“You don’t seem so enthusiastic about the labels,” I pointed out.
Nellie glanced at me, her eyes guarded. “It’s not that. Okay, well, maybe it’s a little that. I’m not used to labels and serious relationships, and I’m hormonal and horny and it’s all a recipe for disaster.”
“Sounds like a recipe for a good time for me. Especially that horny part.”
Nellie shot me an unamused look. “I just…I’m worried, Noah. I like you, I do. I feel like we have a connection, I guess. But it’s all so confusing with me being pregnant. Like, do we have a connection, or is that pregnancy hormones? Are we good for each other, or are you feeling responsible for my,” she paused, her nose wrinkling, “situation?”
“I mean, I hope I’m responsible, but even if I’m not, I told you, Nell. I’m all in here. And I don’t care how long it takes you to realize it.” I gently cupped her chin, looking into her eyes. “I’m all in.” I emphasized, holding her gaze.
Nellie drew in a deep breath to centre herself. “I don’t know. I think I’d feel better if we maybe did the DNA test? Then you’ll know for sure, and if you’re not, and if you change your mind about being here for me, I’ll understand.”
It was my turn to take a deep breath. “Nellie, I promise you that I will do whatever you want to feel more comfortable and secure. If you want me to take a DNA test, I will. But I mean it when I say it doesn’t matter to me.”
“I think it matters to me,” Nellie whispered, looking at me with watery eyes. The golden flecks in her irises seemed brighter.
I swallowed hard. “Okay, that’s fine. We’ll get the DNA test. But I’m telling you, it won’t change anything.”
“How can you say that? You don’t even know me.” Tears were now sliding down Nellie’s cheek, and I wiped them away with my thumb.
“I may not know every detail about you yet, but I know I want to be with you. I know I’ve felt this way since that night we spent together. Sure, maybe I didn’t recognize it for what it was until you came back to town, but I know what I feel, Nell. I haven’t been with anyone since that night with you.”
She watched me while I spoke, realization dawning in her eyes, and before she could open her mouth to question my intentions again, I silenced her with a kiss. She tasted like hot chocolate and caramel, and she melted against my mouth like whipped cream on a hot drink.
Like the greedy bastard I was, I deepened the kiss, hungering for the taste of her. Nellie matched me, meeting each stroke of my tongue with her own. She consumed me as much as I consumed her; her hand going up to wrap around my coat sleeve, like she had to hold herself steady.
Breathless, I pulled back a little, taking in her heated cheeks and the dreamy look in her eyes. “Believe me yet?”
She smiled, shaking her head as she licked her lips, like she was trying to taste the kiss again. “I’m going to reserve judgment for a bit.”
“So long as you promise to stop questioning everything and let it happen,” I challenged, casually adjusting myself. That kiss had gotten me all worked up.
“I thought you didn’t do relationships, so how come you’re falling so easily into this?” I could hear a hint of insecurity in Nellie’s voice, but she was working to mask it with a teasing smile.
“I’m a guy that knows what I want, that’s all,” I shrugged, putting the truck in drive and pulling out of the parking spot.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Nellie
* * *
We drove to Hartley Park, which had beautiful panoramic views of the frozen Hartwood Lake. Noah kept the truck idling, the heat on to keep us both warm while we ate some of the baked goods and sipped our hot chocolates from Tout de Sweets and talked about the concerts we’d been to. We discovered we’d both gone to The Tragically Hip’s final concert in Kingston.
We both agreed, it was like being a part of a little slice of Canadian history.
When we’d finished commemorating the Hip’s incredible last concert and our hot chocolates were empty, Noah drove me home. By the time he pulled into the driveway, it was almost four o’clock. I was stuffed from lunch and all the snacking, and knew I’d probably end up having a light dinner and going to bed early.
Noah walked me up to my door. He insisted on carrying my portion of leftovers from Juan In A Million, the tote from Beyond The Pages, and the box with the rest of the baked goods that we hadn’t gotten to.
I unlocked my apartment and invited him in for a minute. He stepped inside, toeing off his boots, then he carried everything over to the island while I took off my coat and hung it up on the coat rack.
“It looks so different in here.”
“Since Nix lived here? They apparently painted it.”
“I used to live here, too,” Noah told me, looking at me with his mischievous grin. “Before Nix. Back when I was building my cabin.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that!”
