Chapter 44
HANNAH
Staring at the ceiling, our breathing is all I hear, our arms touching, our skin sweaty. What a mind-blowing experience, feeling a million times lighter simply because of how Noah helps me let go.
He suddenly jumps from the bed and enters the bathroom, leaving the door ajar as he relieves himself, peeking out from the door with the comment, “Make sure you go, okay?”
I smile and follow suit, doing the same. It’s nice to have someone else to remind you that peeing after sex is incredibly important.
Liam would leave to do his business, just to end up back on the couch watching a golf tournament.
Noah pats the bed beside him when I’m finished, handing me a bottle of water. “I’m always thirsty after.”
I sip it. “Really? It’s not like we’re exerting ourselves or anything.”
He kicks my legs jokingly and chugs the rest of the water bottle, then cracks open a second one, swallowing half. “Sometimes I think I’m part fish.”
I grab a fistful of blanket and throw it over my body. Now that I’m more aware of his wandering eyes, I’m not one hundred percent ready to lay exposed in front of him unless we’re fully embraced. At least his body covers mine.
He notices but doesn’t comment; instead, he starts up a conversation about his childhood. “As a kid, my mom couldn’t get me out of the pool. I shriveled up like a raisin by the time she dragged me out by my hair.”
“I find that interesting, because you ended up becoming a snowboarder.” I lean on my hand, turning to face him. “For someone who loves the water, why not swimming?”
“My dad loved the sport, taught both my brother and me at a young age, and I ended up being good at it.” He looks off into the distance, most likely recalling a memory.
“What’s your brother's name?” I’m intrigued because it’s more than I’ll ever get out of Noah on a normal day.
“Cameron, he’s about sixteen.” Noah looks over at me. “You?”
I shake my head. “Only child, my mother had a hard time.” I guess PCOS is hereditary, and she’s lucky to have had a pregnancy at all. Unfortunately, she passed it on to her only daughter.
But Noah doesn’t need to know that.
“Do you like it? Being an only child?”
“It never bothered me, and I was lucky to have met Maya; she became the sister I was meant to have.”
Noah throws his arms back behind his head, rubbing the heel of his foot on his leg. “And you became a snowboarder as well, why?”
“Honestly, my school system gave us a choice, and I randomly chose it. That’s also where I met Maya. It kept me grounded after my dad passed away.”
“I’m sorry, Red.”
“It’s okay, it’s been years. But for snowboarding, it was a chance for control when everything else in my life fell apart.”
“How did photography come into play?”
I smile. “My father gave me my first camera, took me to some of the most beautiful places to practice, and I found a passion for it the older I got. I grew my clientele through high school and college.”
The parallels of our upbringing are similar, especially when it came to our dads, teaching us something new without realizing how it would shape us in the future.
The thought comforts me that people can share similar journeys, bringing them together by chance.
But I can’t believe it’s Noah.
“What do your parents do for work?” I’m not sure when I’ll get another chance to ask him such personal questions, and maybe it can help trigger some memory as to why he’s suffering again with the twisties.
“Mom is a chef, Dad is dead.”
My heart constricts, my mouth goes dry. He says it so casually, I wonder how long it's been.
Noah reads my face and answers my unspoken question. “He passed away four years ago.”
“Noah, I’m so so—.”
“Don’t. He may have taught me everything about snowboarding, but the dead bastard cheated on my mom several times. Died in a car accident on his way to the other woman’s house. Quite poetic if you ask me.”
I open my mouth only to close it. Noah looks over at me and shrugs. “It’s truly okay, Red. We were distant before his death because of his bullshit. I’m not mourning a loser like him.”
Our dads are both deceased, Noah’s a cheating ass, mine from … “My dad died of cancer when I was sixteen.” It comes out like word-vomit, and my hands shake a little. It’s been a while since I spoke about him, about what took him from me.
“I’m sorry, Red.” He reaches for my hand and squeezes, so simple and unlike him to show sincerity for my loss.
I realise then, I never want this version of him to fade away.
He scoots toward me and pats his chest. “I’m cold, move closer. You’re hogging all the blankets.”
Scooting enough to curl along his side, Noah drapes some of the blanket over himself, my head resting on his pectorals. “Better? You big baby.”
His laugh shakes my head. “That was probably your weakest insult yet.”
“Don’t get me started.”
“Oh? Red, I’m waiting.”
I’m about to start when the door handle starts to shake, Henry’s voice loud and irritated on the other side. “Noah, you better be fucking in there.”
Maya’s voice comes next, giving me a rush of panic. “Move over. I can unlock the door.”
Henry huffs while Noah and I scramble to get our clothes.
“Why didn’t you say you could unlock the door?” he mutters.
I know Maya is giving him a dirty look when she says, “For someone with all that forehead, you’re still forgetful.”
I need to stifle my laughs, rushing to the bathroom and closing it quietly. I can hear Noah throw his belongings all over the place when the front door bursts open.
Henry’s voice gets louder. “You were supposed to be back at the lodge at ten. Why are you just sitting here?”
“And where’s Hannah?” Maya’s feet are lighter when she moves, coming closer to the bathroom door. “Hannah, are you in here?”
Fuck, I’m throwing all my gear back on in haste, almost falling into the goddamn tub.
“How do you know it’s her?” asks Henry.
“Her snowboard is against the wall.”
FUCK. Why isn’t Noah saying anything?!
With my snow pants back on, I finally respond. “I need a minute.”
“Oh…uh…okay.” She backs away from the door, her voice fading a bit, confronting Noah. “Why…” her voice cuts off.
I quickly fix my hair, doing the braid over so it’s cleaner and doesn’t scream I just got fucked.
One last look, and I open the door, making my way to the living room area.
Noah sits perfectly at ease on the couch, texting on his phone, relaxing in a black shirt and gray sweats. Hair combed back, you wouldn’t even know he was breathing heavily over my body, fucking my brains out moments ago.
Maya spots me first. “Hey, we didn’t know where you went?”
Henry gives her a weird look. “Who’s ‘we’?”
I’ve never seen Maya so taken aback. “Is there a monkey in your brain banging on a set of symbols?”
Noah looks up from his phone and winks at me. “Guys, play nice.”
“You were told to meet me after practice,” scolds Henry.
“By who?” Noah leans forward, intrigued with this new information.
Unfortunately, Henry points a measly finger at me.
Yeah, I most certainly fucked up.
I wave sheepishly at Noah. “Oops.”
He starts to laugh, so much so, he’s in tears. I’m not quite sure how to react, nor are Henry and Maya.
They look at me for an answer. I shrug, not sure how to understand it myself.
When Noah gets himself together, he wipes away his tears. “Sorry, I don’t know why that got me.”
“Are you on drugs?” Henry looks at me. “Did you give him some?”
Maya comes to my defense…in her own way. “Please, Hannah barely drinks.”
Noah has calmed down at this point and crosses his leg, that’s when I notice the used condom hanging from his pant leg.
I almost collapse from embarrassment.
How the hell do I alert Noah without the others seeing? My phone is back in my cabin, and so far, Henry and Maya are too busy swapping horror stories.
“Get yourself dressed in a suit, we have interviews in an hour. You’re incredibly lucky they had to push back the time.” Henry doesn’t look my way again, too busy grilling Noah.
How does nobody see it dangling off his pants?!
I start to sweat.
Maya huffs in annoyance. “I can’t believe he’s your PA. What a goody fucking pants.”
Using my eyes, I try to get Noah to look down, making them wide so he catches sight of my panicked state.
The guy is fucking oblivious, trying to come off nonchalant with their intrusion.
I’m moving before I can think, and stand in front of Noah, blocking his view, grabbing the others’ attention. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault we ran a little late with practice. Noah’s cabin is closer to the slopes than mine, and I really needed to pee.”
I know, rooted deep in my bones, that Maya doesn’t believe a goddamn word I’ve said; rather, she entertains herself by asking the most obscure questions. “Is his toilet made of gold?”
“Yeah, and it’s got a seat warmer too.”
Henry is on the phone now, shouting at someone on the other end over time stamps and incoherent details. I try one last time to get Noah to look at me, and he finally realizes I’ve been using my eyes to make him see the used condom dangling from his pant leg.
Mirroring my own horrific shock, he tries to tuck his leg behind the other on the floor, hiding it from sight.
I know he feels it ooze out of the condom by the disgusted sound he makes.
“Hart, you got twenty minutes to change, don’t be late.” Henry leaves, but Maya lingers by the door.
“Just give me a few minutes. I’ll meet you for lunch.”
She nods, looking at both of us before heading toward the door, she shouts. “Hey, tight ass, wait up!”
Noah jumps up from the chair and grabs the used condom. “Gotta dispose of this.”
“Noah, how in the world did that happen?!” Giggles escape, and I try to stifle them, but it’s too late, I’m in hysterics, bent over, legs crossed, trying not to pee myself.
He’s already in the bathroom, disposing of it, muttering under his breath.
Now I’m on the floor, fetal position, laughing so hard I’m crying.
He catches my laughing fit and starts to join, his shoulders shaking when he joins me on the floor. “I swear, I tossed it out!”
I shake my head and can barely get a word out from how hard I’m laughing, falling on my back. Noah lies next to me, trying to catch his breath, and we roll into each other, hands finding hips, lips suddenly kissing, bodies grinding hungrily.
“Round two?” he whispers, both hands are up my sweater, massaging my skin.
He has one of his fancy watches on. I grab his wrist to check the time. Lunch is approaching fast. “I can do a lot in fifteen minutes.”