Page 107 of The Boy I Once Hated

I flush deeper, just thinking about everything he did to me, three times, last night.

"A little sore," I admit, and he reaches up his other hand between us and softly runs it across my collarbone, goosebumps emanating from his touch.

"That's too bad. Now that I've gotten a taste, I just want more." He presses against me more and slides a soft kiss across my lips.

Suddenly there's a loud bang coming from down the hall. We both stiffen, and that’s enough of a reminder of the fact that other people live in the house to get me jumping out of the bed, pulling on some clothes.

Noah looks completely unworried. He puts a hand under his head and props himself up as he watches me get dressed.

“You don't think Mom and Dad will approve of what we got up to last night?" he teases.

"Don't call them that," I say, wrinkling my nose again. "At least not when you're naked in bed and they’re down the hall."

Noah gives me his trademark lazy smile, and like every time I'm with him, I wish I was a photographer and could actually take a good picture. And he wouldn’t think I was weird if I spent all my time taking his picture.

I'm sure if I grabbed my phone right now, and started snapping, he'd run from the room.

"We need to get out of here," Noah says when we hear a pot slamming.

"Got any plans today?" he asks, finally sliding out of bed and grabbing his briefs to pull on.

I don’t have any plans, other than writing. This was interesting territory to maneuver. Normally, I wouldn't want anyone to hear that I planned on spending the weekend alone in my room, but considering that Noah has been living with me for these last couple of years, he’s already quite aware of my hermit habits.

Just as I had that thought, his grin widens. "You were going to spend the day in your room, weren't you?"

“No?" I squeak, although it ends up coming out more as a question than a response.

He steps forward and pulls me against him, his hands sliding up to cradle my face in the way that I love, his thumb softly stroking my cheeks.

"Do you think I can convince you to leave your room today, and instead spend the day with me?"

What Noah doesn't know is that I’m already at the point where I think I’d do anything for him. A dangerous place to be for sure with a boy like Noah, with heartbreak written all over him.

Even if Noah wasn't my stepbrother, I would be scared of the strength of my feelings for him.

But I can't help it.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked roughly.

"It's a surprise,” he drawls, moving away and grabbing the pants and shirt he'd discarded last night.

It's amazing that he almost looks as sexy getting dressed as he did getting undressed.

It's also ridiculous how much I miss the heat of his touch. I’d agree to go with him today just so we don’t have to worry about prying eyes. I may be sore, but I can't wait to be with him again.

"Meet me out there for breakfast in a few minutes," he tells me as he silently opens my door and peeks out into the hallway. The coast must be clear because he slides out of the room a second later, disappearing from sight. Staring around his room, it's amazing how empty it feels without him in here. I usually like to be alone, but that doesn't extend to Noah. I'm not sure that I could ever get tired of being with him.

"You’re a stupid girl," I whisper to myself.

A couple of minutes later though, I leave the room, ignoring the feeling inside of me that I'm heading down a road I'm going to regret. Noah is already in the kitchen, munching away on a piece of toast while my exhausted looking mother tries to ask him some questions. She'll need to sleep for a few hours after having the night shift, but growing up, she would always try to spend at least thirty minutes with us in the morning after a shift before she went to bed.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she says with a soft smile when I enter the kitchen. A small flicker of guilt splashes around in my chest at what we’d done while she was gone, but I push it away.

"How was your shift?" I ask, proud that my voice sounds so light.

I'm really glad that Daisy isn't here right now. Fooling my mother is easy since she’s never been one to look too far below the surface. Fooling Daisy though? Not so much. Daisy would've taken one look at me and most likely immediately known what we’d done last night.

"It wasn't too bad. A couple of emergencies came in the door, but nothing too crazy." She lets out a long drained sigh, and takes another sip of the water in her hand before setting it down. "I'm sorry, Sky. I'm exhausted. I'm going to have to hit the hay." She walks towards me and brushes a kiss against my forehead as my eyes meet Noah’s over her shoulder. "Any big plans today?" she asks.

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