chapter twelve
"Let me guess: you're mad."
Lucia turned to Noah and shrugged. "Oh, you think I'm mad?" She unhooked her earrings and slid them into her jewelry box before turning to face him. "First, you had me wired and I didn't know it."
"Lucia, you agreed to wear a wire."
"Yes. I did. But I thought I would have a say when that wire was going on." She unhooked her necklace and stared at it for a moment, then sighed. "Let me guess. This has a GPS tracker and a transmitter?"
At least, he had the good grace to look sheepish. "Look, once you said you were okay with wearing a wire, I had that made. I would've loved to give you advance warning, but there wasn't going to be time. And we had no way of knowing when Rafe was going to try and find you."
"So you thought he'd try on my birthday?"
Noah shrugged. "Well, before he died, he never missed one. Your whole family made birthdays a big deal. Plus, the club was crowded enough, had multiple exits, and is pretty hard to defend. If I were him, and I wanted to make a play for you, I would've chosen a place like that. So, sorry but it needed to be this way."
She planted her hands on her hips. "Fair enough. I get why you couldn't wire me up the traditional way. But that doesn't explain why you didn't tell me. You gave me a gift. At least what I thought was a gift."
He frowned. "I'm sorry. I figured if you knew you would inadvertently draw attention to it. It's not like you're trained for these types of situations. People telegraph all kinds of things that they don't mean to. It was easier not to tell you."
She threw up her arms. "This is what I mean, Noah. We have had this conversation a million times. But you keep making decisions without consulting me. You don't give me the opportunity to do things on my own. To figure it out. It's like you don't trust me. And that hurts."
"Lulu, I trust you with my life. I've never had anybody love me before. And yes, I can certainly do better. Yes, I need to figure this shit out. I've never had a real relationship before. There are women I've dated for covers, there are women who were convenient, but I've never been with anyone I wanted to be with before. I have no idea what I'm doing."
The honesty in his eyes was her undoing. She didn't want to just let it go, but she knew how hard this was for him. "Well, trust is part of being with someone. We need to be partners. And I need to trust that you're not going to spring some random shit on me."
"Can you maybe trust that if I do, there's a reason behind it? And not assume that I don't believe in you or that I'm just trying to fuck with you, or make your life more difficult? Or treat you like a child?"
She opened her mouth to retort, but he had a point. He was right. She and Noah had had that dynamic for so long, she also didn't know how to deal with him in the context of a relationship. "Okay, I can try to do that. We've just had a certain dynamic for a very long time."
He nodded. "Back then, my only job was to protect you. Not protect your feelings, not explain things to you, or check with you. But then, when everything started, that shifted. And it's hard for me to adjust. I'm sorry. I'll work harder on that."
She licked her lips, and then nodded. "I'm sorry too. Tonight was like exposing a raw wound."
"Yeah, tell me about. It was one thing to see him in video footage, but it was another thing entirely to see him in the flesh. After all this time. That's going to take a long time to get used to."
She chewed her bottom lip. "Do you really think he would've shot me?"
Noah laughed. "Absolutely. Somewhere nonlethal, probably more like a graze really. But it would've hurt, and you would've done what he wanted."
She winced. "My own brother would have shot me?"
Noah strode over and covered her hand with his. "He would've done it to protect you. Hell, I would've done it to protect you. If I could've shot you to get you out of the way, so that you didn't risk your life for him, I would've done it."
She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. "Do not put me in the middle, Noah. Don't make me choose between you and Rafe. I can't do it. I love you both."
Noah's jaw worked. "You mean like he did with you?"
She jutted her chin out. "And I chose you. I wasn't willing to leave you. And I'm not willing to let anyone hurt him. Nor am I willing to let him hurt anyone else anymore. We're going to have to work together."
Noah nodded and stroked her cheek gently with his thumb. "Lucia, I promise you no one's going to get hurt. Except for the people that deserve it. We're on the same side. And just so we're clear, I've missed him too. He was my family too."
Her eyes stung and she rapidly blinked back the tears. "I know. You're okay though?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Though …" He inched closer and slid his arms around her lower back. "I have some ideas on how you can help me feel better."
She couldn't help the giggle. "Why do I get the impression that if you had your way you'd forever keep me in this room naked?"
"Because that's a fabulous idea."
Noah wasted no time getting her naked. But then had Noah ever wasted time? Hell, half the time he didn’t bother to even get her completely naked first.
His kiss was searing. His expert tongue sliding into her mouth, claiming her and with each stroke making her burn. His big hands slid over her heated flesh and Lucia sizzled with each caress. Would she ever get enough of this?
Lucia rocked her hips upward and reached for him, sliding her fingers though his hair. "Please hurry."
Noah understood the art of seduction. Knew how to make her want. Knew the buttons to push to make her scream. Or to bring her so close and hold off just enough so she’d hang on the precipice of need. It was enough to make her crazy. Enough to make her beg for what she needed. She was addicted to him. There was no way this would ever be enough.
He had her just where he wanted her. He had her tank off in seconds, the silky material falling to the floor. They both kicked off their shoes. And then the race was on to see who could get naked the fastest.
Noah of course didn't have to contend with a pesky bra. But obviously he was more than ready and willing to help her with that.
As he slid the lace from her skin, his fingertips grazed her flesh slightly, making her need him, making her want to beg for his mouth on her. She couldn’t help the whimper that escaped.
He picked her up, carrying her to the bed, his lips on hers. But while she was in a hurry, Noah … was not. He was in the mood to tease. He kissed down her sternum, refusing to kiss her just where she needed. Refusing to give her what she wanted.
With a frustrated growl, she narrowed her gaze at him. He chuckled. “Something you need, princess? Because I was in the mind to take my time with you. And we’re just getting started.”
“Damn it, Noah. You know what I want. Why are you torturing me?”
"Don't worry. I'll get there," Noah said with a chuckle. He grazed along the column of her throat even as his hips rocked into hers, pressing gently. Teasing her with the ridge of his erection. "Just so you know, I'm going to use my fingers, I'll slide them inside you and over your flesh. I'll find your G-spot and touch it just right. Just enough to make you come again. I know you'll be sensitive, but it's going to feel so good."
He sped up his movements, his hips rolling into hers. She rose to meet him, arching her back, begging him to rub her where she needed. His lips skimmed over her skin, across her collarbone to her breast. His words alone were driving her nuts. But coupled with his lips, his hands intertwined with hers, she was ready to explode.
His lips brushed her nipple ever so slightly. The motion sent a spear of need directly to her core. Next, he used just his teeth, raking gently. He was careful to keep his full weight off of her. His teeth felt so good and she wondered if it was possible to die from anticipation.
When he laved her distended nipple with his tongue and then wrapped his lips around her, Lucia held on for her life. With tug after deep tug, he sucked on her. It didn't take much, she was so tightly wound. But it was the secondary pleasure when he teased her other nipple with his thumb that sent her over the edge. She came hard and fast, her whole body shaking. "Noah. Oh my God."
"That's one," he announced with a satisfied grin.
He kissed down her thighs and her calves before pulling back to snag a condom out of his wallet. Lucia watched with avid interest as he sheathed himself before settling between her thighs.
"Look at me," he growled.
As if she could look anywhere else. Even though she felt like a limp noodle, she still wanted more.
One hand teasing the hair at his nape, the other tracing his pecs, she canted her hips up. "Noah, hurry."
She could see the tension in him as his arms shook. He was having a hard time with control. Would talking to him drive him as crazy as it drove her? He lined his erection up with her opening and she whispered, "I want to know what this feels like bare. Just you and me, nothing between us. Do you think you'll like that?"
He stared down at her, lips slightly parted. "What?"
"It would be a first. I want to know what it feels like to have you come inside me."
He rocked into her in one deep stroke, her name on his tongue. He cursed low and deep, a long drawn out "Fuuuuck."
Noah slid in and retreated, adjusting their position so she sat on his lap. Oh yes, it was so deep like this. Their movements were a frenzy of skin, lips and hands. There wasn't a part of him he didn't touch her with. Body and soul.
Her second orgasm was stronger than the first but with a slow build. Once the fire took hold, there was no stopping it and she exploded in his arms. Noah was right behind her. His hips bucked as he came, gripping her ass tight as his muscles corded and his teeth clenched. Lucia wrapped her arms around him, holding tight.
He was hers.