. I didn’t even pay attention to the pain or throbbing in my ankle, not when there was throbbing happening between my thighs right now. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist.
He was so hard, like a steel pipe pressing against my belly. I was wet, soaked. My panties were saturated, the material rubbing along my sensitive folds.
I wanted out of them. I wanted to be naked with Noah, his big body covering me, his power surrounding every inch of me.
He made this low sound deep in his chest as he walked us backward, his mouth now on my throat. He licked and nipped at the sensitive flesh beneath my ear, causing goose bumps to pop out along my arms. I was so ready to feel the stretch and burn I knew he’d give me, the intense pleasure I knew I could experience with him. I was seconds away from begging for just that.
He set me on the ground, my body sliding down his much bigger, stronger one. He took a step back and I stood there, the wall to my back, my palms resting on the cold wood.
“Show me exactly where you want me to touch you, Mia,” he said in this harsh voice, which caused tingles to spread throughout my entire body. “Go on. Show me.” He said that last word on a harsh sound that came from deep within his chest. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even think straight. “Tell me. Show me, baby.” He moved closer to me, dug his cock into my belly, and I gasped.
I couldn’t even form a coherent thought, let alone try and do what he wanted. “I—I want you everywhere, Noah,” I said instead of showing him. He made this low groan in the back of his throat.
“Say my name once more.”
“Noah,” I whispered. He got this feral look in his eyes.
“But tell me, baby. I need to hear you say it.”
I started breathing harder, faster. “I want you to…” My throat tightened up. “I want you to have your way with me, to show me what it means to be claimed, to be
fucked so thoroughly nothing else matters.” God, I’d said it, actually said those words.
Noah leaned in and kissed the side of my throat. “I know what you need,” he said against my skin, sending sparks of electricity through my body. He ran his tongue along the arch of my neck, but to my disappointment he moved away far too soon. I wanted him to stay right against me, heating my body, making me wetter, needier.
I felt the chill in the air when he was no longer pressed against me, and goose bumps formed on my body. I couldn’t help—didn’t stop or try to hide—myself from taking in every male inch of him. He was so big, so manly. Every part of him screamed that he knew how to handle himself…how to handle me.
And then I let myself look lower, my eyes feeling like they widened to saucers when I saw the outline of his erection. I wasn’t a virgin, but it had been a long time since I’d been with a man, and never one who appeared to be as large as Noah was.
“God, you’re so fucking beautiful.” The way he said those words had me softening. No one had ever told me that. Hearing Noah say that had me blushing and smiling. I did feel pretty when I was around him, when I felt his touch and heard him tell me how much he wanted me.
“Take off everything for me, Mia. Let me see what I’ll be claiming, owning tonight.”
A wave of pleasure slammed into me and I let myself rest fully back against the wall.
“Do it for me, baby.”
I swallowed and lifted my hands, starting to undo the button of my pants and sliding the zipper down. I pushed the material lower, taking my panties with them. The cold air hit my bare flesh and I gasped in both shock and arousal. I was getting drunk from my emotions, from the adrenaline and endorphins moving through my veins.
“Even though it would be hot as fuck, I’m not going to take you up against the wall.”
The air left me at his words.
“I don’t care where we do it. I just want you, Noah.”
He groaned and closed his eyes, the muscle under his jaw working overtime. His expression almost looked…pained. “I could come right now just hearing you talk, listening to your voice.”