“Not long ago, actually. It’s new.” I chewed on my lower lip. “New hair, new tattoo.”
“And the same old town,” he added. “Why the seedhead dandelion?”
I buried my face in the pillow. “It’s silly.”
“I doubt it.” He touched each of the wispy seeds as they drifted toward my arm. “It’s beautiful.”
After a moment, I said, “You make a wish on those flowers and let the breeze carry it all away.”
“You wanted a wish?”
I yawned. “Something like that.”
“You’re tired. Rest.” Noah pressed a kiss to the dandelion and wrapped his arms around me. “Close your eyes, wife. I have you.”
I laughed a little at the thought that anyone had me. I was drifting on the breeze with no idea where I’d land or put down roots—if I ever would.
“What’s funny?” he asked.
“Seeds,” I whispered with a grin.
“Are you all right?” I felt Noah shift behind me. “Are you sex drunk or did I fuck something loose in your head?”
“I’m fine,” I said, patting his forearm. “I just need you to hold me for a minute.”
chaptertwenty-three
Noah
Students will be able to breathe—but just for a minute.
I kneweverything there was to know about contentment.
This was it, right here. The woman who’d ruined me for all others tucked beside me, her clothes scattered on the floor of my bedroom, and the knowledge that I was forever changed pulsing in my chest.
Of all the times I fantasized about sex with Shay Zucconi—and there were so,somany times—I never gave much thought to what would come after the act. I’d always focused my hypothetical efforts on getting her into bed and making it good for her, and all the other details seemed to evaporate from my consciousness.
Now, with Shay dozing on my chest and her arm slung around my waist, I couldn’t believe I’d been so shortsighted. I couldn’t believe I’d ignored the subtle glory of holding a satisfied woman.
Rather, a woman I’d satisfied.
She stretched, her soft skin sliding against mine in a way that choked the air out of me and cranked my body into gear for round two.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi.” I ran the back of my finger down her nose, over her lips. “How are you?”
A knowing smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. “I’m great.” Her cheeks flushed pink. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”
“You can sleep on me all night,” I said.Every night. Always. Forever.
Her hair tickled my chest when she shook her head. “I should go home.”
“No. You shouldn’t.”
“It would be better than me trying to sneak out of here before Gennie wakes up,” she said. “I can walk. It’s hardly more than ten minutes.”
I blinked down at her, trying to reconcile the searing need I had to sit her on my cock for the next hour with the casual implication that I’d allow her to walk down a steep hill in an area that had a considerable wildlife population in the middle of the night.Alone.
