Page 134 of Chasing Infinity

I can’t help but bark an uncomfortable laugh and then look at her. “I guess. It’s a lot different than quiet old Willow Heights.”

“You can say that again. I was worried I would get lost and never be found.”

I chuckle again. “I’ve felt like that the entire time I’ve been here.

“I’m just glad I found the right hotel,” she continues, looking at me as if I’m an enigma she’s struggling to understand. “I guess the stars aligned just right.”

Something about that notion tugs at my heart, and I look over at her, fully taking her in since we’ve made it to the room. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Me either,” she whispers, her plump lips falling open slightly as she takes me in.

“I just don’t know where to even start,” I tell her. “There’s so much that I want to ask, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it’s you.”

“Just pick something. Ask me anything.”

“How’s Grace?”

Addison laughs, and the sound of it sends my heart fluttering.God, I’ve missed her. “You’re really going to ask me about Grace when we haven’t seen each other in years.”

I laugh nervously, reaching up and rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t know, I just…I feel like I’m on a first date.”

Her eyes soften, and then she turns towards me, folding her legs underneath her and facing me fully. I mirror her position until we’re face to face, now sitting only a foot away from each other. “It’s a little weird, isn’t it? That we were so close before but now—”

“I’m sorry,” I blurt out, and she raises her eyebrows at me. “I just feel like I need to say it over and over again. I’m sorry I left you like that.”

“Whydidyou leave?”

I press my lips into a line and shake my head. Addison’s shoulders deflate, and she exhales. “I’m sorry,” I tell her again. “It’s still not something I can talk about.”

“Why don’t you trust me enough to tell me? Or are you worried I won’t be able to handle it? It’s just hard for me to accept that you would just leave when everything was finally working out for us.”

“It’s not any of that, Parks. I didn’twantto leave.”

“Then why did you? Please, Noah, just give me something.”

“I can’t,”I say again, pleading with her to hear me.

“Will you ever tell me?”

“I hope so.” Addison’s eyes trace over my face, and I notice a crease between her eyebrows.

We fall into a comfortable silence now, some of the awkwardness eased. Our pizza arrived less than half an hour later and we dig into it. Addison takes a bite of her pizza, a satisfied expression taking over her face as she chews the cheesy goodness. A bit of sauce is stuck to the corner of her mouth, and I can’t help the amused smirk that pulls on my lips.

She notices and raises an eyebrow at me. “What?”

“You’ve got a little—” I lean forward and smudge away the pizza sauce with my thumb.

Her cheeks immediately pinken, and her eyes twinkle at me. My heart flips in my chest. I let my hand linger against the edge of her jaw for just a moment too long before pulling away and wiping my hand off on a towel.

When I glance back at her, my breath hitches, and suddenly, I wonder if coming up to my hotel room was really the best decision. All I can see is her. Her presence is everywhere, yet the cells in my body scream for more.

As if we’re two magnets circling each other’s orbit, I feel the urge to be closer to her tug deep in my soul. She watches me from underneath her eyelashes, her lips parting ever so slightly as I lean closer towards her. My eyes trace her face, searching for any indication that I should stop, but I see none.

The rise and fall of her chest tells me she’s feeling just as affected by this moment as I am. With that thought in mind, I close the distance between us, taking her lips in mine. Parks’ hands immediately come to the nape of my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair. A soft moan sounds in the back of her throat, and it spurs me on. I push the pizza box off to the side of the bed and slide closer to her.

When we’re both breathless, I finally break away from her, leaning my forehead against hers as I give my heart a chance to catch up. When I look at her face, I find her watching me, her eyebrows pulled towards the center of her forehead in concern.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her, my voice breathy from our kiss.

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