Friday morning is no different. Noah walks through my front door bearing hot blueberry muffins and a gallon of orange juice. He can barely set them down on the table before Enzo is climbing up onto the chair and grabbing one out of the box. I give him a disapproving look.
“Goodness, boy, do you think you could remember your manners?” He smiles all big up at Noah and thanks him before taking a huge bite out of his muffin. I smile back at Enzo as I pour him a glass of orange juice. Noah comes up behind me, sliding his arms around my waist and begins gently kissing the back of my neck.
“I want to take you away tonight. I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt to be inside you. I need to have you all to myself.” I moan and just as I'm turning around to kiss him, I see my mother staggering into the kitchen. I gently push him away.
“Good morning, Mrs. Lombardi.” Noah tries to dazzle my mother with a fake smile but all she does is grunt back at him. She waves her hand in the air for me to move out of her way and goes to the cabinet to grab a glass for herself.
“For the record, I've never been a missus, you can just call me Mona. I ain’t proper and missus makes me feel like my mother. God rest her soul.” She grabs a bottle of Bacardi off the top of the fridge and pours it into her glass. Noah catches my eye and I quickly look away, embarrassed that it is only eight in the morning and she is already at it. To make matters worse, flies float in the top of the bottle. I grab a washcloth off the faucet and begin cleaning Lorenzo up so I can drive him to school.
“Mom, Noah wants to do something tonight. Is that going to be all right?” I grab Enzo’s book bag and slip it on him as she slams the entire drink.
“I don’t give a fuck what you do, as long as you have someone to watch your little brother.”
“No worries; I’m sure Mrs. Carlson will watch him. Especially after she missed out on spending time with him last week with her getting sick.” I motion Lorenzo and Noah to the car and grab my bag. “I’ll be home by tomorrow night because I have a graduation party that I’m going to with Ezra. Lorenzo is going to a sleepover, so we’re all good.” I slip my flip flops on and watch as she pours herself another drink before I head out the door.
Noah is buckling Enzo into his car seat as I run down my front steps. I open the driver's side door and throw my bag across the console to the passenger seat.
“Sorry, Noah. About my mom.” He shuts Enzo’s door and leans up against the Jeep.
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Sofia. When were you going to tell me about the party tomorrow night?” I'm caught off guard by his question.
“I didn’t know that I needed to run it by you?” A puzzled look takes over me as I wonder where this is going.
“Apparently you don’t remember our talk. My main concern is you, Sofia, and I really don’t want you going to some drunken high school party without me.” He looks down at me disapprovingly.
“Well. I’m going, Noah. Listen, I am graduating next weekend and I have to be at this party. This is the first time in my life that I am doing me, and you are partially to blame for that.” I grab his face and begin kissing his warm, soft lips. I pull away and smile at him, seductively batting my eyelashes. “And you have nothing to worry about. Ezra will be there. Promise,” I cross my heart with my fingers. “I will be on my best behavior.”
“It’s not you that I am worried about, Brown Eyes.”
“Oh, God Noah, how do you think I've made it this far living in that... that messed up place?” I motion to my trailer as I climb into my Jeep. He places his hand on the roof and leans in towards me, shaking his head.
“I know that you're strong Sofia, I'm not saying that you're not. You just need to be careful. Because I promise you this. If anyone tries to fucking hurt you, I will kill them.” I stare into his haunted eyes, shocked by his words and chilled to the bone because I know that he means every single one of them.
“Calm yourself, big man. I promise you Noah, nothing is going to happen.” I start up my Jeep and buckle my seatbelt. “Now, I have to get going or Enzo is going to be late.” He glances back at Enzo, who is deep into a game on my phone.
“Okay. You’re right. I'm sorry.” He leans in and grabs my face with his free hand, pulling me in for a possessive and passionate kiss. My core begins to warm at the feel of his tongue twisting with mine.
“Mmm, Noah, I can’t wait for tonight. Tell me how badly you want me.” He moves his mouth to my ear and begins sucking gently on my lobe.
“I can’t wait for this tongue to be on your clit, making you squirm and beg for more.” I gasp and grab onto his growing hardness, but he pushes my hand away and stands up. “Damn, Brown Eyes, I can’t be around you without getting hard. Get out of here before I rip you out of this Jeep and drag you back to your bedroom.” He shuts my door and ruffles his hair as he shakes his head. I laugh at him and roll my window down as I start pulling out of the driveway.
“Simmer down and save it for tonight, Romeo.” Pulling away, I can't take my eyes off him until he slowly disappears in my rearview mirror.
THE DAY FELT LIKE it was never going to end, but I am finally sitting in Noah’s truck, flying down Stateline Road. He won’t tell me where we are going, just told me to climb on in. I did, found something good on his playlist, and cranked up the music.
“Ready to leave this town behind, baby?” I nod my head and stick my arm out the window, so that I can feel the warm summer air on my bare skin. As we tear down two lane back roads, I can't help myself from asking him over and over where on earth he is taking me. The man won’t budge, but compliments me on my perseverance. I don’t know if you would call it that. It was more so that I am not used to anyone ever throwing surprises for me and quite frankly, I’m going crazy not knowing what he has planned for this evening.
About an hour later we are pulling onto a tree-lined gravel road. The sun dapples through the trees and spring wildflowers dot the side of the road with purples, yellows, and whites. Purple violets, spiderworts, and white trilliums put a smile on my face as my Nonna creeps into
my memory. Because of her love for wildflowers, I know most of their names. I feel Noah’s hand on my thigh, and I grab onto it, entwining my fingers in his.
“Why the big smile, Brown Eyes?” He looks at me all sexy, bringing me back to the moment.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just feeling...happy.” I bring his hand to my lips and close my eyes. I want to burn this memory into my mind. I want it to last forever.
“Good. That’s how I like you. Happy.” I smile back at him before leaning out the window to look up at the trees. The sun shines down through the leaves as I am lulled by the sound of the tires rolling over the gravel road. I feel the music within me and wish that I could make time stand still. A “No Trespassing” sign catches my eye as we slow down and veer right. Seeing the look of concern on my face, he tells me that a guy who works for him owns the land. I pick up my water bottle and take a sip.
“Well, that’s reassuring. I really don’t feel like getting arrested tonight.”
“No worries. And if you did get arrested, I would most definitely bail you out.” I slap at his arm playfully and down the rest of my water.
We drive for what seems like forever. Just as I am about to drill him some more, the truck finally makes its way to the top of the hill that we have been creeping up. And then, I see it. There in a clearing is something magical. Tall, monstrous oak trees that look as if they are reaching out, grabbing at the clear blue sky. Hundreds of them, all spaced about twelve feet apart. There must be ten acres of them. I have never, in all my years living in the country, seen anything so breathtaking. A creek is twisting between the trees and random boulders are spread out here and there. It is something out of a dream. We drive a little deeper and Noah parks his truck. That is when I notice a picnic basket sitting on the ground with a pile of blankets and pillows lying next to it.
“Noah, this place is... wow!” I open the truck door and jump out, slamming it
behind me. I slowly spin around as I look up into the trees, trying to take the gorgeous surroundings in. I gasp when I see hundreds of lights strung out above our heads, running from tree to tree.
“You like?” He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my stomach, hugging me to his chest. I swing around and kiss him with all that I have. Long and deep, reaching wildly into his mouth with my tongue. I let out a moan that matches his and we stand there kissing. In this moment, I feel as if we are the only two people on the face of this earth and that everything that I felt was wrong with this world, is right.
“Mmm...nothing but the absolute best for my girl. Don’t you ever forget that. Do you understand me?” He takes my face in his hands. “Now, let’s get this night started.” He scoops me up into his arms and I squeal out in surprise as he starts walking towards the picnic basket. With my arms wrapped around his neck, I welcome this foreign feeling of security, letting him take over and have complete control. Something that I never thought I would ever hand over. But with Noah, it just feels right. In his arms, I feel happy and complete. Completely whole.
I am ready to admit to myself that the wall that I have built over the years, is no longer there.
Just as the night starts to blanket the sky, we sit on the tailgate of his truck, legs dangling with our toes in the tall grass. Noah laid out all of the blankets and pillows on the truck bed and we’re now digging through the picnic basket full of food. We both take turns sipping shine out of a Mason jar and I feel lighter than the warm breeze that is blowing through the tall grass, tickling at our feet. Just us, talking and laughing, under thousands of twinkling lights. It's like a dream that I never thought I wanted or would ever come true, had I ever wished for it. I let myself get lost in his eyes and feel my heart opening up to him. He hangs onto my every word, just listening. The only person that I have ever felt this comfortable with is Ezra. But Noah is breaking through something deep within me.
“What are your plans after graduation?” He pops a grape in his mouth, twists the top off a Leinie and hands it to me.
“Oh, God, I really don’t have a plan. I just want to save up enough money so that I can take Enzo out of that shit show. Find a little place for us. A happy, safe home.”
“I know that already, Sofia. What do you want to do with your life? Doctor? Nurse? Prosecuting Attorney? A trapeze artist?” I roll my eyes and give him my squinty face.
“Well, considering I almost fainted when Lorenzo cut his finger at the park last year, I won’t be doctoring or nursing. And I hate talking in front of people, so a lawyer is out of the question. Now a trapeze artist, hmm. Never thought of that one as being in the running. But I have a hard time chewing gum and walking at the same time so, yeah... not that one, either.” I down the rest of my beer and motion for him to grab me another. He hands me one and gives me a mischievous look.
“What about singing? Have you ever thought about doing something with that? I heard you the other day, Sofia, and... wow! You really have a gift.” He watches me out of the corner of his eye and takes a long drag off his beer. My face instantly turns three shades of red.
“So, besides having a tad bit of Fifty Shades in you—dominating, controlling, and being a complete mystery— you also spy on me?” I give him a questioning look and playfully ruffle his hair. “I really don’t have much of a plan, but I can promise you that singing isn’t gonna be in the running. Stage fright is a real thing. I know that you're supposed to have this whole life thing figured out by graduation, but I’m really not pulled in any certain direction. I just want to be there for my Enzo.” I stare off into the distance.
Sometimes, thinking about Lorenzo makes me feel sad. Not for obvious reasons, but because he deserves so much more than what he’s been handed.
“Well, there is this one thing that I have always wanted to do.” I take a sip of beer and stare at him over my bottle, hesitant to tell him what I have only shared with Ezra. He reaches up and strokes the side of my neck with his thumb, narrowing his gaze at me.
“What is it, Sofia? Tell me.”
“Well, this is going to sound super silly, but I have always wanted to be a writer.” I hold my breath as I wait for his response. He smiles and shakes his head.
“Sofia, why on earth do you think that’s silly? For fuck’s sake, you have been living a life straight out of a best-selling novel. It twists my insides thinking about the life that you and Lorenzo have been living.” He runs his hand through his hair in frustration. I wrap my arms around his waist, and he drapes his arm over my shoulder, pulling me close to him. I look up at him, a gentle smile slowly making its way across my face.
“Noah, I can promise you, baby, I have made it this far. I will be fine. I will get out of there.” He hugs me tighter and presses his lips to the top of my head. I start twisting a piece of fray from his tattered jeans, trying to muster up the courage to turn the conversation back on him. “The other night at dinner, what did you mean when you said that you failed at something? Does it have anything to do with the tattoo on your chest? The one that says, Cami.” His relaxed body becomes rigid as he looks far off into the night.
“She’s someone that needs to stay in my past. I didn’t protect her when she needed me. I was too busy with my own shit and I refused to listen to her when she asked for my help. I promised that I would never ignore someone's pleas ever again. Even if they weren’t asking.” I look up and see that his eyes are glossy and wet. Whatever happened, it broke this man. My heart aches for him. I reach up and gently begin stroking the side of his bristly face. He looks down at me, a forlorn look in his eyes.
“Sofia Giovanni Lombardi, I would burn my very existence to satisfy your soul.” His words release a thousand butterflies in my belly.
My face twists in confusion. “How do you know my middle name?”
“I also know your birthday is July thirteenth.” He gives me a flirtatious half smile, a dimple peeking out of his beard. “And a fun little fact about the number thirteen. Growing up around New Orleans, I have seen my fair share of fortune tellers. See, most think of the number thirteen and instantly think of bad luck. Friday the thirteenth, elevators skipping from twelve to fourteen, you know… all of that hocus pocus. Yes, the number thirteen tarot card is named death, but it mostly means death of a struggling period and new beginnings. I find that very fitting, don’t you?” I can't hide the emotions that are taking over me as I hang onto his every word.
“Wow. Well now I am a little embarrassed that I don’t know your middle name.” He puts his lips to my ear and softly whispers, “Edward.” I push against his lips as chills make their way up and down my back.
How does just the sound of his voice have such an effect on me?
“Mmm… just so you know, Noah Edward Stine, I will not let you do such a thing as burn your very existence for me.” He grabs the back of my neck and starts kissing me with such desire that I think I am going to lose what's left of my ever-loving mind.
He speaks breathlessly into my mouth as he continues to kiss me. “You wouldn't have a choice, Sofia Lombardi. I promise you that.” I welcome his tongue that tastes of lemons with a hint of bitter shine, and without breaking our connection, I climb onto his lap. I straddle him and begin kissing him madly, moaning as I feel his hard cock press against my already pulsing sex. Our breathing becomes heavy as we begin to move fervently together. He grabs at the bottom of my tank top and starts tugging it up and over my head. I reach my arms up into the night air and am comforted by the hint of the summer warmth that surrounds my almost naked body. The second my hair falls down my back, I reach around and unclasp my bra. It slides down my shoulders and I quickly toss it into the bed of the truck. Noah runs his hands down my sides, and squeezes my waist, digging his nails deep into my skin. Our eyes lock and his breathing becomes heavy, matching mine.
“Damnit, Sofia, fuck. You’re so... perfect.” He moves his hands up my belly, cupping the side of my breasts with his masculine hands. Withou
t breaking our gaze, he puts his lips around my nipple and begins sucking. A squeak releases from my mouth as I grab hold of his hair. I begin pulling at it as I grind on top of his hard cock.
“Noah, what are you doing to me? You're twisting my entire world in knots. Oh, God.” He starts biting my nipple, which sends a very confusing feeling of pleasure to that part of my brain that tells me this should hurt. But I want him to bite harder.
“Harder, Noah, harder.” He obliges and I push down on him, putting just the right amount of pressure on my clit to make it start throbbing. I am just about there when he releases his teeth, setting my nipple free and making me beg for more.
“Why did you stop?” Breathing heavy, I bat my eyes at him and pout my lips.
“Who said I was stopping?” Still holding me to him, my legs wrapped around his waist, he slides down off the truck. He turns me around and sits me on the edge of the tailgate, amazing me with how easily he maneuvers my body with no sign of effort at all.
“Do you trust me?” He runs his hand over the top of my head and grabs onto my hair at the base of my neck. Tipping my head back with just enough force so that our eyes meet, he stares into my wide eyes and I slowly nod my head.
“Scoot your ass back and lay down.” He pulls away from me and grabs the picnic basket, pulling it towards him. I do as he says, watching him dig through it with curiosity as I shift myself onto the blankets.
What on earth is he up to?
A lustful look fills his blue eyes, one that I have only experienced in one of the dozen romance novels I have read.
“Get naked Sofia. Lie back on the pillow and close your eyes.”
This man. He knows how to bend me and twist me. He knows I will do anything that he says. And I love it.
Break Away: A Midwest Small Town Romance Page 15