‘Shall we?’
Noah put his hand atop a wobbly pile next to a basket filled with lurid yellowNational Geographiccopies. I put my hand on his, hoping it wasn’t clammy with nerves.
His gaze met mine, and I managed to hold it as he counted down, even though the heat from his eyes was doing something weird to my insides. How many butterflies could one stomach hold?
‘And … pull!’ he called.
Together, we pulled an object from the stack. But it wasn’t a book: it was a box. A lightweight dusty one that rattled in our hands.
‘A jigsaw puzzle,’ said Noah. He held out the box, revealing an autumnal forest scene of reds and oranges. Here and there,a few animals peeped out from the trees. At the bottom of the image, a couple in thick coats and soft scarves held hands.
I wanted to be right there. And from the look in Noah’s eyes, so did he.
‘Wow, ten thousand pieces,’ I marvelled, trying not to reveal myself. ‘Perfect for a cosy night in.’
‘Or a month of them,’ said Noah.
In the front room, the audience broke into polite applause. Vero was wrapping up his presentation.
‘We should probably get back to the literati,’ I said, feeling a pang. I’d enjoyed this quiet time with Noah, away from the busyness of the Pink House and the need to beonfor everyone there. Because while I loved them dearly, it always felt like there was an expectation to be funny and energetic and up for whatever event they’d suddenly added to the calendar. With Noah, there was none of that. There was just being in the moment.
‘I’m not sure I’d call them quite that,’ he said, grinning. He tucked the jigsaw under one arm. ‘But I won’t say no to pizza.’
We came back down the stairs, using a gentle spell to stop the treads squeaking underfoot. Walking on my tiptoes, I almost tripped on a worn carpet tread, but Noah caught me with a well-timed arm around my waist.
The warmth of his skin against mine, the sheer proximity of him, was intoxicating. Once again, I found myself thinking just how easy it would be to kiss him. But I had a sense that, if I started kissing him, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop. And there were probably a dozen people just a few steps away – including Tiff, who was somehow always able to read my mind. And my intentions.
‘I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes,’ I whispered.
‘And what did you see?’ His tone was gentle, yet curious. Perhaps even … suggestive?
I didn’t want to tell him what was actually running through my head.Oh, just a visual of you pushing me up against the wall, on repeat.
‘Lots of cats,’ I said instead. ‘And foot massages. And jigsaw puzzles.’
‘Sounds like a very pleasant future.’
He was still holding on to my waist, but I didn’t want to be the first to end the contact. Nor did he, by the looks of it. I glanced down, then placed a hand gently over his wrist.
‘Right,’ he said momentarily, realizing that he’d have to let go if we were to make our way down the rest of the stairs. He hesitated a second longer, keeping me close to him. Finally, he relented.
‘Watch your step,’ he warned. ‘Because you’ve got cats and foot massages in your future.’
‘Very good point.’ I made a show of carefully making my way down the last few steps. ‘How was that?’ I said, turning triumphantly as I cleared the bottom step.
‘Perfect dismount,’ whispered Noah. ‘If I were a judge, you’d get a ten for execution.’
‘Your turn,’ I said.
As he pushed off the bottom step, I made a show of giving him a silent golf clap.
‘A solid nine,’ I teased. ‘I subtracted a point for that ankle wobble.’
‘Ah,’ said Noah. ‘That wasn’t my ankle. I was just a bit weak at the knees.’
I swallowed, at a loss as to how to respond.
Placing a hand on the small of my back, Noah guided me to the small group politely listening to Vero’s halting answers to their questions about famous foyers and problem guests. I was so focused on Noah’s gentle touch that I didn’t hear a single word. Although I suspected that wasn’t a great loss.
