“The participants in this study agree to absolutely no physical relations including any type of intercourse within the Bachelor Place community,” Katarina reads sternly, speaking toward the phone she’s holding.
“I wasn’t on the property,” Noah says, complacently dropping his hands into his jeans pockets. I haven’t seen him in jeans, but my God … he fills those pants out through every inch. Plus, his white t-shirt is far too small, and I want to drag him back to the hot tub.
“Take me off the speaker,” I hear a static mumble from the phone.
Katarina hits a button on the phone and holds the device up to her ear. “Yes, okay. No, I don’t think that’s the case,” she says to him. “Fine. I’ll do whatever you think is right.”
No one knows what Ronald is saying to Katarina through their call, but she’s quick to hang up.
“ An addendum will be sent out around this afternoon. If you don’t choose to agree to the addendum, you will be asked to move off-site immediately. If you do sign the addendum, your little fling will need to come to an end for the remaining five months.”
“Awesome,” Noah tells her, shaking his head. “Ashley.” Noah holds his arms open for me. I don’t care who is standing here or what anyone thinks. I have feelings for Noah, and I’m not going to pretend like that isn’t the case because of some stupid contest or study, whatever the hell this is.
“We need to talk,” I hear Bradley tell Katarina as they walk back toward the house.
That should go over well.
I walk into Noah’s open arms, and he embraces me tightly. “You should sign the addendum,” I tell him.
“If signing the addendum means I lose the chance of seeing where things can go with us, I’m not sure I can commit.”
“It’s two million dollars, Noah. I can’t compete.”
“I don’t need the money,” he says.
“If you want to keep building your empire, you do,” I remind him.
His hands glide along my cheeks, and he sweeps his fingers behind my ears, looking down into my eyes with concern. “I haven’t met someone I’ve felt immediately connected to before, as I have with you.”
The words I wanted to keep to myself spew from my mouth. “Well, besides the hostess from The Clam Pit that disappeared.” I wink at him and smile, so he knows I’m not one of those types of jealous women.
Noah takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes for a minute. “Okay, I admit, I had a crush on her, but she was like a wet noodle. As soon as I hired you, I let her go, which was totally unprofessional, but I saw someone I was attracted to on multiple levels, and the other woman couldn’t compete, and I knew that after just meeting you twice. So when I tell you, she meant nothing more than a little crush, I’m being honest.”
“I believe you,” I tell him. “I do.”
“Good,” he says, kissing me with a swift soft peck.
“I still want you to sign the addendum.”
“I don’t know if I can make a commitment not to touch you for five months,” he says.
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for,” I remind him. “You’ve been through much worse.”
“Will you still spend time with me?”
I smile at the question. It’s sweet the way he asks. “It’s going to be hard, but I think we can get through this.”
“You don’t even know the meaning of hard, Ash, and I mean that in a sexually frustrated way.”
“Well, hopefully, I don’t make things harder on you than necessary.”
“You’re going to torture me, aren’t you?”
I shrug. “Perhaps.”
“We have some time right now before I receive the addendum.”
“Should I grab a whip or a ball-gag thing? The kitchen table is free.”
