“Not good enough.”
She sat up a little straighter. “Do people need a reason to do sex?”
“No.”
“But I do?”
Noah didn’t say anything. He looked angry again. She chewed her tongue. She could call him out, but why? Her life was sad enough without trying to debate Noah Newcomb into bed. If he didn’t want to sleep with her, that was his decision.
Noah opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“Ooh, what?”
He shook his head, clearly irritated with himself. Nicole turned toward him, oddly excited. “Come on, you can tell me!”
Noah grimaced. “You’re scared of me.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You freaked out when I put your seatbelt on. And you told me to stay away when that asshole shoved you at the bar.”
Was this what he was mad about? Why he didn’t want to sleep with her? Nicole laughed, she was so relieved. “That seatbelt thing was involuntary, and that pinstripe guy wasn’t worth starting a fight over. I hurt myself more when I fell over.”
Noah didn’t seem to think this was a good explanation. He glared out into the traffic, looking angrier than ever.
“Now you know I’m not scared of you, can we hook up?” she asked, figuring it was worth another shot. “It’s okay if you’re not attracted to me, but now seems like the right time. You know, since we’re alone and single and we have nothing better to do.”
Noah’s jaw jutted. “You think I’ll jam my dick into anything that breathes, don’t you?”
“Isn’t that…your deal?”
Bad idea. Noah’s lip curled and in the shadowy light, he looked so genuinely frightening, Nicole recoiled.
“Sorry, but I thought you slept around.”
“Who told you that?”
“Tabby. She says you’re a dark horse.”
Noah slumped back into his seat. “I haven’t…that’s a new development.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer. Silence swelled between them again. Nicole twisted her fingers together, linking the bones as tightly as she could. “You know, if you don’t think of me like that, you can just say so. I know I’m not sexy and Kelly is. And all the other girls you’re with probably are, too.”
This was followed by another silence, this one tight as tooth floss.
“What?”
Nicole blanched. “I…what do you mean?”
“Who the fuck told you you’re not sexy?”
“Um, Aaron, kind of, but I’ve never been sexy. Not like Sam or Tabby. But it’s not a comparison thing, I’m just weird when it comes to sex. I pretend I’m somewhere else and I can’t relax. It just doesn’t work.”
Noah flicked open his cigarette packet and placed a fresh one between his teeth, his movements rough and jerky.
“Are you angry because I don’t think I’m sexy?”