18. Zoey
ZOEY
M y breath hitched in my throat as I pressed against him. Our kiss broke, and I stared into Noah’s steady blue eyes. The air between us was charged, thick with an unsaid promise that neither of us seemed willing to break.
“Zoey,” he said in a low rumble that sent shivers skittering down my spine.
I could feel the heat radiating off his body, his erection pressing firmly against my thigh. And yet, I knew if I asked him to stop, he would. I trusted him.
Reaching out, I traced the line of his jaw, his stubble rough against my skin. I nodded, unable to form words. My heart hammered against my ribs like it was trying to break free, and I knew what it wanted. What I wanted.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his concern breaking through the fog of desire that clouded my mind.
“Yes.” The word came out as barely more than a whisper, but it was laced with all the certainty and longing I felt. I trusted him, more than I’d ever trusted any man, and I needed him to know that.
“Okay.” Then his lips were on mine, soft yet demanding. His hands cupped my ass, pulling me closer until there was no space left for doubt or fear. My cautious, guarded movements melted away under his touch, replaced by something freer. Something that felt like hope.
I sank into his kiss, into the sensation. I was giving myself to him, not just my body but every scarred and battered piece of my soul. As we moved together, I realized that maybe, just maybe, this was what healing felt like.
Our lips moved in sync, tongues dancing in a fiery embrace. His hands slid skillfully over my body, leaving a burning trail of desire in their wake as we moved to the bedroom. We undressed each other urgently, tossing our clothes to the ground.
In the dim light of the bedroom, we explored each other’s bodies. His chiseled abs and defined biceps contrasted against my softness, but instead of feeling self-conscious, I felt desirable.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his intense gaze roaming over me with a hunger that set my skin on fire. It had been so long since someone had looked at me like I was anything more than a conquest, and I savored the feeling.
“I want to taste you,” he said, his voice low and husky with desire. He kissed a trail down my neck, his tongue tracing a fiery path along my collarbone. My back arched, and I moaned his name as he found my nipple, licking and sucking until I thought I might combust.
“Oh, God,” I panted, my fingers curling into the sheets. The touch of his tongue and teeth on my stomach and hips sent a delicious shiver down my spine.
I gasped when his warm breath teased my sensitive folds. Noah looked up at me, seeking my permission. I nodded and bit my lip in anticipation.
His tongue flicked over my clit, then lapped at my wetness. I cried out, my hands twining in his hair. He was relentless, teasing and sucking, licking up every drop of my arousal.
“Oh, fuck, I’ve never felt anything like this,” I moaned. He knew exactly where to touch, where to suck to send me over the edge, and I came apart in his mouth, screaming his name as my climax tore through me.
I lay there, panting, my entire body aflame. When I caught my breath, I pulled him down onto the bed, then straddled him, my wetness sliding against his hard length.
“Are you sure?” Noah’s voice was strained, and I knew he was on edge, too.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” I said as I sank onto him.
He filled me completely, stretching me deliciously. Our bodies moved together, a rhythm of pleasure pulsing between us.
“You feel so good,” Noah groaned, gripping my hips as he thrust deeper, harder.
I clutched his shoulders. My nails dug into his skin, leaving crescent-shaped marks as I matched his thrusts, eagerly moving along his entire length, desperately seeking more.
We clung to each other, our cries mingling together. In that moment, I knew that this was more than just a one-time thing. Sated and exhausted, we fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.
In the early hours of the morning, I woke to the faint glow of the dying embers from the fire. Warmth wrapped around me like a protective blanket, and for the first time in what felt like forever, every muscle in my body felt relaxed.
Noah woke and pressed his lip to the top of my head. “Hey.” His voice was thick with sleep. “You okay?”
“Better than okay,” I said. “Thank you for last night. The dinner, the cabin… no one has ever made me feel so special before.”
He pulled me closer. “You deserve it, and I’ll keep repeating it until you believe me.”
I curled into him, the solidness of his body grounding me. With the darkness outside pressing against the windows, the cabin felt like a separate world, a place where the past couldn’t reach. I felt safe. Here in Noah’s arms, nothing could harm me.
“George was the only guy I ever...” I hesitated, unsure why I was dredging up history now, but something about Noah made it seem okay to lay bare my truths.
“I was a shy teenager, so I didn’t really do the dating thing.
And in college, it was all about getting my degree.
In my last year of college, my girlfriends arranged a night out for my twenty-first birthday.
We went to a club. That’s where I met him. He was older, but so charming.”
Noah’s arms tightened around me, a quiet reassurance that he understood. “Charm can be blinding.”
“Exactly. He had this lifestyle, all glitz and glamor. It dazzled me.” I gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“My mom fixated on it. She saw his wealth as something that would bring me stability and happiness. Sam saw right through him, though, and tried to warn me. But I wouldn’t listen.
I was na?ve, stupid, and believed George when he promised marriage, a future… ”
I trailed off and stared at the dying embers of the fire—a perfect metaphor for the empty promises that had been made.
“Zoey.” Noah’s muscles were tight beneath me, and he was practically vibrating with anger.
Once again, I marveled at how safe I felt, even with the rage tightly coiled in Noah’s body. There was no doubt in my mind that it wasn’t aimed in my direction.
I shook my head. “Please, Noah, let me just tell it to you?”
I found myself nestled in the crook of his elbow, his fingers gently combing through my hair, a comforting touch as I poured out my sorrowful story.
My cheeks were wet with tears, a painful reminder of the empty years and broken promises.
“He kept me on a string. Being intimate with him became an obligation devoid of any pleasure. I realized I was only there to give him an heir. Nothing more.” The admission stung, even now, and I sighed.
“Saying it out loud? I feel so stupid. I can see it now, but then? I should have left. I almost did. But then I discovered I was pregnant, and he changed, or at least pretended to. He showered me with attention and gifts, everything that had been missing… until Ro turned three and began to be a real little person with thoughts and ideas. Then it was like a switch flipped. He controlled everything, and I mean everything. What I ate, who I talked with. He isolated me from my family, especially Sam. I was stuck. Alone. I lost myself in there somewhere.”
“Control isn’t love,” Noah growled. With my hand on his ribcage, I could feel the snarl rumbling beneath his skin.
“I know that now,” I said.
“Zoey.” Hearing Noah speak my name was a balm to my frayed nerves, soothing the tension in me. “That’s over. You’re safe now. With me.”
“Safe,” I echoed, letting the word wash over me. For once, it felt true.
I fidgeted with the edge of the blanket draped over us, trying to find the words. Noah’s presence was a steady comfort, but my next confession hovered on my lips, uncertain and fragile.
“I don’t really know how to be in a... a healthy relationship. But for you, I want to try.”
His arms tightened around me, a silent promise in his embrace. “We’ll figure it out together,” he said, his breath warm against my hair.
As I peered up at him, his earnestness and unwavering determination shone through. My heart fluttered, a sensation both wonderful and terrifying. “It’s just these feelings I have for you... they’re so strong. They scare me.”
“You’re not alone in this,” Noah promised me, tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m far from being a relationship expert myself. But what I can promise is that I’ll always do my best for you and Ro.”
“Always?” I echoed, searching his face for the certainty I craved.
“Always,” he confirmed, his half-smile carrying an unwavering resolve. “You both deserve that.”
The sun was just climbing into the sky, casting a golden hue over the quaint buildings of Boldercrest as we headed back into town.
The morning air felt different—charged somehow—as if the electricity from a stormy night hadn’t quite dissipated.
Noah walked beside me to the door, his presence as solid as the promise he’d made.
“Seems like we’re starting the day earlier than most,” I commented, but my thoughts were elsewhere, sifting through the shift I could feel between us.
There was no denying Noah’s intentions—his every action spoke louder than words ever could.
But fear, that insidious whisper, kept clawing its way into my heart, urging me to put up walls, to protect myself from falling too hard.
He glanced at me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Early bird catches the worm, right?” He took my hand, intertwining our fingers. “I can hear the gears churning from here. Don’t pressure yourself. It’ll all work out.”
“Right,” I said, my mind wandering as I grappled with the idea of a potential “us,” uncertain if I could let someone in and share my vulnerabilities.
When we reached my doorstep, he checked his watch. “I need to go to work. I’ll see you later, Zoey.”
“Promise?” I asked, needing that assurance like a lifeline.
“Promise.”
Suddenly, his body tensed, muscles coiling as if ready to strike. A wicked snarl escaped his lips, so fierce and sudden that I stumbled backward a step.
“We need to get you inside,” he all but growled.
“What’s going on?” Fear gripped my throat as I asked, making it difficult to speak.
Noah’s nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched tight. He didn’t look at me when he answered. The darkness in his tone was striking, completely different from the gentle man I had come to know.
“I smell blood,” he said.