Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 77(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 77(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
I stumble forward to her left, breaths still coming out in labored pants. Nora will be the death of me.
4
NORA
My whole body is sore. My limbs, my back, and at the junction between my thighs.
But it’s a delicious kind of pain because last night was a dream. Okay, more like early morning.
I still can’t believe it happened. For 22 years, I’ve never gotten anywhere with anyone. Sure, some guys hit on me and tried to get in my pants, but I never felt anything for them. No spark. No butterflies in my stomach.
Now I realize that maybe, without knowing it, I’ve been saving myself for Noah.
Just remembering all the things he said and did has me squealing like a little girl and burying my face in my pillow.
I don’t know what time it is, but it seems pretty late already. The room is already bathed in morning light. Noah is not beside me, though. Part of me is scared he regrets what happened, but a bigger part of me knows he’s not like that. He’s not that kind of man.
The leaves rustle softly outside the window, but I hear something else below. A metallic clang. The single sound spurs me into action. I’m still butt naked, so I quickly put on my underwear and shirt. Then, I brush my teeth and wash my face, trying to achieve that effortless just-woke-up look even though I’m nervous about facing him in broad daylight. As to why, I have no idea.
Noah’s place is minimalistic, and it’s clear he only has things he uses, like a microwave, coffee maker, and stove in the kitchen. Sliding the coffee pod into the machine, I smile at the smell of coffee filling the air. Nothing wakes me up faster than this.
I find a small packet of sugar in one of the drawers, but when I turn around, my heart jumps to my throat. There, over the marble top of the island, is a black ball of fur with a pair of eyes staring daggers at me.
Alvin sits there with his bushy tail swaying behind. He lowers his head and yawns, revealing sharp, gleaming teeth and an adorable pink tongue. With his ears flicked back, Alvin turns on his back and stretches, forepaws extended forward and hind legs backward.
“Hello there. I’m Nora, your new roommate.”
Of course, the cat ignores me. But I chuckle, add sugar to my coffee, and take the small tray with two steaming mugs downstairs, focusing hard on not tripping because I have a habit of doing just that.
Noah is wearing denim coveralls, with the top part bunched around his waist. He’s not wearing anything else, which means I can enjoy the view of his ripped muscles flexing with each move. God, did I just sleep with this sexy man?
All of a sudden, flashes of the night we shared surge through my brain and I look away, too aware of the warmth on my face and ears.
“Is that my car?”
He looks up and one side of his mouth lifts. “Yeah. Hauled it here earlier.”
“I got you coffee.”
I put down the tray on the nearest empty table and hand him the mug. He smiles that sexy smile of his and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, the contact turning my body to liquid. “Good morning, Nora.”
That deep baritone is about to play on a loop inside my head.
“H-hi,” I croak out. “So, what’s the problem?”
“Radiator leak.”
“Oh.”
I have no idea what he’s saying, but it sounds bad. He must have seen the blank look on my face because he waves it off and sips his coffee. “Common in old cars. Your brother had the same problem a few months ago, which brings me to a question—why do you both like driving cars older than you?”
I snort. “He’d been badgering me about buying a brand new one.”
“Yeah, well. He doesn’t really have a leg to stand on. I’ve spent more time on his car than all the cars in this town combined.”
“Figures. As for me, I like vintage things, so I don’t mind driving an old car,” I say. “Hmm. Now that I think about it, I am attracted to older stuff. Anything ancient really. I like things most people don’t even look at twice.”
Noah chokes on his coffee and has to slam his fist against his chest. “Well, shit, Nora. Thank you for that ego boost.”
Realization dawns on me. I lean forward and double over, body shaking with laughter, and when I glance at him, he’s also chuckling.
“What are your plans for today?” he asks, leaning against the side of my car.
“Go to the grocery store downtown. I need to buy toiletries. Listen, about the house…”
“We’ll wait for your brother to get home. You’re staying with me in the meantime. Do you have a problem with that?”