CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
A SUBTLE KNOCK SOUNDED on my apartment door and I rushed down the hallway, carrying a pair of strappy heels. I checked my reflection in the mirror, my smile wide. Tonight marked Noah’s and my one month “dating, not fucking” anniversary. I had a good feeling tonight would finally be the night he caved. It didn’t matter that Noah and I had already had sex and had been doing plenty of other things over the past few weeks to satiate our thirst. Excitement had bubbled in my veins all day as I wrote Avery and Jackson’s first sex scene. Thankfully, I’d been able to find a recent version of my original draft on one of my backups.
Turning from the mirror and smoothing the lines of my silky red gown, a long slit showing off my leg, I opened the door. It felt like the breath was knocked out of me when I was treated to the sight of Noah in a tuxedo. I’d seen him in suits almost daily, but there was something about the crisp lines and contrast between the deep black and stark white that made me completely weak in the knees. He took tall, dark, and handsome to the next level.
“Wow,” I exhaled.
A smile tugged at his full lips as his eyes raked over my body. “I could say the same about you.” He leaned toward me, his breath warming my neck. “You look good enough to eat.”
“Molly’s House of Pussy is open twenty-four hours a day,” I murmured, lost in the feeling of his lips on my skin. I was ready to combust with the amount of sexual tension that had built between us for the past month. I felt like a virgin who was about to offer her body and heart to the man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. In fact, I couldn’t remember being this eager when I had sex the first time. Then again, there was nothing romantic about losing my virginity in a fraternity house my senior year of high school. He thought we were soul mates. I just used him for his fake ID.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He pulled back, winking, then handed me a long, narrow box.
“What’s this?”
“Just a little something I thought you should have.”
I tugged the ribbon loose and opened the box, my eyes falling on the silky royal blue material. I pulled it out, giving Noah a coy look.
“You thought I should have your tie?”
“That’s not just any tie,” he reminded me.
“Oh, I know that. I have an impeccable memory.” I’d never forget tugging on this exact tie the night we’d first slept together.
He licked his lips. “Then you should recall I wanted to save that for later.”
I nodded, my heart rate picking up at the hunger and yearning in his clear blue eyes.
“I believe later has arrived, Ms. Brinks.”
A chorus in my head began singing “Hallelujah!” as electricity ran through me. I wanted to do a happy dance and tell the world I was finally getting laid tonight.
I grabbed his hand and started toward the bedroom. I didn’t care about the dinner for some foundation he was on the board of. I didn’t want to waste a second.
“Whoa!” Noah pulled his hand from mine, then locked me in an embrace. “First things first.” He planted a benevolent kiss on my lips. “We have to get through this evening.”
“Why?” I whined. “Do you have any idea how frustrated I’ve been?”
“All part of my master plan.”
“Your master plan sucks.”
“Perhaps, but just imagine how amazing it’s going to feel later on tonight.” He grasped my hand again, pulling me toward the front door. Spotting my overnight bag, he grabbed the handle. “Ready?” He raised a brow.
“More frustrated than anything,” I huffed.
“You and me both.” Winking, he stepped out of my apartment. I slipped on my shoes and found my clutch, then locked the door behind us. I followed him onto the street where a limo waited, much to my surprise.
Thinking of all the fun we could have in the back seat, I didn’t even notice when I almost ran into someone.
“Shit. Sorry,” I offered, then did a double take. “Drew?” I cocked a brow, studying his appearance. His normally scruffy hair was short and well-groomed, his beard gone. He wore a charcoal, tailored suit that looked impeccable on him. I hadn’t seen him this dressed up since his hockey days. “What are you doing wearing a suit?”
“Molly.” He drew in a shaky breath. “I…,” he stammered. “I just had some business to attend to.” He tore his worried expression from mine. “Good to see you, Noah.”
“You, too, Drew.”
“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I asked. It felt like I hadn’t seen much of him lately. Between my deadline, spending time with Noah, and the girls being out of school for the summer, both of our lives had been hectic.
“Yeah. Everything’s great. Better than great.” He smiled, reassuring me. “Listen, there are a few things I need to talk to you about.”
My breath caught, unease visible on my face.
“It’s nothing serious,” Drew interjected quickly. “But let’s try to get together for a drink sometime next week, okay?”
My shoulders relaxing, I stood on my toes, planting a kiss on his smooth cheek. “You got it. Love ya, Drew.”
“Love ya, too, Molly Mae. You look great tonight,” he whispered. “Noah looks good on you.”
“I think so, too.” I gave him a smile, then walked to the waiting limo.
“Ready?” Noah asked.
“Yes,” I answered, although I really just wanted to get this dinner over with so I could spend the evening in a luxurious hotel room where Noah and I would do anything but sleep.
He helped me into the limo, then slid in beside me. Once settled, the driver pulled into traffic.
When Noah had asked me to accompany him to this gala, my gut instinct was to tell him no. I’d be surrounded by people on a completely different intellectual level than I was. I couldn’t help but think bringing me to something like this would make Noah realize I wasn’t good enough for him. Thankfully, Brooklyn had come to the rescue and convinced me nothing could be further from the truth. Now, as I looked down at my dress, I found myself reconsidering.
“Everything okay?” Noah asked, cutting through my thoughts.
“Of course,” I answered quickly.
“Molly…,” he countered, a hint of caution in his tone. Regardless that we’d only been dating for a month, he somehow always knew when I was lying. Apparently, I had a really shitty poker face. “What is it?” He linked his fingers with mine. The contact comforted me, but it was short-lived.
“Are you sure you really want to take me to this thing? You can drop me back off at my apartment. I’d completely understand.”
His brow furrowed. “Why do you say that? You’re my girlfriend, Molly. Like I’ve told you before, I want everyone to know you.”
“But this is different than just going to dinner with your college friends. You’re on the board of this amazing foundation that’s done so much to advance research to try to prevent Alzheimer’s. You’ve done so much with your life.” I lowered my eyes, avoiding his gaze. “I can’t compete with that. All I’ve done is write a bunch of books that are filled with a lot of kinky sex.”
“Oh, is that all?” I could hear the sarcasm in his voice. “Most people couldn’t even fathom being able to do what you do. To make people fall in love with your words, to feel what your characters feel, to cry, laugh, and cheer with them.” He leaned toward me, his lips a breath from mine. “To be so turned on, they go jump on their spouses. That’s a fucking gift.” He ran his fingers down the line of my neck, the contact light as a feather. “You’re a fucking gift.”
Noah’s lips met mine, his kiss tender, soft, reverent. I didn’t know how he did it, but he always seemed to know exactly what I needed to hear. For years, I’d masked my fears and insecurities in my sarcasm and writing. It was freeing to be able to finally give a voice to all these things I’d kept locked inside.
“Are you sure I can’t persuade you to skip tonight and just go straight to the hotel room?” I nibbled on his lower lip.
“And waste such a stunning dress?” His hand skimmed my stomach, making me desperate for more of him. “I’ve been looking forward to dancing with you all week.”
“I know a few horizontal dance moves we can do instead.” I wiggled my brows.
He laughed, his smile reaching his eyes. “I don’t doubt that. Believe me, we’ll get to those. All in due time, Ms. Brinks.”