When the hell did I save his number in my phone? Or better yet, when did he save his number in my phone?
Noah – What landed you in jail, Spitfire?
I look across at him to find his curious eyes on mine, playful smirk on his lips, and one hell of a cocky attitude that says ‘yeah, I stole your phone and entered my number.’
Henley – Skipped detention yesterday. You? When did you have a chance to steal my phone, btw?
Noah – Shit. My bad. Skipped class and missed a test.
I shake my head and scoff.
Henley – That should teach you to abduct me.
Henley – You didn’t answer my question.
Noah – First off. I didn’t abduct you. It’s not kidnapping if the kidnapee wanted to go, and second, it’s none of your business.
Henley – Of course, it’s my business. It’s my phone! Or has your ego gotten in the way of your common sense?
Henley – And I stand by what I said. It was a definite kidnapping.
Noah chuckles beside me and I can’t help looking across at him to find a smile that lights up his eyes as he types on his phone, completely knocking the air out of my lungs.
Good God, Noah Cage is so attractive, it should be illegal. What that sparkle in his eye did to me just now…wow.
Noah – Would it be kidnapping if I took you back to my place again this afternoon?
I suck in a breath. That sounds a bit like he was asking me out while also not asking me out. What does this mean and what the hell am I supposed to say to that? Crap, when all else fails, the Henley Bronx cocky attitude is the way to go.
Henley – Sounds an awful lot like you can’t get enough of me!
Noah – Shit! Your ego seems almost as big as mine.
Henley – Almost.
Noah – …
Noah – What do you say?
I swallow back and cringe. Maybe I should double check before I end up embarrassing myself.
Henley – This better not be your idea of a date.
Noah – Trust me, if I was taking you on a date, you’d fucking know it. Now, are you coming or not? Tully liked having a girl in the house. She needs more tough friends, not bitches like the ones she’s got now.
Henley – Will there be more Mr. Grey and popcorn?
Noah groans beside me.
Noah – Really?
Henley – No Mr. Grey = No deal.
Noah – Fine, but I ain’t watching that shit.
Henley – Then I guess I could do you a solid by showing my face. Wouldn’t want the pain of my rejection to make you ugly cry.
Noah’s chest gently vibrates with his silent laughter as his arm over the chair comes forward and lets his fingers brush across the skin of my shoulder, sending a jolt of electricity through me. I try to ignore it, but damn it, I’m not that strong.
I can’t help but wonder if he feels the fire too, or maybe it’s just something I’ve built up in my head. Yeah, it’s probably my imagination, the same way it was with Jackson. I have a habit of reading these kinds of situations wrong.
Noah – Spitfire…
I read over his message again and again. It’s just one word, yet it has the power to paralyze me. It holds a million different meanings and yet, here I am, trying to decipher just one as my heart races in my chest.
Why me? Why am I the girl he’s giving all this attention to? Why now?
This is too much for me to handle, but I can assure anyone who asks, there’s no doubt in my mind that the second the after school bell rings, I’ll be heading straight there to get another fix of this guy beside me. I have a feeling that this half hour next to him isn’t going to be anywhere near enough.
Not knowing how to respond, I place my phone back down on the desk and replace it with the Kindle, only now, there’s no way I’ll be able to concentrate on the pages in front of me, not with this guy sitting so close beside me.
I give it a try anyway. I read the page, and then I read it again. Not once taking in a single word.
I give up. This is pointless.
I put the Kindle back down and lean back into my chair, briefly forgetting that Noah’s arm is resting there. He doesn’t move it and I’m glad. I like it there. I like it, even more, when his fingers brush my skin.
I look across to find his smoldering eyes already on mine and I swear, I’d have to be a fool to think this is all part of my imagination. He’s right here and the chemistry and pull between us is real. Hell, it’s more than real. It’s staring me in the face, daring me to do something about it.