Page 112 of Echoes of Us

“For fuck’s sake,” Holly’s exasperated voice interrupted us.

A server behind her opened the bottle of champagne while another placed glasses on the table. She turned towards them, and Noah kissed me again quickly.

“I love you,” he said, turning towards the table.

I loved him too. Everything felt better with him close to me. I reached into my pocket and felt the little bag sitting there. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. If it was with him, nothing sounded like a bad idea. I tugged on his arm, and he turned to look at me. I kept pulling until he was close enough for me to talk in his ear.

“I’ll do it,” I told him, grabbing his hand and placing the bag in it.

He stared down at his hand, then back up at me, a smile spreading across his face. “Seriously?” he asked, excitement evident.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” I said, pulling him closer. “Just this once, okay?”

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before looking down atthe bag. He turned his body to shield his actions from view. I watched as he opened the bag and sucked his pinky into his mouth before dipping it into the powder. He held it to my lips, his eyes locked on mine with a predatory gleam.

I hesitated, then took his hand, giving him one last look before placing his finger in my mouth. The taste of it spread across my tongue. I swallowed, trying to wash it away, as he repeated the process for himself. He closed the bag and handed it to Holly before turning back to me. His hands were warm on my cheeks as he kissed me. He tasted bitter too.

“You’re going to love this, Atty. I’ve got you. We’ll ride it together,” he said, kissing me again and slipping his tongue past my lips.

My heart raced with nerves. There was no turning back now.

Holly coaxed me into drinking a couple of glasses of champagne, hoping the alcohol would steady my racing heart. Noah talked and joked with his friends, but his hand never left mine. I had no real idea what to expect—only vague memories of what Chase had told me. I barely remembered any of it now.

Time passed, and I started to relax in the chair, listening to their conversation and trying to ignore the nagging feeling in my chest.

My hands felt cold.

I rubbed my fingers together, trying to warm them. My chest was shivering, but I wasn’t cold. At least I didn’t think I was. Maybe it was the music thumping; it seemed to be getting louder.

I moved my hand into Noah’s. His skin felt cold, too, and my hand shook in his. I clasped it tightly and reached my other one to the skin on his wrist. It felt silky and smooth. His icy fingers grazed my cheek and held my gaze with an intensity that made my heart skip. I clenched my jaw to stop the shivering. The music grew louder. I cleared my throat andshifted in my seat. A smile grew on Noah’s lips. His face seemed brighter. A shiver ran through my back, and I closed my eyes.

“Hey,” Noah said in my ear.

My heart was racing. I looked down at my hand and saw it trembling. I looked back at him, panic rising in my chest.

“It’s okay. It’s kicking in. It’ll feel really strong, and then it’ll start coming down.” He pushed up from the couch, grabbed my hands, and urged me to stand with him.

I couldn’t stop shaking. “Noah.” I licked my lips. My legs felt shaky. The lights were getting brighter.

“It’s okay, this is okay. You’re safe, trust me.” His breath was hot on my cheek. “Come with me, let’s go down. It’ll feel better.”

He guided me, walking before me. I stumbled slightly, my feet unsteady, the shivering uncontrollable. My jaw clenched tightly as I grasped his hand.

He guided me down the stairs into the throng of dancing bodies. The air was thick with heat and movement, but I still felt cold. Noah turned to face me, his eyes darker, pupils dilated. I watched his tongue dart across his lip before he moved closer, pulling me into his arms.

His hands cradled my face, his breath warm and soothing in my ear. “I’ve got you, babe. Just come with me. Dance with me. Hold me as hard as you want,” he murmured.

My mouth felt dry, and I swallowed thickly, trying to moisten it.

As Noah swayed against me, I clung to him, my eyes closed. He felt warm. If I could just absorb his warmth, I might stop feeling like this. I leaned on his lips and kissed him. His mouth was hot, wonderfully hot. I ran my hands on his back. His shirt felt amazing, cool and textured, almost like it was caressing me back. Noah kissed my jaw, pulling my hair.

“I love it when you do that,” I whispered, shivering as hebit down on my earlobe. I engulfed him, needing to feel him pressed hard against me.

“You’re so fucking hot,” he breathed in my ear.

The music seemed to swell, the beat reverberating through my body as the shaking continued. I dug my fingers into his back, eliciting a moan from him.

“Dance with me. It’ll feel better, I promise,” he urged, guiding me to the rhythm.

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