“Must be nice to be really, really rich,” she snorts. “Think of me while you build your empire, will you?”
You’re all I think about.“Ha-ha. Listen, I’m going to walk around the car and open your door, and you are going to hold my hand until we’re safely inside the house. Deal?”
“You know, if you want to hold my hand that badly you can just ask.” Noelle twists in her seat to face me, the teasing look on her face intoxicating.
Oh?“Can I hold your hand?”
“No.”Fuck.
I shoot her a pouty glare and she bursts out laughing. She’s clearly nervous, though, so I let it slide.
“Are you getting over here or what?” Noelle raises a brow. The cold air makes her skin even paler, her lips swollen from her anxious chewing. God, I would give anything to kiss her right now. To revel in the taste of her and let it calm my racing mind. Would she swat me away if I tried?
She’s got a point, though. A gust of wind sweeps over the car, blasting inches of snow onto the ground. If we wait any longer we might not be able to get out of the car unscathed, and I’m not just talking about the snow. Her kissing my cheek planted the need for something deeper, something more for the two of us. And I’m too weak for her to hold out for long.
I jump out of the car before I can do something stupid that ruins our friendship.
Visibility is worse than before, so I keep one hand pressed against the car as I struggle my way over to Noelle. She’s got the door open already, and a bright smile crosses her face when she takes me in.
“You look like a yeti.”
“Yeah? This yeti is going to throw you over his shoulder if you don’t hurry up.”SHIT. I should not have said that. Now it’s all I can picture, and in that fantasy, she is not nearly wearing enough clothes for us to be platonic. “I’m freezing my cock off here, you know.”
Shut. Up.
Even in the dark the blush creeping onto her cheekbones is undeniable, and Iloveit. “Wouldn’t want that.”
Her hand is warm in mine when she interlocks our fingers, hopping from my truck and sinking into the snow before slamming the door shut behind her. I remember her bag at the last second, perched on the back seat.
Though I parked close to the house, the onslaught of snow and wind makes it a surprisingly long and difficult trek. I keep Noelle’s hand pressed to my chest, keeping her flush against me as the porch light draws closer. Fuck, I’m so glad she called me. There is no way she would have made it through the night if she’d stayed at her place. And without her…without Noelle, I am nothing.
I didn’t lock the front door, figuring no one but me would be stupid enough to be out in this storm, so my frozen fingers don’t have to struggle with the lock. I pull Noelle into the house and close the door behind her, locking in the heavy heat of the fireplace.
Despite Noelle’s jokes, my house is far from an ivory tower. It’s larger than the average home, sure, but it’s more like a big chalet. The layout of the downstairs is completely open save for some wooden structural beams and the bathroom to our right, with a tall wooden staircase leading up to the loft holding the bedrooms. Well, bedroom; I converted the second one into an office and gym to use in the off-season. Guess it will be a weekend of sleeping on the couch for me.
The wall in front of us is made of mostly glass right up to the roof, offering a glorious view of the town, mountains and lake. Aside from the privacy and complete lack of neighbors, this view was the biggest selling point. Something about nature just puts me at ease. The gentle sway of the trees, the predatory birds circling above. It’s a reminder that life goes on, no matter what. And there is no other choice but to keep going.
“There’s clothes waiting for you on the bed. Go put them on,” I say as I shrug off my coat, snow falling to the floor in clumps.
Noelle raises a brow. “What about you?”
“I’ll be fine. Go get changed—I don’t want you getting sick.” I tug the hat from her head and put it onto the coat rack beforehelping her out of her coat, and nudge her towards the stairs with my elbow.
She’s kicked off her shoes, so her footfalls are soft and rhythmic as they disappear above my head. I allow myself to smile for only a moment, imagining what it would be like to have this for the rest of my days.
The bathroom door shuts with a soft click and I lean against it, blowing out a breath. This is going to be alongweekend. Pushing down my feelings is easy when I see her only a few hours a day. Being alone with her, locked inside my house for days? There is no way I won’t slip up. I can only hope that when I do, it won’t be enough to break what we have.
I shake my head, trying to clear the thought.Focus, Cole.
I’m soaked to the flesh, so it takes some careful peeling to get my clothes off. Is it the same for Noelle? Does she struggle, too?
My mind strays to imagine it, my best friend in nothing but her underwear and a soaked tee that clings to her skin. It’s not hard to picture that adorable frustrated look of hers, as I know her expressions like the back of my hand. I’m no stranger to fantasizing about her, but something about picturing her like this, half naked in my bedroom, sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine.
Fucking hell, Martin. Get a grip. She’s your best friend.
I tug the white shirt over my head and stalk out of the bathroom before my thoughts can escalate further. It might take days for the snow to stop, and more for her to be able to go home. Being stuck in a snowstorm together might be straight out of a romantic comedy, but nothing can happen between us. It’s best if I don’t entertain the thoughts; it can only crush my heart.
Noelle hasn’t come down yet—probably still trying to peel off her clothes—so I make a beeline for the kitchen. I’m a sucker for clichés, so I pour chocolate milk into cups and set them on a rackin my fireplace to be heated by the flames. I’ve just taken them back out when I hear her soft footsteps on the stairs.
