“What?” I ask.
“You haven't searched for me on the internet once, have you? Not in all the time we’ve been apart.” The hurt is evident when his eyes drift down to the sheet between us.
“No,” I say, though I don't think he needs my answer. I don’t want to tell him why I haven’t kept tabs on him. “You haven’t looked for me, either.”
“You don’t have any social media profiles,” he argues. Which is true.
He rolls onto his side, tucking his hand under his head to prop himself up. I sit up, and when I do, the sheet falls away from me. Noah stares unabashedly at my breasts.
“Enjoying the view?” I smirk.
“Immensely.” He reaches for me, his hand cupping my left breast. “You’ve always been comfortable in your own skin. I loved that about you.”
Loved…past tense.
It’s good he said that. It’s a needed reminder of what we’re doing here. This isn’t a rekindling. It’s a fun twelve hours between two people who desperately needed a release.
He traces the swell of my breast with the pad of his thumb. “I tried out for Atlanta’s team a few weeks ago.”
Happiness is my first emotion. Sadness is my second. I can’t help it.
“How did it go?”
“Good,” he says, letting go of my breast and grabbing my hand. His stomach grumbles and he laughs, a stream of warm breath fanning my skin.
“Do you want breakfast? I usually eat fruit or oatmeal. I’m vegan now.”
“I’m definitely not telling Brody that.” Noah laughs at the look I’m giving him. “Don’t ask,” he says, waving one hand. He sits up suddenly, grabbing me by the shoulders and pushing me down on the bed. Moving over me, he rubs the tip of his nose along my jaw.
“I’m hungry for something else right now.”
“Me too.” I bite my lip and raise my eyebrows. He grins down at me, and it’s like the sun wants to shine from my chest. I love who I am when I’m with him. Wild and free, the Ember from his high school memories. Suddenly, I’m not worried about the fall-out from our trek down memory lane.
I’m all in, for as long as it will last. We used to believe we created magic when we were together. If this isn’t magic between us right now, then I don’t know what is.
* * *
I didn’t accountfor Sky. Didn’t even think about the possibility of my sister being in the kitchen when we walked out.
“Holy shit,” she whispers, frozen in place on a square tile halfway between the fridge and the small butcher-block island.
“Umm…” I search for words but come up empty. “Oops.” I make a silly, bared-teeth face.
“Hey, Sky. How are you?” Noah strides past, brushing against me as he goes. My toes curl as if just his touch cues up their muscle memory.
“Uh, fine.” She shakes Noah’s hand and peers past him, wide gaze settling on me. “Four years ago called. It wants Northmount’s resident soccer asshole back.” She points to Noah as she speaks.
Noah doesn't get mad. Or hurt. Or embarrassed. He laughs, a big chortle, bowl-full-of-jelly laugh. “I see the Dane spirit hasn't taken a hit since I left.”
Sky glares at him and hurries to me, grabbing my arm and yanking me down the hall. “What the fuck, Ember?”
“I…” My hands tangle in my hair. “I don’t know. He’s here to watch Brody get married, and I just…just…gave in. It felt good, okay?”
Sky gives me a look.
“Not just the sex. Everything. He’s…Noah. He came back.” I softly breathe the words.
I can’t take the pity in Sky’s face, so I look away.
