Page 66 of Defend Me

“You guys heading back to the city?” Caden asks, coming over.

“Yeah,” I say, standing up.

“Don’t go yet,” Caden says. “We were about to have some food.”

“We’ll be back soon,” I promise. “The pretrial hearing is in two weeks.”

“Sebastian may be here for a visit then,” Caden says. “His visa probably won’t get sorted out until after the holidays but we want to get him acquainted with the property. You’ll really like him—I think Dad is more impressed than he’s letting on. They’ve been talking on the phone quite a bit.”

“That’s great,” I say, giving him a mock punch on the arm. “Proud of you, big bro.”

Caden grins. Noah seems a little off. He keeps glancing at me. He’s probably sad to leave Magnolia Bay. I can’t believe he’s notwith Charlotte. I can’t believe I spent a month thinking he had a girlfriend. But I also don’t know what to do with this information. It doesn’tmeananything, except Noah is single when I thought he was partnered.

And yet, somehow, that feels like everything.

“I’ll get changed,” Noah says, grabbing his clothes.

“I’ll get my stuff,” I say. We head up the wide stone steps, through the French doors, into the kitchen. The quiet that descends on us is startling. The cool dim interior contrasts sharply with the raucous laughter out at the pool. Noah’s sunshine-chlorine scent surrounds me.

“Thanks for today,” he says softly, placing his clothes on one of the stools by the island near my briefcase.

“It was nothing,” I insist.

“It wasn’t nothing,” he says. He takes a step closer to me and I swear my blood halts in my veins. “I got to see my friends again. It was incredibly thoughtful.”

“You know me,” I say with a poor attempt at sarcasm. “Ms. Thoughtful.”

“You’re going to help Jake,” Noah says. I nod. “Stan made a good point. A lot of people could benefit from your skills. You’re a really good lawyer, Von.”

“I know,” I say, and he chuckles.

“Grayson was right.”

“About what?”

“I’m lucky to have you on my side.”

I swallow hard. His gaze burns into mine, the flecks of gold in his brown eyes shimmering like sunlight on water. “I don’t know how else I would have been able to brave this nightmare. I know I’m disrupting your life, invading your space?—”

“Hey,” I say, cutting him off. “Stop.” I put a hand on his shoulder, his skin cool and damp. “You’re not…I don’t mind you invading my space. And Iwantto help. I wouldn’t want anyoneelse taking this case. You know I’m not one for sitting on the sidelines.”

Noah shoots me a crooked smile. “That’s an understatement.”

The space between us is charged with tension, thick and sizzling. I am deeply aware of the way his chest moves with each breath, of the hard curve of his muscle beneath my palm, of how his gaze seems to melt away my defenses.

The dent between his brows softens. The way he’s looking at me right now, I don’t feel like his lawyer. I don’t feel like his best friend’s sister. As Noah’s warm brown eyes dip to my mouth, the tension coiling inside me tightens. There’s a faint throb between my legs. I should pull my hand away. I should stop touching him.

“Von,” he says softly, and his voice whispers over my skin. My heart is too loud in my ears. My brain is all mixed up. He’s my client. He’s Caden’s best friend. He is off limits.

Noah leans closer to me, a movement so small it’s almost imperceptible.

A flicker of desire crackles up my spine. My lips part.

Suddenly, there’s a huge splash and shrieks of laugher from outside break us apart. Alistair has pulled Finn into the pool, clothes and all, laughing hysterically as Finn chases him through the water in his waterlogged suit.

I turn around in time to see Noah fleeing the kitchen with his clothes in hand.

I slump against the island, my pulse pounding in my throat.

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