Page 55 of Negotiating Tactics

As far as I recalled, I’d glanced at the boots like I always did but hadn’t even broken conversation.

Of course, I should have known by now that Noah didn’t miss a single thing.

“Thank you,” I said, looking at him, trying to keep hold of my emotions as I pushed the tissue paper back into the box and put the lid back on top. “But I can’t take these.”

“Of course you can,” he responded.

“Noah,” I snapped, cutting my eyes at him, “I know how much these cost, and I?—”

He cut me off. “Alex, I can afford it.”

I huffed. “I know that, jerk, but I don’t take advantage of people, no matter how rich they are,” I said.

“You’re not taking advantage,” he said.

“I’m also not for sale,” I said.

His eyes flashed, and I watched as he refocused. “Alex, I didn’t buy you the boots for any other reason except that I wanted to. Now hurry up and put them on. We have to go,” he said.

I knew that tone, and the expression that accompanied it.

They were the ones that said he was done with the conversation, and no amount of arguing would get him to revisit the topic.

Noah was nurturing, so much so that I sometimes forget how stubborn he could be.

I looked at the boots, and my emotions threatened to overwhelm me.

It wasn’t even how much they cost, though that was almost heart attack inducing.

No, the cost wasn’t what had gotten to me. It was that he had paid attention to something so minor…

I nodded and swallowed, refusing to cry.

“Thank you,” I said, deciding that those simple words, ones that I meant with all my heart, were the best—and only—thing to say.

To say anything else would open doors I wasn’t sure I was ready for and would require me to acknowledge feelings I hadn’t fully admitted to myself.

I sat on my couch, smiling at Noah’s frown. “Nope. I will not have you talking shit about my couch on my birthday,” I said.

Noah huffed. “Put on the boots so we can go.”

Before I picked them up, I ran my hand down one of the boots, the butter-soft suede against my palm making me smile.

Then, my hands shaking slightly with my emotion, I slid on one, then the other, sighing with contentment at the perfect fit.

Tears threatened, and to stave them off, I stood and gave an exaggerated spin, hoping the humor would help shield my emotions from Noah, though I wouldn’t bet on it.

He looked at me, his face warm, though he wasn’t smiling. “You look beautiful,” he said, a slight rasp in his voice.

The intensity in his eyes made me feel exposed, and to my shock, I was okay with that. If nothing else, Noah had proved I could trust him. Being able to do that was the best birthday present of all.

“Thanks,” I responded, my voice thick.

I stretched up tall and brushed my lips against his cheek. Before I did something else, I grabbed my jacket and then walked toward the door.

“Are we walking?” I asked, looking over at Noah as we exited the building.

“Nope,” he said.

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