Page 25 of Gossip Game

She curled into his chest. “But those parents. It has to be agonizing for them. I don’t know how they are getting through it.”

Memories came hurtling back. “It’s no picnic for anyone when a family is going through something like that.”

Charlotte went still. A long minute later, she shifted against him, lifting her chin so her eyes met his. “Why does it sound like you’re speaking from experience?”

He wiped at the moisture beneath her eyes with his thumbs before speaking. “My sister had leukemia. They discovered it when she was twelve. It was the nasty kind. It took five years before they cured her of it.”

Her hands traveled up along his chest, where she settled her palms. “Oh, Noah. That must have been devastating for your family. How old were you?”

“I was five when she first got sick.” He swallowed painfully.

“It must have been difficult for you to understand.”

He nodded. “I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was. My parents were stressed all the time. About Alexandra and money and…” He shrugged. “I did my best to be helpful and invisible at the same time.”

She drew in a deep breath. “Oh.”

“Don’t. It all worked out. Alex is fine. Thriving, actually. Married with two kids. We all got through it. Dalton and his family will, too.”

Charlotte’s cellphone buzzed in her pocket. She tugged it out and glanced at the screen. “My security team is about to call S.W.A.T. to get us out of this elevator.” She gave him a wane smile.

“Time to face the music.” He reached for the start button.

“Wait!” She dabbed at her eyes. “I must look a mess.”

He shook his head. “You always look beautiful.”

A smile lit up her face. He felt a fission of pride at giving her a reason to smile. Even though what he’d told her was true. She was beautiful.

He punched the button to get the elevator moving again. A member of her security team was waiting when the doors opened. Behind him was a horde of cameras pointed in their direction. Reporters shouted questions as they walked the gauntlet of media outlets lined up in the long hallway.

“You were great today, Hudson,” one of the janitors yelled out.

Charlotte linked her arm through Noah’s and beamed at him. “You were better than great today,” she murmured. “You were amazing.”

Something in his chest swelled at her praise. Cameras whirred as he waved at the janitorial crew. Everyone was yelling at them to look this way or that, but Charlotte kept her eyes focused on him, a wily smile on her face. He laughed at her cheekiness.

Having navigated the maze of media, her security team steered them toward the doors leading to the private parking lot. The area was blessedly empty.

“Give us a minute,” Noah said to her bodyguards.

Charlotte nodded when both men looked at her for confirmation.

“We need to hustle if you’re going to make that flight,” one of them said, before disappearing through the door.

“Are you going to be okay?” Noah asked once they were alone.

She nodded. “You have a way of making things better.” She reached up and adjusted the collar of his shirt. “Thank you.”

He stepped in closer, instead of doing what he should—take a giant step back. Way back. With a soft sigh, she leaned in, closing the remaining space between their bodies.

“I like your other thank you technique,” he murmured against the corner of her lips.

“You said you wouldn’t initiate a kiss again unless I begged,” she whispered.

“I lied.”

Noah had asked for these few minutes to reassure himself she was alright. But now all he could think about was kissing her. The little hum of pleasure she made when his mouth settled over hers detonated something inside him. He tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her mouth so he could take what he wanted like a marauding pirate.

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