How to Love Your Neighbour(64)
Noah’s heated gaze caught her attention. The overwhelming urge to usher everyone out of her house caught her off guard. No one seemed to notice that she’d checked out. No one other than Noah.
John raised a hand and announced, “Due to the transformation of such a small space, we’ve decided that Noah’s group wins.”
They cheered, leaned into one another, and high-fived. Noah looked at Grace, then leaned in so only she could hear. “Whatever I want.”
She shivered. She wouldn’t think about what came next. She’d just focus on right now. One day—one minute—at a time. Even losing, she felt like a winner.
28
Fire blazed through Noah’s body when he heard the click of the front door closing. He curled his fingers into fists, watching Grace come back to the living room from saying goodbye. Their gazes collided like stars. Memories of high school astronomy tickled his brain: crashing stars could combine to create a giant constellation or collapse into a black hole.
Even knowing that this could go really damn well or completely implode, he stepped forward. When she reached her hand out, he met her halfway, surprised their connection didn’t create bursts of color in the air.
Grace stared down at their joined hands. “We said we wouldn’t do this. That we wouldn’t go here.”
His heart stumbled at the thought of walking away. He’d rather get caught in the black abyss of them not working out than not try at all. He tilted her chin up with his index finger.
“It’s not too late to walk away,” he whispered, their bodies moving closer.
A one-sided smile tipped her beautiful lips upward. “It’s not?”
Had he ever worked so hard to stop himself from taking what he wanted? Craved? “It’s whatever you want, Gracie. The choice is yours.”
She pressed her hand over his heart, resting it there. “It’s yours, too. It’ll change things. I’m not a one-night-stand kind of girl. Especially with someone I care about.”
God. The thought of walking away after a night with her gutted him, actually making his insides seize. He pushed a hand into her hair, inhaling the unique scent only she possessed. The one that curled inside of him, burrowed into his being. This wouldn’t just change things. It would change him.
“I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he said, his throat unexpectedly dry. “But I can tell you I’ve never felt like this before or wanted anyone more than I want you. Not just for a night or two or three. I don’t know what the future holds but you’re all I see, Grace.”
She pulled her hand from his, put both of her arms around his neck, gave him that brilliant smile that simultaneously tied him in knots and set him free. “So, we’re talking somewhere between three nights and forever.”
His laugh surprised him. She was the only woman he knew that could add humor to the tension vibrating between them. He let his forehead touch hers, the connection grounding him.
“Tell me what to do, Gracie,” he whispered.
Her body moved against his as she began walking him backward. “If I have to tell you what to do, I’m going to be very disappointed.”
Another rough chuckle escaped his lips. “I won’t disappoint you. I just want you to be sure.” His heart was trying to beat out of his chest as their feet slid in tandem toward her bedroom.
“You’re all I see,” she whispered, giving his words back to him. She went up on her tiptoes, arching against him as she brought her lips to his. Noah was lost. He scooped her up, his arms wrapping around her like a vise.
In her bedroom, the gentle light of the moon danced through the slats in the blinds. Soft throw pillows in light colors adorned her dark gray comforter. He lowered them, coming down beside her, barely loosening his hold.
He let his lips travel over her face, stopping to kiss her eyelids, her forehead, down her cheeks, along the column of her neck. She was intoxicating. Her breathing halted, started, her body shifting enticingly. Her hands traveled over him, learning his body, driving him out of his mind.
“Noah,” she whispered as her hands cupped his cheeks.
He moved over her, kissing her, peace and hunger warring inside of him. Her hands in his hair, their skin touching, her mouth on his; he was drowning. For the first time in his life, he was okay with losing himself if it meant finding them.
Noah’s career and life were built around measuring risk and reward. He loved that part—knowing, in his gut and his head, if the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. Lying there with Grace’s breath fanning softly over his chest, tickling his skin, he realized this was different from anything he’d ever known. Because he didn’t make deals or decisions with the piece of himself she’d captured. His heart had no place in boardrooms. Which meant, he didn’t know where to go from here.
Acting with his gut was different from following his heart. Right now, all he wanted was to sweep her beneath him again and profess the feelings overwhelming him. He wanted to make promises and hear them from her lips. He wanted guarantees and bottom lines. Were they a couple? Would this impact their working relationship? Did she regret it? Was he the kind of man she imagined by her side? Had he lied when he told her he wouldn’t be a disappointment?
Her hand stilled on his heart. “Not to be cliché but what are you thinking? You’ve gone quiet but it’s like I can feel your thoughts buzzing around the room.”