“Yeah,” Brad laughs, folding his arms across his chest. "No matter where I go, you've always been right there, haven't you?"
“You can count on it." His stare doesn’t leave Brad’s. "I’ve seen this guy at every stage of his life. Believe it or not, this is the coolest one.” Kevin jokes.
Brad throws his head back laughing, thinking it’s the funniest joke ever.
I squint my eyes as I look at them chopping it up.
“You know my mom?” I ask Kevin, bringing their attention back to me.
Kevin blows out a long breath. “Well, of course. Veronica is only my best bud's lady. When he got with her, I was the first one to know about it,” he says, patting Brad on the shoulder. “Speaking of, how's the little one doing?”
“Little one's good, you’ve gotta come over for dinner soon, she’s doing the cutest thing…”
I choose to excuse myself from the conversation, leaving them to catch up. Instead, I join Terry, who is finishing up with cutting some boards. I focus on sweeping up the sawdust and making the area tidy, and try to ignore the twisted feeling I get when I see Brad’s attention on someone else.
Someone who isn’t me.
I look up from sweeping to sneak another peek at Brad, only to see Kevin watching me over his shoulder.
***
As the day winds down, the crew slowly filters out. Everyone says their goodbyes while Brad and I hang back.
I’m just finishing sweeping up the kitchen when he strolls in, setting some extra wood against the cabinets.
“You did good today,” he says simply.
I bite my lip looking down at the dust pile. I missed him saying that to me. “You think so?”
He nods his head, looking away. “Yeah…and uh, the guys really like you.” He massages the back of his neck with his hand.
My eyes fixate on the motion. “You sore?”
I slowly walk over to him, closing the distance.
“It’s nothing. Sometimes I get—” I wrap my hand around his neck the same place he had his before and start massaging in a circular motion with my fingers. “Tense.” He finishes. His eyes drop down to my lips.
His skin feels so soft under my fingertips. I forgot what it felt like to touch him. How much it makes my whole body vibrate. I can hear his breath hitch as he holds onto my forearm, as though he wants to push me away but can’t.
“Noah,” he mutters. Probably wants to tell me to stop. But, he doesn’t say that. Instead, his eyes flutter shut as a heavy breath escapes his mouth as he tilts his head to one side.
“Does it feel good?” I ask quietly, pressing harder.
“Mmm.” He licks his lips, and I move my other hand to the opposite side, massaging in slow, deliberate circles. I can’t believe he’s letting me touch him like this. Not after everything. Not with how hard he’s tried to shut me out. It feels like I’ve won the fucking lottery.
My heart knows it too, hammering inside my chest, loud enough I’m sure he can hear it.
“Why are you doing this to me?” he asks, so low I almost miss it.
Does he mean turning him on? Or does he mean something deeper than that?
Before I can even process what he means—
His hands are around my waist and I’m being shoved back against the counter.
“Shit,” I gasp, grabbing the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair.
It’s rough. Sudden. Desperate. I don’t know if he wants to fight me or fuck me. Maybe a little of both.
