Her pulse raced as her heart banged against her ribs. Almost on the verge of panic, Cassie tried to pull her thoughts together. What was she so afraid of? She stretched her back and breathed in deeply, filling her lungs to maximum capacity, and held her breath before letting the air out.
“Cassie?” Noah slid closer on the couch and put his arm around her back. “Hey, are you okay? You look like you’re going to pass out.”
“I’m… fine. Just a little hungry.”
Brushing the hair off her forehead, he looked at her, his expression serious. “Look, I know this is a rough day for you because of what happened last year. We don’t have to talk about anything. Let’s just play video games and eat.”
He had such beautiful chocolate eyes, the kind she could get lost in for hours. And his lips… she knew from personal experience how soft and tender they were, how delectable his mouth tasted. How strong and powerful his thighs were. How long and hard his… Okay. She needed to stop this. Noah was her friend. But was that all he was? Could he be more?
“I’m scared,” she said.
His arm tightened round her. “Of what? You’re safe here, with me.”
“You sure about that?”
He pulled back a little to look at her face and frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I think we both know something’s going on here.”
“I told you, Cassie. I won’t go anywhere you don’t want to go.”
“But you want this to go somewhere, right?” Oh God. What if she was wrong? The embarrassment might kill her. And losing Noah as a friend would be even worse.
For a few moments, he searched her gaze, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded and shot her a wry smile. “I can’t deny it. I want you.”
“So it’s like we talked about earlier? This is just about getting me in bed.”
He raked a hand through his damp hair and let out a tired sigh. “I thought I’d made myself clear. This has nothing to do with getting you in bed. I really like you.”
“You don’t want to get me in bed?”
His eyebrows flew up. “Of course I do!”
The fear coiling in the pit of her stomach began to unwind. “I’m a little confused,” she teased. “You say it’s not about getting me in bed, then you say you want to get me in bed. Which is it?”
“It’s about this leading to a bed when and if you say it does.”
“Ah, so you’re a submissive?”
“First you think I’m gay, now you think I’m a sub? I’ll have you know, I’m a badass dom.”
He scowled at her, but the glint in his eye gave him away. “Is that right?” she asked, a little breathless.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“What if I want to be the dom?”
He looked like he’d swallowed his tongue. His eyelids lowered and his gaze fell to her mouth. “Then you can do whatever you want to me,” he said, his voice thick with arousal.
Oh my. Was she ready for this? Was she ready to take a chance on Noah? “What if things don’t work out?”
“Then we’ll switch roles.” He grinned.
She whacked him on the arm. “I mean between us. Our friendship is important to me. I’m not sure I want to risk that.”
“My feelings for you haven’t changed since I first saw you at the Labor Day picnic. Actually, that’s not quite true. That day, I fell in lust. Today, I fell in love.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Noah loved her? This wasn’t just a case of friends becoming lovers. He’d always thought of her in those terms. But what about her? Had her anger and hurt over Drew cheating on her clouded her vision? Had it kept her from seeing Noah as a potential boyfriend, or had it only kept her from admitting to herself that she saw him that way? Whatever the case, she’d hidden behind the friendship banner long enough.
She reached up and stroked his cheek, his five o’clock shadow tickling her skin. “I’m not sure if what I feel is love just yet, but I know there’s more here than a simple friendship. But if we’re going to explore this, we need to go slow.”
He kissed the inside of her wrist. “Whatever you want.”
“And no labels.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“I don’t want to feel pressured. So let’s think of this as an…” She waved her free hand, unsure how to finish the thought.
“Un-relationship?” he supplied helpfully.
“Yes! That’s it.”
“And are you my un-girlfriend?”
“Uh… yeah. I think.” For some reason, she didn’t like the sound of that particular “un” quite as much.
His lips trailed up her arm, leaving behind a fiery path, and settled below her ear. “I just have one more question.”
“What’s that?” she asked, wishing he’d shut up and kiss her.
“Can we have un-sex, too?”
She laughed and linked her fingers behind his neck, pulling him to her. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Noah whisked her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. She had a good feeling about this. Life with her new un-boyfriend was going to be un-believable.
** The End **
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I have two other books on Wattpad that you might enjoy!
GUNS 'N' TULIPS
Officer Connor Kavanagh lost everything—his badge, his friends and his fiancée—when he agreed to go undercover with the mob and infiltrate the ruthless Bank Bandits. After months of scheming and strategizing, the day of the big heist—and Connor's chance to get his old life back—finally arrives, but right from the start, Connor's plans fall apart. Even worse, the woman he loves is trapped in the crosshairs of the Bank Bandits' murderous leader, and Connor is her only hope for survival.
Wattpad link: http://www.wattpad.com/story/7649347-guns-%27n%27-tulips
AFTERSHOCKS
When Seattle is struck by a devastating earthquake, technical rescue firefighter Jamie Caldwell must save his estranged wife and daughter from the wreckage of a collapsed building. He's defied the odds hundreds of times, but will his luck finally run out for good?
Wattpad link: http://www.wattpad.com/story/7862089-aftershocks-six-alarm-sexy-prequel
Happy Reading!
~Kristine
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Un-Valentine's Day
Historia CortaIt's Valentine's Day and Noah Jensen has a mad crush on Cassie Ames, a woman who desperately hates the Hallmark holiday. Even worse, she doesn't see him as boyfriend material. Can Noah get Cassie to see him as a man or will he be relegated to the dr...