He shrugged, the motion drawing her attention to those shoulders she’d been mapping with her hands not so long ago. Those capable shoulders, broad enough to hold up under the weight of a woman who was most definitely freaking out.
“So, what?” she asked. “We just go on like it’s fine that you’re in love with me and I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing?”
He smiled. “I have some ideas about what you could be doing, if you’d like to hear them. Otherwise, yeah. I’ll be over here in love with you, and you’ll be over there figuring out what you want to do about it.”
“That’s not fair to you,” she protested.
“Let me worry about that. I’m a big boy. I can handle my own feelings.”
Something inside her chest cracked. Just a hairline fracture, but she felt it all the same. Because that was Noah in a nutshell—giving her exactly what she needed without demanding anything in return. He knew how to handle her moods and personality quirks. Somehow.
His hand remained steady between them. An offer, not a demand. Like everything else about him.
Good grief, she’d never had a chance, had she?
“Sabrina, do you want to stay or go?”
She should saygo. Should walk away before this got even more complicated. Before the hairline crack in her chest spread into a full-blown fissure that she couldn’t patch.
But her feet wouldn’t move.
The truth lodged in her throat—she did want to stay. Wanted to keep having this whatever it was with him. Wanted his laughter and his steady presence and the way he made her feel like she might not be broken after all, that he might be the only person in the world who truly got her.
“If I stay, I’m probably going to screw this up,” she warned him.
“The woman who always wants to be the best at everything? I highly doubt it.” He wiggled his fingers in her direction. “Though, if you want to let me win, I’m totally okay with that.”
A reluctant laugh rumbled from her throat. So it was working again, apparently. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Part of my charm.” His grin widened, familiar and devastating.
Maybe they didn’t have to figure everything out right now. Maybe she could just stay. See what happened when she stopped fighting so hard against the inevitable pull between them and let it happen. To hear him tell it, he was fine with that.
His hand remained outstretched.
She took it and the earth didn’t split open.
Noah tugged her closer, but didn’t try to pull her down to the bed. Just drew her between his knees and rested his forehead against her stomach, quiet for a long beat before he murmured, “Thank you.”
He was trembling.
Oh, man,she’ddone that to him. Her heart did a slow dive to the floor. “For what?”
“For not running.” His breath was warm through her shirt, settling inside her chest. “For giving us a chance to figure this out.”
She threaded her fingers through his hair, letting the moment, the connection, unfold inside her.
Maybe this was what trust felt like.
Or maybe she’d just set herself up to fail. And maybe she’d take Noah down with her.
CHAPTER 17
Noah had witnessed a lot of stunning moments in his respective careers. Revolutions igniting with a single spark. A perilous rescue. Cities falling to their knees. Tense moments when he couldn’t see Dancer and had to run on faith.
But none of them compared to successfully navigating the most difficult and critical negotiation of his life.
She’d stayed.
