I traced a finger along his jaw. “Sounds good, but we could also do a little pre-celebration in your bed oh, I don’t know, say in ten minutes or so if we walk fast.”
Noah held me tight as he rose, and I slid down his body and then stood in front of him. “I think we can make it closer to sevenif we run.” He grabbed my hand and tugged me to get started as I laughed.
Forty-five minutes later, I was running my fingers over his abs and tracing his cock, which was spent. It twitched, and I looked up to him with a grin.
He snorted. “I can go again, but you’ll have to give me at least ten minutes. I’m not twenty anymore.”
“Poor baby.” I was lying on my side, my head propped up on my hand as I took in the naked glory that was Noah. He had ruined me for writing sex scenes because nothing on paper would compare to the connection I felt with him. After he’d shared some of his fears, it was even better. Who knew?
“So, what do you want to do for a job?” I traced my hands over his chest simply because I could.
He put his hands behind his head and looked from me to the ceiling. I loved that he was on board with being a feast for my eyes right now. “I don’t know. I want to still do something that gives back. I thought about using my inheritance to shore up the funds, but that doesn’t seem right.”
I ran a finger over a nipple, then over one side of his chest. I loved the feeling of his wiry chest hair over his muscles. There was a contrast that I struggled to figure out how to describe. Even so, there was something nagging in the back of my mind. “Using your inheritance to donate to worthy causes is admirable, but funding your job seems like a short-term solution. You could benefit lots of organizations instead of just one if you plan it out.”
He nodded. “That sounds good. I also have been thinking I originally went to Africa because it was something I heard about when I was young and I wanted to do something to put good in this world that was counter to the negativity my parents were pouring into it. But I don’t have to go to Africa to do good, I’m just not sure where to start.”
I sat up stark naked and didn’t even care. “That’s it!”
He looked up at me and slid a hand up my belly to rest on one breast. “This is lovely.”
I slapped his hand. “Not the time, babe. I just remembered what was nagging me.”
He squeezed my breast because of course he did. “I am happy to nag you. I think I’m almost ready to go again if that helps.”
I scooted back and put a hand out to stop him from following me. “Stay there, sir. You’re going to want to hear this.”
He rolled to his side and leaned his head on his hand. “Fine, fine, say your piece, kitten.”
“I met a woman named Cristin at work this week. She’s a friend of Sue’s and heads up some multicounty nonprofit that links donors with needs in this area. They fund everything from educational initiatives to community-engagement ideas to scholarships, micro grants, and so much more. She was saying they’ve grown so much in the past few years that she was drafting up a new leadership position for their group. After she left, Sue said she was beyond impressed with everything they were doing.” I sat, my mind spinning on what that could mean for Noah. “You could apply for that job, and if that doesn’t work out, there’s the University of Illinois. I’m sure they’d have something in their foundation. Heck, there are so many local opportunities if you don’t have to be worried about a huge salary, which you wouldn’t.”
Noah pulled himself up to sitting and faced me. “Can I touch you now?”
I shrugged. “I suppose.”
He reached out and pulled me to him as I clambered to straddle his lap and wrap my arms around his shoulders.
“Thanks for caring about me,” he whispered before kissing me.
I fell into our kiss, never tiring of the way we could move from light pecks to a kiss that felt like being devoured. I was so hungry for this man. It was soon and I cared not at all; he was it for me. I wanted to be by his side as he figured out a new job. I wanted to be with him as he continued to deal with the impact his parents had on his life. I couldn’t wait to see Mary again and celebrate who she had been—and still was—in his life. The idea of watching him raise Addie from the sassy and spunky six-year-old she was into the woman she would become sounded like perfection. And the notion that we might have our own kids one day… Well, there weren’t words to describe how that filled me up.
I pulled back for just a moment. “Hey, Noah?”
He pressed his lips to mine and then drew away. “Hey, Jules.”
I moved to his ear and whispered, “I’m so glad I moved here.”
He turned to look at me with a beautiful smile. “Me too.” And then he flipped me on my back and proceeded to show me how much once again.
Two hours later, we walked into the Homestead hand in hand. The place was hopping for a Thursday night. We weaved through tables to get to the section of low tables and couches in the bar area where I could already see our crew gathered. But more than that, as I looked at some high tables around the area, I saw my parents, the Spencers, Lou and Verdell. Sue was with Lou, and I waved at her. She and I had a great talk earlier in the week, and she had been on board with me working part-time after I signed all her books and had a half-hour conversation about my plans for the series. Far from being annoyed about it, I informed her she’d just become one of my beta readers when she remembered details I hadn’t. She was thrilled.
As we finally reached our friends, I smiled. Kylie was right in the mix, sitting between Maggie and Maeve, Kristine from the yoga studio across from them. While I didn’t know everyone super well yet, I knew that would be a dangerous group. Addie was stretched out on the floor with her coloring supplies and a ton of little farm animals set up in some type of scene. She looked over to Noah and me and blew us a kiss before getting back to work.
“So I hear we have a famous author in the mix.” Maeve spoke up.
Kylie held up her hands. “It wasn’t me.”
Ivy raised a hand. “It was me. I already have some posters I’m putting up in the shop. Hope that’s okay.”
