Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Eva
I watch as the people I’m surrounded by down drink after drink and the cover band plays a variety of songs at the far end of the room.
Completely sober, and slightly irritated, wrestling with the thoughts in my own mind prove minimally important compared to trying to figure out who the blonde is who just walked into the bar and quickly made her way over to Noah and Rex.
And even though I see him give her the cold shoulder like he did to me, I can tell there is history there by the way she circles and waits for any opportunity to warm up to him.
She’s a lioness who couldn’t care less about subtlety.
I guess I am not the only one hiding secrets.
The girls order another drink from the bar and make their way back to our table.
Silently, I sip my water and glance away when my eyes happen to lock on Noah’s stare from across the room.
I had every intention of leaving a few nights ago, but after I was convinced to stay by Jolene and not take offense at the way Noah reacted to my arrival, we booked a few more nights at the hotel we were staying at.
I’m not sure why I didn’t say anything to Noah when we first walked in.
I’ve never been one for not speaking up, but the coldness he left me with a few nights back still hurts and I am not sure I am ready to feel the sting of his rejection again.
Not able to come up with any real reason to explain my being here, I figure sitting in the corner at our table is the safest spot in the room.
Hopefully, he will come over once he’s not too busy downing all that bourbon at the bar.
Actually, maybe any kind of confrontation should wait.
I remember the last time our paths crossed after he had taken one too many shots and I don’t need a repeat of that tonight.
“Loosen up,” Gwen says. “Have a drink. Stop focusing on what you can’t change and just let the night take its course.”
I shrug. “Not interested, I guess.”
“Staring at a picture never changed it for nobody,” Jolene says, gesturing towards the bar top and the two men consuming themselves in way too much alcohol.
One shamelessly flirts with the bartender.
The other is busy trying to shew away a pesky female who won’t take the hint, and obviously also won’t take no for an answer.
“Who is that?” I ask Jolene.
“That?” Jolene echoes me. “That is the past I was talking about the other night.”
I glance back towards the bar and see the blonde lean in close to Noah and whisper something in his ear.
And although I see him tense, he turns towards her and I can’t help but become jealous by how close their lips are.
Fully absorbed in the show in front of me, I am not even aware of the stranger who has made his way to my side until he speaks.
“Hello, Miss.” His southern drawl startles me as I turn to my left. The other firefighter who was sitting with Rex and Noah when we walked in is now hovering close and looking to start a conversation. Kind eyes and a wide grin greet me as he pulls out the chair next to mine and takes a seat.
“Hello,” I smile back.
“I couldn’t help but notice you when you walked in.” His drawl thickens as he shyly confesses his secret. “My name’s Cash. I work with Rex and Noah over at Station One.”
“Nice to meet you, Cash,” I shyly respond. “My name is Eva. I grew up with Rex, but only met Noah a while back.”
“I’ve worked with the two of them for a few months now. Although, they never mentioned they knew anyone as pretty as you.”
Cash’s admission immediately makes me blush, and I look down at my water glass.
“What brings you to Bardstown?” Cash asks as he scoots his chair in closer.
“Just a girl's trip,” I shrug. “We are just saying hi to a few old friends.”
“Well, I hope that there is room in this trip for new friends as well?” Cash asks, scooting once again a little closer. My mind races back to Trevor and my birthday a few months back. I scoot away quickly.
“So, will you be in town long?” Cash’s question barely escapes his lips before a shadow is cast over us. Looking up, I see Noah. Anger burns bright in his eyes.
“Hey man,” Cash says, completely unaware of the situation he has just stepped into. “About time you came over. I was just talking to… Eva was it?”
I nod slightly and glance briefly his way before looking back into the eyes of a man who looks as if he could kill Cash if he scooted his chair even an inch closer.
Noah studies me for a moment before turning back to Cash.
His eyes glaze over as he lifts his cup up to his lips and takes a drink.
He reaches in between the two of us and sets his empty glass down on the table.
Turning slightly towards me, he says, “You have a terrible habit of pretending, darlin’! ”
His words sting as they sink deep into my heart. Cash, entirely oblivious to the words just spoken, continues the conversation without missing a beat. “Why didn’t you tell me you had friends as pretty as this? Where did you say you were from, Eva?”
I swallow over a lump in my throat as my eyes never leave Noah’s stare. His stern look deepens as he leans back and crosses his arms over his chest, silently daring me to answer.
“Somewhere, far away from here.” I finally say which wins me a smug smile from Noah.
“How long are you planning on staying?” Cash asks.
“Oh, I’m sure her wings will take her home faster than you can imagine,” Noah fumes. “Just when you think she might stick around for good, she’ll up and leave. Didn’t you know, Cash? Women have a terrible habit of changing their minds.”
Leaning in towards me, I can smell the bourbon on his breath as his lips rest near my ear. “What are you trying to prove, darlin’? We both know this little act of yours will get old and you’ll soon be running home. Save me the sob story and just leave now.”
Shooting up out of my seat, Noah’s heated stance meets me toe to toe as I fight to rein in my anger. I’m not sure what has gotten into him. It could be the bourbon but something tells me it is something more. Never since we met has he ever talked to me that way before.
Cash takes a step back and slowly eases away from the table.
“I’m not leaving,” I say. He stays silent. “Care to call my bluff, Noah?”
He laughs and leans back a little before lowering his head and coming eye to eye with me.
“Bluff? Darlin’, you’re only deceiving yourself if you think hanging around here any longer will convince me you actually intend to stay.”
I feel a presence at my side and turn slightly to see Jolene standing behind me.
“Back off Noah, you’re drunk,” Jolene insists, but her brother has no plans for surrender.
Noah glances behind me to meet her stare. “Not drunk enough, sister. Whatever you got up your sleeve this time,” he says gesturing between the two of us before harshly meeting her stare, “Leave it!”
Jolene and I flinch.
A hand crawls up Noah’s shoulder. A blonde figure comes into sight.
“Noah,” she drawls, but he doesn’t take his eyes off mine. Eyes trained towards me, he holds me in place, daring me to make a move. To say something. To leave like he just threatened. But the stranger’s presence renders me speechless as she pouts, “You left me all alone over there, baby.”
I push past both of them and hurry towards the front doors.
Stepping out into the cool evening, I look to the right and then the left before the realization I am in a strange town sets in and forces me to stop.
With no way of knowing where I should head next, I take a few deep breaths before I hear the door behind me slam open.
Looking behind me, I lock eyes with Noah.
Quickly, I dart to the right and walk a few feet down the road.
Angry footsteps sound behind me. Without thinking, I shoot down an alleyway and make it only a couple of steps before I am forcibly grabbed from behind.
I let out a gasp as I stumble a few steps backward before I am roughly pulled back against him and a brick wall in the shadows of the buildings surrounding us.
His breath is hot on my neck. His grip is tight around my waist, pushing me harder against him, I swear I hear him groan before he says, “You have a nasty little habit of running away from me darlin’.”
I shiver as his free hand runs up and back down my side before he grabs ahold of my waist with both hands and forces me around to meet his stare. Lacing both hands behind my waist, he holds me in a death grip I could never escape from.
Noah stares deep into my eyes, then slowly licks his lips. My eyes dart to where they glisten in the moonlight. A moan, somewhere between pleasure and pain escapes my lips. Looking back up, I see a man on the brink of destruction and want only to be his undoing.
“Ah, to hell with it,” Noah growls seconds before his lips meet mine. Anger, desire, greed fill his kiss as he takes more than he gives. His hands move up my back and hold my head in place as he devours me, body and soul like he never has before.
Hungrily, I kiss him back. Pulling on his shirt, frustrated with not being able to get him close enough.
I grab him towards me and feel his need growing harder against my lower stomach.
Ruthlessly, he pins me against the wall.
Hoisting me up, I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist as his hands slowly work their way up my curves.
I nip his bottom lip and he lets out a moan before kissing me back with such force it steals my breath away.
The coarseness of the wall behind me, and the firmness of his body against mine ignites a fire that builds with each caress of his tongue.
His hands find my hair and he tugs deliciously on my locks cursing another purr of ecstasy to leave my lips.
Slowly, he pulls back and runs his tongue from the top of my neck to my collarbone, before continuing his slow tortuous descent lower.
My nails scrape down his back as I let out a moan.
He responds by pushing himself up against me harder, and thrusting his painfully erect cock between the curve of my pelvis.
“Darlin’,” he chuckles. “You keep making sounds like that and I won’t hold back from taking you right here and now against this fucking wall.”
I purr as he thrusts up against my center.
The second the tip of his dick rubs against my clit, my head falls back and I groan out in pleasure.
It has been too damn long. His hands run the length of my thigh wrapped tightly around his waist. Eagerly, he pushes up my skirt and continues climbing towards my sex.
Grabbing my skin so hard it hurts, he slowly rubs out the pain.
He inches his way up to my hip, and pulls at the strap of my panties, making the fabric snap back against my skin.
“Eva,” Noah whispers. “I need you. Now.”
I startle and look up to meet his eyes. I need him, too.
“Then take me, Noah. Because I’ll always be yours.”
He pauses for a moment before his eyes look down at my lips.
Glancing back up, he slowly lowers his face to mine, and kisses me softly.
He savors me like it's the last time he will ever taste me.
I release a light scream when he grabs my ass and forces me down against the bulge in his jeans.
A sly laugh escapes his lips as he licks, nips, and sucks his way up my chest. I respond by taking his ear in my teeth and nibbling lightly before saying, “You call this pretending?”
His hands freeze. His movements stop. He mutters something under his breath before he quickly backs away and I am forced to drop my legs and come to standing.
Coldness fills my body where his warmth used to be as he stands a few feet away and barely has the nerve to look me in the eye.
Glancing down the alleyway, he takes a moment before looking back my way.
“Go home, Eva,” he says. He turns to leave, pauses for a brief moment at the end of the alleyway, and then walks around the corner without a second glance.