Page 74 of Fall From Grace

“Giving you another adventure,” he answered with his hand stretched out for mine. “Come on, this one will be in the rain.”

“Are you crazy? It’s the first of December and it’s freaking cold out!” I screamed as he took my hand and pulled me out into the rain. I hunched my shoulders up and laughed as he pulled me into his wet clothes and spun me around before lifting me over his head.

“You make a good umbrella,” he teased.

“It’s freakin’ cold!” I shivered as he placed my boots on his and started moving us to the music.

“You’re not shaking from the cold, you’re shaking because you love me so much.”

I threw my head back and giggled. “You say the stupidest things.” When I met his eyes, I whispered, “How do I fall for everything you say?”

“Because… I’ve been working on me since we were kids so that I could have you and keep you when we got older.” I wrapped my arms around him. “I’ve also been working you over too since we were kids.”

“Good Lord, what are you two doing out here in this freezing rain?” Janet yelled from the porch. I turned back to see her smiling at us like we were crazy.

We ran for the porch where Noah childishly pushed me back over and over to keep me in the rain. “Noah, I’m gonna kick your butt,” I huffed.

He snorted while Dean chuckled in the doorway. “I don’t think it’d be wise to pick a fight with someone his size,” Janet informed me.

“Mind telling us what you guys were doing dancing in the rain?” Dean said, stepping aside so that we could all come inside.

“Someone made me promise her adventures in exchange for being her friend.” Noah looked at me after he spoke.

“Sounds like a smart girl,” Janet said with a wink.

I wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m freezing!”

“Have Noah give you a change of clothes and I’ll dry those before you leave.”

Noah took my hand and led me upstairs after pulling off our boots. I peeled my wet jacket off as he shut the door and tore out of his hoodie. “I’m freezing thanks to you,” I nagged. “Give me something to wear.”

“How about I warm you up?” He turned me around to face him and started lifting my shirt.

“What about Dean and Janet?” I whispered, already sounding breathy.

“The door’s locked.” He bent down and kissed my neck as he unhooked my bra next. Once it fell to the floor, he stood back and stared before he bent down and started tearing me out of my pants. The next thing I knew, I was naked and being thrown on the bed as he towered over me.

There was a knock on the door. “If you hand me the clothes, I’ll dry them,” Janet called through the door.

I smiled up at him. “I knew this would happen.”

He sighed and climbed off me as I grabbed a blanket and covered it around me as I walked to his dresser to grab something to put on. I chose some jogging pants and a black t-shirt. It was so obvious I didn’t have a bra on but my bra was wet too. I put my panties back on though and handed the rest to her to dry.

Once she headed back downstairs, Noah wrestled me back down on the bed where we ended up talking. “So, you want to be a mechanic?” I asked him.

He placed his head in his palm as he lay on his side and made circles with his fingers across my stomach. “I like to be hands-on with my work so yeah, I wouldn’t mind opening my own place later on down the road. I’ve never seen myself at a desk or behind a computer, that’s just not me… Does that bother you?” he asked.

“Why would it? I’m just a little envious that you know what you want and I don’t have a clue.”

“You used to go around yelling that you’d be a teacher like your mom, what happened?”

“Um… I realized how crappy students were?” I offered, and he laughed. “Mom does have a way of making it seem fun though,” I drifted off as I stared at the ceiling.

We ended up napping again. I felt like we were already one of those old couples that fell asleep any and everywhere together. It was hard not to when I always felt the most at peace with Noah.

Maybe that should be our slogan…Couples that nap together, stays together.

I hadn’t realized I had left my cell phone in the Jeep until he was taking me home. When I grabbed it, I panicked at all the missed calls from Dad’s cell. I had a text from Mom two hours ago that read:

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