Noah busts up laughing. It’s a full-blown belly laugh, deep and raspy, that shoots straight to my core.
“Go ahead.” I cross my arms over my chest, completely ignoring the tingling between my legs. “Laugh. Get it all out.”
That makes him laugh harder. He gasps, trying to catch his breath.
I slap his arm. “Stop laughing. This isn’t funny.”
“I’m sorry,” he says, sucking in air. “You’re right; it isn’t funny. But you should’ve seen the look on your face.”
“You don’t look sorry.” I scowl.
Noah laughs again, and Tommy saves the day.
“Come on, Lennon.” Tommy helps me out of Noah’s lap and guides me into the office and over to a plush chair. Tenderly, he holds an ice pack to my head.
“Thank you, but I can get it.” I replace Tommy’s hand with mine and close my eyes.
A couple of seconds pass, and when the throbbing starts to simmer down I ask, “Do I have a big goose egg?”
A chair squeaks next to me when Tommy sits down.
“It’s okay. You won’t hurt my feelings. I probably look like I’m trying to sprout a horn,” I say.
“You still look as beautiful as ever.”
My eyes pop open when I hear Noah’s smooth voice. He gently guides the ice pack off of my head as I glance around for Tommy.
“He went back to work.” Ever so slowly, Noah brushes his thumb across the bump on my head. “You really shouldn’t hurt yourself,” he says softly. “I don’t like it.”
Something in the room shifts. The temperature maybe? My body definitely heats. The smell of aftershave and grease tickles my senses. This man is overwhelming and intoxicating, and I can’t help but lean closer to him, the pull in my belly impossible to ignore.
“Yes, well, that makes two of us,” I note.
His thumb continues stroking slowly back and forth. The air around us thickens, our breath mingles, and with each passing second, the urge to kiss him grows stronger. I’m tempted to pull away, break whatever spell he has me under, but I don’t want to do that.
What I want is him.
“I’m not allowed to kiss you, right?” I ask quietly. “Because that would be against the rules?”
Noah’s eyes drop to my mouth. “Right,” he says, nodding.
I lean forward just a fraction, the pull strengthening as his gaze darkens. “I’ve never really liked rules.”
Noah’s tongue darts out, wetting his bottom lip. His eyes flick to mine and then back to my mouth. “Me either.”
Then his lips crash against mine in a first kiss to end all first kisses. Teeth nipping, tongues searching, frenzied hands grabbing, it’s a better than anything I’ve ever experienced. And if there’s one thing I know now, it’s that I definitely like breaking rules, especially if Noah is involved.
“Lennon.” My name is but a prayer falling from Noah’s lips. He pulls back just enough to cup my cheeks in his large, warm hands. Once again his lips find mine, only this time his kiss is soft, sensual, and filled with so much passion I’m afraid my heart will explode from it.
Literally.
My heart slams against my ribs, and I’m unsure if it’s because we’re finally kissing, or simply because I haven’t been kissed like this in way too long. Either way, it doesn’t matter. I’m lost in the way he makes me feel. The way his tongue plunges in and out of my mouth as though he loves the taste of me and can’t get enough.
Rolling his chair forward, Noah gets as close as he can. With each passing second, our kiss grows stronger, and I’m relieved that he hasn’t pulled away. Because if he pulls away, he’ll likely remind himself that we’re just supposed to be friends, and Noah Cunningham and I are certainly not meant to be just friends.
Pushing one hand into my hair, Noah cradles the back of my head while his other hand roams down my side, skimming along the hem of my shirt and—
“Hey, boss?”