Page 40 of Something New

Lexi,” he moans, breaking the kiss again and gently biting my neck.

I groan at the warmth of his mouth and his teeth against my skin. I just need to feel more of him. I hook my fingers in the front of his pants and pull at his belt, getting it out of two loops. Before I get further he grabs my hands, trapping them between us. “What?” I say, breathing hard. “Why are you stopping me?”

“You don’t know how much I want you right now.” He pants. “But we can’t—I can’t. I’m still on duty.” He kisses the side of my mouth. “My partner’s outside waiting for me. I have to go. Damn, you don’t know how much I want to continue this.” His head presses against mine, eyes closed.

“If it’s as bad as the regret I’m feeling, I do.” I put my head back against the door with a small thump to get my head straight and put the smallest amount of distance between his tempting mouth and mine. “I don’t mean for this to sound rude, but Noah, get out. Get out now before I throw you down on the floor and maul you.”

He laughs, linking one of his hands with mine. “I like you a lot. Your mother is wrong.” I smile and kiss him on the cheek. He straightens up, fixes his pants, and I move out of the way as he opens the door. “I’m not going anywhere.” He gives me one last kiss on the mouth, turns, and walks out the door.

I’d like to believe that Noah. I really would.

Twelve

NOAH

“Axel! I told you to stop jumping on the couch. If you break your leg I’m not taking you to the hospital. It’s my day off and for the first time in a long time, there is nothing Ihaveto do. Sorry about that, Noah. You were saying something?”

I smile at the fourth interruption within a couple of minutes of our conversation since she answered her phone. “It’s—“

“If I have to say it again, you’re going to get it. You’re going to spend the rest of the day in your room and no ice cream when the ice cream truck comes by. Guys, I need one of you to take him to the park.”

I listen, amused by the chaos in their house through the phone. I hear muffled whining in the background from Ryan and Drew along with music and the sound of a video game. It’s a lot at ten in the morning. I’d need an entire pot of coffee to start the day. “I see your house is already full steam ahead and going for a Sunday morning.”

“You think? Between Axel bouncing off every surface he sees like he’s trying to break something on purpose to give me something to freak out about, and the slob brothers with the controllers glued to their hands, volume up way too high, and the washer acting up and leaking water—uhh, it’s been a hell of a morning already.”

“Seems like you’ve done more than a lot already. I’m stressed just listening to it in the background,” I sympathize with a chuckle.

“Geez, you don’t want to hear all this. You called to say good morning and you get this. Bet now you’re probably rethinking getting to know more about me.”

“Are you kidding, this is the morning I dream of, waking up next to you in a house that’s in full swing.”

She laughs. “Then you need your head checked, my friend.”

“Now it’s just friend, huh, I’ve been demoted from my boyfriend position?”

“Well, you know, you weren’t promoted in the first place. But I’d say you’re in for consideration. For being helpful.”

Consideration is better than nothing. “So what would cement me into a permanent position?”

“Well—hold on, Noah,” she says with a huff. “Axel, up to your room, right now. But nothing. When you don’t listen repeatedly, this is what happens. I don’t want to see you down here for two hours.” I hear the sound of petulant steps going upstairs. Then more talking. “Guys, I’m going to lose my shit if you don’t help me clean up some of this mess I didn’t make. Not later, now! I made breakfast for everyone and was forced to spend an hour washing select pieces of clothes by hand like an old-world wife. Do something!”

I hear more grumbling in the background but this time the sound of the video games stops. Her patience is amazing. She comes back to the phone with a sigh. “School only ended three weeks ago, and the idea of one more entire day with all of us in here is driving me batshit already.”

“It’s your day off today?”

“What day off? Even my days off are not off duty. Axel is with me on those days to save money from the sitter. Drew and Ryan’s summer job has them off on the weekends. It’s already seventy degrees out and they don’t look like they have plans to go anywhere today. Oh, and did I mention, the AC broke last year so we’re working using two fans, sharing between four people. Oh, fun times ahead.” She blows out a deep breath, her exasperation coming through loud and clear over the phone.

“I’m off today too, and I can’t imagine being in here with no AC. And there are four people over there, I feel your pain.” I seriously do. I’m supposed to go over there today and finish up her porch. I haven’t been over there in a few days because of work, which slowed down the repairs along with discovering more damage than I first thought there was.

“You don’t but you will later.”

“I’m sure but it’ll be worth it because I get to see your pretty face and spend time with you.”

“Always so sweet. If you’re this sweet on the job you must let a lot of people go—then again you did give me a ticket. Maybe not so sweet.”

“I beg your pardon, I’m not sweet on the job. I’m fair. I stand by the ticket. But look at us now…that ticket was the beginning.”

She huffs. “If you say so. If you ever want a shot at another girl, I’d say look the other way with the ticket.”

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