Page 34 of My Kind of Trouble
She waited for that to make her feel shy or giddy or… something. Any normal feeling that a woman should feel from an objectively attractive man looking at her with hunger in his eyes. But nothing came.
It suddenly dawned on Noa that neither of them had spoken a word since she had turned to him.
‘Oh, hey,’ she croaked, feeling a little awkward.
But he seemed to have enough confidence for the both of them and didn’t falter when he said, ‘Hey, I just wanted to say well done today. You did good.’
The unbidden praise made her feel smaller than she had done earlier, with Alex’s hand in hers, encouraging her to make the jump. It didn’t feel like it was coming from the same place, a place where he knew her capabilities and was proud she’d reached for them.
It felt more like surprise that she’d not cracked and run away when she’d gotten scared. The way that his lips tipped up in a slanted line and his eyes widened ever so slightly with the brief shrug of his shoulders. It felt like a man feeling the need to praise a woman for just… doing anything he could. It felt patronising. But, maybe, that was just her overthinking the whole interaction.
She was good at that, after all.
So, pushing through the irritation, she returned his smile, ‘Yeah. You, too.’
‘So, I… uh… I wondered whether you wanted to get a drink some time. Minus the cavalry,’ he asked, gesturing to the table around them.
But, as Noa glanced around them, she realised everyone had disbursed like she’d been preparing to do before he’d stopped her.
Everyone apart from the brooding man with dark features, who still sat burning holes in the side of their heads. Or, more like Marcus’s head. His expression from earlier was replaced by a dark, quiet anger, his shoulders tense and fists clenched on top of the table.
Noa remembered, then, Lola’s words about making his life a little harder whilst he was here. Making him regret ever questioning her ability to do this alone and following her on her solo travels. She realised this would be a great way to push his buttons like she’d planned, and that had the giddiness she’d been waiting for suddenly pulsing through her body. She didn’t know why the thought of Alex riled up excited her, but it did… more than she wanted to admit.
She didn’t need to know why this encounter had gotten a rise out of him, but she could use it to her advantage.
So, turning back to smile sweetly at Marcus, she replied, ‘Yes, it’s a date.’
Chapter 20
Noa
Tes:
How’s the hot girl holiday going?
Noa:
Having the best time EVER! How have I not done this until now?
Tes:
Yaaaaas!!! This iswhat we like to hear.
Remember everything happens for a reason and timing is key.
Anyway, where are we in terms of the three D’s of heartbreak?
Noa:
1) Why do you always have to send a billion text messages instead of just one? 2) ???? Am I supposed to know what that means?
Tes:
Denial, Distraction, and then Dicks, OBVIOUSLY! It’s much like the stages of grief but applies specifically to heartbreak.
Noa:
Obviously. Tes Anderson you really are one of a kind.
