Hot tingles shoot up my spine as goose bumps rise up on my arms My mouth is so dry as I close it and reopen it. I must have fallen asleep when we got back home. I remember going upstairs like a zombie, and I told myself I was just going to lie down for a quick minute.
Her scent of cherry sugar cookie fills my nose before I even open my eyes.Noelle.
“What time is it?” I ask her, my voice thick and raspy. My eyes open and soft light fills my vision.
“About six thirty,” she says with an intense look in her eyes.
“What?! I slept for four and a half hours?” I accidentally shout at her.
She laughs fully. “Yeah, you needed it. I saw you up here when I got home, and I didn’t want to wake you. You seemed so peaceful.”
My heart sings. “I was. I definitely didn’t expect how much effort was needed for laundry day at the shelter.”
She chuckles. “It gets everyone; don’t worry. People usually leave sore after laundry day.”
Memories of the day flood me, finally breaking through the sleepy wall around my brain.Kelly. I feel my face fall, but I look away in hopes that she didn’t catch it.
“What’s wrong?” she asks almost immediately.
“I learned about The Evergreen Foundation. What exactly do you guys do?” I ask, leaving the elephant of a question lingering between us.
She waves her hand like it’s nothing. “We just donate to nonprofits and charities. But the shelter is where we donate the most. Aside from smaller donors, we are the reason it’s open.”
My heart warms at her nonchalant confession. “That’s incredible, Noelle.”
She shrugs. “I’ve been running the accounts for the foundation for years. It’s just something I’m passionate about.”
Passion leads Noelle’s life. Every step she takes in life comes from such raw passion. I can’t help but be constantly mesmerized by her.
After a beat of silence, she asks, “What else? Something else is on that mind of yours.”
“I, uh … met someone interesting today.” I meet her concerned gaze. “An ex of yours actually.”
Her lips thin as she realizes who I’m talking about. “I’m sorry. I should have told you about Kelly. But I didn’t want it to be even weirder than it already was going to be with you stuck with my family all day. I was also kind of hoping she wouldn’t be there.”
I softly smile. “It’s okay. I had a good time. It wasn’t that uncomfortable with her. I love spending time with them, honestly. Kelly seemed a littlesadwhen I told her I was dating you.” I can’t keep the sass from my voice.
Oh God. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
Noelle smirks, and I start to question why guys even have the audacity to smirk when it never looks as good asthat. She rolls over and presses the front of her entire body into my side. “Was that jealousy, love?”
Red covers me instantly, and I feel the heat in my skin from her question. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
Pushing herself up, she runs her hand through my hair, her thumb stroking my cheek. “What if I told you this was her favorite thing—when I played with her hair?”
She knows what she’s doing, just trying to get a rise out of me, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t working. My blood boils at the thought of Kelly lying where I am.
Wetness glides up my jaw, and tingles dance across my skin. “What if I told you that she loved that?”
Gulping, I’m unable to form a word as I hold a moan back from escaping my lips.
She hovers her lips over my ear and exhales, “Maybe I should try that again.”
Without hesitation, fireworks explode on my skin once again as she teases the delicate flesh on my neck with her tongue. I can’t stop the whimper of approval that rumbles out of my throat.
“Tell me, love, what if that was her favorite thing?” she murmurs with hooded eyes and a predatory gleam in her stare.
My resolve snaps when her fingernail follows the same trail as her tongue. “I would tell you to do it to me as many times as you need until you forget that it ever belonged to her.”
