Noah (The Mitchell/Healy Family #1)(56)
Author: Jennifer Foor

We spent the remainder of the night in bed, tangled together. When we became famished we ate, and then went right back to sex again.

In the wee hours of the night I felt Noah moving his hands lightly over my body. He thought I was sleeping when he placed gentle kisses on my shoulder. I kept my eyes closed, content with having his attention.

“I can’t get you out of my head, darlin’. The more I’m with you, the more I want.”

I turned and faced Noah, finding his eyes even in the dark room. “I know,” I whispered. “We have to enjoy the time we have. It’s not like we won’t talk. I mean, you are my only real friend.”

He brushed the side of my face. “Until you meet someone else.”

I saw pain in Noah’s eyes, and for maybe the first time, I knew it was about me. “Don’t say that. I’ve never connected with anyone like this.”

He let out an air-filled laugh. “Shalan, you’re about to be famous, and don’t say you’re not. I know how good you are. It’s only a matter of time before everyone hears it for themselves. There ain’t nothin’ a ranch hand like me could ever offer you. Hell, I’m probably holdin’ you back from some fancy rock star party as it is.”

“First of all, you’re not a ranch hand; at least from what you’ve told me. Secondly, I don’t fit in at those parties. I don’t even know anyone, and the people that I do recognize are hardly approachable.” It sort of hurt me to hear him say that I was basically too good to be with someone like him. Didn’t he understand that I’d be forever grateful to him?

Noah closed his eyes and looked away for a second. “It figures, I’d find someone that I enjoy this much, and I can’t even bring her home.”

This time I grabbed his face and made him look in my direction. “Noah, all you have to do is ask. I’d love to see where you live.”

This hint of a smile formed on the corner of his lips. “Consider that your invitation.”

“Fine,” I replied sarcastically, as if it were a burden.

“Good.”

A moment of silence was followed by him tickling the sides of my waist. I whipped around uncontrolled begging him to stop. As uncomfortable as it was, I appreciated that Noah could be serious one minute and playful the next. It was just another reason why I knew he was special.

He finally stopped to let me catch my breath. “So when did you want to come to the ranch?”

I shrugged. “I can probably come in two weeks. I’ve got to do this tour fill-in for one week and then I know I will at least have a weekend to spare. How does that sound?”

“A weekend is never enough time, woman. We’re talkin’ hundreds of acres. There’s five houses on the property. We’ve got thirteen pole buildings. I need to take you horseback ridin’.”

I cut him off. “You have horses?”

“Yes. It’s a ranch. How do you think we gather the cattle?”

I felt like an idiot. “I never thought about it.”

He started laughing. “I’m kiddin’. Sure, we can do it the old fashioned way. Nowadays we use the ATV’s. It’s easier and works a little faster. Now my daddy still messes around with the horses. The ones I was talkin’ about are strictly for ridin’.”

“I’ve never ridden a horse,” I confessed.

Honestly, I’d always been afraid of horses. They were so big, and I felt like I was going to die if I ever fell off.

He ran the back of his hand between my br**sts. I inhaled and closed my eyes, getting turned on again from a single touch. “It’s goin’ to take me a good week to show you every inch.”

I snickered and opened my eyes. “Are we talking about land or something entirely different?”

“Listen to you, gettin’ all dirty. You’re so damn sexy, woman. That’s why I can’t get enough.” He pinned my arms down over the sheets. “What am I goin’ to do with you?”

I don’t know why, but for some reason all I wanted to do was say ‘love me’, even though I knew it wasn’t possible. The idea of that popping in my head immediately caused me to flush. I felt embarrassed and he would never know why. “I guess you’re going to have to ravage me until I can’t move a single muscle on my body.”

He leaned down and kissed me so beautifully, that sounds escaped me from somewhere inside. I was falling for this man, this perfect man that I knew I wouldn’t ever be able to keep.

As painful as that reality was, I knew I had to savor every single moment I got with him. When my schedule became too hectic he’d move on to someone new, and I’d just be another notch in his bedpost.

I hated that.

Noah

Sunday came too fast. I felt like I’d just arrived and now we were having to say goodbye. My trip was well worth it, being able to spend time with Shalan without interruptions. We even managed to get out of bed and got out for a night on the town.

Still, standing in front of the cab that was going to take me back to the airport was extremely difficult, especially when I knew what I was saying goodbye to.

“I guess this is it.”

“I don’t want you to go.” Shalan held me tight, leaning her head against my chest. I let my head fall and kissed her on the top of her head.

“I’ll call you as soon as I land.” There was no reason to talk about it anymore and get us both in a bad mood. I had to go home and she had to get her rest for her trip in the morning. “I’ll see you in a couple weeks. It won’t be so bad. You can still call me like you always do.” I knew what I was saying wasn’t making things better, because I didn’t want to leave either. The idea of walking away from something that felt so good, to go back to my shitty life was ridiculous.

“I wish things were different,” she murmured.

“No you don’t.” I grabbed her face with my hands. “Your dreams are comin’ true, darlin’. You’re about to start this new chapter in your life. We’re still goin’ to be friends, Shalan. I promise.”

The cab driver was getting impatient and we both noticed it. “You say that, but guys like you don’t stay single for long. It’s only a matter of time before you start seeing someone and forget all about me. I’m fully aware of how this works, Noah. The friends thing is just a temporary fix.”

Did she not know that something more was happening between us? Believe me when I say that I’d tried to fight it. At the end of the day there was no denying our chemistry. Walking away from this girl was hard, and I was getting tired of having to do it.