Page 53 of Wild Desire

He raised a brow. "Don't roommates eat dinner sometimes by themselves?"

I cleared my dry throat. "Sure. Sometimes."

Oliver elbowed me. "Relax. I'm just giving you a hard time. If you can't handle my ribbing, you're not going to be able to withstand everyone else's curiosity."

I needed to relax. Act like Noelle was just my assistant and not my girlfriend that I was introducing to my family for the first time. "I was hoping Noelle could be friends with the significant others. She's already friends with Tori, but she could use more fun in her life."

Oliver grinned. "That's a better excuse. They'll totally buy that."

"It's not an excuse."

He leveled me with a look. "There's nothing wrong with liking Noelle."

"You know I can't act on it. My life is elsewhere, and hers is most definitely here. She just signed a year-long contract to make donuts for Eli."

Oliver shook his head. "I hadn't thought about that. But if you want to make it happen, you can."

I grabbed a glass and filled it with water. When I returned to Oliver's side, I said, "I don't even know if she feels the same."

"We thought she had a crush on you in high school." Oliver tipped his head in Noelle's direction where she was huddled with the other women laughing about something or the other.

"A heads-up would have been nice." Then maybe I wouldn't have been so blindsided by that kiss.

"I guess we thought you knew. But maybe you only had eyes for cheerleaders back then."

"Yeah, I was an idiot." Since I was a professional snowboarder, women flocked to me, and it had gotten old. I wanted more of a connection with someone. I wanted what I had with Noelle. But what if she didn't see it? What if she couldn't get over that awkward kiss?

13

NOELLE

I'd met everyone over time from working at the lodge and the fundraiser I helped organize in December.

The girls were talking about the family dynamics and how everyone was so loud and boisterous at these events.

"Can you imagine what it will be like in a few years when everyone's married with kids?" Tori asked, and my heart clenched.

It was a good reminder that everyone was settling down. Soon, they would be getting married and having kids. I'd have to be okay with being the sole one without a significant other. Could I hang out with these women and watch Killian bring another woman home?

The pain in my chest was so great; it was difficult to breathe.

"We're so glad you're here tonight. Soon, we'll outnumber the men," Carolina said.

Addison nodded. "You'll have to have all girls."

Scarlett nodded seriously. "Yes, that will tip the scales in our favor."

"I'm not sure that we're ready to add to our brood quite yet. Dakota's been talking about it. But we want to make sure she's settled before we make too many more changes. We onlyrecently got engaged, and we want to enjoy things just as they are," Addison said, her gaze shifting to Walker, who stood next to Eli.

"When are you thinking of getting married?" Tori asked Scarlett, and the conversation spun to wedding talk.

The talk of weddings made me feel very much alone. I'd avoided relationships over the years, but I knew this was going to happen eventually. I'd be left behind. But I had so many things to do and accomplish before I could even think of settling down. Then there was the issue that I couldn't seem to look past Killian.

"Speaking of relationships, is there anything going on between you and Killian?" Tori nudged me with her shoulder.

I frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Um." Tori looked at the other women. "You're living together now and spending all your free time with each other."

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