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By the time they reached the hotel, Mia was a quivering mass of contradictions. Noah had lost his mind. The man smiled continually, held her hand and sang, yes, sang along with the radio. She didn’t know how to deal with him. What happened to the surly, closed off, refused to smile Noah she met? Him she could handle.
The new Noah scared and excited her.
He opened the door for her and his hand lingered on her back as they walked toward the entrance. Since he carried her bag with her computer, she couldn’t send him away and he refused to give it to her.
The elevator ride to the third floor was silent. Nervous, she fidgeted until she realized her actions and forced her body to remain still.
“If I had my computer, I could help with the research,” he offered as they turned the corner to her room. “Do you have a flash drive?”
“Yes. I have a few, why?”
“We can use the business center downstairs and I can help you.” They entered her room.
“That’s a good idea, give me a minute.” Mind back in the game, she pushed aside the hum in her body, the tingles spiking her core and searched through her supplies. Finding the drives she nodded. “Let’s go.” He walked behind her. She felt his hot gaze on her ass.
Her skin sizzled, something she’d never felt before with the few men she had sex with. Throat tight, she remained silent during the short ride down and as they walked to the business center. Inside he grabbed the lone computer and waited for her to do the same with her laptop.
Over the next hour, they read the information sent by Tyrone and researched Aaron Mosely, Peter Drum, Purity Products and Saul. By the time they finished, she was exhausted and hoped they didn’t dream that night. She printed specific pages from the email and sent everything to Thomas.
So far, he hadn’t responded to anything she sent, neither had Tip. Since she all but demanded to remain behind to finish the op, she tried not to be angry. He told her he would be out of touch for a few days when he asked her to go with him. Still, there was a part of her that wanted his approval, just a nod saying she was heading in the right direction.
For now, she believed Leviticus Club was definitely involved with the murders but had no definitive proof.
“Let’s take this upstairs,” she said packing up her laptop and receiving the flash drive from him with his research. She yawned, it was well after midnight.
Upstairs, she placed her bag on the table and moved quickly to the bathroom. She’d been holding it in for the past 30 minutes and breathed a sigh of relief.
Noah sat at the small table watching her when she re-entered the bedroom. “Too tired to talk?” he asked.
She was tired but they needed to talk. “No, what’s on your mind.” She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him.
Leaning forward, with his elbows on his knees and hands dangling between them he snared her gaze. “I’m damaged. My last tour I was hit by something that lodged in my head. Took a while to pull it back together. Had to relearn basics, walking, my speech was off, processing information was a bitch. Spent months in physical therapy. They say I’m a walking miracle.” He snorted. “I talk to a therapist. From time to time I’m right back there, right in the fight, seeing my buddies on the ground. Guys I’d just eaten a meal with, gone in an instant. Fucks with me, so I obey my doctor and talk to a shrink.” He paused. “Never thought I’d smile again or want to. The dreams are a nuisance. The mist chokes and paralyzes me. At least it did until you entered my dreams.”
The intensity of his gaze stopped her from swallowing or responding. She forced herself to breathe.
“Whatever you did last night when you broke through that barrier, freed something in me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully explain to you how I felt today. It’s like I’ve got my life back, and anything’s possible. Didn’t expect the extras but they’re worth it to be whole or as whole as I’m going to be.”
Unable to speak through her tight throat, she nodded.
“Like I said, I’m damaged and yet as whole as I’m going to be. I like you, Mia. I want to get to know you better, spend my days and nights with you. Earlier, I said I wanted to be on your team, I meant that. Maybe when Thomas and the others get it together we’ll talk but right now, this isn’t about them. It’s about me and you. I want all of you or as much as you can give me.”
“You want me?” Her eyes widened slightly.
“Yes, you.” He pointed at her with a soft smile.
How pathetic was it that no one had ever uttered those words to her before? The ring of truth, intertwined with a ping of certainty delivered his response with clarity. Her heart expanded as she continued staring at him.
“I know there’s an age difference between us, but it’s just a number,” he said. “We can make it work if you give me a shot.”
“Age difference?” She cocked her brow at him.
“Figure I got, what 10 - 15 years on you?”
She laughed, more like she had 95 or more years on him. She’d have to calculate it. She stood and entered his embrace. Now wasn’t the time to share her past with him, she needed Thomas’ okay for that. It was a part of their pact. But for now, she would relish the sweet words he spoke and hold them close to her heart.
“It’s time to rest, we’ll talk in the morning.” She turned off the light and undressed with the assurance he watched her every move.
“The twins are coming to my place in the morning to work with me,” he said shoving his jeans and boxers down his long legs.
She faced him and allowed her gaze to drop. His cock rose as she stared at it. “In the morning?” she asked meeting his gaze.
“Yeah, don’t want to talk about them now.” He kicked off his pants and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a scarred, wide muscular chest.
She traced one long wicked scar that trailed from his nipple to his soft pubic hair and looked up at him.
“Damaged.”
“Beautiful warrior. A gift from God,” she said wanting him to believe it.
He swallowed hard, pulled her close and kissed her. Nothing could’ve prepared her for this feeling of drowning and being rescued at the same time. He took and gave. Her hands wrapped around his neck as she tried to climb him to get closer to his heat, needing more. His arm came under her hips as he lifted her with apparent ease.
They broke apart gasping.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he said.
Her heart stuttered. She’d been called princess, sweetie, babes and a manner of other endearments, but no one ever told her she was beautiful with such earnest heat and care.
Her forehead touched his as she pulled her thoughts together.
“There’s this light inside you, so bright, sweet and pure. The first time I saw you, I pretended to be looking at the house but you captivated me from the beginning. Didn’t think I had a shot, not with all the shit going on with me. Then you smiled and I was gone. You light up my fucking life, I mean that, Mia. I mean that.”
Tears leaked from her eyes and she scrubbed them away with the back of her hand. She never realized how much she needed to hear those words from someone. Never occurred to her that she needed to matter, to have someone believe she was special. After years of searching for the child of her womb, no matter how it was planted the babe was a part of her, she wanted her child to know he or she mattered. Know that she thought and prayed for them constantly. They mattered.
In less than five minutes Noah broke through the walls surrounding the failures of her past and watered her thirsty heart.
“What’s wrong?” he rubbed her back as he lay her on the bed. With his thumb, he gently wiped away her tears. “Don’t cry, I can’t take it.”
She scooted up and over so he could join her. “I’m not... sad,” she said extending her hand to him. He took it and lay beside her.
“Lay with me tonight. Sleep here, hold me close,” she said. “I need a moment to breathe.”
His warm arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. “Whatever you need.”
The hard length of his cock pressed against her and she smiled as she yawned again. Sleep pulled on her, there were a few things she wanted to say to him. But the darkness dragged her under.