Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)(76)

“Noah?”

A welcome voice—not my mother’s, but welcome all the same: Echo. A smile spread across my face. This was too good. Me in a towel, alone in the house with my nymph. I left the bathroom. “‘Sup, baby.”

Echo peeked around the corner and red curls bounced when she rapidly turned her head in the opposite direction. “Oh, my God, I am so sorry. I’ll wait outside or something until you … um … you know, get clothes on.”

I padded into the living room behind her, running my hand down her back. “What are you doing here? You and Lila run out of girl gossip?”

“I, um, made a decision. Can you put some clothes on?”

“Cutting it close to curfew, aren’t you?”

She shrugged and avoided looking in my direction.

“Come on.” I grabbed her hand and led her toward the basement.

“No, really, Noah,” she said. “I’ll wait until you’re dressed.”

So I could miss that blush creeping across her face? No way. “Turn away if you want, but I don’t mind you looking.” I let go of her hand when we reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to my basket of clothes, picking up a pair of jeans. “Turn away now. Or not.” I glanced over my shoulder. Echo had her back to me and her eyes covered. I chuckled to myself. “What’s going on, baby? You’re not a rule-breaker.”

“I don’t feel like going home. At least not yet.”

I zipped my jeans. “You can look now.”

Echo turned and her smoldering emerald eyes drifted to my bare chest. She licked her lips and quickly focused on folding a blanket Beth had left on the couch. “You’re still wet.”

She wanted me—just not as badly as every throbbing muscle in my body wanted her. Behind the hunger in her eyes rested a quiet pain. Echo placed the expertly folded blanket back on the couch and smoothed it several times, insisting on finding perfection in a world where none existed.

“If you don’t want to go home, what do you want to do?” I asked, sitting on the bed.

Echo plopped down on the couch, wrapping her arms around herself. “Lila told me I could stay the night with her, but Stephen ended up coming over …” Her tone indicated she’d rather embed nails in her forehead than return to that.

“Antonio’s parents are out of town. Beth and Isaiah are already there and plan on spending the night.” I didn’t need to mention the amount of pot Beth had taken with her.

I barely heard her muffled comment of “Yay,” but the sarcastic jazz hands were hard to miss.

“He specifically called and asked if I was bringing you.” And that would be the reason I never brought up the party to Echo. Homeboy or not, he was too friendly with my girl. But if hanging with another art guru made her smile, I’d take her.

“Can we …” Her knee bounced. “Can we stay here?”

“Yes.”

She stretched her sleeves and stared at the ground. At least she didn’t wear the gloves around me anymore. I could think of plenty of things to do with Echo in a house alone. Hell, I’d fantasized about moments like this, but damn if she didn’t make me want to be a better man. “Want to do normal?”

A curious flicker crossed her face. “You want to study?”

“There are other normals.” Discreetly readjusting my jeans, I picked up the remote, joined Echo on the couch and pulled her slender body next to mine. I relished the feel of her melting into me as I flipped to a promising channel. “I’ll even make popcorn.”

Throughout the movie, we moved to eat popcorn, shifted to get comfortable, only to end up uncomfortable; an awkward dance of keeping my hands and parts from familiar and unfamiliar areas of Echo’s divine body. I was capable of being a gentleman for the length of one movie, at least. The credits rolled and my left hand, which I’d placed behind my head to avoid her tempting tummy, tingled with numbness.

My patience finally snapped. “This is ridiculous.” I swept her up and swung her over my shoulder, her bare feet dangling in front of me.

Tinkling laughter filled the room. “What are you doing?” I tossed her onto the bed. Her fire-red hair sprawled over the pillow. My siren smiled up at me.

“Getting comfortable,” I said.

Echo blinked and raw hunger replaced the laughter that danced in her eyes moments before. Her delicate fingers glided up my arm, exciting every cell. “You don’t look very comfortable.” The sultry tone caused something deep within me to stir.

I swallowed, attempting to push away the unexpected flutter of nerves in my stomach. “Echo …”

My heart swelled, causing my chest to ache and breathing to become nearly impossible. Paralyzed by her beauty, I hovered over her. She was no nymph, but a goddess.

Her hands continued their burning climb up my arm and onto my chest. Bold moves for her. Echo’s breasts rose and fell at a faster rate. “I want to stay with you tonight.”

I sucked in a breath as her fingers trailed down the indentations of my chest muscles and willed her to continue as they made their slow descent. Caressing the warm redness forming on her cheek, I sank onto the bed beside her. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“What about your dad?”

She whispered, “I’ll handle my dad.”