Chapter Five
Alex
Ithink I’ve made Noah speechless. He gapes at the camera before a huge smile spreads across his face. “Food should be there in about fifteen minutes.”
My keys land on my kitchen table, and I slouch off my heavy backpack. It falls to the floor with a clunk. I carry my phone with me to my bedroom and lay it flat on the dresser so it’s facing the ceiling. Noah chatters away while I change into my pajamas and throw my hair up into a messy bun.
The doorbell rings, and I grab Noah, bringing him with me while I retrieve the food he ordered. “Thank you for this.” I hold the bag up where he can see it. “But I think you ordered enough for two.”
“Leftovers are always good, and I wanted to make sure there was something you’d like.”
How did I stumble upon this incredibly sweet and caring man?
And hot. He’s incredibly hot. Meeting him yesterday revealed just how much the attraction that’s been simmering between us isn’t something I made up in my head. “I wish you were here.”
“Me too.” He sounds so sincere, and I swoon a little. “What movie are we watching?”
“Promise not to laugh?” I crack open the first of the three containers in the bag revealing a pair of chicken tacos.
“I swear.” He crosses his heart.
“Pretty Woman. It’s one of my favorites.”
He grins and looks away from the camera while he cues it up on his TV.
The siren song of tacos is too much to resist, and I bite into the first one. “Dear God, this is good,” I moan around a mouthful of food. “Where’d you get this from?”
Noah coughs and covers his mouth. “It’s a place by campus. I’ll send you the name.”
The party invite comes through on my TV, and I accept, crunching through another taco while the opening credits cue up. On my phone screen, I see Noah lift a beer bottle to his full lips. I watch him drink it with unabashed fascination.
While the movie plays, we make little comments to each other, and even though we’re so far apart, it still feels like a piece of him is here with me. When it’s over, I’m yawning and ready for bed but still not ready to let Noah go.
“No offense, but you look about done in.”
“I am.” The lead-up to a new school year is always full of huge to-do lists and pointless meetings. Case in point: this afternoon’s three-hour curriculum development meeting where no curriculum was developed.
“I’ll call you in the next day or so. Maybe we can figure out another in-person date?” I love how eager Noah seems to be to spend more time with me.
“This might sound strange,” I say, leading up to what I really want to ask him. “But would you be willing to keep talking for a while?”
“As long as you go lie down. And don’t feel bad if you fall asleep on me.” His expression is indulgent.
“I can do that.” I carry him along with me while I clean up my dinner mess and put the leftovers away. In my room, I plug my phone into the charging cable and then prop it up against the base of my lamp. That way, I can still see it without having to hold it in bed with me.
Noah looks like he’s doing his own cleaning up, and I spy on him while he goes about his nighttime routine. It’s fun to get these little peeks into his life. “Noah?” I ask.
He’s in his bedroom now. It’s full of masculine colors and rich woods. “Yeah?” It’s his turn to lay me down on top of a dresser, and I listen to the rustle of his clothes as he changes for the night.
“I had a really good time tonight. And yesterday.”
He picks the phone back up, and I suck in a breath when I see he’s not wearing a shirt. “I did too.” Like me, it looks like he’s settling the phone on the side of the bed, propping it up so he can be hands-free.
When he pulls the sheets back and slides under, my eyes take in the muscles that stretch across his torso and chest. His arms are strong, and there’s a light dusting of hair that makes him look even more outdoorsy than in his lumbersnack picture.
“This might be too fast, and it might freak you out.” Noah settles against his pillow, turning on his side so he can face the camera. “But I really like you. I don’t know if I’ve felt a connection like this with anyone before.”
My heart beats faster, but not because I’m scared. Happiness and hope swirl around inside my heart. “I really like you too.” I shift, pulling the phone closer so I can see him better. “You make it easy to talk to you.”
“Good. If I ever do anything to make you uncomfortable, I want you to tell me.”
I nod, snuggling against my pillow. We murmur words to each other, and before long, I’m nodding off into sleep.