Page 67 of Finding Noah
“Yes.”
“You asked me what I wanted—after I’d seen those pictures of my boyfriend fucking another man.”
I winced.
“No, you were right. I mean, illegal, but we’ll let that go.”
I nodded.
“All I saw was that I needed to get away. This town seemed as good a place as any to start again.”
“Okay.”
“I knew starting Tips, Tricks, and Back Flips would be tough. But I also knew I had you beside me. With you beside me, I can do anything.”
My gaze swept over our contented dogs—all three of whom were sleeping. “You can do anything. You don’t need me.”
“Maybe. Possibly. Probably.” He pursed his lips. “But why would I go through life alone when I have the most amazing man beside me? He’s offering his heart, soul, and body. He wants to take care of me and, in turn, will have to learn to let me take care of him.”
This time, I pursed my lips. No one had ever taken care of me. I didn’t know what this might entail.
“A partnership.”
“Yes.”
“A love affair.”
My heart soared. “That’s what I see. If you don’t, though—”
He pressed a finger to my lips. “But I do. I see what you’re offering, and I want that too.”
“Oh.”
He chuckled. “Yeah.Oh.”
“What…” I cleared my throat. “What do we do? Do I contact Miss Esmeralda and let her know it’ll be the two of us?”
“Do you want this to be a forever thing?”
“Yes. No hesitation. Yes.” I held his gaze, begging him to respond.
“Well, it’s that way for me as well. Let’s go into this thinking it’s auntil death do us partthing.”
The tightness in my chest loosened. “Yes. That. I want that.” I leaned toward him.
He met me halfway.
We sealed the bargain with a kiss.
Chaste, of course, because a couple had just entered the park. Two men with two kids in a stroller and a dog on the leash.
The dog spotted us and bolted.
Clearly surprised, the guy let go of the leash.
In a flash, Noah handed me the leashes for River and Sable. He leapt up and put himself between the charging poodle and our babies.
The poodle, clearly not expecting this, tried to back up.
