Page 8 of Love Unexpected

Noah and I laugh along at his stories, the tension lifting more and more. Then, as if the world slows down, Noah turns his smile on me—a genuine, heartfelt smile that catches me off guard. And then he winks. My heart skips a beat, and a rush of warmth floods through me. I nearly melt in my seat. Noah turns his attention back to Mr. Adachi, but I can’t stop myself from staring at Noah for a few seconds longer. The feelings I have for this man is going to get me into trouble.

Mr. Adachi excuses himself to make another announcement on stage. While I watch him climb up the steps, Noah leans over and whispers in my ear. “You’re doing great. He is absolutely loving you. Keep charming him.”

All I can manage in response is a polite smile and a slight nod of my head. I'm overwhelmed by a mix of flattery and excitement. The encouragement from him is thrilling, though.

The dinner plates are cleared, and dessert is served. Shortly after, the dance floor is opened and the atmosphere shifts as the sound of a live jazz band fills the room. To my surprise, Mr. Adachi invites me to dance with him, and how could I say no? Miraculously, my nausea has subsided enough for me to enjoy swaying to the music with my dance partner. Our conversations flow seamlessly, feeling genuine and not forced.

While we dance, I can't help but look over in Noah's direction, who watches us with a pleased smile. His approval isobvious in his expression, which makes my heart swell. I am nailing this.

After a few dances and some casual business talk back at the table, the evening begins to wind down. Noah and I say our goodbyes before heading back to the car. I’m buzzing with a sense of accomplishment, but also utter exhaustion at the same time. He wasn’t lying when he said these events can run pretty late.

When Noah shuts the car door behind him, he turns to face me, a bright smile stretching across his face. “You were great tonight. You're truly a natural at schmoozing clients. Steering the conversation to his grandchildren was the perfect move!" His praise wraps around my heart. "Feel free to explore the city tomorrow before our flight Monday morning.”

“Thank you," I reply, unable to contain my smile. "I actually enjoyed myself tonight. He’s genuinely a sweet and humble man. No schmoozing was necessary.”

Noah raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "That's a rare quality in this line of work. He doesn't show that side of himself to just anyone." Noah leans back in the seat and turns his head toward me, and I catch a glimmer of something deeper in his gaze. "I could tell he liked you the second he met you."

I can't help but smile and feel giddy inside. My first real test on the job could not have gone better, and the praise I've received from Noah all night has only added to it. Each compliment has affirmed that I can hold my own around here.

The thrill of the night lingers in my thoughts as we ride in comfortable silence back to our hotel. Again, Noah spends the drive focused on his phone while I lose myself in the views from my window. This time, the silence is comfortable and relaxed.

When we finally arrive at our hotel, it's after midnight. My eyelids are heavy as we ride the elevator up in silence. It has been a long day and I’m ready to crawl under the sheets. We say goodnight and go in opposite directions down the hallway.

I shut my door, locking the top latch, and lean my back against the cool metal. I breathe a sigh of relief as I kick off my heals and place my bare, sore feet on the cool tile floor. The thought of sinking into another hot bath lures me towards the bathroom. But before I reach the room, a sudden, loud knocking on the door startles me.

“What the hell?” I mutter.

Chapter 7

Emma

My heart is thudding in my chest as I unlatch the lock. I swing open the door to find my boss standing there wearing a wide, sexy grin. There’s a wild look in his eyes that catches me off guard. His suit jacket is missing and the first few buttons of his shirt are undone as if he were getting undressed just before he showed up at my door.

“You scared me! What’s going on?” I ask nervously, placing my hand over my frantic heart.

“Youta just called me. He’s in! He’s going to front the money for the hotels,” Noah announces. He brushes past me and enters my suite.

I shut the door behind us and follow him to the living room area. “Oh my God, Noah, that’s great! Sorry, I mean Mr. Lawson. You did it!”

He ignores my unprofessional slip-up, but considering he’s standing in my hotel room right now, I think we’re past professionalism. He takes a few steps toward me. “No, you did it, Emma. You were so great with him. Thank you. Honestly, you have no idea what this means to me.”

His proximity sends flutters in my stomach and I’m having a hard time forming words with the intensity of his gaze. He is breathing heavier. Or maybe that is me breathing heavier. I’m unable to concentrate on anything other than my strong attraction to this man. The air crackles between us.

“It was nothing, really,” I reply softly.

“No, it was not nothing," he insists, his voice deep with admiration and something else? "You went above and beyond for me, and I don’t know how to thank you.”

With every word, the distance between us shrinks, and my pulse quickens in response. He glances down at my lips and I can’t help but to blurt out what’s on my mind. “Kiss me,” I say. Suddenly, his hands envelop both sides of my face, pulling me in for a kiss. My body instinctively responds and I kiss him back with a fervor that surprises even me. His lips are soft and maneuver against mine skillfully. His hold tightens around my face and he angles my head back slightly, deepening the kiss.

I close my eyes and lose myself in the moment. This kiss is everything. His hands slide down to my waist and grip me, pulling me closer to him. I tangle my fingers in his soft hair, just like I had imagined doing earlier, tugging gently at the back of his head. The action stirs something primal in him, making his movements more urgent.

He walks me backward towards the bed, kicking off his shoes along the way, never breaking from the kiss. In one swift motion, he spins me around and places soft kisses along the sensitive curve of my neck. His hot lips against my skin sendsshivers up my spine. His fingers caress my skin as he unzips my dress.

Craving more, I arch my back into him and lean my head against his chest. He places a hand on my stomach to hold me in place and grinds into me. I moan as he begins nipping at my neck before he trails kisses down my back, pulling the dress down with him. The cool air hitting my skin heightens my sensitivity, making my nipples harden. I turn around and fumble with the remaining buttons of his shirt. Noah takes over, ripping the shirt from his body and tossing it on the floor, revealing a gloriously toned chest that steals my breath.

Eagerly, I lean in, capturing his lips with mine once more as I rub my hands over his hard pecs and down his abs. I take my time sliding my hands lower and lower until I reach his belt.

“Oh my God, are we really doing this?” I gasp as he moves my hair over to the side and works his magic on my neck.

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