Overwhelmed at the conversation and the cold air hitting her sweaty bare chest, she could only nod. Noah pulled her skirt down her legs and knelt in front of her body. She was self-conscious, but he pulled her into him, burying his face at the apex of her legs. He was the only one she’d willingly let touch her there. Her breath hitched and she put her hands in his hair. He looked up at her face, waiting for the go ahead. She nodded.
He ran his hands over her belly, her hips, and around the rim of her panties. If heaven existed, she was sure this is what it would feel like—Noah touching her. He hooked his fingers in her panties and pulled them off, leaving them on the floor. Noah picked her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist, and carried her toward her bedroom. His lips were feather light on hers, but became more heated as she opened her mouth to him. He didn’t stop kissing her the entire time he walked them to her bedroom. When they got to the doorway he paused and leaned back, once again separating his lips from hers. “I want all of you. Can I have that?”
Indecision gripped her. There was terror over what he was asking for, worry that she would only think of Phil, but also the possibility of utter bliss of finally being with Noah. She stopped breathing. Could she do this? Would he want her after he found out she wasn’t any good at it? What would happen after?
“Breathe, pretty girl,” he said before laying her across the bed and kneeling before her. She’d been so lost in her head, she hadn’t even felt him move inside the room. “Tell me we’re okay.”
“We’re better than okay,” she whispered.
“Tell me you want me.”
“I do.”
“Show me,” he said, still kneeling between her legs.
She started trembling. Emery didn’t know if it was the fact she was cold, or the anticipation or fear.
Sitting back on his heels, Noah looked at her, naked. Then he got up and pulled her by her hands. “Come on, let’s wash that club off of us before I cherish every inch of your body.”
He guided her into the bathroom and turned on the shower. As they waited for the water to warm up, he leaned into her, causing her to collide into the tile wall. It was freezing and covered her with chill bumps. He took her mouth with his again and all of her anxiety dissipated at once. This was Noah. He was the epitome of gentle and good and nothing that she’d ever experienced with Phil. She could do this. I will do this.
Noah stepped into the shower and pulled her hand, guiding her in. Then he proceeded to wash her from head to toe. He poured shampoo into his enormous hands and rubbed it gently through her wet hair, his eyes never leaving hers. He lathered up her hair and then moved back against the wall to allow her more access to the water.
While she was rinsing her hair, she felt her loofah starting at the inside of her left ankle and make its way up and around her shin and calf. Then she felt the same with the right. She felt strong, soapy hands around her thighs, moving dangerously close to where she knew if he touched, her knees would give out. Her eyes opened and she found Noah smiling and examining her body like some sort of puzzle he was trying to figure out.
“Need to make sure we get everything,” he whispered as his hands ran the length of her core, back and forth.
She gasped at his touch. “Noah,” she panted.
“Time to rinse off, I think.” Noah chuckled and allowed her to turn around under the stream of hot water. He moved closer and she could feel every inch of him behind her as she rinsed off. Just breathe. He leaned down and kissed her neck. She leaned her head away from him, giving him the go ahead, and he licked and sucked behind her ear, down her neck to her back. His kisses trailed her spine, then stopped at her tailbone. She was breathing hard and braced herself against the shower wall with her hands as he ran one finger from tip to tip of her. I think I’m dying. I can’t breathe.
“Em, breathe,” he leaned in and whispered. His voice changed everything.
“Noah,” she said, breathless. “I…”
“Tell me.”
“I need you to talk to me.” Embarrassed, she looked into his sincere eyes.
“I’ll do anything you need me to do, Em. You tell me what to do.”
She nodded and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry off. Thoughts swirled around her brain as she thought about what she needed. She’d never thought about what she needed. Noah ran a finger down her spine and she turned to him and grabbed another towel at the same time. She needed to remember every second of this.
Emery started drying him off, mesmerized at the size of his biceps. He had a purple bruise from his last game. She wrapped the towel around each arm and then sank to her knees. She ran the towel up and down his legs. His feet were battered from playing football in wet cleats for so many years. He was missing a toenail and she made sure she didn’t touch it. She felt his strong hands grab her under her arms and haul her up to him. His lips crushed hers with ferocity. He took her breath.