Wildflower (Colors #4) (20 page)

I pulled into the school parking lot the following Monday to the glorious sight of Noah standing against the side of his SUV, arms and ankles crossed in a casual way that would make any woman stand up and take notice. And I should know, the tingles shooting from my nipples to between my thighs weren’t for just anybody. How the man could stand in his winter gear and still exude sexiness was beyond me.

“Hey.” My voice was brighter than I’d expected as I climbed out of my truck after parking right next to him.

“Hey, baby.” His voice was a low masculine purr as he pushed off his truck and stepped toward me. “Missed you this weekend.” As he spoke, his chest hit flush with mine, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a panic as my gaze shot through the parking lot.

“Relax, wildflower,” he chuckled. “No one’s lookin’. Too damn cold for people to stand around out here anyway.”

My body relaxed into his strong hold before I could think to control it. I lifted my head and found myself smiling up at him. “Then what are you doing standing out here in the freezing cold?”

He shot me a devilish smirk as his lips came down on mine. “Hoping to fool around with my girl for a little bit before we have to go back into hiding.”

“I told you, it’s not about hiding,” I replied, my back stiffening as the smile fell from my face. I tried to pull out of his hold, but his arms just got tighter. “You said you understood,” I said in an accusing tone.

“Harlow, calm down. I didn’t mean it like that,” he sighed. “I
do
understand. I was just making a shitty joke. I’m sorry, okay?”

I melted into him and rested my hands on his chest. “I’m sorry, too. This is all just a little strange for me, you know? It’s weird trying to start something that feels new with someone I was so familiar with.” I gave my head a shake, hoping it would help organize my jumbled thoughts. “I’m not even making sense,” I spoke more to myself than to him.

Noah’s arms twitched around me. “You’re making sense, babe. I understand what you’re saying. That’s why I agreed to go slow with you. I’ll take you any way I can get you, and if slow’s what you need, I can do that.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, resting my forehead on his strong chest. I was freezing outside, but standing in his warm embrace seemed to protect me from the worst of the chill in the air.

“But that being said,” he continued, “you’re gonna have to find a place in your schedule to carve out alone time. Only so much jacking off a guy can do before he rubs himself raw, baby.”

“Oh my God!” I laughed as I pulled back and gave his arm a playful slap.

“Just stating the facts. I think I got a few more callouses over the weekend, wildflower. If I don’t get inside you again soon I’m afraid my dick’s gonna fall off.”

“Were you always so painfully honest when we were together, or is this a new development?”

Cars slowly filtered into the parking lot, so we disengaged and made our way toward the school side-by-side. To any unsuspecting onlooker, we appeared like nothing more than casual acquaintances.

“Baby, I felt that pussy of yours Friday night for the first time in almost six years. If you think I’m not gonna do everything in my power to get back in there, you’ve lost your damn mind.”

My pulse sped up as those tingles grew into an intense ache. I could only hope anyone who saw would assume the bright flush on my cheeks was from the cold. Noah’s scandalous words bounced around in my head as he held the glass doors open and followed me into the warm hallway. God, I wanted him too. And if he didn’t stop talking like that, I wasn’t sure I could be held responsible for my own actions.

As we walked at a leisurely pace I tried my best to appear unaffected while, on the inside, I felt like I could spontaneously combust at any moment. The hallways filled with students and teachers, but I was still able to hear Noah’s knowing chuckle of the din of activity.

“You’re rather arrogant, you know that?” I snapped as we made it closer to my classroom.

“It’s not arrogance when it’s true, wildflower.” We stopped in front of my closed door and he leaned in closely. My back pressed against the cold metal of the lockers as I worked to control my breathing the best I could. The smell of him was filling my nostrils and overwhelming my senses, making it almost impossible to think clearly. “Tell me you aren’t wet for me right now and I’ll stop,” he whispered so low no one passing by could hear him.

“I…” I couldn’t say it. The lie sat right there on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t force it out. Not when the evidence of his accusation was slick between my legs, dampening the lace of my panties.

“That’s what I thought,” he laughed as he leaned back, taking a comfortable stance against the set of lockers opposite me. His eyes scanned the hallway as kids clogged the halls, their voices and the sound of shoes slapping against the tile floor reverberating all around us.

I followed his gaze and pretended to watch the students and other teachers, all the while, my body thrummed with awareness at Noah’s proximity.

“Have dinner with me,” he said in a low voice, eyes still on the passersby as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“We talked about this—”

He turned his head and I felt his eyes on me. I couldn’t have controlled the movement of my head if I’d wanted to. When I met his intense tawny gaze, I was pinned in place. “I know what we talked about. I want to cook for you. Can you get away one night to come over to my place for dinner?”

I turned back to the hallway, considering his suggestion before finally nodding in agreement. “Okay. I’ll let you know what night works best.”

He said something in acknowledgment, but at that very moment, a familiar head full of shiny blonde hair came walking down the hallway, surrounded by a group of giggling girls. My lids lowered into narrow slits and she must have felt my gaze trying to burn into her flawlessly smooth teenaged skin.

Shannon
.

Her face visibly paled at the sight of my glare, and I couldn’t help myself, lifting my hand between us, I gave her that threatening double-finger-eye-point. The look screamed
That’s right, you little tramp. I’m watching you.

I opened my mouth to vocalize my warning, but before I knew what was happening, firm fingers wrapped around my wrist, my classroom door opened and I was being yanked into the empty room. I turned just in time to see Noah shut the door behind him, blocking the path between me and my nemesis.

“Hey!”

“Stop it, Harlow,” Noah warned, although I was pretty sure I could hear humor in his voice.

“I will
not
,” I replied snootily, feeling I was more than justified for my actions, whether I was threatening a sixteen-year old kid or not.

“You’re gonna make Ethan’s life a living hell if you don’t knock it off. She’s a good kid.”

“She’s a little tramp,” I bit.

Noah ignored my insult and kept going. “And even if she wasn’t, Ethan’s not an idiot. He’s smart. You need to let him make his own decisions. You can’t go around harassing any girl that shows interest in him.”

“Wanna bet,” I mumbled under my breath, crossing my arms over my chest and looking away.

I could hear Noah laugh, the sound of it sending chills up my spine as he moved closer. “Even though I’d love nothing more than to stand here and watch you go head to head with a poor, defenseless kid, I have to get to my class. Now give me a kiss so I can get on with my day.”

“I don’t want to,” I pouted, not wanting to admit he was right and move on from my snit.

“Harlow,” he warned.

“Don’t you
Harlow
me.” I uncrossed my arms and jabbed my finger into his chest. “You’re taking her side!”

Noah grinned. “You’re fuckin’ adorable. You know that?”

“Compliments will get you nowhere,” I lied. He was totally getting anywhere he wanted to go.

“Kiss me, baby. And make it a good one. I need something to get me through the day.”

How could I have possibly denied him what he wanted when he worded it like that? Closing the distance between us, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. I didn’t plan on letting the kiss get too out of hand, but when I felt his tongue snake out and slide across my bottom lip, I lost all control.

With a loud moan, I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers sliding across his short hair and pressing hard into his scalp. Noah’s answering growl worked up his chest and down my throat as he pulled me against him with one arm and wrapped my hair around his fist with his other hand. The kiss turned into something savage in just a matter of seconds and by the time we broke apart, both of us were panting heavily.

“That should do it,” he said with a grin, taking a step back as he licked my taste from his lips. The sight of it made my knees tremble. “Pick a night and let me know.”

“O-okay,” I exhaled as he wrapped his fist around the doorknob and opened the door. The sounds of the busy hallway flooded the once silent classroom.

I watched as he moved to leave, only to pause and look back over his shoulder. “Oh, and baby? Be sure to pick a night you can be gone for a while. ‘Cause once I get you in my bed, I plan on keeping you there as long as possible.”

Oh my
.

Christ. Walking away from her when her face was all soft, her eyes glazed over with lust, was one of the hardest fucking things I’d ever had to do. If I could have, I’d have barricaded that door and laid her out on the closest available surface, doing things that would have made it hard for her to walk for days.

I wanted nothing more than fuck her so hard she’d feel me every time she moved. But more than that, I wanted to possess her in every way possible. I wanted to own every part of her just as she owned every part of me. I meant it when I told her I’d take her any way I could get her, and I had no problem with going slow.

But there was a lingering doubt in the back of my mind that refused to go away. It wasn’t anything in particular; nothing I could pinpoint or put my finger on. It was just something deep inside, telling me she was still holding herself back.

I knew she wanted me. I could see that written all over her face. But I wanted more that, more than just the physical pull of attraction. More than just lust. I needed
her
. All of her. And I needed to know she needed me too.

As I made my way toward my class, I pushed those doubts as far down as I could, trying to shake off the negativity I was feeling.

We were still new.

It was still early.

There was still time to tie her to me as tightly as I was tied to her.

This could work.

This
would
work.

There was no other option. I’d lived without her before and I refused to do it again. I had my second chance and I was going to make damn sure things worked out differently this time around.

After my internal pep talk, I should have felt better by the time I say behind my desk. I should have felt more confident. I should have felt good about the recent changes in my life.

So the question remained, why was that little seed of dread still sprouting in my gut?