Heat in the Hamptons

Chapter 26

Addison bounded down the stairs, ready to enjoy time away. It wasn't that she didn't like being in Noah's home, it was just the constant reminder of James next door. His calls and texts didn't help either. Even today, he kept texting her, begging her to come see him. Begging her to stay with him until she found somewhere to live.

She scoffed when she saw that text, and that was the last straw. He was delusional and she didn't want to deal with it anymore. She clicked on his contact in her phone, scrolled down, and clicked Block.

Noah grabbed her bag out of her hand. They were going to stay the weekend in the city at his apartment there. It was Friday and he should be working, but he called his assistant to clear his schedule. He didn't tell Addison that because he knew she would tell him not to do that for her.

But everything was worth doing for her.

He put their bags in his car and opened her car door.

"Such a gentleman." She remarked as she slipped into the car. She looked adorable in her sundress and wedged heels. Her blond hair was half pulled up and her blue eyes seemed brighter with the neutral eyeshadow she had applied.

Noah got in and they started the long drive into the city. They both ignored the irony that most people drove out of the city to escape to the Hamptons in the summer.

After they dropped their bags in Noah's apartment they set off to the closest bookstore. Addison would've liked to write in the park, but she had a feeling Noah would distract her too much to concentrate. It wasn't that he would be loud or talkative, she just couldn't stop staring at the way his t-shirt hugged his chest and shoulders.

Noah had never seen Addison in a bookstore and as he watched her explore the stacks he realized he wanted to see her like this every day of his life. She transformed at the bookstore. She left all her baggage at the door and inside was a woman who filled her basket with romance novels and thrillers. He thought that was a funny combination, like she either preferred her books full of romance and steam or murder and mystery.

Should I be concerned? He joked to himself.

The smell of books would always feel like home to Addison. She had escaped to libraries her entire life, it was always the place she felt safest. Whether it was hiding from the mean girls at school or fleeing ex-boyfriend drama, this was her favorite place.

Once she finished picking out her books she went to the checkout counter. As she pulled her card out to pay Noah slid his card into the chip reader.

"Noah! You've done too much for me already, let me pay for my own books."

He shook his head and pointed at the card reader, "It's already done."

She thanked him and they left the bookstore to head to a cafe on the way to Central Park.

They ordered a couple of sandwiches and fruit salad. This time Addison paid before Noah had a chance to.

He wished she would just accept his help. He knew she only had her savings left, he didn't want her to waste it on him.

He thanked her anyway and she smirked triumphantly. She was adorable.

They finally found the perfect spot in Central Park to have their picnic. Noah laid out the blanket for them to sit on. Noah laid on his side on the blanket, propping himself up on his elbow. Addison sat with her legs crossed at her ankles in front of her. They ate their sandwiches and drank their lemonade. It was Addison's favorite drink besides coffee.

"So what is your book about?" Noah asked Addison.

She thought for a moment, contemplating how to explain it.

"You're going to think it's cheesy." She said shyly.

Noah shook his head. "Of course I won't."

He didn't want her to feel like she couldn't tell her about the things that made her happy, like writing her novel.

"It's about a woman who has her Ph.D. and can't find a job. She ends up being the secretary for a CEO and they fall in love."

Noah smiled and told her that sounded like a great romance novel. He couldn't help but see some similarities between that story and his and Addison's circumstances. He didn't give her a job, but he gave her a home.

Could their story end up the same way?

After they finished eating Noah pulled out his work phone to answer emails while Addison started reading. She chose one of her new romance novels.

The hours went by quickly and Addison was glad she had grabbed sunscreen on their way out of the door this morning.

Noah finally looked up from his emails and looked over at Addison. She had already gotten through a decent chunk of the book and he noticed her cheeks were red.

"Addy, I think you got a sunburn." He said sitting up. He had seen her put on sunscreen so he wasn't sure how she was still red.

Addison's face became even redder and Noah realized she was blushing.

He laughed, "Are you blushing?"

"Maybe." She sat her book down and pulled her hair off her neck, cooling down.

Noah's brows furrowed, he was confused.

She pointed to the book, like that was supposed to communicate something to him.

He laughed again. "I'm so confused."

"It's a spicy scene in the book, okay?" She said and Noah noticed the way she was clenching her legs together.

Oh.

He nodded and pretended to go back to his emails.

Well, now he couldn't stop thinking about their kiss yesterday. They still hadn't talked about it.

He wanted to, but he was afraid. She hadn't brought it up either, and he was concerned that meant that she regretted it.

She had gone back to reading and he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see her bite her lip as she read.

How dare she sit there in her short sundress looking absolutely beautiful, and be reading a sex scene and bite her lip and not expect him to be losing his mind?

She made the first move last night, but he was too scared to do the same thing. He didn't want to overstep if she didn't feel that way about him

Noah sighed as silently as he could and went back to responding to work emails.