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Chapter Thirty-Eight

The warmth of the house was welcome as we stepped in through the patio doors. Lifting his coat off from around my shoulders, Noah slowly cast his eyes up and down the length of my body.

"That dress though. Seriously." he murmured.

"Do you like it?" I replied, smiling as I wiggled my hips.

"Do you even need to ask?" he smirked, taking my wine glass from my hand to refill it before we both took a seat at the kitchen table.

Almost to my relief, James was sat at the head of the table leading everyone in a drinking game. At least he hadn't been dragged off by that bitch, Karen, to keep her guests 'entertained'. Smiling as he pushed one hand back through his shoulder-length brown hair, he called over the table in my direction. "Abi, your turn."

"I don't even know what we're playing?" I laughed over the noise.

"Never have I ever," he called. "If you've done it before, you take a drink. Simple. Unfortunately, though, you've just sat in the seat to go next."

"I've played before, don't worry," I smiled, glancing at Noah from the corner of my eye.

"She's not playing any drinking games," Noah ordered, as he moved the shot that had been placed in front of me.

James rolled his eyes as he laughed. "Lighten up, Nomeo, it's just a bit of fun."

Within about two seconds, Noah had swallowed the dark brown liquid in one go and slammed the glass back on the table.

"Fine. But she doesn't have anymore shots, okay?" he said, raising his eyebrows at James.

James held his hands up in submission. "Okay, fine. Just chill."

Turning in my chair, I leant one elbow across the back of it as I narrowed my eyes at Noah. "It's a party Noah," I sighed. "We're supposed to be celebrating. Normal people our age get drunk when they celebrate."

"I don't want you paralytic when it's time for bed, that's all" he whispered close to my ear. "Not tonight."

"Okay lovebirds," James shouted. "Enough of that. It's Abi's turn to go next, remember?"

Placing my hand around my glass of wine, I fiddled with the long stem while I paused to think.

"Never have I ever," I began. Pausing for dramatic effect, I continued, "Signed a record deal."

A cheer erupted from around the table as Noah and James both held their drinks high in the air before taking a swig.

Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, Noah pulled me in close and placed a kiss on my hair as people reached across to clink their glasses against his.

The pride written on his face caused my heart to swell. This was a glint of the Noah I wanted to see more of. The young, fun, happy side of him. Not the side fraught with years of family disagreements, difficult circumstances, and trying to find comfort in any way he could.

"Your turn, Hartnett," James called, sliding a shot across the table to him.

Taking a long look at me from the side of his eye, Noah chewed his bottom lip as he thought about what to say.

"Never have I ever... found a connection with a complete stranger."

I couldn't help smiling to myself as I saw him lift the shot glass to his lips, while I did the same with my wine.

As the game went on, the questions naturally became more provocative. I could deal with the more superficial ones. Watching Noah raise his glass and drink to almost every single question wasn't pleasant, but I already knew he'd been doing that stuff for years. The onslaught of questions about blow jobs, sexual positions, having sex outdoors and so on, all seemed to result in Noah taking a drink.