Page 24 of Gifted

Chapter Thirteen

~ Noah ~

Our backs against the bed, Poppy cuddled to me while we curled in front of the fire and listened to music. After we’d eaten dinner, we’d watched While You Were Sleeping and she’d drifted off to sleep herself. I knew she’d be chagrined about that later.

But I also knew I wanted us both to be well-rested when I made her mine—made her more mine. In my head, she was as well as claimed. The more I thought about what I’d told my dad, the more I wanted it to be real, too. I would make it real. I’d put my ring on Poppy’s finger and never let her go.

Everything in me wanted to wake her, to make love to her now, but I’d always been taught to play the long game, and as an adult, I’d carried that into my every day life. This thing with Poppy wasn’t just for now. We had time, even if my dick throbbed to have her right this moment.

Carefully, I lifted her up into bed and tucked her in beneath the thick, downy blankets.

“Noah…” she murmured, half-turning toward me. Her arms were beneath the blankets, and she wasn’t coherent enough to really free them.

My curled fingers brushed her cheek. “Shh, little lamb. Sleep. I’m going to do some work. Then I’ll climb in with you.”

“But…”

I skimmed my lips over her forehead. “Tomorrow morning. Promise. It’ll be the best Christmas present ever.”

“Mine, too. M’kay,” she muttered into her pillow. That alone told me she was mostly asleep. Otherwise, she’d have protested the delay more than she did.

My own body wasn’t pleased by it, either, letting me know painfully. After turning off the music stream on my laptop, I closed the lid and slid it under my arm. After snapping up the key to our room, I headed down the passage to the alcove where I’d called Shirley last night.

Taking a deep breath as I settled into one of the wingback chairs, I closed my eyes with my palms flattened on the closed laptop on my thighs. This was it. The turning point. Things had changed between me and Poppy since getting stranded here, moving even further forward this morning. But this step would close the door on my life before this trip.

Without thinking about it too much, I pulled up my email and banged out my resignation to Rutgers, effective immediately. I assured him I’d see the student in my care back to the States, but that I would not be returning to the school to teach. It would be a lie to claim I didn’t feel a bit of glee about putting him in a difficult position over the holidays. Merry Christmas, asshole. Consider this payback for all the shit you’ve pulled on me over the years.

Smiling, I made sure the message sent then closed the device. As I reclined back, I stared out the large windows before me. My image shone back at me, the corridor’s lighting obscuring the view of the street below. In the reflection, I saw a figure approaching. One of the men from the pub dropped down into the chair opposite me.

“Hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I needed to get away from that crew I’m with. You’re American, right? Here with your wife?”

“Right.”

“Thought so. I’m Kurt. Obviously, American, too.”

I nodded with a polite smile. “Noah.”

“Cool. Hey, this weather has been shit, ‘scuse my language. Kinda screwed our skiing plans. But our friend runs the slopes we’re going to, and he’s coming to shuttle us over there for tomorrow afternoon. It’ll be closed to the public, so it’ll just be our group which will be awesome. If you and your wife want to come, there’ll be room in the shuttle.”

“You sure?” Poppy had said she’d never been skiing and this might be a good opportunity for her to try it before Colorado. Plus, it would be a great outing whether we hit the slopes or not.

“Definitely. I guess he usually shuttles bigger groups than ours. We’re leaving at one. No pressure.” He laughed, holding up his palms. “If you want to go, just meet us down there by then.”

“Thanks for the invite. That’s nice of you. I’ll talk it over with…my wife. We’ll be down there a little before one if we’re coming along.” I really, really liked referring to her that way. Every time just cemented that I’d make it happen.

“Sounds like a plan. I guess I better get back there before they come yelling for me. Buncha yahoos.”

He’d barely just gotten here, but I didn’t point that out. “Okay. See you tomorrow, hopefully.”

“Yeah, see you.” He was off as quickly as he’d gotten here.

I gave a small shake to my head. I guess we had more plans for tomorrow. More than me giving Poppy gifts and making love to her.

Anticipation filling me, I strolled back down the hallway. Without turning on the lights, I undressed by the illumination of the electric fireplace. Tonight, I didn’t bother with my sweatpants and T-shirt. I craved to feeling of Poppy against me. Fuck, I’d already be under the covers with her, if not for needing to send that email.

After flicking off the fireplace, I slid beneath the blankets with my soon-to-be fiancée—I hadn’t told her about that yet, about telling my dad that we were engaged. That was okay. As far as I was concerned, it would be the truth by the time we got to Colorado. Not only would it be the truth, but we might be well on the well to being a family, too.

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