Noah (The Mitchell/Healy Family #1)(54)
Author: Jennifer Foor

She was carrying in a cake she’d made. “Leave her alone, Noah. She’s a grown woman.”

“What is with this family?”

My father put his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. Noah and I can always give him a lesson in gun cleanin’ the next time he comes over.”

I even laughed at my dad’s joke. For once he’d been funny. My uncle would have been impressed.

“Don’t worry, Christian,” Bells cut in. “My dad tried that same crap with me. Just ignore them and they’ll finally give up.”

After that we all dropped it and ate dessert. Bells and I helped my grandmother onto the golf cart and we drove her to the main ranch house. Once we knew she was settled, we headed back to my place.

Bells plopped down on the couch and immediately turned on some ridiculous reality television show. “You got any popcorn?”

“We just ate. Isn’t that bad for your ass?”

She lifted the remote like she was going to throw it at me. “Screw you. My ass is fine.”

“If you want somethin’, you can get it yourself.” I started walking back towards my bedroom when I heard her saying something smart.

“You goin’ to go call your girlfriend?”

“There is no girlfriend.”

She began to giggle. “Noah, the walls in this house are thin. I could hear you earlier on the phone. Now, you either called some sex line, which is totally disgustin’, or you’ve got a secret girlfriend. So which is it?”

“Mind your own business, creeper.” I shut my door before I had to answer any questions. Within seconds I was sending Shalan a message. She’d be getting ready to perform with the band, and I didn’t want to bother her.

Hope your night goes well. Wish I could be there to hear those pipes. – Noah

I got a reply almost immediately.

It’s not the same without you. – Shalan

Call me tonight? – Noah

Are you sure? – Shalan

Positive. – Noah

I waited up that night to talk to Shalan, and the next night, and the one after that. Not only did we talk every night, but there were even times that we would send messages throughout the day.

After two weeks she’d settled into her new apartment and started the next venture with her new management company. It was exciting to live vicariously through her process, but most of all I enjoyed talking to her, hearing from her, and wishing she was in my arms.

My cousin made my evenings easier, even though she was going through hell. After her parents calmed down about her moving in with me, she went out and got a full-time job at one of the companies that transported our chickens when they were ready for pickup and slaughter. Bells had majored in Business and was now working the operations department underneath only one other person. She’d gotten the job because my grandmother conveniently knew every person in the state of Kentucky.

On the weekends we’d go out and have some drinks to unwind. I had to admit it was nice having her around. Women at the bar left me alone, because they just assumed we were a couple. Bells seemed to be the only one annoyed over it. I think she missed being in a relationship, but she also knew that it wasn’t going to happen on my watch.

After changing her phone number, the calls finally stopped. She’s closed out of all her social media sites and changed her email, just to get away from her ex. I got that it was hard, albeit it was the best decision she’d ever made.

Almost a month after meeting Shalan I’d bought a plane ticket to New York on a whim to see her. Even though we’d talked every night it still didn’t calm the craving I had to be with her again. I suppose somewhere in the back of my mind I knew something was happening between us that we were both aware of, though I was still fighting with myself over making it official. We lived two separate lives and being a couple was never going to work. I couldn’t expect her to give up her dream and live on a ranch with me. It just wasn’t meant to be, and I had to accept it, and try to have fun while it lasted.

Shalan’s apartment was in between Manhattan and Little Italy. It was just an old building that had been converted to one bedroom apartments, nothing fancy. After paying the cabby, I walked up to the door and buzzed her number. I waited, for what felt like forever, but the door never buzzed to let me in. I backed up and started to pull out my phone when I heard the door open.

There she was, standing in the doorway with the biggest smile on her face. Shalan was in my arms in less than a second, showering me with sweet kisses. I held onto her as we entered the building, and I carried her up the flight of stairs to her apartment.

With her legs still wrapped around my waist, I reached for the door and then closed it behind us after we’d entered. My hand was already up her loose shirt, feeling nothing but skin beneath my fingers. I leaned against the door and felt her dropping to her feet. She tugged on my t-shirt and pulled it over my head, taking my ball cap with it. I started unbuckling my belt, while watching her slip the shirt off. Now shirtless, she wiggled out of her shorts and was exactly how I remembered her. She saw me eyeing her up and bit down on her lip. “Stop doing that.”

“What?” I acted innocent.

“Looking at me like you’ve never seen me before. It makes me nervous.”

I stepped forward, breaking the distance between us. “Woman, I could never forget how beautiful you are.”

She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me gently on the lips. “This is nice.”

“Standin’ naked at the door to your apartment? Am I allowed to come inside, or is this as far as I’m goin’ to get?”

She started laughing. “Well, I was a little caught up in the moment, if you hadn’t noticed.” She grabbed my hand and started walking us around. “This is the living room and kitchen. There’s a bathroom right there.” Then she stopped when we got to the last door. “And this is my bedroom, where this tour ends.”

She pulled me, walking backwards herself until we reached her bed. Shalan had hung sheets on the windows to make it darker in the room. There was no need for us to remove our clothes, since they were already gone. She turned us around and pushed me down on the mattress. I propped myself up on my elbows and felt her climbing on top of me. She straddled me, her pu**y in full view. I bit down on my bottom lip and thought about the way she sounded when I made her come. “I take it you missed me.”

She shoved me down and pinned my arms. I could easily break free, but had no inkling to do so. “You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”