AJ met Noah’s eyes, just long enough to feel a tug near her sternum. “You go on,” she told Dave.
Then she sidestepped a boom and ducked onto a woodland path. She didn’t know where she was heading, only that it was time. She walked until she emerged into a sunlit clearing that overlooked Em’s lagoon.
AJ stared out at her own artificially still reflection and waited.
A few minutes later, a rustle sounded in the woods, and Noah entered the clearing, his eyes already on her. Her heart began to pound—they were actually alone.
No castmates. No cameras. Just them.
AJ had forgotten the way his eyes changed color in the light to almost honey gold. Beautiful. For a moment, he just watched her.
“Did Em talk to you about the part?” he asked curtly.
His tone was all the invitation AJ needed. “Yup,” she snapped. “Congratulations. Your Ana awareness campaign has paid off. I’m Alara. Hope you’re happy.”
“I am,” said Noah hotly. “Sorry to derail your very ambitious plan of hiding in the background.”
AJ laughed in disbelief. “Wow. You’ve really grown into that Drew entitlement.”
Noah took a step toward her, his eyes sparking with irritation and something…else. “Would you prefer I deny that this is what I want?”
AJ’s mouth went dry. “What about whatIwant?” she shot back. “I havenointerest in this.”
A lie. She had loved playing with him. So much it scared the hell out of her.
“Bullshit,” said Noah, moving closer. “You’re just scared.”
God fucking damn it.
“With good reason,” AJ seethed. “Toni’sfuriouswith me because of this.”
Noah’s eyes flashed. “She’s furious because you didn’t stay in your lane,” he said. “Greatfriend, by the way.”
A dull roar filled AJ’s ears. “That meansso muchcoming fromyou.”
As she turned to leave, she felt a gloved hand encircle her forearm. The leather of Rho’s gauntlet was bright against the pale of her skin; AJ stared at it in disbelief. Slowly, she lifted her eyes. Noah’s were intent, pleading, the light almost gone. AJ’s breath caught.
“I—” Noah bowed his head. As his hair fell across his brow, AJ felt his hand flex, like he might pull her close, and for a heartbeat that touch was all she knew. Then, “Age, we should talk.”
AJ’s eyes welled instantly. It was the look on his face, and the sound of her nickname on his lips. And it was theexactturn of phrase. “You’ve said that to me before,” she said almost inaudibly.
Noah swallowed hard. “I know,” he said. He glanced over his shoulder. “I can’t—”
A twig snapped as a camera crew crept from the woods. They broke apart, AJ quickly wiping her cheeks. This would be Ana and Rho’s first scene since waking the crale. Seconds passed as she and Noah stood inert, lenses and booms hovering around them. Finally, Noah spoke.
“You did well the other day,” he said roughly. They were filming, but he wasn’t in character yet.
Her cheeks colored. “Surprised?”
Noah shook his head. “Not at all.”
“I was,” said AJ, forcing herself to meet his eyes. She chose her next words with care. “We were completely vulnerable—why not just take your dog and go?”
Noah’s stare went dark in a way it never had before. AJ swore she felt a tectonic rumble beneath that strange black mass inside him as he said, “I didn’t want to leave you like that.”
AJ felt her lip tremble.Fuck.
Noah’s eyes were raw. “You have to know I would never want to hurt you.”
