She listened as he explained about the shot in the woods and the fact that the man who’d raped Caroline had vanished again after that.
“You should go to the police,” she said. “My dad could help. We could explain about Caroline.”
“Trust me, I’ve thought about it. But your dad wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t turn her in, Josie. And I can’t send her back. She’ll either end up in a cell or forced to work alongside men who blame her for ending Dustin’s career. They’ll harass her or worse.” He opened the passenger side door and waited for her to climb in. “So please don’t say anything to your father.”
“I won’t,” she promised once he’d joined her in the cab of the truck.
“Thanks.” Noah gave her a small smile, his first since she’d landed. He reached one hand out and touched her cheek. “I’m glad you’re back. I’ve missed you. The bar’s not quite the same without you.”
She turned her head and pressed a kiss into the palm of his hand. “I missed you too.”
They drove back to Forever, talking about the bar and Hoppy Heaven’s wild success, and Dominic’s recovery. Traffic remained steady and they didn’t encounter a single box on the side of the road, filled with kittens or anything else. She didn’t have an excuse to push him up against his truck and steal a kiss—and maybe more.
An hour and change later they pulled into her driveway and he put the truck in park. “Feel like giving me a hand with my bags?” she asked, keeping her voice light and playful. “Helping me sneak back into my dad’s house?”
Noah raised an eyebrow, but kept his hands on the steering wheel. “I don’t think it’s a secret when he’s expecting you.”
“Good point, but he’s not here now. He went in early today. So we could pretend. It might be fun.”
“Fun.” He looked at her as if he’s forgotten the meaning of the word. Seeing that look, she knew they both needed a little break from the worrying.
“Noah.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I’ve been waiting for weeks to kiss you. So get your ass out of the truck and follow me inside.” She opened the passenger door and hopped down.
Please follow me.
She heard a second truck door slam shut as she reached the side of the house, followed by the crunch of gravel beneath his boots.
“Naked kisses?” he demanded when he reached her side.
She nodded and headed for the back door. “I don’t have an old mechanical bull here. Just a twin bed. Can you work with that?”
“Yeah,” he said. But he stopped inside her kitchen.
She turned to face him, dropping her backpack and duffel on the floor. “There’s no one here.” She moved closed and placed her hands on his chest. “Just you and me.”
“I know.” He placed his hands on her hips and looked down at her, his blue eyes staring into hers. “But I still expect your dad or your brother to walk in. It feels wrong. Forbidden. And, sweetheart, that’s not a turn-on. Not for me.”
Her hope surged. He didn’t want her because she was off-limits. Kissing her, making love to her on that bull and in his bed had nothing to do with exploring what he couldn’t have. He wanted her. She could feel it in the way his fingers pressed into her hips, holding her close as if he needed to keep her right there.
“I brought the toy Daphne gave me to Germany,” she murmured. “Alone in my hotel room at night, I’d take it out, slip it beneath the sheets and pretend it was your cock.”
“Josie—”
“But I have a secret.” She rose up on her toes until her cheek touched his. She couldn’t quite reach his ear. “The real thing is so much better.”
“Josie,” he growled, his hands sliding over her ass, moving lower to her thighs. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. “Josie, I love your dirty mouth.”
Love. He’d said the word. She was tempted to whisper, What else do you love? Me? But she didn’t want to push, not now, not yet.
He carried her up the stairs and headed straight for her room. Inside, he set her down and offered her a smile that was pure Noah.
“One, two, three,” he began.
Her brow furrowed.
“Go!” he added as he pulled off his shirt.
Understanding dawned and she kicked off her sneakers, glad she’d left her boots in her closet. This time, she wanted to win the let’s-get-naked contest. Except he’d already stripped off his pants, shoes, and socks.
When his boxers hit the floor, she paused, her thumbs hooked in her panties.