***On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant near our house that Katy had selected.
As predicted, my mother had forced herself out in honor of Noah. It was amazing how much she’d grown to like and trust him compared to the beginning of summer.
Katy pulled a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table. “So what will be first on the agenda when you get home, Noah?”
“I’ve booked some assignments starting in October, so I’ll have a little time to get my studio in order again before I get back to work. My father has also been building a laundry list of things he needs me to do, stuff that needs to be fixed. He’s in his early seventies, lives alone, and relies on me a lot.”
She grinned. “He’ll be happy to have you back.”
“Yeah.” Noah glanced over at me and offered a sympathetic smile.
He knew exactly what I was thinking: his father’s gain would be my loss.
“Well, I hope the long break was just what you needed,” my mother said. “Although you certainly didn’t do much relaxing while you were here. I can’t thank you enough for everything you did for us.”
“You know it was my pleasure, Alice.”
My mother reached for my hand across the table. “I know you’re sad about Noah leaving. But I have what I hope is some news that will brighten your night.”
“What?”
“Your father called me today while you were out. He’s changed his mind and has officially informed us that he does not intend to take any money from the sale of the house. Of course, it’s not final until the paperwork is signed, but he says he plans to relinquish those rights.”
The breath rushed out of my lungs. “Wow, okay.”
Noah squeezed my leg under the table. “That’s great.”
It was a weird feeling. I knew I should have been happy, but the whole stress of my father threatening us had been unnecessary in the first place.
Katy smiled. “I’m glad you won’t have to deal with that complication.”
This dinner was nice, but I was antsy to have Noah to myself again. It was only a matter of hours now before he’d be gone. I knew he was feeling it, too, wishing we could stop time. I’d felt his eyes on me all throughout dinner and could feel an unspoken intensity in the air.
When my mother went to the bathroom, Katy busied herself with handling the check. She’d refused to let Noah give her money.
Without an audience for a moment, Noah turned to me and mouthed, “You’re so beautiful.” It was as if he’d been dying to say it.
“I want you,” I whispered. So badly it hurt.
I couldn’t let him go back to Pennsylvania without having him one more time. Even if I had to beg for it.CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR* * *NOAHMy insides twisted as we drove home from the restaurant.
I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this place, to say goodbye to Heather.
Earlier when that psychic had put me on the spot about my feelings, I’d wanted to tell her the truth: that she’d guessed correctly—that I was in love with Heather. In my heart, I knew she was right. It wasn’t something I wanted to admit now, not with Heather’s future on the line. But that woman was fucking good.
I drove past the exit we normally took to get to the new house. Heather didn’t question where we were going. A few minutes later, we pulled into a desolate parking area that overlooked Lake Winnipesaukee.
I turned the car off and leaned my head back against the headrest before turning to her. “I wanted to look at the stars with you one last time.”
Her voice was breathy. “Is that all you want?”
Fuck no, it isn’t. I rubbed my hand over her thigh, feeling my erection growing by the second.
“I need you one more time before you go, Noah. Please.”
No way could I stop this; I was feeling too weak. I’d been a Boy Scout these past several weeks, but I’d run out of whatever had kept me in control. I knew damn well why I’d taken her here. It wasn’t only to look at the stars. I had to have her, too.
She reached over and placed her hand on my crotch, and I knew I was done. Her eyes brimmed with desire. I drew in a ragged breath as I leaned over to devour her lips, letting out weeks of pent-up frustration. She moaned into my mouth as our kiss grew frantic.
She climbed over to the driver’s seat to straddle me.
Desperate to be inside of her, I unbuckled my belt and unzipped my jeans.
There was one major problem, though. I didn’t have a condom.
I stopped the kiss long enough to say, “I don’t have anything with me…no condoms.”
“It’s okay. I’m on the pill. I have been this whole time.”