15
Jessa woke up to bright light coming in between the crack of the curtains. She scrubbed her face and yawned. She had the best night’s sleep she had ever had in her life.
A pair of muscular arms were still wrapped around her waist, and Noah softly snored beside her. Her eyes roamed over his face while he slept. He looked peaceful.
Their evening didn’t quite go as she had pictured, but it was better than she expected. Hanging out with his family hadn’t been something she thought she would have done. She was only in Wintervale for a few weeks and hadn’t had any intention of sticking around after those two weeks. But now, Noah had her second guessing everything. Second guessing her life choices. Second guessing what she wanted for her future.
Jessa snuggled into his chest and sighed. Never had she felt safer and more seen than she had with him. He recognized she was anxious last night and made sure she was good before anything happened between them. She couldn’t say any other guy she had dated would have ever done that.
Noah was a special person, that much she knew.
“Good morning,” Noah said, his voice groggy.
She hadn’t even realized he had woken up. She tipped her head back to look up at him.
“Morning,” she said.
He pulled her tighter into his chest. “Have you been awake long?”
“No.”
“Thanks for spending the night.”
She smiled into his chest. “It was my pleasure. Your bed is far more comfortable than the resort beds.”
He chuckled. “Good. Maybe I can get you to spend the night a few more times.”
Maybe you can get me to spend the night for good.
The thought struck her out of nowhere. The fact that she had been thinking about settling down here since they arrived gave her pause. And the closer she got to Noah, the stronger the feeling became that this was where she needed to be. She stiffened.
Noah leaned back to look down at her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“You don’t have to spend the night if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable.”
He continued to look down at her, preventing her from burrowing into his chest to hide. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Noah glanced at the clock and sighed. “I need to get to the mountain. My shift starts in thirty minutes. Can I interest you in a quick bite at the coffee shop and a coffee?”
Jessa smiled up at him. “Sounds perfect.”
They got out of bed and Noah took a speed shower before they got into his truck and drove to Brewbirds. Jessa didn’t have a change of clothes with her since she hadn’t intended to spendthe night, and they didn’t have time to stop for her to change, so she decided yesterday’s dress would do.
Noah found street parking easily and opened Jessa’s door for her. They walked inside the shop and waited in the small line to place their orders.
Jessa shot a quick text to Megan.Ordering coffee and breakfast. Interested?
The response was immediate.Hell yes. Shit storm at the office. Bring sustenance.
She frowned. Problems in the office meant one thing: a difficult manager wanted a slew of people fired.
“Everything okay?” Noah asked, as they stepped up to the counter.
