Noah (The Mitchell/Healy Family #1)(51)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“Good. I might have actually killed him.”

She pointed at me. “This is the reason that you can’t keep a woman. You have issues.”

“Screw you. That’s comin’ from someone that got the shit beat out of her because of what?” I waited a couple seconds.

“Fuck off.”

“Yeah, exactly. You’re lucky we’re family, or else I’d tell you how much of a bitch you can be.”

“That’s never stopped you before,” she yelled from the empty bedroom across the hall.

I refused to keep going with her. She’d fight with me all night, just to avoid talkin about her problems. I had enough of my own.

As I stood up to get dressed, I saw my phone blinking, like I’d gotten a text, but it hadn’t rang.

A number I didn’t recognize was displayed.

I need an address to send the checks to. – Shalan

I wrote back quickly.

The only reason I’d ever give you my address is if you were coming to see me. It’s only a matter of time before you miss me, Shalan. – Noah

You are the most cocky, irritating man I’ve ever met. I guess you won’t be getting the money back after all. Have a nice life. – Shalan

For someone so bitter, I bet you’ve thought about me all day. – Noah

Why would you assume that? – Shalan

Because all I can think about is how good it felt to be inside of you. I miss it already. – Noah

Sorry about your luck, cowboy. – Shalan

Fine. Play hard to get. You have my number when you come to your senses and come down off that high horse. When you show up at my door, don’t say I didn’t tell you so. – Noah

I hate you, Noah Mitchell. I regret getting in that truck with you that night. – Shalan

Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that. Ain’t nobody ever going to make you cum like I did. Who is full of shit now? – Noah

I’m done talking to you. –Shalan

You’re probably touching yourself right now. I can see those little fingers pinching your caramel ni**les. I made you so wet. Don’t deny it. – Noah

I knew I was irritating her, but I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t want to stop talking to her.

It shocked me when my phone started to ring in my hands and I saw it was her.

I walked over and closed the door to my room, locking it so my cousin couldn’t bust in.

“Are you ready to admit that you’re still hot for me?”

Shalan

I shouldn’t have been calling him, but just reading his words was making me insanely horny. No matter how hard I tried to stay mad at him, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to feel his touch again.

“Are you ready to admit that you’re still hot for me?”

Of course he’d ask something like that. “Will it get you to stop messaging me?”

“That depends.” I could hear him adjusting, and thought about where he was, and what he was doing.

“Did you make it home?”

He laughed. “Changin’ the subject?”

“No. I just wanted to know.”

“Yeah. I had to go get my cousin first. We got home a while ago.”

“Where was your cousin?” I was stalling, and he probably knew it. My call was something I was going to regret. I’d never been one to have a sexy conversation over the phone. This was awkward.

“North Carolina. If you would have let me explain earlier you’d know.”

Since I didn’t want to talk about sex, I figured I could hear why he’d left me. “Tell me now. I’m listening.”

“Promise you’ll forgive me first.”

I closed my eyes and all I could think about was his lips traveling down my skin. My lips parted and I thought about him exploring the hot spot between my legs. “Yes. I promise.”

“She called me in the middle of the night. You need to understand that Bells is like my sister. When she said she was in trouble I knew I had to get to her. It wasn’t about leavin’ you, or walkin’ out without explainin’. She needed me, Shalan. She still does.”

I felt jealous; not because he’d picked another female over me, but because his family sounded like they were perfect. I’d longed to have that kind of family, and knew it would never happen. “Is she okay?”

“She’s beaten up pretty bad. I’m not sure I know everything, but she’s here with me, and I won’t let nothin’ happen to her.”

I closed my eyes and felt bad about being mean to him. There were plenty of times where I’d wished my brother cared about me. I could have f**ked a serial killer in front of him and he wouldn’t have stopped it. I could have been running for my life and he’d still be worried about his next lay. “I’m sorry, Noah.” I started to cry. He’d helped me tremendously, and because he had other obligations I’d treated him terrible. “I didn’t mean what I said before.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s okay to be mad. I know how much today meant to you. So it went well?”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yeah. It went great. Like I said, I signed a temporary contract. They made me sing in front of them. It was scary.”

“I bet you sounded like an angel. What did you sing?”

I couldn’t possibly tell him what I sang. I’d made up the song when I thought he’d left me. It was clearly about him, and he’d know it. “Just something I wrote. Nothing special.”

“Darlin’, if you’re singin’ it’s special.”

“You just want to have phone sex.”

The mention of the word sent a rush of heat between my legs.

“If it’s with you, then yes, I do want to have any kind of sex I can get, but I meant what I said. You’re gifted, and you know it.”

“Thank you.”

“Welcome.” He was quiet for a couple minutes. “So when can you come see me?”

Hearing him invite me to visit was exciting. Then I realized that I was obligated under a contract to be committed to the business and nothing else for the next several months. “I’m not going to be free for a long time. I didn’t realize how much work goes into all of this.”

“That sucks. I’d like to have a proper goodbye, that way you can have good thoughts when you’re alone thinkin’ about me.”

“Which you assume is all of the time?”

He chuckled. “How many times have you thought about me today, Shalan?”

I blushed, feeling embarrassed to admit it. “A few.”