Chapter 6
I’ll take it From Here
It was a week before she heard from Noah, a week of frustration and doubts, of uncertainty and lingering hope.
He finally contacted her, but all he wanted to talk about was his parents’ party and what needed to be done to have everything ready for the biggest party of the year. They only had a few weeks to plan it, courtesy of Andrea and her do-everything-last-minute attitude.
Honestly, she was talking about how spectacular it must be and how they had to make it completely unforgettable and emotional for her parents, and she was basically throwing ideas together for a better part of the year, since their last anniversary, but as always she started putting things in motion only weeks before the actual event.
Except for the music and the dancers, them she booked like two years in advance. Who would have figured, Andrea thinking so far in advance, but apparently a philharmonic orchestra, Russian ballet dancers and some sort of circus-slash-dance act, were pretty busy and hard to get, no matter how much money you have. Although, she supposed none of them were a match for Andrea’s tenacity when she set her mind on something she wanted. That Crawford gene and drive in action. Talk about stubborn.
***
She looked across the restaurant, focusing on the entrance, waiting for Noah to show up. She was sitting at the bar for the last half hour, nursing her second Long Island iced tea, sipping slowly and tempering down her nervousness. He was ten minutes late and she got there twenty minutes early, so what does that tell you.
The bartender interrupted her wayward thoughts, asking her if she wanted another drink, she declined, but he took her half empty glass with the already warm liquid inside and replaced it with a new one despite her protestations.
“On the house.” He said, smiling at her. “Whoever the guy is that’s kept you waiting this long is an idiot. So not worth your time babe. Girl like you, he should’ve been the one twenty minutes early.” He leaned on the counter with his forearm and winked at her.
“How about you ditch the guy, who clearly doesn’t appreciate what a beauty he’s got, and let me buy you a drink instead.” He smiled charmingly at her and those dimples probably worked on every girl he came across, but she already had her mind scrambled by another pair of dimples she couldn’t stop thinking about. She definitely didn’t need another pair to complicate her life.
She was about to decline, despite the ever present blush on her cheeks, which he obviously took for a sign of acceptance since he was already moving closer, displaying that megawatt smile that drove women crazy.
If she wasn’t so flattered that this gorgeous male specimen was hitting on her, she’d definitely be annoyed by his assumption she was so easy. Girls do have standards, you know. And having a quickie in the backroom with a bartender who gave her a couple of compliments was not her idea of that.
Easy she was not.
And Hello, golden member of the V-card club, remember.
She heard a clearing of a throat behind her and her whole body froze, then ignited in an instant.
There was only one man capable of doing that to her, with the mere knowledge of his presence behind her. She blushed furiously, embarrassed at being caught flirting with the bartender.
She felt his hand at her hip, his arm enveloping her waist, gliding across her skin until he spread it flat on her belly. He drew her close to his body, her back to his front, where she felt every muscle of his powerful form hardening at their contact.
He displayed possessiveness she never knew before and usually she would be annoyed and slightly pissed off, if a guy left her waiting and then went all macho caveman on her when she was talking to another man. With Noah though, she became all gooey and mushy inside, melting from the possessive attitude he displayed, secretly hoping he was jealous, even if just a little bit.
“I’ll take it from here.” She couldn’t see the look he gave the bartender, but it must have been severe, because he backed away pretty quickly.
Noah turned her around so she was facing him. “Sophie, I’m sorry I’m late, but Andrea kept me on the phone until I repeated every word she said to me… twice.” He rolled his eyes heavenward at the ridiculousness that was Andrea, and what he was willing to put up with when it came to his sister.
“Yeah, I got the same speech. We aren’t allowed to deviate from the overall plan of the event. Her words.”
“I believe I surmised that when she threatened to cut and crush parts of my body, if I messed with her carefully constructed design. Also, her words.”
They both laughed at Andrea’s brashness. Sophie loved her best friend, but sometimes she had no tact. Considering she usually just bulldozed over anything and anyone she disagreed with, and did it with a bright smile on her face, Sophie learned to take everything in stride when it came to Andrea.
“Let’s sit. We have a lot to discuss.” He put pressure on the hand that still rested at the small of her back, to guide her through the tables until they reached theirs. How he knew which table was theirs was a mystery.
Although, with Noah, nothing was left to chance, he controlled every aspect of his life, she knew he hated surprises and even the smallest uncertainties. He exuded power and control. That’s just who he was, and she understood his reasons. He’d been burned before.
He held out her chair and when she sat and smiled her appreciation, his hand brushed the back of her neck in a slight caress, sending goose bumps down her back.
He sat across from her, just staring at her, saying nothing. She wanted to break the silence, but she didn’t know what to say. She blushed, right on cue, of course.
The waiter appeared out of nowhere, or at least that’s how it seemed to her. She wasn’t paying attention to anything but Noah. The waiter coughed discreetly to gain their notice. Noah broke eye contact and proceeded to order for the both of them. She didn’t care what she ate, as long as she was there sharing the meal with Noah. That was all that mattered at the moment.
“So. Andrea is pretty determined. She’s even bossier than usual. And that’s saying something.” He laughed at the description of his baby sister. “I understand though, you know. She just wants everything to be perfect for your parents. It’s sweet, really.”
“Bossy is one word for it, and for sweet. I would never put that word and Andrea in the same sentence. Annoying maybe, exasperating, irksome… but sweet, I don’t know about that one.” He smirked.
“Hey, be nice. You don’t want me to tell Andrea.” She warned, trying not to laugh.
He put his hand on his chest and gasped in mock offence. “You would tell on me? How you wound me.” He shook his head and tsk-ed. “Now you know I’ll have to do something about that, don’t you?”
“Like what?” Her heart was beating so fast it was about to jump out of her chest, and her core sleeked with anticipation.
“It wouldn’t be much of a punishment if I told you, now would it. You’ll just have to wait and see, but I think you’ll enjoy it very much, or at least I will.”
She stopped breathing altogether and was becoming lightheaded, when she felt his hand squeezing hers in reassurance. “Nothing will happen that you don’t want to. I would never hurt you, in any way. I promise you that Sophie. “
“I know, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I freaked out. I’m not scared of you Noah, maybe a little apprehensive about this situation, but above all else, I trust you. I want you to know that. I would trust you with my life, more than anyone else.” She blushed in embarrassment, at what her words revealed. She never felt so vulnerable, so open for rejection, and dreading it would come.
“Thank you for that, Sophie. Although, I don’t know if I deserve your trust, but I’ll cherish it… and you, sweet Sophie.” He squeezed her hand lightly, caressing her palm with his thumb, slowly drawing little circles at the center, calming her down, slowing her pulse, and quieting her confounded thoughts.
The waiter arrived with their drinks and food, but she barely tasted anything, she ate on instinct and drank the wine with little sips, just to avoid talking and not to reveal how nervous she actually was. But Noah being Noah, he of course noticed everything, and the next time she lifted her glass he stopped her by placing his hand on hers and putting the glass back on the table.
“Sophie, what am I going to do with you, hmm?”
“What? What do you mean?” He gave her a little smile, just the corner of his mouth and the barely there dimple she adored so much.
“You’re still nervous. How about if I reassure you I’m not going to pull you across this table, lift that incredibly sexy dress you’re wearing and ravish you right here, in front of all this nice people and give them the show of their lives. Not that they would mind, I’m sure they would quite enjoy that… As would I.”
She gasped in surprise and the vivid image he described caused tingles all over her body and her heated skin, arousing her even further, causing liquid heat to pool between her thighs. She squeezed them tight to relieve the sensation, but the pulsing need would not abide. She needed more, something to ease the pressure igniting her core, and that little nub of rapture at her very center.
She wanted nothing more than to slide her hand between her thighs and alleviate the need building inside her, but they were in the middle of a crowded restaurant and she couldn’t do anything but sit there, squeezing her thighs together before she embarrassed herself and started moaning from the sensations coursing through her body and the images he planted in her mind.
***
He was looking at her and he couldn’t believe the desire and the hunger he saw reflected in those big grey eyes. Her face was flushed with heat and her eyes sparkled with unbridled passion and he wanted nothing more than to be the one who finally unleashed the sensual creature she hid from the world and released the restraints she imposed on herself.
She released an unsteady breath and was obviously trying to compose herself, but he was having none of that. He wanted her on edge, uninhibited and open to his probing thoughts. He needed to be certain this was what she wanted, that she was fully aware what she was stepping into by choosing to be with him.
She was innocent, of that he was sure. To what degree remained to be seen, but she hadn’t had much experience with men, if any. She had boyfriends in the past, not many, but she had them, and they would have to be the biggest idiots to not sample the sweetest dessert they would probably ever have.
If he were in their shoes… No. He refused to think of that, of someone having his sweet Sophie before him, of some inexperienced boy fumbling in the dark, looking for his own pleasure, while she received little to no satisfaction. And he knew she wouldn’t, his sweet little pixie was pure sensuality. She needed to be coaxed and enticed, slowly guided out of her shell, to reveal the carnal creature that she hid inside.
He slowly caressed the center of her palm with his thumb while holding her hand, she released an unsteady breath every once in a while and he felt the shiver run through her body, causing her hand to slightly tremble and shake. He squeezed it softly, just enough to remind her he was there, with her, and she had nothing to worry about, he would always take care of her, no matter what transpired between them, regardless of the circumstances they found themselves in, he would be her guardian, her protector, as he has always been in the past, whether she knew about it or not.
He stood in the shadows, and when there was any danger, when there was someone posing a threat, he would make sure no harm would ever befall her. Even when she didn’t know it, even when he didn’t show it, when he pretended she meant nothing.
Since she was a little girl blossoming into a woman, when she thought he saw her as a mere inconvenience, a little pest following behind him. She and Andrea, always causing some kind of trouble, but nonetheless he was always there, making sure neither of them would come to harm.
Even when he was with Natasha, he always dropped everything if either Andrea or Sophie needed him. That was one of her issues, one of her excuses, why she leaned on Marc, lying hypocrite, as if she needed an excuse to screw his best friend.
On the other hand, she did always think he had a thing for Sophie, or rather that’s what she accused him of. He denied it, of course, Hell, he didn’t realize it or allow himself to think of her in that light, she was too young at the time, too innocent to be corrupted by the world he lived in, the one he chose for himself, or the one that was chosen for him. He couldn’t even tell anymore.
He looked across the table… and God, there she was. So fucking perfect, he couldn’t fathom being without her, not having her. No. He wasn’t backing off. Not a chance.
He wanted her, sprawled on the bed beneath him, looking up with those big grey eyes shining with arousal and desire meant only for him. Spreading those fabulous long legs in invitation, her sex glistening with need, her pelvis lifting, searching for contact. Those first few seconds when he slid inside her, the way she would feel clenching around him. God. He was making himself hard just thinking about it.
He needed her. He wanted her. He fucking dreamed about her. And it was driving him mad. The desire that would not abate, lingering, intensifying, making him desperate to have her, to taste her sweetness and drive her wild. It was all he thought about, even at work he was preoccupied, and that was a first for him.
“Tell me, have you thought of that kiss in the apartment? Have you desired for a reoccurrence, because I have.” He stroked a finger at the center of her palm, quickening her pulse.
“Tell me, sweet Sophie, why did you accept my invitation this evening, what did you hope would happen? Or did you not think of it at all?”
She gathered her courage, her voice shaking, she whispered softly. “I hoped we would talk about the kiss, and the phone seemed too impersonal. I… I wouldn’t be able to see your face, to see what you’re thinking. Not that I do anyways,” she muttered the last bit almost imperceptibly, but he heard her nonetheless.
“And you wish to delve in to my thoughts, do you?”
“No, I just… You hide a lot. I don’t know if what you’re saying is what you’re actually thinking. I don’t want you to spare my feelings, I want you to be honest with me, even if it hurts me.” She blushed as if she was embarrassed by revealing how much she was affected by his show of indifference. But still, she took a steady breath and continued.
“At the apartment, after the kiss, you acted as if nothing happened, as if it meant nothing. You were completely composed and calm and… like it didn’t affect you at all. And you were joking with Andrea and… you were ignoring me.”
“I’m sorry Sophie, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, but I thought you understood. I couldn’t exactly have my hands around you with Andrea there.” He took a deep breath and exhaled.
“That kiss surprised both of us. Seeing you like that, when you came out of your room.” He shook his head. “It was something else. You were magnificent, you are magnificent. Absolutely stunning. And you took me completely by surprise. All I wanted to do was… well, I don’t want to scare you with what I had in mind, but let’s just say I have quite an imagination, and it came handy, later, at home, when I was by myself.”
She blushed, right on cue. He loved seeing her blush, that pretty pink flushing her face, making her look so cute and adorable and yet so damn sexy, he wanted nothing more than to devour her mouth, to bite into that bottom lip she’d been nibbling on all evening. He winked at her and squeezed her hand to reassure her, he was just joking, well, not really, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Relax, nothing is going to happen tonight. All we’re going to do is talk and then I’m going to drive you home, and maybe kiss you good night.” He wanted to reassure her he would never pressure her into anything she didn’t want or was not prepared for.
And he knew, no matter how aroused she was at the moment, it was too soon for them to take that step. She needed to trust him implicitly first, and she wasn’t quite there yet. For what he had in mind trust was paramount.
He would take her to heights she could have never imagined, show her pleasure she only dreamed of, teach her things that would make blush, and oh how he was looking forward to that, seeing that pretty pink flush her creamy porcelain skin.
***
He stroked her hand lightly and it was driving her wild. She wanted to pout like a five year old child, because she honestly thought he brought her here to… What Sophie, to have sex? Getting ahead of yourself don’t you think? Those fantasies have been messing with your head. Yeah they have.
She desired nothing more than for him to take her home with him or to a hotel room, she wasn’t particularly picky tonight, all she wanted was for him to take her clothes off, definitely take his off, she’d been waiting for that since she turned sixteen, and then proceed to ravish the living daylights out of her. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
“Let’s get to know each other a little bit better first, shall we? I’ve known you your entire life but I bet there are lots of things we’ve yet to discover about one another. What do you say Sophie?”
“Okay. I’d like that.”
He smiled at her with that barely there dimple she adored so much. What would it take for him to give her a full smile? She’d probably hyperventilate to death, especially, if he bestowed on her that megawatt smile with both dimples making an appearance in their full force. Yep. She’d probably faint… or blush to death. Whichever happened first.