“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Tiffany tells me. “I’ll walk you through everything ahead of time. There’s nothing to it really.”
“Victoria already has five other bridesmaids. Surely no one will notice if she’s missing one.”
“Her fiancé’s grandsons are the groomsmen. And there are six of them. It wouldn’t be right to tell one of them that they’ve been demoted.”
“I’m sure they’ll understand. It’s not like they’re going to get angry at the bridesmaid for being sick.”
“You’re Victoria’s friend. Surely you can understand how important this is to her.”
Troy is watching me with great interest, a slight frown on his face. I lift my shoulders in aWhat-can-you do?shrug, even though he has no idea what’s going on.
The front door opens and Noah enters the house. My heart starts beating loudly—a songbird flapping its wings against the bars of its gilded cage, eager to fly to him. Tiffany’s words are lost on me over the pulse pounding in my ears.
But I’m sure whatever she’s saying isn’t all that important.
I walk over to him, throw my arms around his neck, and gaze into his gorgeous brown eyes. Every part of me in contact with his hard body hums with need.
His arms go around my waist, his own gaze locked on mine.
“Aaand that’s my cue to leave,” Troy says, walking past us. A moment later, the front door clicks shut behind him.
Tiffany is still talking, oblivious that I’m no longer listening to her. “Give me a second,” I tell Noah, then lift the phone back to my ear. “I have to go now. I’ll see you in two days.”
“But what about Victoria’s wedding? She needs you to be her bridesmaid.”
“Okay, I’ll do it,” I murmur, not really paying attention to her anymore. I end the call.
“Hi,” I say, softly, to Noah.
“Hey. Is your uncle still here?”
I shake my head. “He left a few minutes ago.”
And that’s about the extent of our conversation before his lips are on mine. Our tongues worship each other with their own sensual dance.
The kiss doesn’t last long, but it’s enough to leave us breathless when we pull apart.
“I thought instead of having dinner at the ranch tonight,” Noah says, “we can eat here. Just the two of us. I brought food with me.”
“I’d like that.” If it means I don’t have to share him with anyone. “And I’ve got some big news to tell you.”
He grins my favorite smile—the one when he’s thinking about sex and me. “I still need to shower, so how about you join me and tell me there?”
“I like where this is headed.” I’m leaving tomorrow morning, so I need to make the most of my last moments with him. And that includes all the sexy times we can handle.
He goes out to his truck and returns with several brown paper bags filled with food. He also has his sports bag. We put the food in the fridge and head upstairs.
In the bathroom, I turn the shower on and adjust the temperature. By the time I swivel around, Noah is standing in front of me, naked and already at half-mast. My body vibrates with anticipation.
Even if I was staying permanently in Copper Creek, I’d never grow tired of seeing him like this. I spend a brief moment memorizing everything about him. His sexy, self-assured smile. His strong body that is gifted at making me feel needed and desired. The way his gaze is taking me in like I mean the world to him.
It isn’t long before I’ve shimmied out of my clothes and I’m standing in the bathroom naked.
Noah cups my breasts with his large hands and brushes the already taut nipples, making them even harder. “So what’s the big news you have to tell me?”
“My uncle offered me a job with his team. His designer Evie Gladstone is leaving the show and I will be her replacement. I’m going to be on TV. It’s like a dream come true.” I sound like a babbling idiot but I don’t care.
“I didn’t realize you’re interested in being on TV.”
