She didn’t look away. Noah leaned in and kissed her. It was soft, brief, and he felt it to his toes.
“I didn’t plan this, getting you here, but I’m not going to lie to you either.”
“About what?” She was whispering now, but hadn’t pulled back. His hand was still cupping her cheek.
“About wanting you.” And it was that simple. He had wanted this woman since she’d first turned those eyes on him, looking sad and confused. “I’m not trying to scare you, and if you want to leave, that’s okay too. The choice is yours, Lani.”
“I don’t do that kind of thing.”
“Okay, that’s okay. Let’s go, I’ll see you out and into a cab.”
She didn’t move. “I’m not really a one-night stand girl. I mean, I’m not really any stand kind of girl, to be honest.”
He had a friend, Willow, who chattered when she was nervous. He liked it.
“Lani, this is your decision.”
“I-I… ah, the thing is….” Her words fell away as Noah leaned in and kissed her again.
He kept it soft and gentle. Just nibbled on her lips, and the sigh she gave told him she was right there with him.
“It’s okay to say no to me, Lani. I won’t pressure you, I promise.”
“Like I said,” she whispered. “Good guy.”
He may be a good guy, but he was a hard one.
“Lani, what do you want?”
“You,” she whispered. “I really want you. I want you to hold me.”
“That’s handy, as I want you too, and holding you will be no hardship at all.”
He picked her up.
“Your nose.”
“Is on my face, and I don’t need it to carry you or have sex.”
“Oh, are we…?”
“Going to have sex? Do you want to?”
“I… yes. I think I do, very much.”
“Again, handy, as I happen to agree with you.”
He kicked open the bedroom door and walked to the bed, lowering her to the floor, sliding her down his body.
“I—ah, I can’t give more than this, Noah.”
“Okay, that works also.” The words should have been music to his ears, and yet something inside him did want more from this woman. Weird, as Noah never wanted more and was, his friends believed, commitment phobic after Samantha. It must be the knock to his nose addling his thoughts.
Wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her in and kissed her. This time harder; this time with more heat. It licked at him as she leaned into him, pressed her body to his.
“Be sure, Lani,” he rasped against her lips. “I won’t be able to turn back soon.”
Why he was saying those words, he wasn’t sure. He’d had partners and never had any doubts before. But she felt different, vulnerable.
