Page 57 of Pages of Amber
“Because of ballet?”
Amber shook her head sadly. “Ballet, school, my mom. I’ve never had the space to dream about what I wanted to be, only of what would make her happy.”
Noah was quiet. He could understand that on an intimate level. He hadn’t wanted to be student president like his brother, but he’s done it anyway. For his parents.
“Then I’ll make it my mission?” His voice broke into her thoughts.
“Your mission?” she asked.
He hummed, “I’m going to make you dream, Amber. I’ll help you dream all the big dreams and one day, you’ll be living them.”
She turned her head, meeting his stare now. The stars reflected in his dark eyes, their light dancing across his irises. She had always known his eyes were dark, but under the moonlight, they glowed golden interspersed with brown streaks. Amber sucked in a breath, almost forgetting to breathe at the mesmerizing sight. The warmth of his words washed over her, feeling her with awe. Who was this boy and why had she pushed him away all this time? Why had she made him the enemy?
“I have a mission too,” she mused. “Your parents have the most incredible son and they need to know it. He has dreams and aspirations and I know he’ll succeed in every one of them, just like he has at Redmington.”
“You mean that?”
She smiled. “I’m sorry for not seeing it sooner. You’re a great student president, Noah. It took me a while to see it but I’m glad I did, and that we made everyone see it too.”
He swallowed, the motion working his throat. She couldn’t tell because of the darkness, but his freckles popped out, spreading across the bridge of his nose. Amber realized she had missed seeing them. Between them, his hand shifted across the blanket. Laying it upright in their middle, he held his hand out for her. Amber peered into those starry eyes. She didn’t have a single doubt in her head when she placed her hand in his. The warmth he had exuded beside her the whole evening now enveloped her hand, spreading down her arm and settling firmly in her chest. She couldn’t look away from their joined hands until he spoke.
“I didn’t think I cared anymore about getting anyone’s approval.” His eyes captured hers. “But it means the world to me that I have yours.”
She melted against the blanket, unable to resist the well of feelings that his words arose in her chest. Her hand shifted in his, their fingers interlacing. With nothing but the cover of stars and the harmony of nature around them, Amber laid her other hand on his chest as she inched forward.
Their lips met, as slowly as they had the first time they had kissed. For some reason, everything felt more intimate, more blissful. It felt right to be in Noah’s arms. His hands were quick to delve into her hair, playing with the strands as he tilted her head, bringing her closer. She closed her eyes and followed his lead, her hands clutching his shirt as her fingers absorbing the warmth of him. Amber could barely make sense of the visceral feelings racing through her body, stealing her senses and robbing her of her mind.
A sharp gasp filled the air. It took Amber a second to realize it was from her. That she needed to breathe. No. She could breathe later. She just needed him. She needed to keep kissing Noah. But the moment had come to an end. As slowly as they had come together, they pulled apart. Her hands released their death grip on his shirt. His slid away from her hair, resting on her cheek instead. She could barely think, let alone take in enough air to revive her brain.
The longer she stayed quiet, the lower his brows drew down. “Don’t.” His voice was low, raspy. She opened her eyes and met with the longing in his gaze. Longing? For her? “Don’t say you regret it, Amber. Please.”
If she could think past the slight tingle in her lips, she would realize that she could count how many times he had called her by her name, not the nickname he had given her. She didn’t need to count at all to know that this was the first time hearing her name from his lips had elicited a different emotion in her. Amber floundered for a moment, taking forever to find her words.
“I wasn’t,” she whispered. “I won’t. It’s just–”
How could he think she regretted it when she could barely think past the bliss roaring through her? Or maybe he thought she hadn’t enjoyed kissing him. Was she that inexperienced?
Noah’s hands didn’t leave her as his eyes searched her face. “What?”
Heat poured into her cheeks at his perusal. He could probably feel it since his hands were braced right on what must be a blazing inferno.
“You’re my first kiss.”
The admission was low, timid but he heard it. If Amber thought his eyes had been dark before, it didn’t compare to the depth that surged into them now. She could only imagine how she looked in comparison. Despite feeling like everything she knew had tumbled inside out, Noah stood before her looking like the very cause of her state. A tsunami to a sleeping shore. His hair was run through, scattered by her fingers. His gaze was fixed on her face, his lips looking thoroughly kissed. By her. Oh. God.
“My second actually, if we’re counting from the top.”
“I guess we are.” Noah blinked, then a smile curved across his face. “I hope it was a good kiss.”
Yes. The word ran through her brain immediately. But the need to tease him rose higher. She scrunched her nose. “Romance books and movies say you have to do the leg thing when it’s a good kiss.”
“What leg thing?” A smile creeped into the corner of his mouth as he humored her, stars dancing in his eyes.
“The leg raise, Noah,” she said in a ‘duh’ tone. “It always happens when the main characters kiss, along with fireworks and electricity.”
“We can have that. We’ll keep trying until it happens,” he said, his lips curving into a devastating smile that lit his face.
“You have one chance, boy genius. Make it count.” She tugged him closer with a giggle.
