***
I’m not sure how long I was out, but I woke to find Noah at my side. His head was propped up on his arm, and he was curled on his side, watching me. I suddenly felt slightly self-conscious.
“Were you watching me sleep?”
“Mm-hm.”
“And?” My stomach flipped at the idea of what he’d witnessed. I’m not only a drooler, but a mumbler. I’ve been told I can carry on full conversations with myself, and the thought of him hearing that was terrifying.
“And,” he said with a smirk that told me I had a reason to be worried. “Almost two years. That is a long time, sweetheart.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to laugh.
He lifted his head from his hand and held both hands out in surrender. “Listen, I ain’t complaining, because I love the idea of being the man who got the chance to remind you how damn good it feels, but I’m just confirming that time length.”
I could tell he was doing everything he could not to laugh. I buried my face in my hands and groaned. “I hate that I talk in my sleep,” I confessed. “What else did I say?”
“I don’t hate it. It is actually very informative,” Noah said as he pulled my hands away from my face. “But I do promise you one thing.”
“Oh yeah?” I replied. “And what’s that?”
He rose and crawled over my body as he positioned himself between my thighs. “I promise to never make you go that long without it again.”
The fact he was hard and pressing against me made me forget I was aggravated in the first place. Lifting my hips, I rocked against him and watched his eyes grow hooded. “I only had two condoms, baby, and they’re both gone,” he whispered as I nibbled on his neck.
Disappointment hit me hard. “I don’t have any. I never had a reason to.”
He pulled back and looked at me, and I could see the disappointment in his eyes as well. “I’m clean,” he assured me.
“Me too,” I replied, and he smiled. “But—” His face fell instantly. When someone follows a statement with a but, it was never a good sign. “I’m terrible at taking my pills. Like awful, so we can’t go without protection.”
We both stayed in our current position staring at one another. All the satisfaction of our earlier sexcapades faded fast. Once again, we were filled with need, and nothing was open at this hour.
“Well, uh,” Noah said as he rolled off me. I instantly missed his body pressed against mine. “Maybe we should eat that dinner I brought.” He chuckled and clutched his erection. “After I take care this.”
He winked before he sat up and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. When he stood, I placed my hand against his back. “Wait.”
He looked back over his shoulder in confusion, and I began crawling toward him. I pushed on his shoulder, indicating I wanted him to lie on his back.
“What are you doing?” he asked in a husky whisper.
Without answering him, I fisted his hardness in my hand. Our gazes met as I lowered my head and began sliding my mouth over his cock. He relaxed as he watched me with lust in his eyes.
“Oh, sweetness,” he whispered as he thrust his hips upward. “Amazing.”
Chapter Twelve
Noah
I was still flying high from the memories of Alena’s sweet moans when I left her apartment, still flying high when I entered the station to begin my shift, and still soaring when I headed home that night. I made a note to stop at the drugstore on the way home to stock up on condoms too. Never again would I be without them when I was with Alena. Not that the alternative didn’t feel damn good, but I’d prefer to be giving her pleasure at the same time she gave it to me.
Waking up Saturday morning, I was eager to shower and pick up Austin. Mom had decided to turn our day at the ranch into a family get-together. Which was okay with me, because I invited Alena to join us. It was time I properly introduced her to the little man who had stolen my heart, just like she was beginning to.
When I pulled up to Stacey’s parents’ home and her little red car was gone, my fear instantly hit dangerous levels. I guess the games weren’t over.
I jumped from my truck, rushed toward the front door, and rang the doorbell over and over. My hands were shaking as unwelcome ideas ran through my head.
When Sharon, Stacey’s mom, opened the door with a look of pity on her face, my stomach hit the fucking ground.
“Where are they?” My throat burned.
“They rode along with Ed to Billings. They left about an hour ago.” She stood behind the screen door, looking nervous.
“She did this on purpose. She knew I’d be here to get him at ten.” My fear morphed into anger I was having a hard time containing.