14
Jett
Embrace the chaos .
Taking comfort from the hand on my hip and confidence from the fact that Noah didn’t bolt at his first glimpse of my meltdown. I do it. I embrace it.
I rise up on tiptoes while simultaneously tangling a hand in the hair at the nape of his neck. It’s a gentle brushing of lips, barely classifying as a kiss, but it sets off dynamite inside my chest.
I’ve never felt anything like it.
I settle back onto my heels, taking in the heat of Noah’s gaze. He has not made his desires to build something with me a secret. I’m not that naive. Whether it is a relationship or just getting in my pants, I know he’s doing the friend thing with alternative motives. Maybe that’s why I am comfortable being this bold, because it is definitely out of character for my typical self.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, chaos.” Those calloused fingers skim the exposed skin along my shoulder.
“Who says I’m playing?” I ask, leaning up again to kiss the scruff along his jaw.
Strong hands travel down my sides and grip my waist before his lips find mine again, his tongue gliding along my bottom lip.
“Temptress.”
Is it hot in here? It has to be. That’s why it feels like someone just set my insides on fire. Joey never made me feel like this. I wonder if he feels like this when he kisses Ella?
Damn it. What is wrong with me?
“Where’d you go, Jett?”
I shake my head, not wanting to answer. Not wanting to tell him that my mind drifted. My eyes close to block out the shame and embarrassment. Just another reason Joey didn’t want to be intimate with me.
One giant hand slides up my spine to grip my ponytail and tug it firmly. My eyes snap open, jaw dropping and ready to rip him a new one. Except that ass-chewingcomes out as a whimper instead.
“You in your own head, pretty girl?”
Cue the weak knees.
Nodding, I sink into Noah’s hold, letting his presence steady me. The bulge now pressing into my stomach proves I’m not the only one affected by this situation. Holy fireballs—that thing is impressive. My fingers drift lower on their own accord, lightly tracing the band of his jeans. Noah isn’t muscled to the extreme, but I can just make out the V of his lower abs with my knuckles. It is comforting being intimate with someone who isn’t sculpted.
I don’t hate my body. I have a decent athletic frame and my ass fills my jeans nicely, but it is so much more enjoyable to snuggle up to someone when they aren’t hard as stone.
Damn it, I’m doing it again. Just like Joey said—never present. I groan, my forehead falling to rest on Noah’s chest.
“Eyes on me, chaos.” His hand loosened its hold at some point, and he lifts the other hand to work my hair tie from the mess of tangles before massaging my scalp and letting my unkempt hair fall around my shoulders. As crazy as it seems, this feels more intimate than the kisses we just shared. When I finally force my gaze up to his again at his request, my insides melt at the adoration in his gaze. Why couldn’t I have found Noah years ago?
“There she is. My chaos.”
“Yours?” I ask, silently hoping he means it. Hoping tonight isn’t a one-off but knowing I’ll wake up in a few hours embarrassed and hiding from this angel of a man. Kicking back every negative thought, I add, “Prove it.”
Noah shakes his head, and I can’t help but lose the ounce of confidence that has been driving this bus.
“If you wake up in the morning and still feel the same once your thoughts have settled, then yes.” His hand cups my cheek, running a thumb along it. “I won’t be a distraction for you. When I finally get to sink into you, it’ll be because you can’t think of anything but stretching that tight little body around me.”
Shivering at the thought, I glare at him, the look at odds with the way his words play my body. “You can’t say things like that when you aren’t planning to follow through on them.”
“You like when I talk dirty, pretty girl?”
Heat fills my face, but I force myself to keep eye contact as I answer honestly. “Apparently. This is new for me.”
He hums appreciatively. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, how about you go lie down and I’ll lock up on my way out?”
“Stay. Please.”
He nods. “I can do that. I just need to go put Sadie in her crate.”
“Why not bring her back with you?”
“You sure? She’s a bed hog.”
“Hmm. I’m sure,” I mumble sleepily.
Noah kisses my forehead before turning me around, gently smacking my butt.
“Go. I’ll be back in a few.”
In no time, I hear the pitter-patter of Sadie’s nails on the wood flooring. Then there’s a giant fluff ball on the bed licking my face.
Giggling, I scratch under her leather collar. “Hey, sweet girl. Are you ready for our slumber party?”
She yips before spinning around and plopping down on the quilt at the foot of the bed like she knows exactly what I just said. The light in the hallway cuts off, and then Noah is standing in my doorway.
“When I was over earlier, you asked if I’d put out any feelers for a place to set up shop.”
Nodding, he leans against the frame instead of coming closer to my bed. “Glad to see you thinking about it.”
“Aside from my dad, everyone has always joked that it’s just a pipe dream. But now that I have the option to actually make that dream a reality?” I shrug, studying Sadie’s coat a little too closely to avoid Noah’s knowing gaze. “You can definitely say no, but I was hoping you might be willing to help me find somewhere.” Looking up, I brace myself for the laughter that always follows these types of discussions but am met with silence. That may be worse. The urge to keep talking, to explain my thoughts or backtrack, is strong.Before I can, though, Noah eases my worries.
“I may have a few ideas in mind. I’ll put some feelers out and let you know what I find.” My eyes must be as wide as saucers, because Noah finally walks toward the bed and sits on the edge. “I see those wheels turning, and it kills a part of me that my support surprises you. I’d suggest talking to Kelsey Riley about it, too, if you’re looking for a business partner. She’s talked about adding to the café on more than a few occasions over the years.”
“You just spewed all that like it’s such a simple task.”
“Not a simple one, but I think you have the capability to make that dream a reality. If it’s costs you are worried about, I’d be glad to crunch numbers with you, too.”
“Ah, you’re a math geek.”
“Guilty.”
“You really think I can do it?”
“Whoever told you that it was just a pipe dream underestimated your heart. I can see the love for that store in your eyes even though it’s just a dream. Imagine proving all the naysayers wrong by making it a reality.”
Butterflies flit around my stomach at the thought of someone believing in me. My dad doesn’t count—he’s always supported my crazy dreams—but having someone else, someone I genuinely care about, believing in me? No one else ever has. I start to tell Noah as much.
“Reece doesn’t think—”
“Quite honestly, chaos, I don’t have much nice to say about your brother right now. So, if you tell me that he doesn’t support you, I may not reply kindly.”
The fluttering in my stomach turns into a full-on swarm of wings that warms me from the inside out. Noah’s eyes never leave mine.
He finally settles against the headboard but stays on top of my fluffy purple comforter. “Now, come snuggle and get some shuteye.”
I huff out an aggravated breath, although I don’t mean it. “You could at least get under the covers with me.” As I lean into him, he wraps an arm around me, securing me to his side. I toss a leg across his thighs and trace circles over his sleep shirt.
“You grossly overestimate my self-control. It’s taking everything I have not to strip us both and have my way with you.”
Groaning, I hide my face as best I can. “Not helping things, Noah.”
His laugh is infectious, making me giggle along with him.
“Okay, okay. No more. I promise.” He squeezes me and kisses my head again. “Sweet dreams, chaos.”
Sadie yips once from the foot of the bed as if to say good night as well.
A girl could get used to this. That’s what makes a man like Noah Slater so dangerous.