Chapter 7 Noa
My body was hot in a way I’d never experienced in my entire thirty-five years of life. I could barely catch my breath.
“I see you.” A deep baritone came from below me, making me look down to see Quade staring up at me.
His eyes were soft yet intense. “I see you,” he repeated, and I shivered.
We had no business being in this position.
How we’d gotten from measurements to this, I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t want it to stop.
My body was calling out to him like he had everything I needed.
“Quade.” I moaned as his lips moved down my shirtless torso, layering soft and deliberate kisses across my body. His hands held me gently, like I was something he wanted to protect. I appreciated how he wasn’t in a rush. He moved like we had all the time in the world.
“I see all of you,” he whispered, his lips brushing over me, his tone full of something real. When he kissed my lower lips, it was slow, careful, and I melted into it.
“Ooh!” My fingers tangled in his hair as I pushed him into my center.
My body was in heat, and I could feel myself getting lost in this moment with him.
Every swipe of his tongue against my clit sent me higher, and I felt like I was floating in the air.
I dropped my head back and arched my back as he devoured me.
Bang. Bang.
A sharp noise made me jerk my head. What the hell was going on?
“Do you hear that?” I asked, confused. Quade looked up, just as puzzled, face drenched in my juices.
“Nah,” he said, shaking his head. He didn’t waste any time settling back between my thighs, but the loud banging continued. “Just focus on us.”
It was easier said than done. The more I tried to focus, the louder the banging became until it was the only thing I could hear.
“What is going on?” My voice came out as a whine as I tried to grasp onto what was left of the moment. Whoever was making all this noise was going to hear from me. Sitting up, I pushed his head back.
Bang. Bang.
“It’s outside,” he said, trying to grab onto me and hold me in place, but I could barely feel his hands against my body. I glanced down again as the banging suddenly filled the room, and Quade slowly faded away.
“Quade?” I called his name as I attempted to grip onto him. I didn’t want him to go.
“I see you. I see you,” he whispered as he faded away, and the banging noise consumed me.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
I jerked awake. My eyes fluttered open, and my hand immediately flew to my chest to calm my racing heart.
“You were dreaming,” I whispered to myself as reality hit me.
I was in my bed alone. My room was empty.
There was no sign of Quade, just the loud banging, and a hot ache between my thighs was still present.
I slid my hand over my center. This ache wasn’t from Shawn’s pop-up visit last night but from something different.
Suddenly, images of Quade’s sticky face between my legs filled my thoughts.
“OMG!” Heat and embarrassment flushed through me, and suddenly, I was breathless again. “I just had a dream about Quae Lo.” It was one that still had my body buzzing and tingling as though it was real. What the hell, Noa?
I lay in my bed, trying to process it all, but the constant banging outside my bedroom window wouldn’t let me think.
I rolled out of bed faster than normal, almost forgetting my diagnosis.
The pain that crept through my spine and down my legs quickly reminded me of my limitations.
I grabbed hold of my chair just as another bang echoed through my home, shaking my windows. This time, chatter followed it.
I lifted myself from my bed and settled into my chair.
My morning meds and hygiene routine were going to wait.
I had to figure out who and why someone was outside my house making all this noise.
Rolling into the living room, I made my way to the window and peeked out.
The Northside Rebuild truck that was parked out front had me looking up at the clock.
It was seven o’clock in the morning. I knew they were coming by, but I wasn’t expecting them this early.
I damn sure wasn’t expecting them to be tearing apart my wheelchair ramp without checking with me first. Blood boiling, I threw up the front window and stuck my head outside.
“Excuse me! What the hell are y’all doing?” I yelled.
“Removing your ramp, ma’am,” one man from yesterday—I’d forgotten his name—replied.
“I’m confused how, because nobody ran that by me.” I rolled my neck, a little annoyed.
He didn’t respond, just glanced up from where he was hammering at the side rail and looked toward the truck.
“Quade!” he called as he threw up his hands. My eyes darted toward the movement behind the open truck bed just as Quade appeared.
“What’s up, Rico?” he asked, and the worker pointed toward me.
Quade’s eyes found mine as he backed up slowly from the truck, wrench in one hand, tool belt sitting low on his hips. Damn, this man was giving handyman fine. I felt my stomach flip, and I hated it.
“Good morning, Ms. Green.” He climbed the stairs calmly, like he didn’t care that he was about to get cussed out. “Everything okay?”
“Well, for starters, you’re tearing up my ramp at the crack of dawn,” I shot back with a little more attitude than usual, trying to push back the fact that my heart was still fluttering from that very real dream I’d had of him eating me for breakfast just moments ago.
“We just out here trying to beat the heat,” he said as he made it to the top step. He looked at me through the window, then tilted his head. “You gonna open the door, or you just gonna stare at me with an attitude all morning?”
I blinked. “It’s better than what I want to do to you.”
“Open the door.” He smirked, ignoring me.
I rolled away from the window and over to the front door, wasting no time throwing it open. I didn’t even care. I was in a nearly see-through, oversized t-shirt that left my thighs fully exposed.
“What do you wanna do to me?” he asked as he stepped over the threshold and into my space.
Shit, now I was regretting not getting dressed first. My body was still warm from that dream, and now here he was, standing in the same space where Dream Quade had kissed down my thighs and whispered that he saw me with the same look he was giving me right now.
Then he had the nerve to smell like cedar and temptation.
“What the hell is this? You said you were stopping by today to do measurements,” I said, trying to gather my attitude back up and hand it to him. “And tearing down my damn ramp sure doesn’t look like just measurements.”
Quade said nothing, just came in and closed the door behind him. His eyes flicked over my body; it was brief and controlled, almost like he caught himself mid-scan and remembered to focus on my face.
“I did the measurements… for the most part,” he said nonchalantly. “The ramp is rotted, the nails loose, the slope all wrong. I couldn’t let you go another day with that unsafe chunk of wood outside. Thought it was best for my crew to start the prep today.”
“Y’all could’ve knocked,” I said. “Or at least waited till a decent hour. Y’all woke me up with all that noise.”
“I could’ve.” His eyes locked on me and didn’t waver. “But I figured showing you was better. Trust me, Noa. You’re getting something better than what you had. I got you.”
I swallowed hard, throat tight. The authority in his voice almost sounded like he’d said, ‘I see you.’ It did something to me I wasn’t ready to admit out loud.
My body still remembered the dream, and sitting this close to him, my face all but perfectly positioned at his zipper, wasn’t helping me focus.
I looked down, mortified to see my nipples pressing through the cotton like they had no home training.
When I looked back up, I caught him staring briefly before his eyes darted back to my face.
I swallowed. My mouth was dry. My thighs were warm, and I needed to shut this down fast.
“Well, next time, just knock, call, or something. I’d like to know what’s going on before you start,” I said quickly, backing away from the doorway. I crossed my arms over my chest as if he hadn’t already noticed my arousal. “I’ll let you get back—”
“Ohhh, I didn’t know the renovations were starting today.
” Teagan came clanging through the front door, bonnet half-sliding off, carrying a coffee mug and enough energy for ten people.
“Girl, if I knew we were going to have company this early, I would’ve combed my hair.
” Her eyes bounced between Quade and me, scanning the space between us like she immediately clocked the vibe.
Her eyes dipped low, and she gave me a mischievous grin.
“Everything good?” she asked, like she was concerned, but she was just being nosy.
“Yeah. Quade was just getting back to work.”
“Un huh,” she muttered under her breath, eyes narrowing as she gazed at my folded arms and then at Quade. He was wearing a smirk that I was sure made women risk it all.
“I’m fine, Teagan,” I snapped.
“I heard you.” She rolled her eyes before turning her attention to Quade. “She’s not in here giving you a hard time, is she?”
Quade chuckled low under his breath, clearly enjoying himself way too much.
“She’s been real hospitable,” he said, glancing at me with a teasing smirk.
“Opened the door, gave me a warm welcome. Real sweet.” His sarcasm had my blood boiling.
I shot him a glare, but he just leaned against the wall like he had all damn day.
“You lucky I don’t curse you out worse for tearing apart my ramp without asking.”
“You’re right,” he said, hands up in mock surrender. “But let me remind you, I didn’t have to ask. You signed the contract.”
“Contract or not, it’s the principle.”
He grinned. “I like a woman who stands on principle. Because of that, I’ll knock next time. Maybe even bring flowers.”
“Oooh, y’all flirting!” Teagan snorted, covering her mouth to muffle a laugh.
“Teagan!”
“What?”
“We are not flirting,” I hissed, nearly catching my fingers in the wheels, trying to roll away from the scene.
“I’m sorry. She doesn’t have good home training,” I said to Quade as he shrugged.
“For what it’s worth, neither do I.”
“Okay… Ummm,” I muttered, raising a hand like I could physically stop the embarrassment from spreading. Could this get any worse?
“How long is the ramp gonna take?” I asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
“A few weeks,” Quade said, straightening up. “But we’ll have a temporary one in by noon today.”
“Sounds good.” I nodded. I was ready to roll away. Hell, I needed to roll away.
“Well, I’m happy it’s finally getting worked on. Y’all are welcome to stay for breakfast. I’m about to cook pancakes, bacon, eggs, and grits,” Teagan said.
“I’m sure they’re busy, Teagan.” I tried to protest, but Quade was already nodding his head.
“That actually sounds good. I don’t know about the guys, but I ain’t ate shit this morning.”
“Good. Then it’s settled,” Teagan said. “I’ll add three plates to the table.”
I stared at her, speechless, and then at Quade. Could neither of them see I was trying to avoid him?
“I’m… um… going… to… um… get dressed.” I rolled backward, nearly clanking my chair on the wall on the way to my room.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Noa?” I scolded myself as I rolled into my bedroom and slammed the door shut.
“You’re acting like some dumb girl with a high-school crush.
” I rolled over to my bed before turning to stare at the door.
I could still faintly hear Quade and Teagan talking in the front room.
“Hope I didn’t burn a bridge,” he said.
“Naw, she just stubborn. Hates people messing with her stuff. Be patient with her. We’re glad you guys are here. She needs this.”
“Don’t worry. She’s in great hands,” Quade said, and I could picture that smug smile on his face.
“See, I like you already,” she replied.
I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to still the embarrassing rhythm.
Teagan knocked lightly on my door before cracking it open without waiting for a response and walking in. “I checked, and he’s single.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Thank you, sister, is the proper response.”
I dropped my head into my hands.
“Seriously, Teagan. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable in here. This is his place of work.”
“Girl, please.” She added with a dramatic whisper, “That fine man keeps looking at you like he already knows what you taste like.”
“Teagan!” I hissed.
“I’m just saying.” She grinned, already halfway out the door. “Oh, and you better put a bra on ’cause your body is telling on you.” She pointed to my erect nipples.
“Get out!” I tossed a pillow at the door as she cackled down the hall.