Page 38 of My Kind of Trouble
As they began to walk away, Alex instantly felt more relaxed. He was trying not to read too much into his reaction just now, but it couldn’t mean anything good, that’s for sure. Ignoring the fact that his feelings for Noa Drake probably stretched beyond the boundaries of friendship was getting harder and harder.
As they made their way back through the town, down the busy streets, Noa incessantly tried to guess what he had to give her. Impatient little thing. He just watched her and smiled at her animated babbling, because seeing her relaxed and happy, with her guard down, might just be his new favourite thing.
Once they reached the beach, they both settled on the sand. Alex pulled the clothbound notebook out of his rucksack and handed it to her, suddenly realising that, maybe, this wastoo much. Maybe, she had her own process, and she wouldn’t like it. Or, maybe, she would just think it was childish, stupid, or cringey. Any of those words likely fit. It wasn’t as if he knew anything about how to write a book. She just looked up at him with wide, questioning eyes as she took it from his grip.
‘I thought you could use this to write. Number twelve on your list, right?’
She swallowed hard, his eyes tracking the movement of her throat. He wished he could trace the trail it took with his hips and see how she would react, to see if her pulse would race as he reached her pulse point, and then…
‘How… how do you remember all of this?’ Noa stuttered, breaking through his thoughts and bringing him out of his daydream.
‘Oh, Trouble. I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you,’ he joked, trying not to let his current desire bleed into his voice.
But the hoarse words betrayed him. She didn’t seem to notice, though, and just rolled her pretty blue eyes at him.
‘Nowwho’s being the dramatic one?’
‘Do you like it? If it’s not what you want to use for writing, then that’s okay. It was just an idea. I saw it and I thought of you.’
‘You thought of me?’
‘I think of you, Noa.’
A sudden tension surrounded them. Unspoken words that neither of them were willing to spill. Noa licked her juicy bottom lip and bit into it. She had no idea what that did to him. After a few moments of them locking eyes and just taking each other in, Noa finally broke the silence. He was glad she did, because he could’ve sworn he was about to kiss her otherwise.
‘This is so thoughtful, Alex. You are thoughtful. Thank you for this and everything else. I really mean it.’
‘Careful, Trouble. I’ll start to think you actually like me.’
‘Don’t push it,’ she teased, trying to look serious.
He loved this side of them. The easy banter that they always had.
‘You could start writing now, whilst you’re travelling. I can’t think of a time when you’ll be more inspired.’
She nodded at him. Her eyes looked glassy.
‘I will,’ she whispered, like she didn’t want to let anyone else in on this moment between them.
The rest of the day passed, as did the next and the one after that. Every day Alex could find Noa, at one point or another, with her head down in her book, scribbling away. She would have her tongue sticking out, deep in concentration, and it was adorable.
Soon enough, another week had passed, and their Thai adventure came to an end. And, this time, as they boarded their flight from Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City, he did not feel like the girl next to him hated him. And nothing had ever felt so good.
Chapter 22
Noa
Four white walls with four sets of bunk beds pushing against them welcomed her and Alex to their hostel. Noa closed the door as they entered and turned to Alex where he stood completely still, just taking it in. Bags were strewn all over the place and shoes littered the floor, a hazard Noa had come to predict when it came to late night toilet trips. A travel-sized washing line was tied between two bunks, someone’s once white washing hanging from it. Lola and the others had all stopped by the expedition stand whenthey’d arrived, not wanting to miss it before they closed, but Noa wished she wasn’t the only one bearing witness to this.
Alex was almost catatonic next to her, and she rubbed his back, trying to stifle the laugh that wanted to break free from her chest. This had to have been the best idea she’d had yet. As an almost-distressed whimper slipped free from Alex’s lips, Noa had to dip her head and bite her lip so she didn’t give her satisfaction away.
When they had arrived at the hostel in Ho Chi Minh, Alex agreed to stay in a shared dorm for the first time during their stay, and she could tell the thought pained him. Noa knew that he liked his own space, but he was adamant on proving a point.
‘You know, you really don’t have to do this. You can stay in the comfort of your posh little single if you want,’ she teased.
He shook his head, either at her or, maybe, trying to shake off the image in front of him. She couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t that he was a snob. The opposite, actually. But Alex had always been a little bit of a clean freak. When they were younger, he’d follow her and Ryan into their home and, as they flung off their shoes in all directions, he’d pick them up to line them up along the hallway.
Dorms, she had discovered so far, were loud and chaotic and were only as clean as their messiest occupant.
