What’s one more blurred line at this point? I think to myself as I snuggle into him further. He smells good. And he’s warm and strong. I feel safe. Happy. My movement prompts him to gaze down at me.
“Huh,” he says slowly, smiling. “You’re right, thisispretty comfy.”
???
When it’s time for Noah to go he lingers at the door, playing with his car keys. We’re making silly small talk, going over things we’ve already discussed, and reliving the ultrasound for the fifteenth time. He doesn’t really want to leave and I don’t want him to. Neither of us can admit it, though, because we know it’s a bad idea.
“I had fun today,” he says softly.
“Me too.”
“I always have fun with you,” he admits.
“Even when I make you listen to early 2000s rap?”
He snorts and rolls his eyes. “Even then. But I could do with never hearing the thong song ever again,” he says wryly.
I shrug. “Sisqo’s my boy.”
But Noah’s mouth is screwed to the side as he does sometimes, and I know he hasn’t registered my attempt to continue our banter. He’s chewing on the inside of his cheek–a telltale sign that he’s worried or thinking too hard. In this instance, I suspect he’s mulling over something he’s not sure he should say.
I nibble on my own lip while I watch the wheels turn in his mind.
When he locks eyes with me, I know he’s decided to say it and I brace myself for impact.
“You’ve changed my whole life, Lucy. I’ve never been so happy.”
Warmth floods my chest.
“I’m happy too. The baby–”
“Not just the baby,” he interrupts. “The baby is a gift I’ll never be able to thank you for, but … it’syoutoo. I love spending time with you. You’ve become my best friend, and I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. Just wanted you to know that.”
Friends.
Right.
But …justfriends? Something about the way he’s looking at me says it’s so much more.
And we both know it.
I can’t find my voice. I can only nod as I stare up into those beautiful brown eyes, so much warmer than they used to be. I think about how much has changed between us. Once there had been angry glares … then eventually, friendly nods. Now we share secret smiles and heated glances. Noah reaches out a hand, lightly brushing my cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. It bounces back almost immediately and he smiles fondly at the stubbornness of my untamed curls.
I’m not quite sure when he drifted so close, but, now he’s leaning in, his clean fresh scent washing over me. My breath catches and for a brief moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. I lick my lips, lust flaring to life and wetness pooling instantly at my core. My head is screwy but my body sure as hell knows what it wants.
Then … he hesitates.
Something flashes in his eyes and I see the moment he reconsiders. He course corrects, wrapping me up in a tight hug. Then he just holds me there, warm in his embrace and with not an inch of space between us, for a long, long, time.
CHAPTER 12
LUCY
Eighteen Weeks
Lucy: OMG! Noah!!!!
Noah:What?! Is everything okay?
