Page 79 of When in Rome

Noah’s eyes fall all over me and I feel the hot press of his gaze. He watches me as I walk to the bedroom door and lock it. I don’t suspect Will would come inside before midnight, but I’m making a point that what I have intended for tonight should not be interrupted.

When I come back to Noah, he’s standing—arms crossed.Surly Pose.I mirror it. The feminine delicate version.Surly in Silk.This makes him laugh and then his eyes drop to my shoulder. He runs his finger along the wispy strap of my camisole. Along my skin. “So soft,” he says, almost to himself. He loops his finger under the strap and glides it down off my shoulder. My knees nearly buckle. A man this strong and rugged shouldn’t be able to be this tender. His other hand presses against my lower back, pulling my hips firmly to his. His breath moves to my bare shoulder as he bends down to lay one melting kiss to my collarbone.

I feel strangled by my own need for him. But I stay still and let him press hot kisses all over my shoulder. My neck. My mouth. I feel wired—strung out with anticipation as I feel his tongue touch my skin.

“I don’t want to let you go,” he whispers in my ear during his traverse of the other side of my body.

“This isn’t goodbye, Noah.”

“Then why does it feel like it?” he says as his lips brush down the line of my throat. “Why do I feel like I might never see you again?”

I close my eyes and run my hands up his solid chest, feeling his heart beating against my palm—savoring the heat of his lips and the sweetness of his touch. Right now, in his room, surrounded by his body, I feel confident that we’ll be able to make our relationship work. But I have to admit, when my thoughts tiptoe out to the future, I feel nervous. My life is about to become jam-packed with work, and I’m going to need Noah to trust me when I’m not able to check in frequently or when he reads something questionable (and untrue) in a tabloid at the grocery store. I’m terrified this isn’t going to last, and at the same time, I know that Noah and I are sorighttogether.

I wrap my arms around Noah’s abdomen and hug him tight. He looks down into my eyes. “The future is full of unknowns. We can’t try to figure them all out tonight. Let’s just savor the moments we have together right now.”

He bends to kiss me tenderly, and it skewers me through the heart. This better not be goodbye.Don’t give up on us so soon, Noah.

Noah’s hand moves up my arm where he slowly lowers the other strap from my shoulder. Warm breath fans my skin. I stand motionless—savoring and roasting alive as his hands slide and press. Tease and soothe. I have never trusted or wanted anyone more in my life.I love him.

As Noah leisurely unwraps me, I have the privilege of watching him unravel. His breath trembles when I’m all skin and his eyesflare. His fingers flex against my hips as he pulls me closer to him. I feel gloriously empowered by his gaze and tug every stitch of clothing from him.

Tonight, he tells me how much he loves me with his mouth. He tells me how he’s going to miss me with his hands. He tells me we’ll make this work with his body. And when there is nothing left between us besides skin and desire, our hearts tangle with our limbs until I don’t know what’s what anymore. We fall and twist together into this place between reality and dreams. There’s no existence outside these four walls. All I feel is Noah’s strong, warm body, cherishing me in this moment. His fingers leave trails of fire over every inch of my skin, leaving me consumed.

We spend the evening loving each other joyfully, recklessly,tragicallyuntil we’re both dozing as his fingers languidly trail my spine. I try to keep from falling asleep as long as possible, because I know when I wake up, I’ll have to leave.

The tour starts in a few days, and I have no choice but togo.

Chapter 36

Noah

The bell above The Pie Shop door chimes as I step through just like it has every day since Amelia left three days ago. The door shuts behind me and I stand in the silence feeling acute loneliness for the first time in my life. I used to revel in this quiet. Crave it. Now all I crave is her.

I miss her laugh. Her eyes. The curve of her smile, the feel of her skin, and even her shitty pancakes. What I wouldn’t give for a whole stack of them today. She left a message on my machine yesterday saying she was going into a meeting for the tour and she asked me to call her when I got in to work today, but I can’t bring myself to call her yet because I hate the distance I feel between us over the phone. I’m going to have to stay busy over the next nine months to get through them.

This morning, I plan to work myself to the bone here at the shop, and then I’ll go check on my grandma for lunch. I’ll come back to work this afternoon and stay open late, and then maybe Mabel has some chores I can do for her. The fence outside her inn could use a fresh coat of paint. Annie’s truck probably needs an oil change. Maybe I’ll run for town mayor.

“Wow, you look like shit,” says Emily after coming into the shop behind me. I grunt. I’m so depressed, I don’t even have any surly comebacks.

“Noah, I mean it, you look terrifying.”

“Heard you the first time,” I say, aggressively wiping down the countertops.

“Have you talked to Amelia today?”

I move to the high-top table and practically sand it down with how hard I clean it. “Nope.”

“Are you going to call her later?” Why is she suddenly so interested in my phone schedule?

“Maybe.”

Emily watches as I throw the rag onto the floor and use my shoe to scrub a stubborn stain. “Annie said when she was over at your house the other night, Amelia called and you let it go to your machine.”

I shrug because I really don’t feel like having this conversationwith her right now.

Emily puts her hand on my arm and tugs me back when I try to pass her. “Hey, stop for a second. We need to talk.”

“Fine. But I don’t want to talk about Amelia.” My eyes are fixedon the wall across the room. I won’t look at my sister. I’m grumpy, and all my emotions are one tick away from boilingover and I don’t want her to be the one to absorb them if theydo.

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