Noah huffs out a laugh. “You’re nervous?”
I peek at him through my fingers and let out a shaky breath. “Yeah. Now that we’ve said it out loud, the … ‘L’ word and stuff, it’s really real, you know?”
He reaches out a hand and traces a finger along the bridge of my nose, asking softly, “Are you regretting it? Is it too much too soon?”
“No–” I reply instantly, rolling back towards him and grabbing onto his shoulder. “God no, Noah. I want this.”
When he meets my eyes we hold the stare for a long moment, both of us searching for reassurance and, I believe, finding it. “You’re sure?”
“I’m absolutely sure.”
“The whole shebang?” he asks teasingly.
And I giggle. And giggle some more, feeling utterly giddy about everything that has transpired in the last twenty-four hours.
And with that the weight that I’ve been carrying, that last little sliver of doubt that I’ve been pushing to the back of my mind ever since we started this whole thing, just … lifts and floats away.
I nod then, offering him a wide grin.
“The whole shebang.”
“Good. Then I think maybe you should sit on my face now,” he says flippantly. And it’s so at odds with the weighty discussion and so unlike the old stuffy Noah, that I throw my head back against the pillow with laughter. When I sober up enough to take in the intensity of his gaze, heat rises all over my body. “Shit, yeah, that … that sounds good,” I say with an audible gulp. “Let’s definitely do that.”
He growls and pulls me over him, dragging me up to straddle his face.
And, well, it’s a very good morning.
???
I watch him now as he moves around the room in nothing more than a towel, collecting his clothing from the night before. I’m actually surprised he didn’t get up in the night to put it in his hamper.
“I’m sorry I have to run,” Noah says against my skin as he leans over to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “I need to stop at the hospital to check on Jane Doe before I head in to the precinct.”
“It’s okay,” I sigh. “I should probably head home soon anyway. I’m meeting with a potential new coffee vendor today.”
Not for the first time, I think about how much easier it would be if we just lived together. But despite our declarations last night, it’s too soon for that. Isn’t it?
He scans the room and then circles the bed to retrieve his tie from the lampshade where it had landed the night before. My mouth had dried out as I’d watched him in the mirror, slowly loosening it and then tugging it off. I bite my lip at the memory … it was sexy as fuck, though I’m not exactly sure why. Guess that’s another one for the grey sweatpants/bobbing Adam’s apple/exposed forearms category of illogically swoon-worthy masculinity.
Still, I make a mental note to revisit the whole tie thing. Maybe next time he can tie me up with it …
Or …
“A tie would make a nice blindfold,” I blurt out and Noah spins to face me in the doorway, his eyes flaring. Somehow, he’s managed to completely dress himself while I was busy daydreaming.
“Jesus, kitten, I don’t have time for this,” he whines adjusting himself in his pants.
“Sorry … my mind was just wandering for a minute there,” I say innocently and bite my lip. Then I writhe a little bit on the bed causing him to grunt and prowl back toward me. I don’t know why I enjoy torturing him so much, I’m only torturing myself as well getting us both riled up again.
“Those pregnancy hormones are no joke,” he mutters.
“I guess maybe Glen could help me out …” I tease him.
“Your vibrator?” he growls leaning over the bed and caging me in against the mattress. “Don’t youdare. Between last night and this morning, I thought I’d properly fucked you into next week. Aren’t you sore?” he questions.
I am sore, deliciously so.
I reach a hand out to cup his growing bulge with a smirk. “Seems like you’d have no problem going another round yourself, stud.”
