Page 104 of The Sins of Noelle

It was a big lecture hall, and that would give her the anonymity she needed while still able to be on the lookout for Blue.

Minutes trickled by as she continued to scan her surroundings as students started to flood into the classroom.

It was a minute before the lecture was set to start that she spotted Blue.

He was perhaps the tallest guy in the room, towering over everyone as he made his way inside. His body was lean, but his perfect proportions were unmistakable. Big arms, broad shoulders and long legs, he was the epitome of masculine perfection in Noelle's eyes.

Dressed in a simple white shirt and a pair of black pants, he was still easily the most beautiful thing Noelle had ever beheld.

Her breath went out of her lungs as she let her eyes drown in him.

His hair was the color of ashy sand. His locks were so thick, Noelle could easily imagine running her hands through them, feeling the softness of his hair under her fingertips—and sheknewthey would be soft.

Blue stopped at the entrance. Seeing that the front seats had already been filled, Blue sighed deeply before proceeding to scan the room for an empty seat.

At the same time, Noelle followed his gaze, seeing that an available seat was right in front of her.

Oh God, he's coming!

By a strike of luck, he chose the seat in front of her, striding over to her side and overwhelming her with his sheer physicality.

All at once, she realized that what she'd felt when she'd first met him had not been a fluke. He was as intimidating as before, his presence a pure drug to her senses.

And up close… She took a deep breath, suddenly unable to deal with the mounting tension within her.

Her heart was racing, her eyes were wide open as she blatantly stared at him, and her stomach…butterflies were having a grand party in her stomach, flapping their wings around every little corner in excitement, almost as if they wanted to get out of her and reach out for him.

But then again, that was what she wanted, too. More than anything, she wished she could reach out to touch him, feel the warmth of his skin on top of hers, his deep voice in her ear and his lips… God, but what would it be like to have his lips on top of her own?

When he neared the seat, Noelle realized she was risking revealing herself with how direct she was in her perusal of him, so she tipped her cap lower on her face, her glasses offering a modicum of protection.

As expected, he took a seat in front of her, leaning back in his chair until he was so close to her she could smell him. And despite it being slightly too creepy, Noelle leaned forward, inhaling deeply.

Her eyes snapped shut as she barely contained the moan that threatened to escape her.

He smelled divinely. So intoxicating she wanted to bottle up the scent so she could have it with her at all times. Alas, unfortunately that wasn't possible, so she had to make do with the present.

From where she was sitting, she could see the olive color of his skin and the blonde hairs on the back of his neck. She observed every little detail about him, committing it to memory so she could access it later, when she was alone with her thoughts, when she could conjure up more intimate scenarios.

Her fingers itched to trace his skin, but she held herself in check, content to only watch him—for now.

She noted how attentive he was, taking notes of everything the professor was saying, and raising his hand every now and then to answer questions.

A smile tipped at Noelle's lips as she continued to watch him, warmth unfurling in her chest at his proximity.

Maybe it was silly of her to do this—risk everything for the sake of a man who didn't even know what she looked like. To an extent, she was aware her infatuation with Blue wasn't normal. Butto herit was normal—it washernormal.

He'd been there for her when no one else had. He'd encouraged her to do better.

She'd always seen herself as independent and opinionated, but in a negative light, as told by countless people since childhood. It was only after meeting Blue that she'd started to appreciate herself and regard herself through his lens. Slowly, he'd helped her gain confidence in herself while becoming the best friend she could have ever asked for.

He'd shown her she mattered.

For the first time in her life, someone had told hershemattered, that her opinions mattered and that no one else should dictate her lifebutherself.

For that alone, Noelle was capable of doing anything for him.

All too soon, class was over.