The plot twist, p.19
The Plot Twist, page 19
I could see Noah was talking to Georgina.
‘Let me sort some things out and I’ll see you there,’ I told them and waved as they stumbled across the cobbles towards the pub over the road. ‘That was amazing, Georgina,’ I said, walking back into the now empty bookshop.
‘It was so fun,’ she agreed. She looked at me and Noah. ‘No need to help me clear up. I’ll come in early tomorrow and do it. No arguments,’ she said, giving us a stern look. ‘You should go and celebrate.’
‘Thank you,’ Noah said.
I rushed over to hug her. ‘This place is so special,’ I said.
‘It is,’ she agreed, smiling as I let her go. ‘Have a good night!’
We walked out and Georgina locked the door behind us. The alley was quiet now. Once the bookshop lights went out, all we had to guide us was the moon and one street light.
‘That went well, right?’ I said. ‘I think everyone loved the reading and Deborah was amazing. So, shall we join the others at the pub or do you—’ My voice was nervous but I hoped it didn’t show.
‘Stevie.’ Noah reached out for my hand and pulled me to a stop. ‘Yesterday, spending the day with you like that, I just… It made me happy. You make me happy. And I hate that I ever made you unhappy. I want to fix it so badly it hurts,’ he said with such fierceness, it took my breath away. ‘I want to make you happy. That’s all I want now. Is there any way you might let me try?’
My head was still saying this was a bad idea but his words tugged my heart so hard that I pulled him closer with our entwined hands.
‘I am still scared,’ I admitted, looking up at his brown eyes shining behind his glasses in the moonlight. ‘But being with you made me happy too.’
Noah wrapped his arms around me then. ‘I’ll take any crumbs you give me,’ he said. ‘We can move at a glacial pace. If you don’t want me to kiss you yet—’
‘Kiss me,’ I interrupted. I couldn’t hold any longer. My body remembered the hot kiss we’d had right here in this alleyway and it wanted more. I needed more.
Noah looked at me. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered.
Our lips met again and that same urgency pumped through us. Something seemed to crackle in the air as Noah held me tightly and I wrapped myself around him so easily, it was like my body was created to fit right against his. His mouth searched mine and I didn’t know what answers he found but he let out a contended murmur and pulled me closer. When his tongue touched mine, I moaned and my hands moved to his hair where they had longed to be.
‘Up against the wall,’ Noah broke our kiss to half-growl at me.
I backed up instantly, my body sparked alight by his words. He’d always had that power. I loved it when he told me what to do. And he knew it.
‘Arms up,’ he purred into my ear as my back touched the wall. His arm came around my waist and when I lifted my arms, he kissed me hungrily. Then he moved his mouth to the neckline of my dress, brushing kisses against the top of my breast that just poked out of the material. I closed my eyes and felt my legs start trembling.
His hands moved to my chest and my nipples hardened as he touched me through the thin material that separated our skin.
I longed for there to be nothing in between us.
‘More,’ I gasped. ‘I need more.’
‘You can have anything you want,’ he breathed. ‘Will you part your legs for me?’
I moved them instantly on his command, my whole body full of anticipation.
He moved one hand to my thigh. ‘Stevie, please tell me you want this as much as I do,’ he said as his fingertips stroked slowly higher up my leg.
I trembled again and almost brought my hands down but he told me to keep them up so I did.
I looked into his hungry, dark eyes. ‘Feel how much I want this,’ I gasped out.
Noah’s breath hitched then. He looked into my eyes as his hand moved under my dress and up my thigh. I was hardly breathing as his hand found my lacey knickers, making me gasp again.
‘Hmmm,’ he said contently as he rubbed me over the top of my underwear with his thumb. Then he moved the fabric out of the way and slipped one finger inside me.
‘Noah,’ I said then as he eased another finger in, helping finally to soothe some of the ache between my legs. The ache that had been there, if I was honest, since I saw him again. ‘I need…’ I said, trailing off with a groan.
‘I know, I need it too,’ he replied, leaning down to kiss me.
I writhed against his fingers and I couldn’t stop myself. My arms dropped to his shoulders, pulling him closer.
‘Noah, this isn’t enough,’ I said, my back arching off the wall.
‘What do you need, Stevie? I told you. I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘Will you take me home? To yours…’
Noah paused and our eyes met. ‘You really want that?’
‘I want that,’ I said, moaning as his fingers moved again inside me. ‘I want you.’
‘I’ve wanted to hear you say that for so long.’
Noah moved away from me and my body protested, but I knew it would be soon sated. He adjusted my clothing and I peeled myself off the wall. He was smiling and leaned down to kiss me. It was slow and lingering and when he pulled back, he kept his hand on my waist. ‘This feels like a dream,’ he said, using his other hand to brush my hair from my face.
I smiled. ‘It’s real. I promise. Let’s go home.’
The look on his face when I said that made my heart leap. He took my hand and we left the alleyway to flag down a taxi. My heart was still beating hard and fast and everything felt confusing and crazy, but every fibre of me wanted Noah. I wanted to leap. To take the risk. Because I wanted to be in his arms too much to hold back any more.
So, I shut off my brain and any worries about tomorrow because I wanted to enjoy this moment. If it was only ever a moment then so be it. We’d make it a fucking excellent one.
33
We were silent on the ride to Noah’s flat. I sent a message to Emily to say I wouldn’t be coming to the pub and I’d see her tomorrow.
If you’re with who I think you’re with, have fun! ;)
Smiling in the dark of the taxi, I put my phone away and looked across at Noah, silhouetted by the headlights of passing cars. He had a smile on his face and he reached across and squeezed my hand. It was like he was reassuring me and I anchored myself to his touch.
Soon we reached his place and got in the lift together. ‘I’d kiss you now but there are cameras,’ he said when the doors slid shut. We looked at one another and anticipation built up under my skin. I wondered if this would feel familiar or brand new. ‘What are you thinking?’ he murmured as I continued to watch him.
‘You’ll find out,’ I said.
Noah groaned. ‘This is the slowest lift ever.’
I laughed as we finally reached the top floor. The doors opened and Noah took my hand and let us into his flat. It was dark and silent but when he shut the door, mood lighting switched on to light the way.
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Is this bring a woman home mode?’
‘This is don’t trip over anything if you’re drunk mode but it works for this too,’ Noah said, sliding a hand around my waist and pulling me towards him. I reached up to touch his cheek and he caught my hand in his. ‘I can’t believe I get to hold you again,’ he whispered, leaning down to brush his lips against mine. A shiver ran down my body.
I reached up to kiss him and he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me as I planted my hands on his chest.
He pulled back for a moment and took off his glasses, putting them on the console table behind us, and then he scooped me up off the floor, making me giggle. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as our lips met again. Noah’s tongue pressed against mine and I let out a murmur. Like the kiss outside the bookshop, we kissed with hunger. It was like a need. Like our bodies had craved this for five years and couldn’t hold back now they were being given a free reign.
‘I need you in my bedroom,’ Noah said breathlessly, his voice low and desperate like the craving I felt. I nodded eagerly and he carried me into his room, where he planted me softly onto my feet. Then he gently kissed my cheek then my nose then my forehead then my other cheek then down my neck and my collarbone. I gasped. The sweet, soft kisses were so tender, my heart lurched inside my chest. ‘I’ve thought about this a lot,’ he whispered into my ear.
‘For how long?’ I asked, pleasure surging through me.
‘Arms up,’ he said. I did as he asked, wondering if he was going to ignore my question. He stepped forward and pulled my pink dress slowly up. ‘Honestly?’ he said softly as he lifted the fabric over my head. ‘Since you told me I was a dick.’
I giggled as the dress came off and Noah threw it on his bed. ‘I can slag you off more if it turns you on.’
Noah’s eyes moved over me in my pink underwear set, taking me in from head to toe. ‘It reminded me how amazing you are…’ He stepped forward and I trembled at the hungry look in his eyes. ‘And made me want to kiss you and make you forget that I had been a dick. I wanted you to want me again because I really did want you. So much. Sometimes it was hard to think straight at work.’
He dropped down to his knees then and picked up my foot. I leaned on his shoulder as he undid my heels one by one and slipped them off.
‘It has been quite distracting having you there,’ I admitted as he stroked my ankle.
Noah looked up at me as he tossed my heels aside. ‘Good. Because yes, it’s been bad at work, but I can’t even tell you how bad it’s been here at night.’ He gestured to his bed behind us.
I was finding it hard to breathe properly. I gripped Noah’s shoulder for balance.
‘What have you been thinking about in your bed?’ I gasped out.
Noah kissed me behind my knee and then stroked my leg as he stood up slowly, brushing my inner thighs, causing me to let out a little moan.
‘Getting you to make that sound was one of my thoughts,’ he said, his voice husky, his hands moving to my hips. ‘As was what you tasted like now. How you would feel if I touched you like this.’ His hand moved across my belly button and round to my bum, caressing it. ‘And how badly I wanted to make you come.’
I sucked in a breath. ‘I’m surprised you got any sleep,’ I managed to say as he moved his hands up my back to my bra and unclipped it.
‘It was agony, Stevie, agony.’
He stepped back. His dark eyes smouldered at me. I bit my lip in anticipation at what he was going to say or do next.
Noah clocked the movement. ‘Take your bra off,’ he said, his eyes dipping to my chest. I pulled the bra off me and stood there in front of him in just my pink thong, breathing hard as he looked at me reverently. ‘Jesus Christ,’ he said, coming back to me and reaching down to kiss one breast and then the other then he flicked his tongue over my nipple. I shivered again.
‘This is unfair,’ I said. ‘You’re still fully dressed.’
‘I need you naked first.’ Noah stepped back again. ‘Take that thong off, Stevie. I want to see all of you. I’ve waited a long time.’
Noah’s commands were turning me on more than I remembered. It was like my body had been asleep with the other men I’d been with and now it was wide awake just waiting for him to tell it what to do, knowing how good it was going to feel. I stepped out of my thong and kicked it off. I was a little bit nervous for a second, fully naked in front of him in the dim light of his bedroom, until he spoke again.
‘Fuck. You are so gorgeous. You are sexy as hell,’ he said, making me feel instantly better. Noah pulled me into his arms and kissed me. His mouth moved back to my breasts and as he licked my nipple, his hand moved down my body. ‘Legs,’ he said, lifting off me for a moment, watching my face as I stood astride and his hand hovered between them. ‘Guide me,’ he said.
I moved my hand over his and moved him to where I wanted him. No, needed him. We both gasped as he touched me. Noah’s eyes never left mine as I moved his hand exactly where it felt good. Then I took his fingers and guided them to me, groaning when they slipped inside.
‘Noah, please, can you get naked now?’ I begged.
‘I need you to come first,’ he said, his mouth returning to my breast. My head rolled back as he kissed me there, his fingers inside me. My hand clutched his wrist as my legs began to tremble. Noah’s free hand gripped my waist steady as he touched and kissed me. It felt incredible. It felt new. I wasn’t sure it had ever been this good before.
I moaned and Noah murmured contently.
‘Please,’ I gasped out. I wasn’t sure what I was asking but Noah rubbed this thumb across me, and that did it. I slumped against him with a long moan.
‘Oh,’ I said, surprised at the sudden and delicious release that rocked through me. My whole body was tingling as Noah lowered me on to his bed. I lay back on his pillows, my back flat, as I let out a shaky breath. That had been hot. No other word to describe it.
When I could see straight, I turned my head to watch Noah shed his clothes, his eyes never leaving me.
‘Now what are you going to do to me?’ I asked as he stood naked by the bed. God, his body was better than I remembered it. Tall and lean but with delicious, defined abs and strong arms and that thin trail of hair pulling my eyes down to where he was very ready for me.
‘Do you see what you’ve done to me?’ he asked as he climbed on to the bed, propping himself over me.
I smiled. ‘Good. Because I need you to come as hard as I just did,’ I breathed, reaching up to kiss him.
‘That won’t be a problem. I can barely keep it together,’ he whispered, reaching under my bum to lift me so I could prop my legs up. ‘Shall I get a condom?’
‘I mean, I’m on the pill and I’ve always used one with everyone since you…’
‘Me too.’ He moved between my legs and our bodies slid together. ‘But I can still get one.’
I shook my head. ‘I want you to come inside me.’
‘Stevie, are you trying to make this last only a second?’ Noah groaned. ‘Are you ready for me?’
‘Yes,’ I said, biting my lip with anticipation.
‘You want this, don’t you?’ he asked, searching my eyes for certainty.
‘I want it more than anything,’ I said. ‘Please, Noah. I need you now.’
He smiled. ‘I need you too.’
He brushed my hair back against the pillow and gave me a kiss, sliding his tongue against mine as he slowly entered me, finally easing the ache between my legs that had been there since I first saw him again. Everything was wiped out. The other men I’d been with. Even our past. It was all gone as Noah moved deep inside me and I squeezed my legs around him.
Noah looked down at me from his propped elbows and I moved my arms up to clutch the pillow. ‘You feel perfect. You are perfect. We are perfect together,’ he said, punctuating each word with a thrust deeper inside me.
I moved against him and we both groaned at the friction.
‘It’s too good,’ I agreed, clutching the pillow harder as Noah moved above me. I could feel the pleasure building in me already. I looked at him. ‘Tell me I’m yours,’ I gasped.
‘I thought I was the one making demands,’ Noah said, flashing that dimple as he looked at me with such fondness, my breath was taken away. ‘Stevie, you are mine. All mine. And I’m yours. I have always been yours. And you…’ He moved faster and deeper inside me, making me moan even louder. ‘Will always be mine.’
His words sent me over the edge and I cried out his name as he gasped. We looked at each other as we reached our finish together. Then Noah leaned down to cover my moans with his mouth, kissing me over and over as he thrusted into me until he couldn’t move any more.
When he flopped down beside me, I turned to face him and as we tried to get our breath back, we watched each other face to face.
‘Will you stay tonight, please?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ I said.
And our five years apart seemed to dissolve, like the final grains of sand in an hourglass.
34
An hour later, we were in the living room. Noah carried over the pizza we’d just had delivered while I poured us both a glass of red wine. I was wearing one of his dressing gowns and he was in a t-shirt and jogging bottoms.
‘You’re smiling,’ Noah said when he placed the pizza box down and handed me a plate.
‘I was just thinking this is all very cosy,’ I said, curling my legs up on the sofa. The fire in the living room was lit and as Noah opened the box, the smell of pizza mingled with the fireside fragrance in the room. The sex had been amazing but this was bringing me very close to that same feeling of bliss.
I took out a slice of pizza and put it on my plate as Noah joined me on the sofa.
‘You look very cosy in my dressing gown,’ he agreed, reaching out to stroke the material that covered my thigh. ‘I like it.’ He watched as I took a bite of pizza then put a slice on his plate. ‘I missed evenings like this with you.’
‘Don’t get serious on me,’ I said as I chewed. I didn’t want to come down from this high.
‘I promise I won’t,’ he replied, flashing me his dimple. He saw my phone light up on the coffee table. ‘You’re popular tonight.’
‘There’s a reason you shouldn’t introduce friends to one another,’ I said with a sigh. ‘Emily told Liv she thought I’d gone home with you and now they are all in a WhatsApp group demanding to know what’s going on.’ I grabbed my phone and showed him the messages coming through. ‘I don’t have to tell them anything. I mean, is it even allowed?’ I pointed between us. ‘You are my boss,’ I said, biting back a laugh.
Noah rolled his eyes. ‘So you keep reminding me. We might need to give HR a heads up but only if…’ He trailed off and didn’t finish his sentence.
I looked at my phone and not at him. Only if what? We actually became a couple again? I was dying to know if that’s what he wanted but I needed him to ask me.
