Chapter 13
Paisley
T hree cocktails later, I’ve made friends with the bartender, Joe, and am having myself a grand old time making stories up about the couples visiting this place tonight.
“Another?” He motions to my empty glass, his eyes lingering on my cleavage a little longer than they probably should.
Tilting my head to the side, I take him in. He’s a nice-looking guy, I could shut the place down with him tonight. It’s obvious he’s up for it. But I don’t want to. This isn’t the life I want for myself anymore. I’m so insanely lonely, but going home with one random after the other isn’t filling the void. “I’m not sure yet.” I glance across the bar, spotting a young couple entering. He has his arm wrapped protectively around her, and she snuggles into him with a soft smile. I want that. I want something real. And I know I won’t get it by treating my body like an amusement park every dude in town should take a ride on.
Sensing him, I inhale his masculine scent. Oh, dear God, why does he have to smell so damn good. He’s like a bad addiction that brings my senses alight, making me crave him. Noah Harrington doesn’t exist. Just block him out, Paisley, you can do this. I can’t see him or hear him. Joe watches him approaching with a look of curiosity. Unease fills me.
Noah drops his head close. I can feel his breath on my neck, and it’s warm and strangely comforting. “Are you ready to talk yet?” he whispers just below my ear, sending a shiver down my spine and igniting a spark of excitement inside me.
“I can’t see you or hear you,” I say out loud, my voice trembling, in the hopes that it will make him leave.
“You’re pretending I don’t exist? How old are we, Paisley?” he mutters, and I know he’s not impressed. But I don’t give a fuck.
“Old enough to know talking to men like you will only ever cause me pain,” I blurt back at him, as bitchy as I can.
His hand lands gently on my shoulder, causing me to glance up at him. His hair looks tousled as if he had been absentmindedly running his fingers through it, making him look sexy as fuck. But there’s a hint of tension in his expression, unlike the usual relaxed and laid-back vibe he normally gives off. “Paisley.” He says my name softly as a plea.
“You hurt me,” I admit, knowing the cocktails I have just consumed were a terrible idea. They make me way too honest to be having a conversation with Noah, but I never expected to see him again tonight. Why did he come back?
He pulls up the stool beside me, making himself at home. “I know. I wish things were different. If I could make up for my mistakes, I would.” He sighs heavily then signals to the bartender Joe for a drink. “Beer, thanks.” His smile is so warm and genuine that it instantly softens my heart. He came looking for me after his date. He didn’t go home with her. Why does that idea make me swoon a little?
I suck in a deep breath. Jesus, Paisley, get your shit together. You hate this jerk for a good fucking reason. Remember how much he hurt you when he left, I chastise myself. How can he make me forget so easily? “I’ll have another peach and vodka iced tea, thanks, Joe.” All the alcohol in the world couldn’t block the memory of the pain he left me with. But tonight, I’m determined to try anything I can to block it out. The last three years have been impossible because of him. Every blind date, every random hook-up, no one compared to him, and it’s left me feeling empty, lonely, and just plain sad. How could one man destroy me so badly that he’s ruined every other man for me as well?
Noah’s eyes meet mine, and he smiles softly. It’s not a grin like he gave Joe, it’s warm and buttery, a smile that only someone who knows you romantically can give. And I want to escape his vortex. Forget our history, forget the way he destroyed me. But I can’t. Right there, with all the memories of the good times, are the years it has taken me to move on from him, and I know even sitting this close is a terrible idea. With shaky hands, I collect my cocktail from the bar and stand to leave, searching for a secluded spot to drown my sorrows alone.
“Did you come out with Beckett tonight to make me jealous?” Noah asks as I walk away from him, a bitterness to his tone.
I spin on my heels, my drink sloshing over the edge of the glass and running down my hand. My glare turns icy. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t know you planned on taking push-up Barbie to Villa Bella Cucina or I never would have walked through the door. The last thing I wanted to do with my evening was vomit in my mouth every time I had to listen to her revolting flirty giggle.”
His stifled laugh confirms that he agrees with me. “Then what were you doing with an asshole like Beckett, just a couple of tables over?”
“Not everything in this world is related to you, Noah Harrington. I think the fame has gone to your head. You’re starting to think you’re bigger than you are,” I snip, wanting to make him feel like shit. Like I do.
He stands, forcing me to look up at him. “Just answer my question, Paisley, what were you two doing having dinner tonight? Don’t think Parker would be impressed.”
I huff out a laugh. Of course he throws my brother’s name out there. He’s a good friend to him now. “Since when do you worry about what my brother thinks?” I pin him with my glare. He knows exactly what I mean by that. He wasn’t worried what he thought when he was screwing his best buddy’s little sister. Why would he worry now?
“What happened between us was different,” he mutters under his breath, making it obvious he still feels guilty as hell about the summer we shared tangled between the sheets. “Beckett’s a womanizing asshole, he changes his girlfriends more often than his underwear. Your brother hates him for good reason. It would be in your best interest to stay away from him.”
I arch an eyebrow and smirk at him, relishing the subtle thrill. Pot, kettle, black , is what I want to say. “So, it was you who was jealous.” I throw his words back at him, glad I still have some effect on him. If I have to suffer, so can he. I find a seat in the back and head toward it, sliding into the leather booth and placing my drink on the table in front of me.
Like a lost little puppy, he follows me, sliding in beside me extra close. So close I can feel the warmth radiating off his body. “I don’t like the guy, and I would hope you had better taste in men than to really consider dating Beckett Prescott. Seriously, Paisley, he can’t be trusted. I want you to stay away from him.”
I roll my eyes so he can see. Him pretending to care is just ridiculous. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors. Apparently, I’m an escort now, according to Mrs. Rashford. I get lots of dick, so one more won’t hurt.” I’m not sure what makes me say it. Something in the possessive way he’s looking at me makes me want to piss him off. Wants me to tip him over the edge into crazy town where apparently I now live.
Instead of getting annoyed, he chuckles in amusement. “So that’s what she was talking about with all the illegal activity going on at your place. I was worried you were involved in something shady. I was about to offer you money to help you out.”
My eyes go wide. “Jesus, she told you that?”
He smirks, knowing how bad it sounds. “She’s been pestering me since I moved in. I wouldn’t take it to heart, she was trying to set me up with her granddaughter, probably trying to make sure there was no competition. She watched you tell me off the morning I moved in.”
I take a swig of my drink, enjoying the sweetness as it goes down. “No, the woman hates me, she’s been spreading that rumor all month.” I shrug it off, not really caring what the old busybody thinks. Her life must be so boring to bother spending time making up gossip about little old me. “So, it was her granddaughter in the pink top. Where is she now? Did you tell her you’re in love with her, then ditch her?”
His lips twitch in annoyance, and I know I hit a nerve. “I dropped her off at home, Paisley, and came back for you.” He looks somewhat disappointed in me for my jab. But he really does deserve it. “Her grandmother was mistaken about our compatibility, but we handled it like mature adults.”
“Grown up a bit then, have we.” I laugh bitterly, throwing back the remainder of my drink. I’m going to need a shit ton more of these if he intends to annoy me all night.
“Guess I deserved that.”
I shrug. He did and so much more. If only he knew the impact of his departure on me. “I’m sure you will have another granny lining up at your door by tomorrow, ready to set you up with her relative. This town’s in a frenzy over their big star quarterback being home.”
“Fuck, I hope not. Tonight was enough.” He collects my hand. As he strokes the back of it tenderly, I feel the electric buzz between us. “Come have a drink with me. I can’t stand the way I left things between us. We both have to live in this town, so let’s try to get along.”
“Can’t promise you that, but you can buy me a drink. I’ve spent more than enough of my own money tonight when I should really be saving for the shop.”
He nods and takes off for the bar quickly, I think before I have time to change my mind.
Watching him as he chats to my new buddy at the bar, I wonder what made him come find me tonight. He made his date look so cozy and fun. Was that all a ploy to get me worked up? I guess it could have been. Beckett and I were doing the same. I wonder why they hate each other so much.
Noah makes his way back from the bar with another drink. He gets the attention of the room; everyone knows who he is. He’s charming and has this charisma you can’t manufacture. And I know he’s right about Beckett, he’s a bit of a dick. People around here don’t like him or his brother. Changing their minds is going to be tricky. Especially when Noah already has the leg up. But why make it easy for him to just take the job. Beckett deserves a chance as well. And I kind of like the idea of going up against him. Showing him there’s more to me than the girl he once knew.
He wanders back to our table, all smiles, handing me a piece of paper. “Joe’s number, you got the poor boy all hot and bothered.” He laughs.
I pocket the number smugly. I have no intention of using it, but it’s nice to know I have another thing over Noah. “Just to clarify. I still hate you. I just wanted the drink,” I remind him. He’s not winning me over with a half-assed apology. We are not friends.
“I would be disappointed if you made it so easy for me.” He winks, all charming, and fuck, the flood of moisture that goes to my lady parts is insane. Did my pussy not get the we hate Noah Harrington memo? She’s waving her white flag and preparing to be reunited with his perfect cock already. How can you hate someone but want to jump their bones so much it hurts.
I gulp nervously, my mouth drying up instantly. Taking my drink, I have a sip, trying to distract myself. But he watches me, his eyes fixed on my lips. They’re full of dark primal desire. And when his gaze returns to my eyes, I know he’s thinking the exact same thing as me. He came back here tonight because seeing me with Beckett has stirred something in him again. I guess in reality it’s more than that. Something was lingering, it has been since he got back six months ago, and last night, he took it to the next level when he was texting me, asking for a show. Fuck, I came so hard after that little sexting session. I haven’t cum like that for an eternity.
“What shop do you need money for?” he asks curiously.
“I’m buying Wild Magnolia,” I say with more confidence than I have about the situation. I still have to find the money for it. Like I’m short thousands, even with Beckett paying me as his campaign manager.
“Good for you.” He clinks his drink with mine in a cheers.
I take a large swig and smile back, feeling genuinely happy. I’m pleased with myself for having the guts to give this a go. It’s scary, but Beckett was right, what do I really have to lose? I have to give it a shot. “Yeah, it is. I’ll be my own boss.”
“I’m happy for you, Pais. Sounds like you have it all worked out.”
“Yeah, I do,” I lie. We both fall silent, and for a long time, he just stares at me like he can’t believe I’m sitting right here next to him. Part of me is wondering how I’m letting this happen. I should get out of here, but I don’t want to. I could sit here all night in silence as long as I was with him. The crazy in my head calms, and I feel like everything is going to be okay in my world.
I finish off my drink then burst out laughing. “I hate you,” I tell him.
“I know you do, baby.” He takes my hand, lacing his fingers in mine. It feels so natural, and I want to stay like this, lost in his warm gaze forever. “I’m cutting you off. Might need to get you home.” Before I know what’s happening, he wraps a strong arm around me and helps me to my feet. “Come on, we can split a cab. I’ll come back and get my car in the morning.”
With his arm wrapped protectively around me, he guides me out the front of the bar, signaling for one of the waiting cabs.
As I go to get in the cab, my heel gets caught in the cobblestone pavement, and I go flying. Noah’s reflexes are fast, and he catches me, guiding me into the car. I burst into laughter, unable to stop myself. Oh my God, what that must have looked like.
He starts laughing too, his deep belly laughs vibrating right through me as he squeezes in beside me.
“What, it wasn’t that funny,” I say, still laughing uncontrollably, heat now radiating off my face.
His eyes lock with mine. “It was, but I wasn’t just laughing about that. Remember that night when your heel got caught in your dress and you went flying?”
“That wasn’t funny at all. You didn’t catch me, and unlike tonight, I ended up tearing my knee open,” I say grumpily, remembering that night.
With a gentle touch, he tucks a stray curl behind my ear. “It was funny. There was finally something about little Paisley Whittaker that wasn’t perfect. You with your flawless pageant hair and cute little outfits. You never had a thing out of place. Before that day, I had built you up to be something so incredible I thought I could never be good enough for you. But you let me take you home and take care of you. I saw a more vulnerable side to you. It was nice.”
His words tug at my heart strings. I remember that night so clearly. The way he took care of me was so sweet. I cover my chest in mock shock as I stare at him. “What? You’re superstar Noah Harrington, the touchdown king.”
“But I still wasn’t good enough for you,” he says thoughtfully.
His words light me up inside. This is the Noah I spent the summer with. He was sweet and caring and made me feel like the only girl in the world. He made me feel seen for the first time in my life, and it was so nice. “I’m a far cry from that Paisley anymore,” I say sadly.
He laces his hand in mine, and I let him. It feels too nice and comfortable not to. As strange as it sounds when I hate him so much, he also feels like home to me. “I don’t know, you’re still pretty perfect to me. Even if you are a little clumsy.” His lips twitch into a smirk that fills me with warmth.
“Jake thinks I’m a train wreck. And he’s right, you know. Until Stella, my boss, came to talk about the shop being for sale, I had no direction at all. I have spent the last few years going from vice to vice, trying to fill this… emptiness inside of me.”
“You’re not a train wreck, baby. You’re just…” He pauses, looking me over with concern.
“I’m a fucking mess. You can say it. The rest of the town do.”
“Come on, really it’s just Mrs. Rashford.”
“True. But they’re thinking it. I’m thinking it. When Jake said it, it was like a slap in the face. One I needed. But here I am tonight going on dates with guys like Beckett and drinking way too much for my own good to block out men like you.”
I feel him stiffen at my last comment. “If that constitutes as a train wreck, then I’m right here with you, baby. Since I got injured, I’ve been lacking direction. And as for the dating and drinking, well, I’m too under the influence to drive home, and you know how yet another first date went for me. Let’s just say we’re two peas in a fucked-up pod.”
I look at him, knowing he’s kind of right. It’s sad but neither of our lives panned out the way we wanted them to. I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he stayed, or if he asked me to go with him. I would have in a heartbeat. But he never asked.
He cups my face in his hands tenderly, and I gaze back at him, enjoying the way it feels to have his eyes on me, his skin touching mine. His eyes are filled with a deep desire. “Paisley, I fucked up so badly when I left,” he whispers, the words getting caught in his throat.
“Don’t ruin it,” I murmur as I close the gap between us and kiss him.
He wastes no time. His hands run into my hair, his tongue invades my mouth, and we kiss like no time has passed at all. It’s like it’s been an eternity since life was this perfect. All at once, my body feels alive for the first time in years. I want him like crazy, and right now in the dark of night, I can forget all the bad and fall under his spell. He’s my way out of the darkness that consumes me most days. And tonight, I need him more than ever before.
We make out like horny teenagers, totally unashamedly, in the back of the cab. His large hands roaming over my dress scorching my skin wherever they touch. My fingers slide into his soft hair, tugging at the ends as his tongue sweeps through my open mouth, wanting so badly to be claimed by him. I move closer so my chest presses into his, enjoying the warmth radiating off him.
Suddenly the cab pulls to a stop, and we move apart, breathless and panting. I stare at him, fear creeping in. Oh God, what did I just start?
“The address you gave me, sir,” the driver grumbles, unimpressed when neither of us move. But for a second, I can’t. Right here in the back of this cab, what we just did feels okay. But I know as soon as I step outside, the cool night air will hit my face and shock me back to reality. From the scared expression in his eyes, I know he’s thinking the same.
Eventually I reach for the door handle, but Noah takes my hand, stopping me from leaving without him. With his other, he taps his credit card to pay the cab driver. “Thanks,” he says, not taking his eyes off me. They hold a determination that tells me he’s not going to let me run off so easily tonight.
As we hop out of the cab, the sound of the engine fades into the distance as he drives off, leaving us standing on the lawn between our two houses. “I should get home,” I tell him, knowing this is dangerous territory for us.
“Stay with me tonight.” He pulls me back into him, brushing my hair out of my eyes. “I need you.” He looks at me just like he used to, and butterflies take off through my body. This, this is what I have been missing. No one can make me feel the way Noah does. When Noah looks at me like this, my insides burst into flames.
I take his hand and let him guide me inside his house. Every fiber of my being knows this is a terrible idea, but tonight, I don’t care. Noah is the sole person who can revive the emptiness within me and make me feel alive once more.
He closes the door and flicks the lock, then it’s on. His hands are back on me, just as quickly as his mouth. He showers me in hurried, crazed kisses, our tongues battling for control. Hands roaming everywhere, I need to feel his body on mine.
I tug his shirt out and madly start on his buttons, desperate to get his shirt off. He finds my dress zipper, seamlessly sliding it down my back. The fabric falls down my arms, and I shrug out of it. His hands move over my body, following every line of my curves, his fingertips digging in roughly as he goes. I remove his shirt and run my hands over his solid muscles. He feels incredible. Strong and powerful and all Noah.
I go for his belt buckle, but he stops me, picking me up and hauling me onto the sofa. “I need to taste you, baby.” He growls desperately, and my insides clench, doing a little happy dance. Oh God, I remember his dirty mouth. I couldn’t get enough of it.
“Yes,” I purr, so needy for his tongue on me.
He rips my red thong down my legs quickly then shoves my legs apart aggressively, his dark lust-filled gaze studying me. “So, fucking pretty.” He kisses and nips up the inside of my thighs, sending delicious thrills running through me. I’m desperate for him to kiss me right there, give me what no other man has been able to since he left. For him to eat me like only he knows how, rough and with the ferocity of a lion. His kisses take him between my legs, and his hot tongue licks right through my folds. Delightful tingles run over my arms. This is more dangerous than I can handle in my fragile state, but it’s everything I have been craving for so long.