Chapter 16 #2
Moving quickly, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder.
I run through the apartment and up the stairs while she laughs and screams the entire way.
I toss her onto the bed and jump on top of her, pulling her shirt up and blowing raspberries on her stomach.
She’s gasping for breath, tears rolling down her cheeks, but she loves every second of it.
Lifting my head, I stare down at her, breathing hard and smiling.
I brush her hair from her face and softly press my lips to hers.
“Move in with me,” I whisper.
Her smile fades. She blinks up at me, her eyes darting back and forth between my own. “What?”
My excitement over the thought of having her with me everyday courses through me.
“I want this, every day. I can’t stand being away from you,” I explain quickly, afraid she’ll say no before I can tell her all the reasons why she should say yes.
“When I’m not with you, I can’t stop thinking about you.
I want to hold you in my arms every night.
I want to see your face first thing every morning. ”
She pulls herself out from under me, pushing herself up in the bed and looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. Worry spreads through my chest, and my heart starts beating faster. “Aaden,” she whispers softly. “I don’t think we’re ready for that. We’ve only been seeing each other for a few months.”
I scoot up beside her and take her hand. “I am. After spending the past week with you, it doesn’t feel right to be apart. It made me see that I want…no, that I need you with me. Every day.”
She looks away, shaking her head. “I don’t know.”
I reach out and take her chin, making her face me. “I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about you.” I stroke my thumb over her cheek. “I want to be with you, Leah. I see a future for us; I want a future for us.”
Tears fill her eyes as she takes in the sincerity of my words. “Really?”
My heart soars because I know she feels the same way. I lean in closer as I suck in a deep breath. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.” I pull her to me, kissing her with everything I’m feeling at this moment.
***
Noah is waiting in my office the next morning.
It’s the first time we’ve seen or spoken to each other since Tyler’s party over a month ago.
Against Leah’s pleas, I’ve done everything I can to avoid all three of my friends.
Today, however, Noah has decided to take matters into his own hands by showing up unannounced.
“What do you want?” I growl as I close the door to my office.
“Seriously? You have to ask?” Noah frowns. “I came to find out why the fuck you’ve been avoiding me. You’re acting like Tyler and I had something to do with that shit Chase tried to pull.”
I stare at him for a few quiet moments before finally blowing out a deep breath. “I know you didn’t.”
Noah takes a step closer. “Then what the fuck is it? Why have you been avoiding me?”
I step past him as I cross the room to stand behind my desk. “Why didn’t you or Tyler tell me about your interest in Leah? Or Chase, for that matter?”
Noah appears confused. His brows draw together as he places his hands on his hips. “Ummm, that was kind of the whole point: take her out, sweet talk her, get her in bed.”
The muscles in my jaw tighten. I place my fists on my desk as I lean against it, glaring at my best friend. “Watch it,” I growl through gritted teeth.
Noah steps closer. “What the hell is going on with you? I get what Chase did on Halloween was fucked up, but you stopped talking to Tyler and me like we had something to do with it. Even now, you’re looking at me like you want to punch me in the face.”
My blood is starting to boil. “That night should have never happened.”
Noah sighs. “You’re absolutely right. It shouldn’t have, and I don’t condone that shit any more than you do, but come on, there has to be more to it than that. You’ve pushed all of us away.”
I run my hand down my face. Leah didn’t want anyone to know about us but fuck it. It’s going to come out anyway. I’m not ashamed of our relationship. She’s fucking amazing. Hell, I want the world to know she’s mine. I smile to myself as I think of her.
“Aaden?” Noah asks, getting impatient.
“You’re right. There is more to it.” I lower myself into my chair.
Noah raises his eyebrows. “Care to explain, brother?”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. Noah leans onto the desk, lowering his voice. “Dude, come on. If you’re sleeping with her, then you win.”
The smile drops from my face. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Noah smirks. “Come on, man, the bet.”
Bet? What the hell is he talking about? “What fucking bet?”
Noah looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Come on, man. The bet. The one that the four of us made in Belize the night you got trashed. Dude, it was practically your idea.”
My eyes fall to my desk, and I rack my brain trying to remember.
That night was a complete blur. Well, everything that happened after the drunk Nikki incident anyway.
Everything is completely gone. An unsettling feeling starts to brew in my gut.
I shake my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.
” I glance back up at Noah, eyes pleading with him to explain.
“Quit playin’,” Noah snorts, but I just stare at him, my expression unchanging. Noah’s face drops. “Shit,” he mumbles. “I knew you were drunk that night, but I didn’t realize…”
My heart starts pounding, bile working its way up my throat. My hands are starting to sweat, and panic is creeping quickly into my brain. What bet is he talking about, and how does it involve Leah? MY Leah. “Noah?” I swallow hard. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Noah sits down and takes a deep breath. I watch him, waiting for him to speak. “What do you remember about the night after your fight with Nikki?”
Again, I rack my brain, but that night is nothing but a blur. “I remember the club and arguing with Nik, and I remember going home and drinking by the pool.”
“And?” Noah asks.
I scrunch my brows as I stare helplessly at my friend. Noah closes his eyes and drops his head back. “Jesus, Aaden.” He lets out a deep breath before lifting his head to look at me again. “We made a bet to see who could get a girl into bed the fastest.”
I flinch, and my chair shifts from the harsh movement. “What?” I gasp.
“Yes, my friend,” Noah says, leaning forward. “And it was you who picked Leah.”
My stomach drops. My throat starts tightening with the threat of vomiting. No, that’s not possible. I would never ever… My stomach rolls. “No!” I say, shaking my head.
“Yeah, dude, you did. Twenty-five K each.” Noah flops back in the chair. “That’s why we’ve all been asking her out.”
I swallow around the bile sitting in my throat. “How did her name even come up in conversation?”
“You know the dumb shit we come up with when we’re drunk. Chase and Tyler started talking shit about trying something new because they were bored. Your drunk ass said something about hooking up with an employee. One thing led to another, and boom, a bet was made.”
“But why Leah?” I ask.
“You started talking about your hot new intern, and we thought you were suggesting her for the bet. We went with it.”
Holy shit! I slump in my chair. “Fuck!” This can’t be happening. “I’d been thinking about her the entire trip; I must have said her name because she was on my mind.”
“Shit, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you didn’t remember.”
Overwhelming panic slams into me. I look at Noah, my breathing becoming harder. “I just asked this girl to move in with me!”
Noah’s eyebrows shoot up. “You what?”
I stand from my chair and start pacing the room, running my hands through my hair. “Fuck! I’m in love with this girl. How can I tell her about this?”
Noah’s head jerks back, and he holds up one finger. His eyes widen. “Hold up, did you just say you love this girl?”
I stop pacing and look down at him. “Yes, fuck! I’m in love with her. I love her more than anything. She’s it for me.”
Noah pushes himself to his feet, shock written all over his face. “Wow, I never thought I’d hear those words come out of your mouth.” He cringes, and his expression falls. “Man, this is fucked up.”
I grip the back of my neck. “You’re telling me. Fuck! What am I going to do?”
“Look,” Noah says. “I’ll talk to Tyler, but Chase ran back to New York after that night, and he won’t answer any of our calls either.”
“I don’t want to talk to him anyway,” I growl.
“I get it.” Noah sighs.
I drop my hands to my sides. “I’m pretty sure he slipped something into Leah’s drink.”
Noah’s eyes widen. “That’s a pretty serious accusation.”
My back stiffens defensively. “She only remembers drinking a few beers; that’s not enough to make her as incapacitated as she was.”
Noah stares at him for a few moments, then blows out a deep breath. “Unbelievable,” he mumbles as he runs his hand across the back of his neck. “Look, I’ll talk to Tyler. We’ll get this shit straight.”
“Thanks.”
“So, uh, you and Leah, huh?” Noah smiles. “She’s a sweet girl.”
I close my eyes as I picture her face. “Yeah, she is, and I’m crazy about her.”
“But asking her to move in already? Don’t you think that’s a little fast?”
My chest tightens. I look at him, my expression serious. “I’ve never felt this before, Noah. I’m telling you, she’s the one.”
Noah lets out another long, slow breath. “Damn, Aaden Stone, are you considering...marriage?”
I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I think I am.”
Noah shakes his head with a wide grin. “Never thought I’d live to see this.”
I chuckle. “Never thought I’d ever want this. I’m telling you, the more time I spend with her, the more I can’t imagine being without her. She really makes me happy.”
“Shit. You seriously are hooked. Next thing you know, you’ll be married with a few rug rats running around.”
A huge grin spreads across my face as I picture her stomach swollen with my baby. “Damn, the thought of her carrying my kid makes me want her even more.”
“Okay, now you really are scaring me.” Noah laughs. “But seriously, I’m happy for you, man.” He reaches out, and I take his hand in a firm shake.
“I’m sorry I’ve been an ass.” I smirk.
“It’s all good, brother. At least it all makes sense now. Hey, make it up to me by letting me be your best man?” Noah winks.
“You got it.” I grin.
Once Noah leaves, thick vines of dread wrap around me once again. If she even wants anything to do with me after I tell her all of this.