Page 18 of Numbers Boy
“I’ve been taking pictures of you for how long, Stevie? I know what to do.” Stu takes a few from slightly different angles, and then we pick one to send.
Me: I love the shirt! Stacy and I did coordinated outfits earlier, but I figured I’d change before going out. *image attached*
Noah: *mindblown emoji* *flame emoji* are you leaving everyone in a heap behind you? You are drop-dead gorgeous.
Noah: And how the fuck do you walk in those things???
Me: Thanks, but no one has fallen at my feet just yet. *winky face emoji* And I’ve had a lot of practice with the heels.
Noah: Well everyone you’re with is clearly blind. If you need someone to kneel for you, you just let me know
Butterflies flutter in my stomach, my head going fuzzy again as I let his words sink in. There are a few different ways I could take them, each of them more suggestive than the last. And it’s been… a pathetically long time since I’ve had a guy on their knees for me in any way, shape, or form. I try to keep the sheer giddiness I feel from Noah flirting with me at bay, but it doesn’t want to stay put. Fortunately, he’s not here to see how much he affects me. I take a deep breath, blowing it out slowly before playing it cool over text.
Me: I’ll keep that in mind
Me: Now go get back to your movie night. You can’t keep the girls and Blake waiting.
Noah: The younger girls fell asleep during the last movie, but I’m sure Blake and Amy are waiting to ask me what’s taking so long
Me: Good luck with that
Noah: Thanks, I’ll need it. Enjoy the rest of your night.
Me: *kissy face emoji* good night
I look up from my phone to find Stu watching me with an odd expression on his face.
“What’s that look for?” I ask, slipping my phone into my pocket, smile still firmly in place from how well my pics were received.
“You look happy,” he says, a small smile quirking his lips. “It’s nice to see, especially since the last time we were here, your texts led to us heading out early.”
I think back to last fall when all of us came out for Halloween. I was still with Adam, even though I knew things felt off. He never wanted to do group activities with the Working Boys, so he had chosen not to come. Then a few hours in, my phone had started blowing up with texts about how I was choosing Stu over him, and how could I leave him alone? No amount of pointing out that he hadn’t wanted to come out had helped, so eventually, I asked Stu if we could just go. My stomach gives a familiar lurch at how mad Adam had been when I got back to the apartment, accusing me of being unfaithful and slut-shaming my costume. Like he had any grounds to talk when it came to being unfaithful.
Stu lays a hand on my arm, and I jolt back to the present.
“Hey,” he says quietly, just above the pounding bass of the club music. “You’re done with him. And Noah seems like a great guy. What did he say about your outfit?”
My stomach goes back to happy flutters, and I let out a laugh. “He said I looked drop-dead gorgeous and asked how I could walk in my heels.”
“Yeah, I’ve known you for years, and I still don’t get it. You and Henry amaze me every time we go out.” Stu laughs and slings his arm around my waist. “Now, let’s celebrate you finding someone who might actually be worthy of you.”
MY BODY HEATSas I lie back on my couch, legs hanging off the edge and eyes watching Noah slowly walk toward me. A few feet away, he drops to his knees and closes the remaining gap by crawling, his whiskey brown eyes glowing in the low light. His gaze travels down my body, and I realize that I’m completely naked aside from my heels. For a second, my gut swoops in shock, but it quickly turns to desire when I turn my gaze back to the man in front of me.
I spread my legs in invitation, beckoning him forward with my body, but his hands only briefly skim along my thighs as he leans in to press kisses against my stomach. He then works his way to my hands, warm breath fanning across my skin. His mouth on my fingers is colder than I expected, and I squirm slightly. As I do, his mouth opens, and his tongue shifts to that of a wolf, slithering along my arm and then up to my face in long, wet swipes.
Wait, what?
I blink my eyes open and see Stacy sitting next to the couch. Her tongue is lolling out of her mouth in a doggy grin, and she licks along my arm again. I laugh at myself as I rub the sleep out of my eyes.
“That’ll teach me to fall asleep while reading a book Henry picked out.” My voice is groggy with sleep as I mutter to myself, sitting up and moving the book off where it’s still lying on my chest to the side table. “Who knew shifter smut was so detailed?”
Stacy whines, and I realize why she woke me up in the first place.
“Sorry, girl, let’s get you out for a walk.”
We quickly get ready and head out into the snowy morning. It’s not until I see a familiar set of broad shoulders under a just-as-familiar jacket that I realize we went toward Bark Avenue dog park. And I’m nowhere near as put together as I usually am.
Stacy lets out a greeting bark, and Noah turns to face us.
