“Protecting you is my number one job,” I tell her seriously, never meaning anything more.
She smiles at me before she nods slowly.
“It’s late, though,” I say regretfully. “I should probably let you get to bed.”
The last thing I want is to leave her, but I know it's past time for me to have left.
She bites her bottom lip as she walks me to the door, getting quieter with each step we take.
I turn to tell her goodnight, and she's looking up at me with those luminous green eyes and wringing her hands again, her brow furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her, glancing around as if I can pinpoint what it is.
She chews on her bottom lip again, and I damn near groan at watching the way she worries the puffy flesh, drawing the blood up to it and making her lips even puffier and pinker.
“Please stay with me,” she suddenly blurts, her wide eyes blinking up at me so innocently, so vulnerably, my chest tightens painfully.
My heart swells with all the protective adoration I feel for this girl. “Of course, princess. You need only ask.”
five
Cynthia
It was extremely forwardof me to ask Noah to stay with me tonight, but the way his brown eyes smolder at me makes it all worth it.
My breath hitches as he turns and towers over me, staring down at me with gentle eyes. We stand in front of the door, staring at each other for a moment before I finally remember my manners and turn around. “Let me just grab you a blanket and pillow.”
Noah wordlessly follows me into the living room where I place his bedding on the couch.
He sits down on it and starts pulling off his shoes.
I bite my lip when I notice how even sitting down he takes up most of the loveseat. I can already tell that there's no way the man is going to comfortably fit on it when he lays down. His feet will be hanging off the end of it.
“You know,” I say softly as I shuffle from foot to foot nervously. I can't believe I'm about to say what I'm fixing to say, even though I want it with every fiber of my being. “You could just sleep in the bed with me.”
He stills with his shoe halfway off his foot, his brown eyes flicking up to me and heating.
“It’s just that, you know, you're so big, and you're not going to be very comfortable here on the couch.” My voice drops to a whisper. “And truth be told, I really don't want to be alone. I feel safe with you.”
His eyes soften before he finishes slipping off his shoe and then stands. “Come here, princess,” he says in a voice so soft and tender that it cracks my heart. Even though he told me to come to him, he closes the gap between us as he walks over to me and wraps me up in his arms.
I melt against him, clinging to the solid wall of his chest. I feel completely safe here. I breathe in deeply, taking in his fresh, clean scent. How does he smell so good?
I feel him kiss the top of my head before he murmurs, “You are safe with me. Always. I want you to know that.”
I nod into his chest. “I know.”
He tips my chin up and looks down at me before he finally releases me and takes in a deep breath, running a hand through his brown hair as he steps away from me.
I try to ignore the pang of disappointment that settles in my belly. For a moment there, I was so sure he was going to kiss me, but he's my stepbrother, so he's obviously not interested in me that way.
I lead us to the bedroom, and I step into my bathroom to change into a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top.
When I step out of the bathroom, Noah is still completely dressed, minus his shoes he left in the living room.
His eyes rove over me, and my skin heats where his gaze touches me. My nipples harden through the thin tank top, and I worry my lip, berating myself for not keeping my bra on.
His eyes darken, and I know he must see my hardened buds underneath my shirt. My cheeks flame.