Chapter 43
Ispend half an hour perfecting my makeup and choosing an outfit that’s casual yet elegant: fitted black jeans, sky-high heels, and a silky top that shows a hint of cleavage.
When I check my phone for the address Noah texted and pull it up on my phone’s map, my heart skips a beat. A professional kitchen? What is he planning now?
I arrive at the industrial space, inhaling the aroma of spices and garlic.
Noah turns from a counter laden with vegetables and grins at me, holding up two chef’s aprons. “I bet you were expecting roses and champagne from me. But surprise! We’re making dinner tonight.”
“Cooking, huh?” I laugh, warmth flooding my cheeks. I’m actually shocked by this turn of events. Noah comes across as the more predictable one of the group, and I definitely pictured him arranging some more conventional champagne and roses kind of date. “You’re surprisingly full of surprises.”
“And you’re overdressed,” he says, his eyes dancing over my outfit. “Absolutely stunning, but overdressed nonetheless.”
I shrug out of my jacket, acutely aware of his gaze following my every move. “But we can fix that very soon.”
He knots an apron around my waist, his fingers brushing against my hips.
I suck in a breath, heat pooling low in my belly.
When his hands linger, I look up to find his eyes dark with desire.
“Are we really here to cook?” I ask softly.
“We’ll get to the food eventually.” Noah pulls me close, one hand tangling in my hair. “But first, I owe you an apology for how I acted about this whole dating thing. I didn’t mean to upset you, or to make you feel pressured.” He runs a hand down my arm, causing goosebumps to appear.
I go still, stunned by his admission. An apology is the last thing I expected. “It’s okay,” I say automatically. “We’re all trying to figure this out. It’s… complicated. I never expected to feel this way either.”
“It’s not okay.” Noah cups my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. And I don’t want you to feel like I’m forcing you into something you don’t want. I’d never wish that upon you. Because I know how that feels, and you deserve better.”
My throat tightens at the earnestness in his voice. After years of struggling to fit in, to be accepted, his words mean everything. “Thank you,” I whisper.
Noah’s eyes soften. “You’re welcome. That all said, I’m stoked to spend some one-on-one time with you tonight. Now, are you ready to cook something unforgettable with me?”
I smile, warmth flooding my cheeks for an entirely different reason. “Absolutely.”
Maybe tonight will hold more surprises than I ever imagined. And maybe, just maybe, Noah and I are cooking up something far more lasting than dinner.
Noah pulls out ingredients for larb and sticky rice, launching into an explanation of Laotian cuisine as we get to work. He tells fascinating stories about his visit to the country, including a crazy tale where he tubed down a river lined with bars where you could pull up in your tube to grab another beer, and then continue on.
His passion for cooking rivals his intensity on the pitch, and I find myself caught up in his enthusiasm.
We chop and stir, trading playful banter and laughs along the way.
When Noah challenges me to a chopping contest, competitiveness flares. “Think you’ve got the skills to beat me?” he asks with a cocky grin.
I grab a knife, determination burning in my veins. After years of striving to prove myself, I never back down from a challenge. “I grew up watching Yan Can Cook and ads for Ginsu knives on TV. Chopping is my jam. You’re about to be schooled, pretty boy.”
We race to chop vegetables, Noah nudging me with his hip and bumping up the tempo of Laotian pop music blasting from his phone.
In the end, I win by a hair, both of us breathless with laughter.
“I demand a rematch,” Noah says, catching my hand as I reach for more cabbage. His touch ignites sparks, and I still, my pulse racing for an entirely different reason.
“Next time, I’ll destroy you,” I say, hoping my voice sounds steady.
Noah steps closer, heat shimmering in his eyes. “Is that a promise?” His other hand comes to rest on my hip, his touch searing even through my clothes.
I swallow hard, caught between the urge to close the distance between us and flee before I do something I regret. “If you think you can handle losing again,” I challenge weakly.
Noah grins. “Losing has its benefits.” And then his mouth descends on mine in a kiss that steals my breath away.
My hands come up to grip his shoulders as Noah deepens the kiss, hunger and heat rolling off him in waves.
I respond in kind, pent-up desire crashing over me in a tidal wave of sensation.
We break apart, our chests heaving.
Noah rests his forehead on mine, eyes dark with want. “To be continued?” he asks in a rough whisper.
I nod, heart pounding. “Definitely.”
After all, we have a date with some larb and sticky rice.
We pull apart reluctantly, the tension between us simmering.
Clearing my throat, I bend to scoop up bits of cabbage and meat and sticky rice.
Noah does the same, though his gaze keeps straying to me, heat flickering in his eyes.
My cheeks flush under his gaze as we enjoy our meal. The flavors are intense, potent, and in a way they remind me a lot of Noah. But they’re also exotic, sexy and dangerous… a side to Noah that he seems to keep hidden but is clearly very much part of him.
Finally, Noah speaks, his voice casual though his words are anything but. “So, you think you can handle me in the bedroom as well as you do on the pitch?”
I nearly drop the bowl I’m holding. “Is that a challenge?” I ask, aiming for nonchalance and missing by a mile.
Noah’s grin is slow and predatory. “If you think you can keep up.”
My breath catches at the images those words conjure. I set the bowl down before I really do drop it. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Noah steps closer, and I back into the counter, heart pounding. He braces his hands on either side of me, leaning in until his breath feathers over my lips. “I never make promises I can’t deliver on.”
The simmering tension ignites into an inferno. I surge forward, claiming Noah’s mouth in another searing kiss. Noah groans, pulling me flush against him, and desire pools low in my belly.
His massive hand moves to my throat, wrapping around me and gently squeezing as our mouths mash together.
I feel drunk on his power as he holds my mouth to his, claiming me.
We break apart, our chests heaving.
“Fuck me. Now,” I demand, surprised at my own boldness.
Noah’s eyes darken. “Your wish is my command.”
He takes my hand and leads me out of the kitchen and toward a room off to the side, desire burning in his every step.
The promise of what’s to come sets my blood aflame, and I quicken my pace to match his.
He’s set up a little romantic space for us, complete with blankets and cushions, a little laptop set up so we can watch a movie after our meal. Although to be honest, watching a movie is the last thing on my mind right now.
Tonight, Noah is going to learn I always deliver on my promises, too.
Noah closes the door behind us with a soft click.
I turn to face him, my heart pounding in anticipation.
Noah stalks toward me, stripping off his shirt as he goes.
I swallow hard at the sight of his muscular, tattooed chest, my pussy clenching hard as desire continues to pool low in my belly.
“On the blankets,” he orders, his voice rough with need.
I scramble to comply, situating myself in the center of the air mattress.
Noah joins me, caging me in with his enormous body. His hands slide under my shirt, his calloused fingers skimming up my sides.
I arch into his touch with a gasp.
“So responsive,” Noah murmurs. He slides my shirt over my head, discarding it on the floor.
I reach for his waistband, fumbling with the drawstring in my haste.
Noah swats my hands away. “Patience.” He unclasps my bra, baring my breasts to his heated gaze.
I squirm under the intensity of it, desperate for his touch.
“Please,” I whimper.
Noah grins, slow and predatory, tracing a finger down between my breasts. “Not yet.” He slides down my body, trailing kisses along my stomach as he goes.
My back arches off the mattress when he reaches the waist of my pants.
Noah pops the button open and drags the zipper down with agonizing slowness. He hooks his fingers under the waistband of my pants and lacy black underwear, dragging them down and off in one smooth motion.
“So beautiful,” he murmurs, running a hand up my inner thigh.
I spread my legs wider, trembling in anticipation. “And all mine.”
Noah dips his head, and pleasure explodes through me at the first touch of his mouth.
I cry out, fisting my hands in his hair to keep him right where he is.
Tonight is going to be unforgettable.
Still in the afterglow of my orgasm, Noah suddenly pulls me to my feet. He slams me against the nearby wall, his fist twisting in my hair as his mouth finds my neck.
A sharp sting and sucking heat blossom over my pulse and I gasp. My thighs clench around his waist as he hauls me up, pinning me in place.
“You’re mine now, kitten,” he growls against my skin.
Every inch of me tingles, igniting like wildfire under his hands and voice.
After weeks of circling each other, months of tension and longing looks across the pitch, he’s finally fully claimed me.
And I’m more than ready to be taken.
I arch into him, nails biting into his shoulders. “Prove it.”
A low chuckle rumbles through his chest. “With pleasure.”
His mouth crashes over mine, devouring and demanding.
I meet him stroke for stroke, pouring months of pent-up passion into the kiss.
By the time he releases me, we’re both breathless.
Noah’s eyes gleam, pupils blown wide with lust and possession. “You asked for this.”
Before I can reply, he lifts me higher, guiding me onto him inch by inch. A strangled moan escapes me as I’m filled so exquisitely full by his magnificent pierced cock.
“Ride me,” he orders, his grip tightening on my hips. “Show me how much you want this. How much you want me.”
I do as commanded, rolling my hips in a slow grind. Sparks flash behind my eyelids and a cry spills from my lips. He’s right where I’ve always wanted him—deep inside me, surrounding me, claiming me as thoroughly as any man can claim a woman.
And I’m never letting go.
I set a punishing pace, using my back as leverage against the wall to lift myself almost all the way off his cock and slam back down.
Noah meets each thrust with a snap of his hips, driving me higher and higher.
The chill from the concrete seeps into my overheated skin, but I hardly notice. All I can feel is Noah—his hands, his mouth, his cock possessing me so completely I’ll never be the same.
“That’s it,” he rasps. “Take it. Take all of me.”
I clench around him and he growls, surging forward to capture one nipple between his teeth. Sharp sensation spears through me and I shatter, coming apart around him.
Noah fucks me through the aftershocks, relentless as the tides.
I’m limp as a rag doll in his arms, held aloft by the strength of his grip alone.
“I’m not done with you yet,” he warns, and spins us around.
The floor rushes up to meet me, barely breaking my fall before Noah is there, forcing my legs apart. His mouth descends, hot and hungry, tracing the path his cock just took.
I whimper, my over-sensitized flesh protesting even as my need builds again. “Please,” I beg, not even sure what I’m asking for. More, less, everything he’ll give me.
“Patience,” he says, and spreads my cheeks, baring me completely.
The first swipe of his tongue over that tightly furled ring of muscle shreds the last of my restraint.
I keen, bucking back into the delirious mix of pleasure and discomfort.
Noah holds me in place, alternately sucking and spearing his tongue into that most intimate place.
I fist helplessly at the floor, sobbing with need.
Just when I think I can’t take any more, he rises over me, nudging my entrance with the thick head of his cock.
“Ready for more?”
I nod frantically, beyond words. Noah sheaths himself to the hilt with one smooth stroke.
“That’s my girl.”
He takes me then, hard and deep, wringing every ounce of pleasure from my willing body.
I come again and again, awash in sensation, belonging, love.
By the time Noah follows me over the edge with a shout, I have no doubt.
I’m his. And he’s mine.
I’m limp as a rag doll when Noah lifts me, arranging us so I’m draped across his lap.
His fingers trace idle patterns over my back and butt, a soothing counterpoint to the lingering ache between my legs.
“You were amazing,” he murmurs, dropping a kiss on my shoulder. “So responsive, so passionate. You make me crazy, you know that?”
Heat stains my cheeks at the praise even as warmth blossoms in my chest. I never dreamed I could be this for someone, a source of desire and delight.
“You’re one to talk,” I retort, craning my neck to meet his gaze. Mischief glints in his eyes, softening the intensity of his regard. “The way you were looking at me...the things you did...” I shudder at the memory, desire stirring again.
Noah’s hand stills on my lower back, his eyes darkening. “Is that so? And what exactly did I do?” His voice drops into the smoky register that never fails to make me squirm.
I lick my lips, watching his gaze track the movement. “You—you held me down and took your pleasure.” The words emerge breathy and wanting, an invitation I hope he won’t refuse.
“Did I?” Noah’s hand resumes its path, drifting lower to cup one cheek, squeezing lightly. “And did you like it, me using your body for my pleasure?”
“Yes.” It’s barely more than a whimper. I’m melting under his touch, needing more. Needing him. Again.
“Mmm, good.” His fingers slide between my legs, finding me wet and wanting. “Because I fully intend to do it again.”
I gasp as Noah’s fingers plunge deep, my hips jerking towards his hand of their own accord.
“You like that, don’t you?” His voice is a rough growl against my ear. “You love me filling your greedy little cunt.”
“Yes, yes, please,” I babble, beyond caring about how thirsty I sound. All that matters is his hands on me, in me, his cock pounding me into oblivion.
Noah chuckles, the sound dark and delighted. “So impatient.” He withdraws his fingers and I whine at the loss, trying to chase them.
A sharp smack on my ass stills my movements. “Ah ah, be good now, kitten. I’ll give you what you need.”
I force myself to remain still, watching through hooded eyes as Noah settles between my legs. He grips my hips, dragging me onto his cock in one rough thrust.
A cry tears from my throat at the sensation of being so filled, so perfectly, utterly possessed. Noah gives me no time to adjust, setting a brutal pace as he slams into me again and again.
It’s everything I crave, his hands and cock claiming me as his own. I come with a sob, pulsing around him, and Noah follows soon after with a groan.
He collapses beside me, pulling me into his arms.
I nestle against his chest, basking in the warmth and scent of him, a deep contentment settling into my bones.
Noah presses a soft kiss to the top of my head. “Thank you for today. For...for everything.” His voice is rough with emotion, and I glance up to see a wealth of tenderness in his eyes.
My heart swells, overflowing with affection for this man who sees me, all of me, and loves me still. “I love you,” I whisper, meaning it with all that I am.
Noah’s arms tighten around me, his smile like the sun breaking through the clouds. “I love you too, Dylan. So damn much.”
After what seems like forever, Noah finally allows my release, intensifying our connection. He pulls me close and whispers in my ear. “Imagine what phenomenal little rugby players we would make.”
I smile, not quite sure what he means. But little rugby players sound cute.
“I told you tonight would be unforgettable,” he says, brushing the hair back from my face. I can only laugh, still catching my breath.
“You were right.” I tug him down for a kiss, tasting myself on his lips. “And what was that about little rugby players?”
“Just thinking ahead.” Noah’s eyes gleam with mischief. “We’d have some powerhouse kids, don’t you think?”
I smack his shoulder, unable to contain my smile. “Let’s work on the first part before we get to babymaking, huh?”
Noah ducks his head, chuckling. “Point taken.” His gaze softens as he looks at me. “Are you okay?”
“More than.” I run my hands over his chest, marveling at the play of muscle under warm skin. “That was incredible, Noah. I didn’t know this side of you.”
“What can I say, you bring it out in me.” Noah kisses me slow and deep, erasing any remaining doubts I might have had.
Tonight has changed everything. With Noah, I might just get the future I never dared to dream of.
He holds me close, his touch tender, as if he wants to make me feel both cared for and safe. “Are you okay? I’ve got you.”
“More than okay,” I say as I nestle closer to his massive body.
As I drift off to sleep in Noah’s protective arms, a mix of exhilaration and deep affection washes over me. Tonight has changed my perception of him, revealing depths I had only glimpsed before.
Who knew a night of cooking could lead to such fireworks? He might just be the surprise I didn’t know I needed.
With him, I feel like a true equal on the rugby field and off. Like I can be all of myself, multidimensional. The driven athlete, the woman who craves intimacy, the woman who sloths around the house in sweatpants but who can also rock a pair of ridiculously high heels—and all without judgement.
Noah knows me, really knows me, imperfections and all. And he likes me a lot for who I am. Maybe even more.
I curl into his warmth, a smile playing on my lips. The future is ours to explore, filled with passion and partnership and play.
Together, we could be unstoppable.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next.
But first, there’s a date with Kai calling my name.