Page 32 of Marrying a Spy

He couldn’t help but remember what it was like to touch her smooth, fair skin. Or how it felt to press his lips against hers.

Her brows furrowed, and her gaze dipped down to his lips. Was she thinking the same thing?

Was it possible? Could she forgive him? Could he have the life that he’d convinced himself he didn’t deserve?

He wanted to ask her. To tell her the truth about everything. His chest squeezed as the desire flooded his body.

“You know what, I should finish some paperwork.” Rebecca held the towel out to Sophia. “Here, would you like to dry?”

“Sure,” Sophia said as she stepped up to take Rebecca’s place.

Noah’s first instinct was to object. But when her arm brushed his, electricity raced across his skin. He pinched his lips shut. Sure, it would be torture to stand next to her without touching her. But he was willing to make that sacrifice. The last thing he wanted was for her to leave.

They worked in silence until Noah felt he was going to explode. “Did you find a dress?” he asked.

Sophia glanced over at him. He wanted to look into her mesmerizing eyes, but forced himself to study the dish in his hands.

“Yes.” She took the dish from him. He tried to ignore how soft her touch was when her fingers grazed his.

“And?” He peeked over at her to see the contemplative expression on her face.

“It’s…beautiful.”

His heart stuttered. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe because finding a beautiful dress meant she was taking this seriously? As much as he was trying not to read into her statement, he wanted to.

“I can’t wait to see it,” he said, turning to meet her gaze head on.

Her eyebrows rose as she studied him.

So many thoughts were running through his mind as he kept his gaze locked with hers. He wanted to tell her that he had never stopped loving her. That the thought of her smile or the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed had kept him going in the darkest moments of his life.

And, oh, how he wanted to lean forward and kiss her lips. To show her how much she meant to him. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and prove to her that she would never fear again.

“Noah,” she whispered. It sounded like a thought that had escaped her lips.

He stepped closer to her, ignoring the fact that his hands were dripping with water and soap. All he could think about was her. And how she completed every part of him.

When she didn’t move away, he gathered his courage and leaned closer. Fear and excitement were rushing through his body, making him feel light-headed and grounded at the same time.

“Sophia,” he said, loving the way her name felt on his tongue.

Just as he leaned in to kiss her, Rebecca walked into the room.

She blushed. “I’m so sorry,” she said, turning to walk out of the room.

As if Rebecca’s words were the key to break the spell, Sophia blinked and jumped back. She glanced over at Rebecca and shook her head.

“Nonsense. Come in. We…” She glanced back at Noah as if she weren’t sure how to describe what they had just been doing.

“We’re just finishing up,” he said, pulling the plug to the sink and rinsing his hands off. Even though he burned with the desire to pull Sophia into his arms, he kept his distance.

Sophia wasn’t his anymore. He’d hurt her, and he needed to follow her lead. If she didn’t want any of this, he would respect that. He’d gotten wrapped up in the moment. It was totally possible that he’d read more into their interaction than she had intended.

If she wanted to kiss him again, if she wanted to head down that path, he was going to wait for her to show him. It was only fair.

Rebecca kept to the outskirts of the room as if she didn’t believe them. He shot her a smile, and her eyebrows rose. After he dried his hands, he hung the rag on a hook and turned to Sophia.

“We should probably head out. We have another big day tomorrow.”

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