Masked ✔

Chapter eighteen

chapter eighteen

Noah grinned to me as we walked. "All the time in the world? I'd like that. Especially if I can spend it with you."

I let out a slight giggle and shook my head as I lead him down the familiar street that Aunt Lori lived on. "You're so cheesy."

Noah stopped walking and because we were holding hands he stopped me as well. I turned around to check on him. He was smiling sweetly, his lips curling up so naturally. He was still drenched but it seemed that his hair he was beginning to dry off. "You make me cheesy."

"Oh come on," I snorted, "now you're just telling me what I want to hear."

Noah's eyebrows sprung up with surprise. "What? No. I'm being honest. I've already told you so many times; you mess me up. Badly... seriously." He answered his gaze from me and nervously laughed, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "I can barely keep my cool around you anymore."

I snorted again, only louder this time, "what cool?"

Noah squinted his eyes down at me, trying to glare, but his smiling eyes couldn't do it. He was trying to hold his lips straight but his lips were apart in a wide grin. Looked like nothing was going as he planned.

"So, you're calling for my 'Masked Mysterioso' side?" He beamed.

Nope, never mind. He definitely planned to say that.

Hearing Noah say Masked Mysterioso made my heart jump. I was a bit surprised he said it. But I didn't let down my guard as we stood in the empty street under a candle-lit lamppost. "Oh, you mean your flirty am-I-cool-yet dork side?"

Noah released my hand from his grasp and towered over me. I knew his tricks. He was trying to make me feel small. It used to work all the time but now I was practically expecting it. The corner of his lips lifted into a smirk but not just any smirk. That I'm-gonna-make-you-turn-so-damn-red smirk.

"Don't try to be tough, little lady. You still need to grow a few inches to even try to argue with me."

I gasped, "ex-cuse me? You... are so mean!" I pouted, crossing my arms and glared up at him.

Noah's lips relaxed and he was back to smiling sweetly. "Vivi, have I told you that you're adorable? Or beautiful? Or amazing?"

Dammit, he won. Heat crept to my cheeks quicker than I could open my mouth to snap at him for teasing me. But when I observed the look in his eyes, he seemed serious. I couldn't speak at all when he looked at me like that so I stared up at him, red to my ears. I wasn't used to compliments.

Noah chuckled softly and leaned in, planting a light kiss of the tip of my nose.

I hastily spun around, beginning to march off, blushing so hard I thought I'd faint. "L - let's just go to my Aunt's house already!"

"Oh, is that where we're heading?" Noah said behind me, catching up.

"Where did you think we were going?" I cried, glancing over my shoulder to him. He was closer than I had expected and I nearly stumbled over.

"I dunno. But damn, you'll give her a heart attack when she sees you. And your tattoo. And me and my tattoo."

Crap, he was right. I sighed, "brace yourself then, buddy."

Noah, walking beside me again, glared down at me but then smirked. "Oh, I'm getting friend-zoned then?"

I snickered, "you never left that zone... buddy." I tried my best to avoid looking at his eyes. I didn't even have to glance at him to know that his smirk was wide.