She laughed at his pique. “You think that’s bad? The last guy I was dating dumped me because he said I acted like a grandma. I wanted to go out a few times and get toknow himbefore I decided to sleep with him, and apparently that’s outdated.” Realizing she’d overshared, she blushed and hurried toadd, “I’m not much better than you in the fun department, I guess. I told you I like to read, but I also paint watercolors and love to hike. I haven’t been to a bar or party since college. Not that adventurous for a twenty-six-year-old.”
He just looked at her, and all that concentration made her warm in funny places. “Twenty-six, huh?”
Now she felt defensive. “How old are you?”
Another grin. She felt giddy. “How old do you think I am?”
This time it was her turn to stare, but at least now she had a polite reason to do so. “Hmm. That’s a good question.” Black-brown hair cut short. A tanned face and hands, so he spent time outdoors. He had dark brown eyes that she’d describe more as rich earth than anything chocolatey. Nothing about Noel that would melt. Henormally seemed like a block of ice.
Damn if she didn’t immediately start fantasizing about what he’d be like thawed out.
For all that he’d asked her out on a date, he hadn’t softened much thus far into their evening. If anything, with the exception of those few grins, he seemed even more on guard.
She took in the whole of him: that square jaw, lean cheeks, the rangy bodyhoned by exercise. Not from a gym, she’d bet, but from doing actual work. Running or weight lifting to keep in shape, but not for looks. Vanity didn’t seem to fit Noel at all.
“Well?” he asked as the waiter dropped off the rest of their food and drinks.
He had to be a little bit older than her, but not by much. “Thirty-two?”
He smiled. “Not bad. At least you didn’t say fifty.”
“That would be ridiculous. I’d never go over forty-nine.”
He chuckled. An honest-to-God laugh. “I’m thirty years old. But my work in finance sometimes makes me feel older. So yeah, at least thirty-two.”
“Ha ha.” She smiled back at him. “Do I look twenty-six?”
“Now that’s an interesting question.”
Interesting?How about fascinating, mesmerizing, captivating?She looked edible. Like a sweet dessert he wanted to savor with each lick and nibble, until she was panting and crying out his name as he fucked her until neither of them could walk.
Once again, his thoughts descended to the carnal.Hell.The woman wasn’t even trying to get under his skin, and she had with ease. He didn’t understand it. He’d dealt with killers and seducers, women out totake him for his wallet, his money, for information. He’d been with true beauties, women with culture and genius IQs. Yet none of them had ever affected him like the woman sitting across from him now.
Noel had been attracted to Addy from the moment he’d met her. He liked her parents, and he didn’t like many people. The physical attraction made sense; she appealed to his ideal female aesthetic.But digging into her character and “stalking”—as Deacon had put it—for details about the woman had made him want to know so much more.
He’d been smart to keep his distance for so long, taking refuge in the fact he wanted only to be left alone. Because now that he’d taken her out, he was hooked. And Noel and normal didn’t mix. His kind of danger wouldn’t be good for a sweet woman like Addy.
Then again, there was no danger at home. He’d made it a safe zone. Here, he could play with what-ifs, if only in his mind. Talk about rationalizing, yet…
“What’s that look?” Addy asked.
“Hmm?”
“You look like you’re about to stab me with your knife.” She nodded to the steak knife he’d been gripping.
“Oh, sorry.” He came up with a fast excuse. “It’s just that I’mtrying to say the right thing and not offend you. I have a bad habit of coming across as antisocial.”
“No,really?” she teased.
Her smile slayed him. Just…
He swallowed a sigh, feeling like a horny, lovesick fool. And wouldn’t Hammer and Deacon laugh their asses off thinking of Noel pining over a woman way too nice for him? Damn. Time to sac up and stop thinking foolish thoughts.
Noel didn’t do romance or relationships. He occasionally had sex, though he’d never considered himself an excessively sexual man. For him it was a release when the job was getting to be too much. Not like Deacon. The guy would inhale, and on the exhale end up balls deep in a woman. Hell, he’d fucked half of Sicily on that one mission two years ago.The kidhasto be his.
Noel, onthe other hand, suppressed his desires the way he did most feeling in his life. Cold, barely there.
Ice.
