5.

 

Ash

 

Noelle looks as if she’s going to be sick. She grips my arm tightly, scooting in close as I pull the grate shut and hit a button on the control panel. The elevator lurches a few feet in the air, and Noelle lets out a shriek.

I look down in concern. “You weren’t kidding about heights.”

“My dad tried to take me up the Empire State Building once.” She takes a shaky breath as we slowly climb up the side of the building. “I had a panic attack halfway up. They had to carry me out.” She peers out of the cage, and I can see the fear written all over her face.

Guilt strikes through me. I wish I hadn’t brought her here, but it’s already too late to take it back. “I promise you, the view will be worth it,” I try to reassure her, turning her body back to face me. “Just think about something else.”

“Like what?” Noelle blinks up at me. Her whole body is tense, stiff as a rod.

“Like this.”

I lower my head and claim her lips in a slow, deep kiss. Noelle stays frozen for a moment, but as I slide my tongue into her mouth, she melts into me.

Damn.

I bring her body close, my arms tight around her. I could tell myself it’s to make her feel safe as the elevator slowly climbs the building, but that would be a lie.

I need to feel her. Every inch.

Noelle’s lips part, wider, and I drink her in. Our tongues caress in a dangerous dance, and just like before—in the street, at the party, in the back of that bar—I lose track of everything but her heat and the fire burning between us, reckless and wild.

Before I realize it, the elevator shudders to a halt. I pull away, scolding myself for losing control again. But Noelle still clings tightly to me. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” I ask, trying to soothe her.

“Ask me after we get down again.” She edges out of the cage, then lets out an audible sigh of relief as her feet find solid ground. We’re on the rooftop now, high above the city, but I guess anything’s better than that shaky elevator.

“Trust me,” I promise her. “Once you’ve seen this, you won’t ever want to leave.”

I lead her across the expanse of concrete. The views are incredible, but when I stop on the edge of the roof, I turn to find she’s fixed her gaze firmly on the ground.

I move her in front of me, my hands on her shoulders. “Now, isn’t that the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?”

Noelle looks up.

“Wow,” she whispers, gazing out at the city lights. We’re facing west, towards the river; New York City lit up beneath us. Rivers of gold and red and white crisscrossing the island, the darkness of the river, and the land beyond. It’s a private world here, suspended above the city. A hundred-million-dollar view.

“OK, I forgive you for making me go up in that elevator,” she laughs, spinning around. “This is amazing!”

Relief crashes through me. When I saw her fear downstairs, I thought I’d ruined tonight without even trying.

“I can’t believe you own this view,” she continues, heading over to the side of the roof. There’s construction stuff stacked there: crates and cement bags. Noelle finds a pallet covered in a tarp, and hops up to sit on top.

“Me, the bank, and a few private financiers,” I correct her. I walk over slowly, struck by the contrast between her silk dress and all this unfinished mess. A jewel in the dust.

“Still…” Noelle lies back, until she’s staring up at the sky. “Look at it. I could stay here forever.”

I sit beside her and lie back until we’re side by side. I’ve never seen the view from this angle: the way the buildings around us loom up overhead, their lights bright in the midnight sky.

I turn my head. Noelle is watching the stars, a blissful look on her face. Her hair spills around her head in a tangle of blonde curls, begging to be touched.

If you asked me to pick a view to stare at for the next ten years, I’d choose her. No question about it.

“How long have you lived in the city?” I ask. I know I told her I didn’t want to do the usual Q&A, but I can’t help it. I need to know more.

“I’ve been here my whole life.” Noelle props her head up on one hand, facing me. “What about you?”

“I don’t really live here.” I think of the travel bag I have packed at all times. “I keep an apartment, but I travel so much for work, I’m never in one place for longer than a few months at a time.”

“I can’t imagine bouncing around like that,” Noelle muses. “But it must be nice, exploring new places.”

I shrug. “Most of the time, I’m working. Figuring out the next hot neighborhoods, or where it’s best to start a project.”

“I don’t believe it.” She gives me a teasing grin. “You’re not some boring suit. You’re off rescuing damsels in distress and embarking on all kinds of crazy adventures.”

“Guilty as charged,” I lie. I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m exactly that kind of boring suit. I like the way she’s looking at me too much: as if I’m the man she imagines, and not the dull truth.

Noelle lies back again, shifting to get comfortable. “I read somewhere that there are an infinite number of possible universes,” she says, reaching up, like she’s tracing the outline of the constellations. “That means there’s a billion alternate versions of you out there. Living a totally different life.”

I watch her, feeling like I’m an alternate version of myself right now. I’m not used to being spontaneous like this; acting without thought and planning.

But something about her makes me forget myself. I feel like the slate’s wiped clean. She doesn’t know my reputation as a steel-cold negotiator. With her, I have no responsibilities, no pressure.

At least, not for tonight.

“A parallel universe…” I lie back and exhale a long breath. “Maybe I’m off on a beach somewhere, running a surf shack.”

She giggles. “Or one of those street performers. You know, the guys who dress up and pretend to be robots.”

I laugh out loud. “What about you? Secret agent? Marine biologist?”

“I don’t know… My grandmama is the best cook,” she says. “She has this little bed and breakfast, out by the coast. I used to visit in the summer; every morning you wake up, and it smells like heaven. Vanilla, and cinnamon, and lemon loaf…” Her face goes dreamy at the memory.

“There you go,” I smile. “Alternate-universe you is a pastry chef.”

Noelle’s eyes snap open. “I actually thought about it,” she admits. “For a hot minute, after college. But what would I do as a baker, sit around eating cupcakes all day?”

“Sounds pretty good to me.” I picture her with frosting smeared over her lips. And me right there to lick it off.

Noelle laughs. “Sure, I can just picture you in a cute apron and oven mitts.”

“I’ll have you know, I make a mean chocolate souffle,” I correct her.

“Oh, really?”

“You’ll have to come for dinner,” I say without thinking. “Taste it for yourself.”

She hesitates, and I realize it’s the first time either of us have mentioned what happens after tonight.

“That sounds nice,” she says softly.

A strange mix of relief and regret washes over me. Relief, because she doesn’t want this to be just one random night.

Regret, because I know it has to be.

I don’t want to think about tomorrow, when the world goes back to balance sheets and budget projections, so I lean over and kiss her instead—take those tempting lips, pull her body against mine. She rolls beneath me like she was meant to be there, rising up to meet my mouth and sliding her hands around my neck to yank me even closer.

God, I could kiss this woman forever, right here in the middle of the city lights. But it isn’t enough. It could never be enough. My hands rove over her body, feeling every inch of her curves beneath that silky dress. She arches against me, hungry and impatient for more.

And damn, I’m going to give it to her.

I tear myself from those delicious lips, and kiss lower, trailing down the line of her throat. I want to ravish her, devour every inch, but I force myself to hold back and explore her slowly, savoring the softness of her skin. I feel her body shiver with every touch, her breath coming in shallow pants as she clutches my back.

I nudge her dress lower, lower, until her breasts are exposed: perfectly round and pale in the dim light.

Fuck.

I exhale, my breath whispering on her skin until her nipples harden into two stiff peaks. Noelle lets out a moan, pressing up against my mouth, but I tease her, taking my time, slowly swirling my tongue around the tender nub before finally closing my mouth around her to suck.

Noelle writhes against me, impatient. I’m hanging on to my self-control by a ragged thread, adrenaline mixing with pure lust in my bloodstream. Every whimper, every caress sends me hurtling to the edge. Suddenly, she wraps her legs around me and rolls us, taking me down and straddling my torso.

I fall back. She’s poised above me, her hair falling loose and her dress crumpled around her waist. The neon of the city forms a halo around her head, but it’s the look in her eyes that takes my breath away: bright with a fevered hunger, a spark of rebellious temptation.

“I knew it,” she whispers with a grin, leaning over me. “You’re trouble.”

Her lips come down against mine, hot and demanding. And I know, without a doubt, that she’s the dangerous one. Her body rocks against mine, her hands slide under my shirt. She bites down softly on my lower lip with a moan.

And self-control is forgotten.

I sit up, scooping her into my arms and driving her body down hard against me as my mouth crashes to claim what’s mine. Heat strikes, the friction of her surging straight to my cock. She gasps, grinding into me, driving me crazy with a wild lust that rages, demanding satisfaction.

I roll her beneath me, pinning her to the crate with one hand as I kiss my way down her body. This time, there’s no teasing, no restraint. My mouth devours every inch of her soft skin, licking hard. I close my mouth over one bare breast and suck her puckered nipple, loving the way she gasps and writhes with pure abandon.

I move lower, yanking up her dress to reveal a wisp of black lace panties. Noelle is panting now, arching up to meet my touch as I slide one hand between her legs and under that damp strip of silk.

She’s wet. Slick for me, parting wider to invite my touch. Our eyes lock as I sink two fingers deep inside her, and watch her come undone.