Page 94 of Chasing Infinity

“FBI. He knows my dad’s from the FBI,” I manage to choke out.

Noah releases me, and I look up at him. Surprise colors his face as he looks at me for a moment. Then he gets himself under control and nods his head before striding away from me. “I’ll be right back. Jordan?”

“Yeah, man, I got her,” Jordan answers and takes my arm, wrapping it around his shoulders to hold me up. I sag against him as I watch Noah walk towards the café.

His shoulders are tight as he marches into the café as if he’s on a mission. I lean against Jordan, staring at the door to the café like a hawk until I see him exit again, his father next to him.

The mayor turns to his son with a deep frown on his face, saying something to him that has Noah standing up straighter and crossing his arms over his chest. Noah replies to his father, but whatever he says has the mayor laughing in a way that makes me want to punch him in the throat. Declan continues to laugh as he turns around and heads for his shiny black SUV parked right in front of the café. Noah stands there a minute longer and then turns on his heel and stalks back to the park where we’re waiting for him.

“I’ve got her, now, Jordan. You can go.” Noah says when he gets close enough, his arm snaking around my waist. His strong muscles contract around me, taking some of my weight. Fireworks erupt in my belly, sending a flat of warmth throughout my whole body. When did Noah’s arm get so strong? My body trembles in the aftermath of the adrenaline rush, but the presence of his arm against me makes me feel surrounded and safe.

He leads me over to a bench in the middle of the park. I fall into the seat, my legs unable to hold my weight up for longer than a second. Then he crouches in front of me, taking my hands in his and giving them a tight squeeze. I feel numb as my brain tries to make sense of everything that just transpired.

“You in there?” he asks carefully.

It takes a minute or two, but I muster up the strength to nod my head. “What did you say to your dad?”

“I just told him that someone needed him down at the courthouse, then we were out front. He was scolding me for interrupting business.”

“Then what? You looked angry at him.”

Noah’s dark eyebrows pull together. “I was. He made you feel unsafe. I don’t like that. Not at all. He’s the mayor, he has a responsibility to this town, and he’s not withholding his end of the deal.”

“Thank you for going in there. He can’t know about my dad. He—” I cut myself off and press my lips together.

Noah studies my face and then nods his head as if silently agreeing to not talk about it, despite me not asking him.

“You scared me, Parks,” he whispers. “When you came running towards us like that, I was terrified that something had happened to you.”

“I’m sorry. You were the first person I saw after I panicked. Somehow I knew you would know what to do.”

“I’m glad I was here, then,” he says before standing straight up. He’s still holding my hands, so he brings me with him until we stand close together. “As it so happens, I tend to be pretty decent at derailing my father from his intended goals. It’s something he never lets me forget.”

His voice sounds bitter, likely from thinking about his strained relationship with his father. I know there’s nothing Noah would like more than to be completely free of him, and I wish there was something I could do to help him achieve that. But as it is, we can’t choose our family, no matter how much we sometimes wish we could.

One of his hands lets go of mine, and he raises it to my forehead, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. He tenderly tucks it behind my ear, and my breath hitches. His blue eyes study my face as his hand drops from my ear to the side of my neck. The skin of his hand is warm against mine, and I shiver.

“Noah?” I ask, unsure of what’s about to happen.

“Just… hold still,” he breathes, leaning his forehead closer to rest against mine. He observes me. Languidly, he tilts his jaw forward until our lips are touching. Shock courses through my body at the feel of our mouths fusing together.

As his lips touch mine, I instantly register that this differs from anything I’ve experienced before. The world stops spinning. As if I’ve just been living half-awake, my world sharpening into total clarity, like a sunrise barely cresting the horizon. It’s as if I’m just now coming to my full senses. My world explodes into a vast, vivid color—everything brighter and more pronounced. For the first time in ages, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Noah must feel similarly because his hands wrap around my waist and pull me tighter against him as if he’s trying to eliminate any distance between us, trying to get more of whatever this is. I arch my back, pressing my front closer to him, and he groans into my mouth. I gasp his name in pleasure, never wanting this moment to end.

And then, as quickly as it happens, it’s over. He pulls away and lingers for a second, eyes closed, not moving before his eyes snap open, and he looks at me in alarm. It’s like a bucket of cold water has splashed over his head. I watch his eyes change from a glazed expression to perfect lucency within seconds.

“Noah,” I mumble his name again as he puts distance between us. His eyes are wide, and it’s like he can’t believe what he just did. He staggers a few steps away from me, and my fingers come up to my tingling lips, feeling where his lips were just a moment ago. Noah runs his hands through his hair, his fingers gripping the strands as a frantic look crosses his features.

“Parks, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I—”

“It’s okay,” I say, stepping towards him, longing coursing through my body. I want more of that, more of him. At my approach, Noah staggers back again, putting space between us.

“Give me a minute,” he says breathlessly, holding up his hand to stop me from coming any closer to him.

“Noah,” I repeat his name, begging him to look at me. When he finally does, I catch my breath in my throat. Somehow, his eyes are brighter than I’ve ever seen them before.

“I should go,” he mutters. “I—I’m sorry.”

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