Noah steps back into the scene and takes my hand. “Excuse us,” he says to Colin. Noah pulls me away from the bonfire. We’re moving so quickly my feet are hardly making contact with the sand.
The last thing I see before we step out of view is Olivia clinking her bottle against Alexander’s beer bottle.
I’m slowing down as we continue to run. The sand is dry and forcing me out of breath quicker than I normally would be when going for a run.
Noah slows down and glances back at me. “You okay?”
“Out of breath,” I tell him.
He scoops me up and slides me onto his back, holding onto my arms. “Hang on tight.” The adrenaline running through me fills my mind and body with excitement. I don’t know what’s happening or where we’re going, but I like the thought of the surprise.
We make it to a high-standing dock and stop beneath it. Noah lowers me off his back and pulls me into his chest.
The shadows cover us with pin spots of the moonlight shining through the wooden cracks. “You’re incredible,” Noah says. “I was sure nothing would bring me down during this stupid study, but I’ll be damned.”
“Don’t lose the prize money over me, Noah.”
“Haven’t you heard the phrase, ‘There are some things money can’t buy?’”
“Of course, but I think it’s a stupid phrase,” I tell him, laughing against the apprehension tugging against my chest.
“You do?” he presses.
I shrug against his hold. “I don’t know.”
Noah lifts me up, holding his arms beneath my butt. I’m eye-level with him, and I instinctually tangle my legs against his waist. “Can I show you what money can’t buy?”
“I suppose,” I say, teasing him.
Noah walks us a few steps back, pinning my back against one of the wooden stilts supporting the dock. Freeing his hands from holding me up, he cups his palms around my cheeks. “I’m a man who usually knows what I want, Ashley. Like I said though, I didn’t see you coming.”
“Well, here I am,” I whisper.
Noah inches his face closer to mine, touching the tip of his nose to my nose. He smells like sea salt and coconut, a scent that’s making me weak. “Are you sure you want to ruin everything?” I ask once more.
“I’m not ruining a damn thing, Miss Ashley.” His lips softly touch mine, and my heart feels explosive. His breath is minty, and his tongue tastes the same: cool and spicy.
A low murmur growls from his throat as his body presses against mine, holding me tightly to the wooden support. His hands tangle in my hair, and I feel secure in his hold, melting into him with every second longer we remain connected at the lips.
I trace my tongue along his bottom lip, and then nip where I licked with my teeth.
Noah pulls his head back and groans. “I knew you’d do me in.”
“Is kissing allowed, or does that break the rules?”
“I haven’t broken a rule yet,” he says with a raised brow, taunting the idea.
We’re silently staring at each other as heat burns through every nerve in my body. “Let’s just run.” The words aren’t coming from Noah.
“What was that?” I ask.
Noah places me down on my feet, and we both turn around looking for the source of the sound.
“Just come clean,” I hear.
“Theo?” I call out. I recognize his voice.
“Pretend you don’t see us,” he says.
