Where the hell had Noah Reid come from? What kind of guy came in, fucked a girl, and then took her out to dinner? Certainly none I’d ever gone out with. I was sure it was because Noah was just hungry and felt like an ass for being…greedy with me. And really, there was no other word to describe it. Not with the way he’d clutched my hips. How he’d leaned into me. How he’d inhaled my scent as if it were the only kind of sustenance he needed.
I glanced over at him as he kept pace with me, a serene smile on his face. Waving at people walking past as if everything were totally normal. As if it were an everyday occurrence that he was strolling around, holding hands with the owner of the local sex toy shop. As if he hadn’t just fucked me within an inch of my life against the wall next to a window with a view of his church.
Holy hell. The way he’d been eager but almost hesitant, like he’d wanted to gorge himself on a feast while still savoring every bite, had nearly been my undoing. Jesus, if he could fuck like that after being celibate for years, what would he be able to do in a week? In a month?
Then again, it didn’t matter what he’d be able to do in that time frame, because it wouldn’t be with me. I didn’t do relationships, full stop. And Noah was a relationship man—it was written all over him.
The walk to the restaurant took hardly any time, but it felt like a lifetime. So many looks, double takes, and hushed commentary from our fellow Temperance Falls residents out enjoying the nice fall evening. I wasn’t a stranger to the gossip mill, but this was different. This affected more than just me.
Once inside Nonno Pino’s, the hostess led us to our table, and Noah pulled out my chair for me before taking a seat for himself. And then we were alone—or as alone as we could be in a dining room full of people, all sneaking not-so-covert looks our way.
“You okay over there?” Noah asked. “You're awfully quiet.”
“Hmm?” I glanced at him, finding his focus completely on me. Either he was oblivious to what was going on around us, or it didn’t bother him. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just…looking at my options.” I held up the menu I hadn’t even opened yet. Smooth, Harper. Real smooth.
His gaze was sharp, his eyes studying, assessing. I’d spent most of my life letting people see only what I wanted them to, and then Noah blew into it and stripped everything away. Somehow, I showed him way more than I intended to. Way more than I was entirely comfortable with.
Reaching across the table, he grabbed my hand and held it in his, his thumb tracing soft circles on my palm. “Harper. Talk to me.”
I blew out a breath and then pointedly looked around, tilting my head toward all the looky-loos. “Aren’t you at all worried about people seeing us together?”
He laughed under his breath, his thumb still hypnotizing me with its caresses. “Why would I be? We’re just out on a date.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “I’m the owner of an adult toy shop, Noah. I'm pretty sure there's not a soul on this island who thinks we're just dating."
“Well, we’re not just dating, are we? We’re more than dating, and I’m still allowed to do that.”
“You’re allowed to date a nice, sweet girl who bakes muffins on Sundays and sings in the church choir. I’m not that girl. The only thing I do religiously on Sundays is run my dildos through the dishwasher.”
He gripped my hand tighter and placed his elbows on the table so he could lean closer to me. “I’m allowed to date whomever I like, and that happens to be you. As for the dildos, I'm sure I could help you out with that, so long as it doesn't interfere with Bible study.” The side of his mouth kicked up a notch, mischief shining through his eyes. Mischief and lust.
I breathed out a surprised laugh, shaking my head. “So you’re telling me it doesn’t bother you at all that Donna over there is whispering to her husband about the fact that we’re out to dinner right now? And that by tomorrow’s silent reflection hour at the church, it’s already going to have spread through your congregation like gonorrhea? You’re going to have a lot of questions to answer.” I glanced at Donna, who was still staring, and fluttered my fingers at her in a wave. She finally spun around, pretending she hadn’t been gawking. “Seems like a lot of work for what’s going on here.”
Noah was quiet for so long, I finally turned my attention back to him. His gaze was on me, the space between his eyebrows pinched, like he couldn’t quite figure out the answer to the equation I’d just placed in front of him. Finally, he said, “Questions, I can handle. People talking about us, I can handle. And I'm willing to put in as much work as necessary to get you to see we’re great together.” He leaned even farther across the table, his voice dropping to a low, sultry tone meant for only my ears. “Harper, I'm a pastor, not a priest. I'm allowed to date, and I'm allowed to choose whomever I want to share my life with. I'm also allowed to fuck you six ways from Sunday so long as it's consensual. What are you so worried about?”
What was I so worried about? I’d never once cared about what hooking up with my previous sexual partners might or might not do to their careers or lives. So why was this different for me? Why was he different for me?
Rather than open that can of worms, I shrugged. “I’m already known as the hussy who turned her grandmother’s precious Christian bookstore into a den of sin. Now I’m going to be known as the hussy who turned the lovable, virgin pastor into a sex fiend.” I shot him a wry look. “And don’t tell me people don’t think you’re a virgin…you put out that vibe.” Then under my breath, I mumbled, “Or you used to, anyway.”
He sat back, grinning, looking altogether too cocky. “Are you trying to tell me you think you've broken my pastorness?”
“You just fucked me up against a wall, Pastor, so I’d say it’s officially broken.”
“I think fingering you in the church offices would have been more damaging to my pastorness, yet I still went and taught Bible study and counseled some of our senior members afterward. Pastor title and aura fully in place.” He leaned in again, cupping my hand in both of his. Running his fingers over it. He traced patterns across the palm and back, down my fingers, to my wrist… It was the most innocent erotic touch I’d ever experienced. “My faith is about love and hope, about finding joy in every moment you can. You bring me joy, Harper Davis. Anyone who can't see that or thinks it’s wrong simply because of your career isn't the kind of person who would listen to one of my sermons anyway.”
I could only stare at him, mouth agape. And he let me, not saying a word as he continued brushing circles over my hand. Who the hell was this guy? When we’d started our combustible flirting all those months ago, I certainly hadn’t anticipated ending up here. And yet there we were, half an hour post orgasms, about to have a nice, romantic meal in a public restaurant. No hiding. No secrets. No shame.
“Pastor Noah, I thought that was you.”
The interruption startled both of us, but Noah recovered quicker than I did. “Janet, hello. How are you this evening?” he asked, making no move to release my hand. Instead, he continued his mind-numbing caresses as he held a conversation as if this were perfectly normal.
“I’m fine.” She slid her eyes to me, then quickly back to Noah when she caught me watching her.
“I believe you know Harper Davis,” he said. “She owns the retail establishment across the street from the church.”
Her cheeks turned bright red at the mention of the shop. Probably because she was worried I’d rat her out to her pastor. The complimentary mail service I offered at Sin—because in a small-town atmosphere like Temperance Falls, people liked the guise of propriety—had been her best friend since I’d opened the shop. Her latest order had been a thin, silicone dildo, meant for intro to anal play. Something I was quite certain she didn’t want her dear pastor knowing about.
Clearing her throat, she nodded at me. “Sure, sure. Hi, Harper. I didn’t expect to see you two together. Just discussing business?”
“Not at all.” Noah smiled—not at her, but at me—then gave a wink before looking back in her direction. “Miss Davis and I are dating.”
Janet’s eyes bulged, her jaw hanging open. “Dating? You”—she pointed to Noah—“and…her?” She gestured to me.
Not very subtle, Janet. Though from the way she wasn’t at all covert about eye-fucking Noah, it was pretty clear she thought I was encroaching on her territory. I looked her up and down, taking in every inch of her. From her pin-straight and perfectly in-place hair, to the pearl earrings she wore, to her cute little sweater set and pressed slacks, she would’ve been perfectly at home in the dictionary next to the title: Pastor’s Wife.
With a nod, Noah answered her rude-ass question. “Yes, she and I.” He turned his body slightly, seemingly giving her all of his attention, save for my hand still held in his. “How's your sister been feeling? I’ve been praying for her since the surgery.”
“Oh, you’re just the sweetest,” she gushed, placing a hand on his shoulder as she leaned closer to him.
I narrowed my eyes, grinding my teeth together. I didn’t have any kind of claim on Noah, but that shit just wasn’t cool. You didn’t encroach on another girl’s date and paw all over him. Never mind the way it made my stomach twist, my hand clenching into a fist between his.
I had to give credit to Noah, though, smooth motherfucker that he was. He shifted just enough so Janet had no choice but to drop her hand or risk looking like an idiot. While he kept her talking about her sister, he caressed my hand, getting me to unclench my fist. With ease, he deflected her attention from what was going on between us.
And what the hell was going on? Months and months we’d had of that delicious back-and-forth, a year’s worth of taunting. Delayed gratification. And then in the span of two days, we’d gone from that easy, immaterial play to having to defend our relationship—relationship?—to onlookers.
Noah tugged my hand, and I looked up at him before glancing over to where our visitor had stood. She’d left while I’d been in my own world. I opened my mouth to say something—what, I didn’t know. Between my totally uncharacteristic feelings of jealousy and the uncertainty of whatever the fuck there was between Noah and me, I didn’t know anything.
“Good evening, Pastor Noah,” the waiter said, interrupting whatever nonsense had been about to come out of my mouth. “Harper. Nice to see you both, and sorry about the wait. Can I interest you in a bottle of wine?”
Wine. Yes. Perhaps a little alcohol would give me some clarity over what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
* * *
Getting tipsy at dinner was the best idea I’d had in a while, allowing me to leave all my worries and uncertainties back at the restaurant. Well, it was my best idea right after leaving my panties in my office and taunting Noah yesterday in front of his church. And also after taking his suggestion and leaving those off tonight when I answered the door for our date.
Okay, so mostly, my best ideas revolved around things that led to Noah giving me lots and lots of orgasms. And if I had my way, that would only continue now that we’d made it back to my place.
I unlocked the door and walked inside, tugging Noah along behind me. He hadn’t let go of my hand since we’d left the restaurant. He was a touchy-feely one, that was for sure. Hand-holding shouldn’t have been erotic, but somehow, he made it so. Gentle touches, soft caresses, just enough teasing to get me thinking about what would happen later…
“Thank you for spending the evening with me,” Noah said, closing the door behind us. “I hope you had a nice time.”
I dropped his hand, then raised an eyebrow, pulling the hem of my fitted shirt out of the waistband of my skirt. “That sounds an awful lot like you’re getting ready to leave…” I tugged off my shirt, tossing it somewhere in the vicinity of my couch. “What if I’m not ready for the night to be done just yet?”
He didn’t drop his eyes to take in any of the skin I’d just exposed. Not even once. He kept his gaze locked on mine as he prowled toward me. “What did you have in mind? I play a mean Jenga, you know.”
I breathed out a laugh. How could he make me laugh when I was dying to get him inside me? “Do you play a lot of strip Jenga?” With a quick flick of my fingers, I unhooked my bra, then sent it flying in the direction of my shirt.
“Not usually, no.” He put his hand on top of mine, stilling me as I attempted to unzip my skirt. Brushing my hand out of the way, he slid the zipper down, his lips a soft caress against my bare shoulder. “Teach me the rules?”
I tilted my head to the side, encouraging his exploration. I wanted those lips all over me. “In strip Jenga, it’s more about sliding things in than pulling out.”
He pushed my skirt down until it pooled at my feet, then he clutched my hips, slipping his fingers under the straps of my garters as he pulled me closer. “Slide in. Got it. So how do we determine a winner?”
Teeth, tongue, lips…he was everywhere, all over my neck, sucking on my collarbone, licking a path up to my jaw, nipping at my ear. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
“Harper.”
“Hmm?”
Though I couldn’t see him, I could feel his lips curve against my neck. “The winner… How do we know who wins?”
Right. Strip Jenga. “Whoever comes first loses.”
He pulled back and looked down at me, tracing a finger around my lips. “That’ll be you, doll. Definitely, and more than once.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“No.” He cupped my breasts in his hands, slowly leading me backward until we were behind the partition separating the living space from my bedroom. Then he gently tugged on my nipple piercings, his smile growing when I gasped. “It’s a promise.”
Considering our previous encounters, I believed it, too. Despite having been years since he’d been with a woman, he could play me like he’d been doing so his whole life. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t tease him along the way.
“What are you hiding under all these button-up shirts, Pastor No?” I whispered against his ear, playing with his collar. “Trying to make the congregation think you aren’t a red-blooded male under those pressed shirts and pleated pants. That you don’t fantasize just like the rest of them.” I slipped a button through its hole. Then another and another and another until his shirt parted down the front and I could push it off his shoulders. And then I got my first real look at Noah Reid.
He was…delicious. So much male perfection covered by those modest clothes. Broad shoulders transitioned into a toned chest and sculpted abs. A light dusting of dark hair covered his pecs, and I wanted to feel it against my hands…my breasts. Then I wanted to get my mouth into the mix and lick every inch of him.
He let me look my fill as he stood still as stone, his chest rising and falling in a regulated rhythm. So controlled. Like he was trying to hold back.
That just wouldn’t do.
Bracing my hands on his chest, swirling my fingers through the light smattering of hair, I pushed up on my tiptoes and nipped at his bottom lip before soothing the sting with my tongue. “Tell me, Noah. What do you fantasize about?”
He gripped my hips, pulling me closer. Digging his fingers in deep. “You. It doesn’t matter what. It’s always you.”
“For how long?” I didn’t know what purpose his answer would serve, but I was suddenly desperate to know. Had he had this infatuation with me the same as I’d had with him? Could he still remember how we’d first met? When I hadn’t realized he was the new pastor as he’d offered me his umbrella to protect me from the rain, uncaring about getting drenched himself. I’d wanted nothing more than to pull him into my car and fuck him right then and there. I could pretend my attraction hadn’t been immediate and visceral, but I’d only be lying to myself. It’d been an undeniable build between us, the chemistry too potent to be contained. Until yesterday when it’d just…combusted.
“Since the first day in the parking lot. You were so beautiful…and wet.” He brushed a finger down my neck to my breast before tracing soft as silk circles around a nipple. “I love it when you’re wet.”
He reached around, gripping my ass in both his hands, and hauled me up against him. Taking my mouth in a kiss, he slid his tongue against mine as he lowered us to the bed. He tasted like wine and the tiniest hint of chocolate from our dessert. Pure heaven.
I opened my legs for him to settle between, the rough material of his pants brushing against me. I didn’t care that I was nearly naked save for my stockings and garters and he was partially clothed. That I was no doubt leaving a trail of wetness over the front of his pants. All I cared about was getting him inside me again.
Noah cupped my breasts in his palms, his thumbs flicking back and forth over my nipples, tugging on my barbells. I gasped when he brought his mouth into play, sucking one hardened peak between his lips, circling his tongue around and around and around until I thought I’d die of pleasure.
No longer able to just lie back, I slid my hands over every inch of him I could reach—into his mess of hair, over his shoulders, down his arms as his biceps flexed under my palms. Trailed my fingers down his chest, over his nipples to the hills and valleys that made up his abs, until I hooked my fingers into the waistband of his gray slacks. Desperate to get him uncovered, feel him inside me, I tried to pry open the button.
“Wait.” He covered my hand with his, inadvertently stilling it against his cock. With a groan, he pressed into my hold a bit, and I gave him a squeeze.
“For what? Feels like you’re ready to go.”
“You come first, remember?” He lowered his face to mine, kissing me once more. “I want it to be on my mouth.”
Oh, hell yes. Where moments before I could only think about getting him inside me, now all I could think about was what it’d feel like to come on his tongue.
He kissed a path down my stomach, stopping to swirl his tongue around my belly button, taking a detour to scrape his teeth over my hip. And then he placed his hands on my inner thighs and spread me wide for him, those broad shoulders settling between my legs, and just…stared.
“I’ve dreamed of doing this to you for months. Of tasting you.” He turned his head to the side, brushing his lips over my thigh before sinking his teeth in hard enough to make me jump. “There’s no way in hell I can be gentle.”
“Then don’t be.”
With a groan, he dove in. No preamble. No working me up. No teasing. He covered me with his mouth, his tongue working fast and furious against me. Long licks up the length of my slit, followed by fast, hard flicks back and forth against my clit.
And then added his fingers to the mix.
He had me on the edge so fast, flying straight toward my orgasm, I couldn’t tell up from down, couldn’t discern his fingers from his tongue from his teeth. All I knew was he was devouring me whole. And I absolutely loved it.
“Oh God, you’re gonna make me come. Noah…”
He groaned against me, working his tongue faster. With a moan, I arched off the bed and reached for his hair, holding him to me as I pressed myself harder against his face. He responded to my moan with one of his own, the sound vibrating against my pussy, and then I was in free fall. Colors burst behind my closed eyelids as I came and came and came…the orgasm drawn out near to the point of discomfort. But Noah didn’t stop. He continued his assault on me, not slowing in the slightest. He cupped my ass in his hands and brought me closer to his face, doubling down on his efforts as he worked me right back up again until another orgasm overtook me.
I gasped, unable to speak, to groan, to do anything but remember how to breathe as this man brought me pleasure I’d never known. I rode out the waves of my second orgasm to lightening swipes of Noah’s tongue. Then he brushed his mouth over me, back and forth, the tickle of the stubble he’d let grow in creating delicious friction against my clit. I didn’t know if I wanted to press closer or pull away, but Noah made the decision for me.
“Hope you don’t take the loss too hard, but there was no way I was coming without you going first. That’s never going to happen.” He pulled away, wiping his forearm across his mouth, and stood, stripping off his slacks and boxers in a rush while I stared. It was the first time I’d seen him completely naked, and I relished every second of it, letting my eyes do a slow sweep over him.
I’d felt him inside me, knew intimately exactly how blessed he was in that department, but laying eyes on the thick inches of flesh and steel in front of me was something else entirely. I wanted to get my hands on him. I wanted to get my mouth on him. But before I could do either, he covered himself with a condom and settled on his knees on the edge of the bed.
With quick movements, he stripped me of my remaining articles of clothing, the garter belt and stockings I still wore tossed somewhere to the side. Even with the efficiency with which he moved to get me naked, it didn’t feel cheap or rushed. He was still tender in his touches, his eyes caressing me every second.
When I was naked, he smoothed his palms from my ankles to my knees, tugging me closer to him as he hooked my legs over his thighs. Vulnerable and completely open to him. At his mercy with nowhere to hide.
“Is it still considered strip Jenga if we’re both already naked?” he asked.
The surprised laugh he pulled from me quickly turned to a moan as he pressed inside. Forget Sunday church services or Bible study or prayer groups—when Noah slid into me, his eyes locked on mine, it was the only kind of religious experience I needed. He rocked into me slow and steady, making the rest of the world fall away. Filling me over and over, he caressed every inch of me he could reach, bending down to suck a nipple, taking my mouth in a heated kiss.
“Need you closer.” He slid his hands under my back and lifted until I was settled in his lap, my legs wrapped around his hips. “Want to watch you do the heavy lifting for a bit.”
I wasn’t normally a fan of this position. It was too close…too intimate. It allowed your partner access to every inch of you. Something Noah took advantage of. He ran his hands over my legs, gently encircling my ankles with his fingers. He gripped my ass, tugging me closer, cupped my breasts and drove me crazy with his mouth.
After running his hands up the length of my spine, he threaded his fingers through my hair and tugged my head back to feast on my neck. Intermixing soft kisses with teeth and tongue, he continued to rock inside me, bringing us both to a slow climax.
And when it hit, when he braced his hand at the base of my spine, holding me to him and grinding so deep I had no choice but to fall, I knew it was different. Every second with him was different, from the teasing to the sex. From the way he looked at me to how he kissed me. If I’d been paying attention, I would’ve seen it’d been different all along.
“Harper…” Even the way he whispered my name was something I’d never known.
When he came apart in my arms, my name a prayer on his lips, I knew whatever I’d thought this had been between us was a lie. Noah was all in.
Strangely, so was I.