Page 193 of After All This Time

Something I’ve loved to do since I was a little girl.

It’s absolutely absurd and surreal.

Noah was by my side the entire day of my debut’s release and the days that led up to it. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I fall more in love with this man every day. He’s so kind and patient with me. Sometimes I feel like I’m sleeping, but my eyes are wide open.

Noah became a published author in October of last year.

Just One More Chapter held a release day event for his debut, Expect the Unexpected.

He let me be one of his first official readers after he completed his manuscript. His writing is immersive as hell and incredibly detailed. He sucks you right into the story and writes incredibly complex characters.

I won the lottery with him.

Before he released his sophomore novel, he hired a literary agent named Julia and she’s a superstar. She helped Noah send out his manuscript to various traditional publishing houses last year.

He accepted an offer with Voyager Press, a major traditional publishing house based in Florida, but they have offices worldwide. It was a four-book deal which he completed in the spring of this year.

He’s now working on a murder mystery duology.

Voyager offered him a deal for the duology, but he ultimately turned it down. He had a great experience with them, but he wanted to indulge in the self-publishing experience.

I’m so fucking proud of him, and I know his dad is, too.

Noah snaps me out of my daze as he glides the strap of my tank top down to my upper arm with his thumb.

Rolling my eyes like a broken record, I moan. “Don’t. Do. That.”

He kisses the top of my shoulder before he runs his tongue from side to side.

Is he trying to kill me?

“Tell me to stop,” he says.

I’m trying to type, but my body keeps shuddering, so I slam my laptop shut.

Getting up out of the chair, I grab his face and smash my lips into his.

He picks me up by my ass and takes me into our bedroom, throwing me down on the bed and removing my top. Laying me down on the top of the covers, he climbs on top of me and studies my face.

My lips flatten as my eyes narrow. “What?”

“I’m never going to get over how stunning you are. You belong in a museum, so people can worship you, the ground you walk on, and the fact that a woman like you exists.”

Fuck me, that was romantic as hell.

“You know what happens when you say shit like that to me!”

“What happens?”

“It catches me off guard.”

“I love catching you off guard.” He plants a tender kiss on my lips. “And as much as I’d love to fuck you right now, you have a hair appointment in fifteen minutes.”

“What if I don’t want to go? Can’t I just stay here with you?” I pout, giving him puppy dog eyes.

“You have no idea how much I want you to stay here with me, but you need to get dressed, baby. You deserve a little pampering. Plus, your eyes need some rest from staring at your computer for several hours straight.”

I roll my eyes. “Are you taking me to my appointment?”

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