“I guess it depends how disgusting you findside quests.” He wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tight. “Thank you so much,” he whispered.
It took them another twenty minutes to extricate themselves from the convention center—everyone wanted to talk to Glimmette, to tell her how much they loved her.
By the time they made it to the parking lot, AJ’s ears were ringing. Noah had lucked into a spot close to the entrance. Gingerly, he and AJ helped a very fatigued Eudora into the Camaro.
“Don’t drive off without me,” said Noah, handing Eudora his keys.
Eudora turned on the ignition and rolled the window down. AJ felt strange telling her mentor she was proud of her, so she simply said, “You did it.”
Eudora nodded. “So did you.” Her eyes twinkled knowingly as she raised the glass.
AJ’s cheeks warmed and she glanced at Noah—he lifted his eyebrows once, then turned away, sticking his hands into his pockets.
Together, they made their way up the rows of cars. The evening sky was a starless dome; beneath, ribbons of headlights cut clear into the mountains.
AJ had parked under a lamppost. She watched their shoes cross into a circle of golden light.
“This is me,” she said, halting beside the Ford Escape.
AJ looked up at Noah, at the black T-shirt straining over his broad shoulders, at his dark, intense stare. “It’s too bad we can’t drive together.”
His eyes were full as they met hers. “Agreed,” he said soberly. “We should…talk.”
AJ’s gut panged again. She couldn’t read him for shit tonight. Backstage. In the corridor. And right now—she had the strangest sense that he was screaming inside.
She searched him. “Am I in trouble?”
Noah’s jaw rolled. “Iam.”
Then he kissed her hard, just once, as if that was all he would allow himself, and enfolded her in his arms, his nose in her hair. AJ closed her eyes as his heart galloped into her, then slowed. When Noah finally pulled back, his eyes were brimming.
“What is it?” she asked softly, struggling to orient herself. “Did something happen—earlier.”
Noah’s gaze dropped. “Nothing for you to worry about,” he said swiftly. He gave her a weary half smile. “I’m just tired.”
AJ nodded. “Me too.”
But I’m happy.
She didn’t need to say it. He took her hand in both of his and held it, bowing his head. It was such a formal, courtly gesture, but it took AJ’s breath away.
Finally, he looked up. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said with a tight smile. Then he let her go.
For a moment, AJ’s body rebelled, refusing to move away from his.
It’s you, it’s you.
Then she forced herself to take a step back, to unlock the car. “See you tomorrow.”
She smiled at him, and the look he gave her in return was so intimate her heart tripped. Then she opened the door of the Escape. By the time she brought up the headlights, he was gone.
AJ barely slept thatnight. Each time she began to drift off, memories of Noah—his lips, his hands, his eyes—replayed in her brain. If that was kissing, then she couldn’t wait for sex. She couldn’t think of another time in her life when things had gone so…right.
The next morning at work, AJ did her best to appear natural as she took her seat behind the counter. When at last the door chimed, she waited a beat before looking up—but it wasn’t him.
At ten past the hour, it became clear he was running late. He had probably overslept, tired from the night before. AJ busied herself straightening out the counter, which was always a mess after Storm worked, then started on the returns, jumping whenever a car drove by.
Around eleven, she heard the rustle of the beaded curtain and looked up to see Storm.
