Chapter 14 Noah
Chapter Fourteen
NOAH
We walked up the stairs together, but Sasha released my hand when we entered the apartment. Quinn lounged on the sectional over to one side with a TV and a low table against the wall. She had her knees curled up, and Matilda was napping on the couch beside her.
As soon as she saw me, Matilda jumped off the couch and hurried over to greet us both. Maybe I was taking a liberty, but I slipped out of my shoes when Sasha did and hung my coat on the coatrack by the door.
Quinn glanced over, her eyes landing on the box that held the calzone before bouncing to her mother and back to me. “Hi,” she said simply.
“Hey, sweetie.” Sasha crossed over and dropped a kiss onto Quinn’s upturned cheek. “Noah got your calzone. If it’s anything like the rest of the food we got, I promise it’s delicious.”
Quinn uncurled her feet from where they were tucked under her knees and stood, crossing over to us.
I handed her the box. “I got you a large. Your mom said you like leftovers.”
Quinn narrowed her eyes and offered me a thank-you as I handed the box to her.
She stood still in the living room, looking between Sasha and me. “Can I have some tonight?” Her eyes landed on her mother with her question.
Sasha nodded. “Of course. We even made sure to get it at the end so it should still be warm.”
Quinn cast a quick smile. It was so much like Sasha’s that my heart swelled. She skipped across the living room through the archway into what I could see was the kitchen.
Sasha mouthed, “Thank you. She’ll love it.” After a pause, Sasha asked aloud, “What are you watching?”
“That baking show. The one you love.” Quinn was already returning to the living room with half her calzone on a plate.
Sasha cast me a sheepish smile. “I love The Great British Baking Show.”
“Do you want to watch some with us?” Quinn asked, surprising me.
When I glanced in her direction, I didn’t miss the dare in her eyes. Honestly, any excuse to spend time with Sasha worked for me. “I’d love to.”
That was how I found myself on the couch with Sasha between Quinn and me.
Sasha even let me hold her hand. The only downside was I wanted to do a lot more than that.
Who knew teenagers made the best chaperones in the world?
With Quinn’s perceptive gaze occasionally glancing our way, I didn’t dare do anything more than hold Sasha’s hand.
At one point, Sasha went to the bathroom. As soon as the sound of the door clicking shut reached us, Quinn pinned me with her eyes. “Don’t you dare hurt my mom,” she said fiercely.
I was used to feeling like I could go with the flow of any conversation.
I was also used to feeling like I had my shit together.
Hell, I was an FBI agent and handled high-end financial fraud.
Questioning those suspects was challenging because they usually had a lot of money and were accustomed to getting their way or buying their way out of tight spots.
But Sasha’s protective teenage daughter had me feeling like I didn’t know what to say. I cleared my throat. “I’m not planning on hurting your mother.” Stating the obvious was always a good place to start.
“Of course, you’re not planning on it. Even assholes don’t plan on it.”
My heart ached a little for this girl who clearly loved her mother and wanted to make sure no one hurt her.
“I know you just met me, but I promise your mom means a lot to me, and I have no intention of hurting her.”
Quinn’s lips pressed together and twisted to the side as she blinked at me. “It’s just she’s never introduced me to anyone. She’s trying to play it cool, but she’s so not cool.”
I bit the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing because Quinn was dead serious. I nodded slowly. “I understand your point. I don’t think your mom would’ve introduced me if—”
I cut myself off. I didn’t know what to say to this girl to convince her that what I wanted was her mother to realize we had a real thing here.
Quinn nodded as if I had somehow done something to satisfy her. “Good, you don’t know what to say either.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I countered, abruptly wondering if hell counted as a curse word and if I could say it in front of a fifteen-year-old, specifically Sasha’s daughter.
As if she freaking read my mind, Quinn offered, “Hell is a place, not a swear word. Mom swears in front of me if you were wondering. She tries not to, but she slips up.” At my chuckle, she continued, “My point was, you’re not trying to be slick.
If you were, then as soon as you left, I would tell her not to go to dinner with you again.
But you’re not slick, and you’re not cool.
And, apparently, you’re stumbling over how to explain how you feel, so that’s a good sign. ”
Sasha happened to return to the living room at this moment, her eyes bouncing between us. “Quinn, what did you say to Noah?”
It was only then I realized my mouth had actually dropped open. Good Lord, her daughter had me gaping like a fish.
Quinn thought the whole thing was hysterical and threw her head back with a laugh. “Nothing,” she said when she finished laughing. Sasha sat down beside me again. “I was just asking him his intentions.”
Sasha’s cheeks went pink. “Quinn! It was a dinner date. You’re also not my parent. I’m your mother.”
“Yeah, but you don’t date.” Quinn arched a brow, her eyes glinting with mirth.
Sasha glanced at me. “I am so sorry.”
“No need to apologize. It was rather clarifying.”
Sasha narrowed her eyes as she looked toward Quinn again. Quinn finally stopped giving me the side-eye and enjoyed her calzone. She even told me that it was really good.
After the show was over, I decided it was best to leave on a high note.
I said my goodbye to Quinn, and Sasha walked into the hallway with me.
When the latch on the door clicked behind us, I spun her around, pressing her against the wall and dipping my head to breathe in her scent along the side of her neck.
I felt the shiver run through her and couldn’t resist dropping a hot kiss just below her ear.
That led to another and another before I dragged my tongue along the side of her neck, nipping lightly as she arched into me, letting out a low moan.
My cock was swollen and aching. Desperate for more, I lifted my head, claiming her mouth with mine.
God, I fucking loved kissing her. She made these little sounds in her throat that drove me wild.
I could feel her warm, soft curves pressing against my chest.
My hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, coasting over the curve of her belly and cupping a breast. I could feel the tight peak of her nipple and pinched it lightly.
She rocked her hips against mine. I slid my other hand down to cup her bottom, pressing her against my arousal.
I was throbbing for her. I was on the verge of finding my release in my pants, something I hadn’t done since I was a teenage boy.
One kiss led to the next, and her palm slid under my shirt, her touch silky and smooth.
I didn’t even hear the door behind us open until a voice said, “Excuse me.”
My lips broke from Sasha’s abruptly as I lifted my head and glanced over my shoulder. I kept Sasha shielded, seeing as I had one hand up her shirt.
An elderly woman was standing in the doorway directly across the hall. She had curly silver hair and wore a hot-pink bathrobe with bunny slippers. She eyed me with unabashed curiosity. “You must be Noah,” she announced.
I managed to stealthily get my hand out from under Sasha’s clothes. Blessedly, I had already put my jacket on before I walked out the door, so I smoothly adjusted it to obscure my arousal as I turned.
Sasha looked over at the woman I presumed was her neighbor, Melanie. “Hey there. Eavesdropping?” she teased.
Oh, good. Sasha didn’t seem too upset at the interruption.
“Of course. Somebody’s got to get some around here.”
Sasha rolled her eyes. “This is Noah.” Looking at me, she added with a sweep of her hand toward the woman, “And this is Melanie.”
“Nice to meet you, Noah,” she said with a smile.
“Likewise,” I offered.
“I’m not a witch, just a nosy old lady. Plus, I keep an eye on things,” Melanie offered with a grin.
“Much appreciated,” I replied, dipping my chin in acknowledgment.
“You best do right by Sasha,” Melanie added.
“Melanie!” Sasha pushed away from the wall. “He’s an old friend.”
“I’m here, you know. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not.”
Melanie ignored me, casting a sharp eye on Sasha. “I have a bone to pick with him, not you.”
Good grief. First Quinn, now the neighbor. Sasha had not warned me that she had a gauntlet I had to pass and more than one test on the way to winning her heart.
“I promise I will do right by her,” I said, addressing Melanie. “I already told Quinn something along the same lines.”
Melanie nodded. Her gaze swept from the top of my head all the way down to my shoes and back up. Nothing about it was sexual, but holy hell, I felt as if she were X-raying me.
She looked toward Sasha. “He’s cute. He’ll do.”
Sasha’s cheeks were bright red. “After Quinn and this, he’ll probably never come back.”
“No chance of that.” I laughed because what I wanted to say was for Sasha’s ears only.
“He’ll be back,” Melanie said confidently. “Nice to meet you.” She closed her door, and we could hear the bolt sliding in place.
“Sorry about that,” Sasha said with a shake of her head. “I’ll walk you down.”
We stopped on the landing at the bottom of the stairs. I stepped to her, palming her cheek and looking into her eyes. “You’re not going to scare me away, Sasha.” I dusted a kiss across her lips.
“What about Quinn and Melanie?” Her eyes searched mine.
“Nope.”
I couldn’t resist one more kiss, although that didn’t help with the state of my cock, which protested mightily as I drew back. I’d have to take matters into my own hands tonight.
“How about I take you and Quinn to dinner tomorrow night?”
Sasha’s eyes widened comically. “Are you serious?” she sputtered.