Midnight Kiss (Virgin River #12)(76)

His sorrow swept away at those words. Those words that let him know she’d spent the past two years with want and need and yearning. Just as he had. “God.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again, but Noah no longer wanted regret from her. They’d both been stupid. Idiotic. Foolish.

They deserved each other.

He stepped closer. Tears glistened on her pale cheeks, so he framed her face and wiped them away with his thumbs. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” she said on a broken whisper. “I lied.”

“And I’ve been lying to you for two years. But not anymore.”

Her lips were cool and tasted of salty tears when he kissed her, but it took only a few heartbeats before the kiss turned hot and eager. Not quite desperate. Something sweeter than that, because it was the first honest kiss they’d ever shared.

By the time the kiss ended, their arms were wrapped tight around each other, their breath coming too fast. Elise buried her face in his neck, and he felt the tremors running up her back. She was skittish and afraid, but she still held tight to him. Thank God.

“How could we have screwed up so badly?” she breathed against him.

He kissed her hair. “We’re hard-headed.”

“Stubborn.”

“Arrogant.”

Elise sighed. “And now it’s too late.”

No, he wasn’t going to let that be true. He’d show her it couldn’t be true.

“You smell so good,” she murmured.

Noah shivered when her teeth scraped his neck. “Elise…”

“You’re cold. We should get back to the hotel.”

“I’m not—” he started, than snapped his mouth shut. “Yeah, let’s get back to the hotel. It’s freezing.” Elise giggled—giggled—and took his hand to tug him back the way they’d come. They walked faster, rushing toward the streets of downtown, but the hotel was nearly a mile away. When they reached the first little stone tunnel that ducked beneath a narrow road, Noah pulled her to a halt.

She swung toward him with a laugh, but the laughter died in her throat when he eased her against the stone wall and kissed her again. Her breath tangled with his, rushing over both their lips. Firecrackers popped and sizzled in the distance. Fingers of light from passing cars snuck into the tunnel, but didn’t reach their bodies.

“Noah,” she sighed, with the exact amount of yearning he wanted to hear. She snuck both her hands into his hair and pulled his mouth to hers again, answering any questions about what she might want.

Noah was determined that the next time they had sex it would be on a horizontal surface, he truly was. But her coat was open, and her h*ps curved so nicely in his hands, as if they wanted to be held tight. She whimpered, tugging him closer, then groaned when he pressed against her.

There was something unique to her. Something that drew him close and took him over. And to think that he could transform someone so strong and unreachable into a whimpering bundle of nerves… Her need humbled him and swelled him with impossible power at the same time.

“Noah,” she whispered. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“Good.” He edged his thumbs under her sweater and found another layer of fabric beneath, this one hot from being pressed to her skin. His hands soaked up the warmth and wanted more. He slid his whole hand beneath the shirt and relief filled him up. Her stomach jumped at the touch, and then she arched into him with a gasp.

Suddenly, all sweetness was gone. Their kisses turned frantic. Their hands greedy. He needed her. Now.

He unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them open. Finally, he found true heat—his fingers cupped her. Her breath twisted in white wisps on the icy air, but Noah felt sweat limn his body.

“Please,” she sighed.

He’d slide into her right now if he could. He already recognized the hitch that broke apart every breath she took. She was so close already. Her nails dug vicious crescents into his back. Her h*ps rocked into his hand. Just a few more seconds…

She cried out as her body shook apart against him. In case there was anyone nearby, he covered her cries with his mouth and drank them down.

She was still trembling when she fisted her hands in his jacket and pushed him an inch away.

“Think you can manage the trip back to the hotel?” he asked.

“Yes. I feel much better.” The white gleam of her smile glowed in the moonlight.

“Me, too.”

ONCE THEY WERE ALL REARRANGED and decent, Noah took her hand and they strolled slowly through the tunnel and out into the moonlight.

“That was…” Elise shook her head.

He couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah.”

“I’m beginning to wonder if you can even perform in a horizontal position.”

“We’ll have to see.”

“Someday I might even get you to take off your shoes. Or pants.”

“If you’re lucky.”

She giggled again, which only made him grin harder. Jeez, they were like a couple of teenagers together instead of thirtysomething adults. A snowflake touched her nose. He felt the sting of one on his cheek. And suddenly the sky was filled with swirling glitter.

“Wow,” Elise breathed. She whispered “wow” again when the first fireworks exploded over the buildings of downtown. A flash of red, then a blue flower. Car horns everywhere blared and honked. Elise and Noah raised their faces to the snow to watch the fireworks explode.