Page 68 of Fractured Trust

She closed her mouth with a snap, her eyes searching his. She must have seen something she liked because the faintest of smiles curled her lips, even as her flush deepened. “Okay, Noah Taylor. I’ll look forward to hearing why. That is, if you ever get around to actually asking me on a date.” She looked up at him through her long lashes and bit her plump bottom lip as if she were trying to hold in an even bigger smile. And he was done for.

“I… uh, I…” Dammit, he’d never been lost for words in front of a girl before.

The smile she’d been holding in came bursting through, and she laughed with an almost shocked delight—as if she couldn’t believe his reaction. He stared at her, entranced.

“Well, let me know when you’re ready to ask me. I’d really like to know about my name,” she said, before turning on her heel, shooting him another smile over her shoulder, this one an intoxicating mix of shyness and newfound confidence at the knowledge she’d rendered him speechless.

He let his head tip back, stared up at the blue sky, and groaned. This girl was going to drive him crazy; he could feel it already. And he thought he just might love it.

Blowing out a breath, he looked back down and called out to her retreating back. “Wait! Summer, wait!”

Noah leaned back in his chair as the bus rumbled into life beneath him, a rueful smile pulling at his lips. He’d been right, back then. He’d never been the same after that.

Chapter 34

“Ican’t bear it Eden, how are you so calm?” Summer asked, her eyes on the clock hanging on the wall between their desks.

“What you’re mistaking for calmness is actually my ‘I can’t let even a little bit of how excited I am that Tex is back tonight show, because I’ll be bouncing off the walls and completely useless for the next three hours’ expression.”

Summer laughed, her eyes darting back to the clock again. She and Noah had spoken every night since she’d gone to see him, but even hearing his voice every day wasn’t enough. She was desperate to see him, to wrap her arms around him, to press her lips to his and feel his scruff against her cheeks. To feel it everywhere… She shivered. She’d have to give the poor guy a few hours after he got back to decompress before she jumped him.

Her smile faded. It had been hard, these two weeks; hard putting her heart back on the line. Knowing this time, she was risking Noah’s heart too. She’d scheduled an extra session with Dr. Jameson each week just to talk through everything. But as difficult as it had been, it wasn’t as bad as she remembered from when she was younger. She didn’t know if it was the therapy, the fact she was more mature, or that maybe time had worked its magic—or Noah had workedhismagic—and trust was finally growing. Either way, she was going to take it as a win. Evidence that she could do this, that she could be the person she’d always wanted to be. That she and Noah could have the future they’d once dreamed of.

Exhaling heavily, she shook her head. She just had to get through the next three hours, and she’d be in his arms again. Luckily, she received a few phone calls in a row, which kept her busy and distracted. When Eden looked over at her, smile bright and excited, Summer checked the clock, then smiled back, nerves making her pulse pound.

Eden stood up. “Come on, let’s go.”

Summer jumped up, grabbed her purse, and followed Eden out the door. She drove her own car, so she could take Noah straight home afterward. Now that they were officially in a relationship, she wasn’t sure how things were going to work. She didn’t know if he’d want her to stay the night, or if he’d like some time on his own after being crammed into a tour bus with three other guys for two months. So she was going to let him lead and tell her what he needed and do her best to be happy either way. Right now, she was just overjoyed to have him home.

They pulled into the parking lot at the depot where the tour convoy was due to arrive. After locking their cars, Summer and Eden walked over to stand in the shade of the building while they waited. Noah had messaged Summer earlier to let her know they were running on time, so it would only be a few minutes before she saw him again.

Summer did her best to chat normally to Eden, but considering they were both as distracted as each other, their conversation was less than scintillating. By the time the security guard hit the button that set the big gate to rattling open and the first bus turned into the parking lot, Summer could barely breathe with excitement and nerves.

Bus after bus pulled into the lot, filling the air with heat and the pungent smell of diesel. By the time the big black one with the blue writing on the side pulled in, crew members had started piling off the others, unloading luggage and equipment. Shouts and laughter surrounded her as people milled around, but Summer’s gaze was fixed on the band’s bus as it drew to a stop not too far from where she and Summer were standing. The sound of the compression brakes was quickly followed by the door whooshing open.

Without conscious volition, Summer’s feet were moving, relief and happiness singing through her veins when Noah was first to step off the bus. Her feet stuttered to a stop when their eyes met, the intensity of Noah’s gaze freezing her in place. He dropped the bag he was carrying, took two long strides forward, and buried his hands in her hair. Then his lips were on hers, hot and insistent. She whimpered, joy, and lust, and love bubbling up in her chest, about ready to explode from her at being with him with again.

He pulled back just far enough to whisper, “You’re here. Eleven years later and you’re here.”

Understanding hit Summer and emotion choked her. Eleven years ago, she’d stood and watched him leave on his first tour, but she hadn’t been waiting for him when he got back. And now here they were. Together. Finally.

She pressed her mouth to his again. A soft kiss this time. One full of promise.

Eventually, they broke apart, and Noah cupped her cheek. “I’ve missed you so fucking much, Summer.”

“I’ve missed you too. So much.”

He scanned the parking lot. “Do you have your car?”

“Yeah, Eden and I drove over separately.”

“Perfect, let’s go.”

“Oh, shouldn’t I say hello to the other gu—”

“Nope, you can say hi tomorrow, or the next day, or whenever I let you come up for air.”

She laughed at the urgency in his voice. “Okay, let’s go.”

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