Amara
“I’m nervous,” I say, my voice shaking. I hide behind Noah, and he smiles indulgently. We’ve barely seen each other in the week since I helped him bake Aria’s cake, and for the most part, we’ve managed to stay friends. This trip is bound to change things. Not just with Noah, but also with my career and my company. I’m terrified. I’m scared of messing things up with Noah, of being unable to find an investor, of Grayson disliking me. It’s been an endless spiral of overthinking things.
“It’s okay,” he reassures me. “Aria and Gray are both super chill.”
I roll my eyes as we wait for the front door to open. “Do you even realize who your best friend is? He’s Grayson freaking Callahan.”
Noah eyes me suspiciously. “I guess it’s a good thing he’s already engaged to my sister.”
I laugh, and he smiles indulgently. My smile melts off my face when the door opens, a truly stunning dark-haired woman standing in front of us. Her eyes are identical to Noah’s, and the similarity becomes even more clear when she smiles.
“Come in,” she says, stepping back as she opens the door wider. Noah walks in, and I rush to follow him, feeling entirely out of place.
When he said we’d be visiting, I assumed we’d be staying in a hotel. I didn’t realize he expected us to stay at Grayson Callahan’s house. I’m worried the rumors about Grayson are true, and that my presence here will make him uncomfortable. Almost every article I’ve ever read about him says he’s a recluse that barely speaks.
My heart nearly stops when Grayson walks into the hallway, a smile on his face. I’ve never seen him in real life, and it almost feels like I’m meeting a superstar. Which I guess he is. I’ve idolized the man for years.
“Hey buddy,” Grayson says, nodding at Noah before turning to look at me. I stare at the floor, flustered. I’m supposed to convince him to invest in my company, but I can barely even look him in the eye.
“Aria, Gray,” Noah says, “meet Amara Astor.”
I look from Grayson to Aria and timidly offer Aria my hand. “It’s lovely to meet you,” I stammer, before turning to Grayson and shaking his hand. My palms are sweaty, and I’m both nervous and embarrassed.
“Remember when I told you about that company I thought you should invest in?” Noah tells Grayson. “She’s the founder.”
“Hmm,” Grayson says, glancing at his watch. “I need to get to the office. Something came up. Walk with me and fill me in,” he tells Noah, who nods before turning to me. It’s clear the two of them want a private moment to talk.
Noah places his lower hand on my back and leans into me, his lips brushing against my ear. “I’ll leave you with my sister for just an hour or so, okay? She’s very sweet, I promise.”
I nod and swallow hard. I’ve had to socialize with so many supposedly important people, including high-ranking politicians, but this is different. I actually admire Grayson, and being here has me feeling unlike myself. I’ve never wanted approval as badly as I do in this moment, and on top of that, I’m scared Noah’s sister won’t like me.
“I was about to go cake tasting,” Aria says. “How about you come with me while the boys catch up? I think I’d have much more fun with you than I would with Noah.”
I look at her wide-eyed and nod. I know Noah and I aren’t dating, and she’ll never become my sister-in-law, but for just this one week, I want to fool myself into believing she could be, that Noah and I could end up together.
Grayson walks up to Aria and leans into her, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck as he tilts her face up for a kiss. “Be good, Nyx,” he says, and my heart almost stops.
“Nyx?” I repeat, shocked. The name Nyx is notorious. No one knows who she is, just that she’s a woman. Nyx has single-handedly built a vigilante platform where those let down by the justice system can present their case. There are hundreds of volunteers on the platform, and they’ve solved some insanely big cases. They’ve even saved some people from death row. I’ve long wondered who was behind it, and Aria being a software engineer combined with her connection to Grayson makes it obvious. It’s her. I might idolize Grayson, but that pales in comparison to my admiration for Nyx.
“It’s a nickname,” she says, grabbing her handbag. “No one but Gray calls me that, though.”
I follow her down to the garage in a daze. “You’re Nyx, aren’t you? The Nyx. It makes sense… Noah told me you’re an engineer too.”
She looks at me with raised brows as she gets behind the wheel of a brand-new Lamborghini. “You’ve heard of the Nemesis Platform?”
I smile as I buckle myself in. “Yes. Who hasn’t?”
Aria grins, her eyes lighting up with excitement in the same way Noah’s do. “You’re an engineer too?”
I nod and try my best to explain my educational background. She listens with interest, keeping our conversation going all the way into the bakery.
“So you’re almost done with your PhD?” she asks as we sit down in the quaint bakery, and I nod. Aria takes a bite of a slice of cake and pushes it toward me. I take a bite and nearly choke when she grins at me and says, “tell me, how did you meet Noah?”
She seems far more interested in me than in the cake tasting. I blush and look down, unsure what to say. Part of me wants to lie, but I know Noah and his sister are close, so there’s a chance she already knows. And if she doesn’t, he might tell her himself.
“Well, um… the company Noah asked Grayson Callahan to invest in… it’s mine. I, um, well… I founded a company that creates sex toys. I basically use my engineering skills to create unobtrusive yet revolutionary toys.”
Aria grins in amusement, and I bite down on my lip, hesitating before I continue. “I… well… I was testing a new invention,” I murmur, my cheeks blazing. “It, um… it got stuck in me, so I had to go to the doctor’s office to get it removed.”
Aria bursts out laughing, clearly already seeing where this story is going. “Dr. Grant… Noah, he was startled, to say the least.”
“That story was better than anything I could’ve imagined,” Aria says, smiling. “So tell me, what do you think of my brother?”
I look at her wide-eyed, surprised by the question. “I… um, he’s a great man. He’s helped me countless times, and he does it without ever expecting anything in return. Noah, he’s an incredible man, and I’m lucky to have met him.”
Aria smiles. “You’re in love with my brother, aren’t you?”
I fall silent, unsure how to answer that. “Yes,” I tell her honestly. “Irrevocably and helplessly. But it isn’t quite that simple.”
“How so?”
I force a smile onto my face and shake my head. “My grandfather… he’s taken an interest in Noah. He’s mentoring him and he’s offered to let Noah manage the medical side of our investments, so he clearly values Noah. Despite that, he won’t accept me being with him. My grandfather is set on me being with my ex, an oil magnate. While Noah, well, my grandfather wants him with another doctor that he keeps pushing Noah’s way.”
Aria nods. “Interesting. Your grandfather is Harold Astor, correct?”
I nod, surprised she knows about my family, and then it clicks. This is Nyx. She would’ve dug up everything there is to know about me the moment Noah first mentioned me. She’s probably only asking me questions to be polite. Aria doubtless already knew everything I just told her.
“Amara, you should know that you’re the only woman Noah has ever introduced me to. He’s never asked Grayson for a favor either, not even once. He did that for you.”
I nod, and she smiles.
“My brother is smitten with you, and you clearly return his feelings. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that things that are meant to be will find a way.”
I nod, hoping that she’s right, but knowing better. “Maybe,” I murmur. “But not everyone has a grandfather like mine.”
She nods. “That’s true, and he is an obstacle you’ll have to overcome. Your grandfat
her is controlling and ruthless, but it comes from a good place.”
I frown. “You know him?”
Aria leans back and looks away. “It’s complicated. Let’s just say that the truth has a way of coming to the surface, no matter how well hidden. Just know that Noah isn’t alone. Just because Gray and I keep low profiles does not mean we won’t wage war over him if need be. All I care about is his happiness, and I haven’t seen my brother smile the way he did today in years. You make him happy, Amara, and that’s all that matters. The rest? The rest we can figure out.”
Her words give me hope that I have no business having, but I find myself nodding nonetheless. I want to believe her, even if it’s just for this week.
Chapter 29
Noah
“You know what your sister is like,” Grayson says, shaking his head. “She’s curious about Amara, and she’s going to want to play matchmaker.”
I groan, worried my sister will ruin the delicate peace between Amara and I. “Surely this must be the one good thing to come out of you being engaged to my sister? Tell her to knock it off.”
Grayson laughs, his disbelief apparent. “You think I can tell Ari anything?”
Right. This is my sister we’re talking about. “Fucking hell,” I mutter as we walk back into the penthouse.
I’m worried about what this trip might do to Amara and me — what being around Gray and Aria might do to us. They’re so happy together, and even I find myself wanting just a small piece of that.
I’m worried about what Aria might have said to Amara while I was away. I know she has the best intentions, but Aria is a dreamer, a hopeless romantic. She’ll see things that aren’t there, and if left to her own devices, she’ll do the one thing I can’t have happening: she’ll give us hope — she’ll make us think we can be together, that things might work out for us. It’d be all too easy to deceive ourselves over here, far away from Harold’s influence.
I’m nervous as we walk into the living room, worried about the wreckage Aria might have caused, but I find the two of them sitting on the sofa, smiling. Amara looks up when I walk in, and my heart skips a fucking beat. She’s so damn beautiful. Fuck. She smiles at me, and I just stare at her, mesmerized. “Hey,” I murmur, ignoring the way my sister is grinning at me.
Aria rises from her seat and stretches. “It’s late,” she says, a hint of a smile on her face. “You two were gone forever. Amara and I had dinner together, so I’m off to bed. I prepped the guest room for you already.”
I hesitate, but before I can tell my sister that I’ll sleep on the sofa, she’s gone. Gray throws a look my way that screams I told you so, and I sigh as he follows her, leaving Amara and me alone. She seems nervous as I walk up to her and jumps off the sofa, her cheeks reddening rapidly. I love seeing her so flustered. Knowing that it’s me she’s responding to that way, I don’t know… it’s pretty special.
“Hi,” I whisper, walking up to her hesitantly. We said we’d have a week together and there’s nothing I’d want more, but I’m scared of ruining the bond we’ve got now. I’m scared being together might ruin things for us forever.
“Hi,” she says, closing the distance between us. I hesitate before deciding to wrap my arms around her. I can’t resist her. I never could.
Amara grins, and relief washes over me. Things have been weird between us lately, both of us tiptoeing around each other, pretending like there’s nothing between us.
She places her palms flat on my chest, her eyes on me. The way she looks at me, fucking hell. “How was your day?” I murmur. “I’m surprised you survived the day with my sister.”
She chuckles, the sound making my heart skip yet another beat. “Noah! Do you even know who your sister is? How could you not have told me that she’s Nyx? The Nyx.”
I tense, surprised. “She told you that?”
Amara nods, her excitement palpable. “I’ve been such a huge fan of hers for years. I didn’t think I’d ever find out who she is. Now that I’ve met her, I’m even more impressed. She’s so… normal, and sweet.”
I smile at her, a tinge of pride coursing through me. “Yeah, she’s amazing. She guards her online identity with an iron fist, though. I’m surprised she admitted that to you.”
Amara nods, her expression dreamy. “Wow, Nyx and Grayson Callahan. You have no idea how cool it is that those two are getting married. They’re so perfect together.”
I chuckle and lean in to kiss her cheek, startling her. “Should I be jealous? Seems like you’re a much bigger fan of my sister’s than you are of me.”
Amara slides her hands up my chest, until she’s got them wrapped around me, a smile on her face. “Oh, no. you’re still my favorite, Dr. Grant. You always will be.”
I smile at her, feeling oddly happy here, far away from everything that’s keeping us apart. “Amara,” I whisper, her name a plea on my lips. Her eyes widen as I tighten my grip on her. “I know we said we’d have one week together… but I don’t want to ruin things, and we’ve been doing okay at being friends—”
“Kiss me,” she says, her eyes filled with the same longing I’m feeling. “Just kiss me, Noah. One week. We’ll go back to being friends the second we return, but while we’re here, I want to call you mine.”
I grin as I lean in, my lips hovering over hers. “I’m yours,” I whisper, my lips brushing over hers. A soft moan escapes her lips right before I close the distance between us, kissing her the way I’ve been wanting to for weeks.
Amara tightens her grip on me and deepens the kiss, her hands roaming over my body. By the time she pulls away, we’re both breathless.
“I missed you,” she murmurs, her hands dropping to mine. I interlace our fingers and pull her along to the guest room, my eyes never leaving hers.
“Oh yeah?” I ask, leading her into the room. “How much did you miss me? Sounds like you were too busy obsessing over my sister.”
The door closes behind us, and Amara turns me around, pushing me against it. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous,” she says, rising to her tiptoes. “I like it. I love watching you lose your mind over me.”
She leans in and kisses me, her hands roaming over my body impatiently. She pulls my shirt out of my trousers and slips her hands underneath, the tips of her fingers trailing over my abs.
I bury my hand into her hair and tighten my grip, turning us around so she’s got her back against the door.
“You’re mine, Amara. This entire week, you’re mine,” I whisper against her lips, right before I lift her into my arms. Her legs wrap around me, and I push up against her, eliciting a moan from her.
“Yes, Dr. Grant. I’m yours.”
She drives me insane when she calls me Dr. Grant, and she knows it. I smirk and pull on her hair, tilting her head so her neck is exposed. I kiss her until I hit a sensitive spot that makes her moan my name.
“Good girl,” I whisper. “Say my name.”
“Noah,” she moans. “I need you. Please.” She undoes the buttons of my shirt, pushing it down my shoulders impatiently, and I smile against her skin, pressing a featherlight kiss to her neck. The way she touches me without abandon… I love that about her. There’s no holding back with Amara.
I kiss her right below her ear, enjoying the way she rolls her hips against mine every time I hit a sensitive spot.
“I’ve wanted to fuck you against a door ever since that first time I had you pressed against your bedroom door.”
“Then fuck me, Noah.”
I smirk and push her dress up over her hips. “If I wasn’t worried about the noise, I’d take you right here, right now. I won’t share any part of you, baby. This moment… it’s ours.”
Amara tightens her legs around my waist as I pull her dress up and over her head. “No underwear, what a surprise.”
She smiles and buries her hands in my hair, pulling my lips to hers. “I brought you something,” she murmurs against my lips.
I grin and lower her to the floor, taking in t
he provocative look in her eyes as she slips out of my arms and walks over to her bag.
Amara pulls out a toy, and I chuckle. I should’ve known. “You came prepared, huh?”
She smiles and walks back to me, her eyes reflecting the same desire I feel. She’s fucking beautiful standing in front of me in nothing but that red lace bra.
“It’s for you. I didn’t make this myself. I bought it because I was curious about how it might work and what it’d feel like.”
I stare at the contraption in her hands, my brows raised and my cock fucking throbbing. “Whatever it is you’ve got in mind, I’m down. But first…” I pull her toward me and reach behind her, undoing her bra impatiently. “I’ve been dreaming about what you’d look like naked,” I murmur, pulling her bra away. “But nothing could ever fucking prepare me for this.” My eyes roam over her body, and I shake my head in disbelief. “How are you more beautiful than you were in my fantasies?”
She laughs and drops to her knees in front of me, unbuttoning my trousers. “You’re not the only one that’s been fantasizing,” she says, pulling down my trousers, undressing me fully. “The vineyard wasn’t enough, Noah. I want more.”
I swallow hard as I look down at her, reminded of the way I held her hair that day, the way her pretty little mouth took all of me.
“It’s a cock ring,” Amara says as she grabs my cock. “You put it on, and it vibrates. It’s supposed to keep you hard for ages. See this part here?” she asks, pointing out a little part that sticks out. “This is for me.”
She puts it on me, and I groan when she turns it on. “Baby, the mere thought of fucking you has got me close. This thing? Yeah… that’s going to make me last even less long.”
She laughs and leans in, her tongue teasing the tip of my cock. “No fucking way,” I tell her, pulling her up. “I’m taking your pussy.”
I lift her into my arms and carry her to the bed, placing her down carefully. “You’re already wet for me, aren’t you, baby?”
She bites down on her lip and nods. I love that look on her face. So fucking needy.
Dr. Grant (Off-Limits) Page 13