Page 78 of One Last Time
Out? No. We can’t go anywhere in public. Not happening. People will photograph us, and I’ve seen firsthand how people behave around celebrities. It’s as if all self-control doesn’t exist. People scream, cry, jump around . . . it’sinsane.
Noah already has his keys in his hand and I’m still sitting at the table. “Kris?”
“I’m not sure us going out is such a great idea,” I say as I clasp my hands in front ofme.
“Because?”
“Because you’re Noah Frazier,” I say with my browsraised.
“And you’re KristinMcGee.”
Oh, how funny this man thinks he is. “You know what Imean.”
Noah puts the keys in his pocket and comes closer. “Right now, we’re the only ones who know anything. Your friends, your family, my family are all in the dark. What people do know, is that you’re a reporter and I’m an actor. I told you that we need to eat because people do that. If it raises suspicion, I’ll get it squashed. My people are very good. If you want to stay here, know that you’ll be naked beneathme. . .”
I roll my eyes. “You’reridiculous.”
“You’regorgeous.”
“Again,ridiculous.”
His fingers brush across my neck and down my throat. “You choose, sweetheart. I’m happy to stay here, strip you, kiss every glorious inch of your body, or we can go out and deal withpeople.”
My body tingles at his promises because Lord knows I’m a cat in heat around this man. “People itis.”
He smirks. “You can’t resistme.”
That is a fact. “You’re no better. Let’s go loverboy.”
Noah lets out a low chuckle. “I’ll make good on thatlater.”
We head out the door without losing any clothing but gaining a lot of nerves. I’m not sure what we are, but he knows I’m in no way ready to make this a label. Right now, we’re having mind-blowing sex, enjoying being together, and for the first time in over fourteen years, I feel like I havechoices.
I may be alone, have a job that is ridiculous, and be a single mom, but losing the two hundred pounds of asshole husband was the best decision I ever made. Leaving may have been hard, but staying would’ve destroyedme.
Plus, I wouldn’t be having the best time of my life withNoah.
“You okay?” Noah asks as he turns into the parking lot of the restaurant we went to for our firstmeeting.
I shift my body and decide I need to speak what’s in my heart. “I like you, Noah. I like you and I like what we have going here.” My voice is full ofworry.
“I like you, too,” hesmiles.
“I worry that I’m going to like you too much and then I’ll wish I had stayedaway.”
Noah shrugs and releases a breath out of his nose. “I can’t promise anything just like you can’t, but you’re not the only one who worries about this. I can tell you that being around is what I want. We have no guarantees, but at the same time, I would rather risk it all than look back withregrets.”
“You think you’d regret walking away from me?” I ask with a racingheart.
Each time I’m around him, I realize how wonderful he is. He doesn’t have a problem being vulnerable with me. It’s a rarity that I treasure more than he’ll everknow.
“I want to kiss your lips right now, show rather than say the words, but I know without a doubt that I couldn’t have walked away. I’m telling you that you’re the first girl in over twenty years that I’ve talked to my mother about. I know you’re scared, sweetheart, but a life without risk isn’t one worth living. One day, I want to see the mistrust disappear from your eyes, and I’ll only be able to do that withtime.”
My throat goes dry and tears well up on my lashes. “I want to trust you. I do trust you more than you mightthink.”
Noah’s lips move into a small grin. “Then trust that I won’t put you in a position I can’t get you out of. If I thought this place was swimming with reporters, we would have stayed home. But, look.” He ducks his head to look out the windshield, and I follow his movements. “It’s empty, it’s a small step, will you walk it withme?”
I realize right then he’s asking for more than just one thing. If I say no, he’ll turn around and we’ll leave, but if I go with him, it’s sayingmore.
