Page 113 of Brim Over Boot
I take a deep breath in the hallway, shaking out my hands. When I push open my partially closed door, I find Noah waiting in front of the window, his fingers intertwined behind his head. He spins to face me, dropping his arms, looking both torn up and frustrated, like his residual anger is still rolling over.
Seeing the man standing inside my bedroom is beyond strange, but I don’t focus on that right now. I shut the door and motion to my bed. “Wanna sit?”
Noah plops down, his big frame making the mattress squeak. “I’m sorry,” he says immediately. “I shouldn’t have rushed in here like that. I just…”
He blows out a breath, and I sit down next to him, feeling incredibly turned around right now. Usually, I’m the one freaking out, and Noah is the one gently talking me down. The reversal is throwing me.
“Guess that answers the question of whether or not your threats to come collect me were real,” I point out.
Noah huffs what might be a laugh. “Very real.”
He drops his elbows to his knees, looking far smaller than usual.
“Is that normal?” he asks. “The…migraines?”
I nod. “They’re bad. I know he doesn’t need me to stay by his side through them anymore. He’s a grown adult, but…”
“But he’s your brother,” Noah fills in. “And it helps if you stay, which is why you do it.”
The simple fact that he gets it has me blinking fast.Fuck.
“You were really upset,” I note.
He doesn’t say anything to that, only looks down at his hands, which are clasped now between his knees. His leg is bouncing, and it strikes me that he’sseriouslyupset. A lot more than I first realized.
“Jesus, Noah. Are you okay?”
He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
I’ll admit I’m the last to understand whatever the fuck is going on between us. I don’t know therightway to help him. To soothe him. I’m still learning. Learning who Noah is and who we are together.
But I go on instinct, tugging his shoulder around, not letting him hide because I have a feeling that’s what he’d do for me. “Come here.”
He doesn’t need telling twice. The second I touch him, Noah all but falls over me, taking me down to the mattress and pressing his body over mine. There’s nothing remotely sexual about it. It’s…possession. Like covering your favorite toy so no one can take it away from you.
His face presses to my neck, his arms on the mattress above my head like he’s blocking out the world.
“Okay?” I ask him, my heart beating double-time, my voice muffled in the cocoon I’ve found myself in.
“Better,” he mumbles.
“What happened? You thought I blew you off?”
“Well, yeah,” he answers. “But more than that, it was the goddamn barn, Colton. It messed with my head.”
I frown. “The barn?”
“I know I overreacted,” he goes on. “But I just…”
He lets out a big, huffing breath, and I rub his back. “I’ll try my best to call or text next time. I promise. I’m sorry, Noah. I didn’t realize…”
I didn’t realize he was this serious about me. Aboutus. To be nearly shaking as he all but pins me to my bed like he’s terrified I’m going to, what—vanish right before his eyes?
“I’m sorry,” I say again, a scared Noah scaringme.
I don’t know when this fucking man switched the narrative, but the last thing I want is to pain Noah King.
Jesus. The Colton of a year ago would have been aghast.
