Her slender arms wound around him. They stood like that, making feelings war inside of him. This woman was confusing the hell out of him. The only thing he knew with absolute certainty was that if ever a woman could tempt him to want something more—regardless of his own lack of faith in love—it would be the one in his arms. Anything less for Grace wouldn’t work. He couldn’t risk what he felt for her, this unknown desire to have her in his life indefinitely, for a night of pleasure. What else could he offer? Everyone he knew believed he had no staying power. No ability to commit.
By unspoken agreement, they stepped away from each other. When she picked up a gray comforter to go with the sheets, he nodded, then asked, “Why design?”
“I hated the cramped space of our various trailers so I spent my time rearranging what little furniture we had in different ways. Then I’d imagine how the space could look.”
Was every answer she gave going to gut him?
“We’re heading to your beloved Pottery Barn after this but I prefer the bedding here. We’ll pick bedding for three rooms. I have a new idea for the second room downstairs I want to talk to you about.”
They stopped in the middle of the aisle when a little girl sat right in front of their cart. The mom gave a smiley wince and crouched down. “Get up, sweetie.”
The blond-haired cutie crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. The large pink backpack made it seem like she was in a recliner. “I tired.”
Noah bit his lip so he didn’t laugh. With the mom crouching and the little girl sprawled, the aisle was completely blocked.
“I’m so sorry. You need to get up. We’re keeping these people from shopping. That’s not very nice of us.”
The little girl looked like she might cry. Her bottom lip trembled. An unfamiliar warmth filled Noah’s chest. He wanted to tell this little girl she could take all the time she needed.
“I sorry,” she said.
“That’s okay. Shopping makes everyone sleepy,” Grace said. She pointed at Noah. “Even this guy. I had to promise him a treat to get him to finish.”
His brows arched. A treat from Grace. He almost sighed out loud.
The mom smiled at Grace then looked down at her daughter. “Why don’t we get some French fries when we’re done here?”
“We like French fries,” the little girl said, already getting up.
“You and Mom?” Noah asked.
“Nuh-uh. Me and Puggy.” She turned around so he could see her pink backpack. It was fluffy and though it opened like a regular pack, it had the face of a stuffed, pink … bear? Dog? Animal, for sure.
“Well, hello there, Puggy. Nice to meet you. Enjoy your fries,” Noah said.
After the mom mouthed “Thank you,” he and Grace stood there a moment longer.
She looked up at him. “You’re really good with kids.”
He pretended to shudder. “I don’t think so. They terrify me.”
Her laughter rolled over him, making him happy from the inside out. “You really are a wimp.”
As he pushed the cart forward, he admitted, “I may have lost my upper hand after all. Now you know I’m scared of kids and I’ve watched Pretty Woman more than most women.”
She bit her lip, fought back her smile. It made him want to draw it out. Or nibble on her bottom lip. Nope. Nope. Not that.
“Your secrets are safe with me, Noah. That’s what friends are for.”
Well, he’d never felt like this about any of his other friends, but maybe it was time for a new adventure. One that made him smile more than he had in longer than he could remember.
24
There was no way to recover any amount of … well, grace, when she sank into the cushions of the sofa Noah insisted looked awesome. It swallowed her whole.
“I feel like I’m trapped in a foam pit. Help me,” she said, reaching out her hand. Jesus. It was fabric quicksand.
Did he reach forward and yank her out? Nope. He took out his phone and snapped a picture.
“Seriously?” She wiggled around, attempting to plant her feet on the ground, but where did the ground go? “This thing is like a quicksand beanbag from hell.”
Noah bent forward, laughing harder, deep, sexy, annoyingly endearing chuckles. “You have T. rex legs. They’re flailing.”
She scowled, turning to the side. He finally leaned in, put both hands on her hips, and plucked her out of the cushions. She smacked his chest. “Jerk move.”
“I saved you.”
“You took a picture first.”
Why was his damn grin so infectious? It widened when he glanced at the couch. “I think you’re overreacting. Soft couches are the best.”
“Have a seat,” she suggested.
With a cocky swagger that made him only more appealing, he stretched his arms wide, dropped down onto the couch. And sank deeper. His knees came up a bit, his brows furrowing into a wince. “There are no springs.”
“Just a big mushy pile of foam.” Satisfaction thrummed through her. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she snapped a quick picture, making him scowl. “Aw. What’s the matter? You stuck?”
He scoffed. “Of course not.”
She did her best to bite back her laugh as he wiggled and squirmed out of the seat.
“It’s a good one, isn’t it? The secret is the wide cushions. Even tall people have difficulty reaching the floor with their back against the cushions,” a youngish salesperson said. His spiked hair was colored a deep blue. The kind of blue she thought would look good in the room she wanted to surprise Noah with.
“It’s a little constricting,” Noah said, brushing his hands down his jeans when he’d extracted himself.
Surprise arched the lines on the salesperson’s forehead. “Oh. Perhaps I can show you something firmer?”
“Like a piece of paper,” Grace muttered.
Noah’s gaze sparked with amusement. “Yes, please. Much firmer. But we can actually just look for ourselves. We’ll holler if we need help.”
“Yes, sir,” the kid said, leaving them to join another bored-looking salesperson.
“You sure about this place?” Noah asked.
“Of course. If you’d listened to me when we walked in, we’d already be ringing up our purchases. Now come on.” She took his arm, her eyes scanning the wide array of couches for the one she’d researched. He’d balked at the warehouse stop, but Grace figured the rich stayed rich by taking advantage of a good deal.
“This one,” she said. She stopped in front of a large, heather-gray sectional. It was a thing of beauty, with its chaise longue style, its thick, firm cushions, and its sleek microfiber fabric.
Noah rubbed his hands together. “Let’s see.”
“One second, please,” Grace said. She crossed her arms over her chest, the strap of her purse shifting.
Noah stared at her, waiting.
“I get two secrets for that one. Your lack of faith was not only disturbing but hurtful.” She couldn’t keep the teasing out of her tone. If they were going to be friends, she could drop her shield. Sure, she was attracted to him, but she could stay within the friend zone while still admiring him. Nothing wrong with that. Or the knowledge that this was one of the best days she’d ever had.
Noah stepped closer, and despite the fact that they were in a ten-thousand-square-foot warehouse full of couches, Grace felt like the world shrank down to about two feet of breathing room.
“That’s fair.” He dipped his head. She felt the wash of his breath over her skin, making it prickle with excitement she shouldn’t acknowledge. “I like to eat ice cream in bed while I’m watching television.”
The image that created was hot enough to melt ice cream. Grace twisted her lips into a skeptical pout. “That’s a weak secret.”
“No way. No one knows that. That’s quality, baby.”
She laughed at his expression and tone. “Fine. One more.”
His breathing shallowed and his gaze locked on her mouth. “This is the most fun I�
�ve had with a woman.”
Grace sucked in air, the room in her chest restricting to an uncomfortable degree. Damn.
Stepping back, she clapped her hands loudly—one hard slap of her palms. “Okay. Let’s try this thing out.” She broke eye contact to sink into the couch. This one didn’t swallow her whole, but Noah’s words had already done that more than the last couch, anyway.
He sat down next to her, leaned back, letting his arms stretch along the back. “It’s a good one. You know what you’re doing, Gracie.” He winced. “Sorry.”
Looking at him, she shared a secret of her own. “I don’t mind when you call me that.”
They held each other’s gaze as they sat there. They both felt it: the pull between them. The electricity fizzled when the sales guy strolled up, pointing both index fingers at them.
“You’ve found the one.”
His words sank into the depths of Grace’s soul. Holy. Shit. Glancing over at Noah, she saw he’d felt the ripple effect of the innocent phrase. The subtle shake of his head was enough to ground her in the moment, remind her of the future. She jumped up.
“Yes. We’d like to order this along with the oversize chair that matches it. I’d also like to order two wingback chairs in this color.”
The sales guy’s gaze widened almost comically. “Yes, ma’am. Let me get the paperwork.”
Noah stood beside her; they both watched him go. “Grace.”
“Don’t. This is the biggest opportunity of my life, Noah. I’m not getting lost in feelings that won’t lead anywhere.”
“Hey.” She didn’t miss the undertone of hurt in his gaze.
She looked up at him, unfounded hurt ricocheting through her body. “Do you even want to be anyone’s ‘the one’?”
He swallowed, and her chest ached as he shook his head. “But if I did…”
“Don’t.” She held up a hand, following the sales guy so she could find a way to breathe again.
The tone shifted as they chose three bedroom sets, two televisions, and a variety of decorative pieces. Noah nodded approval at each of her choices. There were no more questions or exchanging secrets. The tension sucked. As they settled into a booth, a couple of hours past their intended lunchtime, she vowed to put them back on solid footing. Like adults.
The waitress took their orders of two Cokes, nachos and flatbread to share. The quiet atmosphere of the pub settled some of her nervousness. They both spoke at the same time.
Noah gestured to her then picked up his Coke. “You go first.”
Good. Then she could get the words off her chest and maybe breathe again. “What you said about being friends? I want that. Today has been awesome. I can’t remember one I’ve enjoyed more and not just because I was spending your money.” She waited for his smile but it was half its usual size. “Obviously, we’re attracted but there are too many reasons not to go there. The moment in the store was my fault. I’m sorry. I do want to find the one. But not yet. Not until I’m entirely sure of who I am. I promised myself I would never let a man change the direction of my life. I want one, eventually, who will add to it. Enhance it. I don’t ever want my heart to dictate my choices.” Because if it did, she’d be sitting in Noah’s lap or curled up with him on that awesome couch they’d just bought.
He seemed to measure her words before he spoke. “That seems wrong. I mean, I get what you said and you’re right. We can’t act on anything. I don’t want things to be uncomfortable between us. I like you a lot, Grace. I’ve never imagined having a woman in my life long-term but I can’t imagine not knowing you. I don’t honestly think I’m built for forever. Not as a partner. But as a friend? I’m loyal as hell. When I tell someone they have my word, I mean it. I do my best not to disappoint the people I care about. It’s part of why I stayed with my father’s company for so long. We can both admit there’s something between us. But we can be in charge of the direction.”
She nodded. Look at them being sensible adults. She was nothing like her mother. “Okay. Then we’re in agreement. Mostly. Let’s get to know each other without the games. Tell me something about you. Something a friend would know.”
His shoulders lifted and dropped in a heavy sigh. It was like he’d breathed out the tension between them, shifting them back to better footing. Safer ground.
He set his drink down, folded his arms on the table. “Okay. I can do that. I grew up with two brothers and a sister. We had each other and all of us were focused on getting Dad’s approval. Well, except Ari. She’s the golden child who can do no wrong. She’s a sweetheart but she’s a bit lost. Still trying to figure out who she wants to be.” His lips tipped up when he gave her words back to her.
“Aren’t we all?”
He nodded, glancing around the restaurant. Music pumped softly through the speakers. A couple of waitresses laughed behind the bar. Noah’s gaze came back to her own.
“I grew up trying to be like my older brother, Wes, who’s all cool, calm, and statistics. He never acts on impulse. Always knows the logical next step. It didn’t take me long to figure out that wasn’t me. I tried to be a good role model for Chris but he didn’t need that. Those two were born knowing which direction was up.”
Flutters pulsed around her heart. She could relate. “And you?”
He laughed without humor. “I was born questioning if up was really up. I grasp at straws. I’m too impulsive. Sometimes I think I might be more like my father than I want to be.”
“He can’t be all bad. Chris seems like a great guy and you have your moments.”
Noah’s laugh made her feel like she’d won a prize. He picked up his drink, took a long sip before setting it down again. “That’s true, I guess. Wes is a great guy, too. Ari’s amazing when she actually locks down her focus. She’d do anything for any of us. She’s got a heart of gold. So yeah, all his kids turned out okay. But my dad … there’s an emotional chip missing. My grandfather wanted to build a legacy. That’s what he started. We were supposed to continue it together but my dad’s turned it into a Jenga game, pulling out pieces that support the whole structure. He doesn’t care if it topples as long as he can build another tower. I’m babbling like an idiot. Why do you want to be friends with me? I’m a full-grown adult who’s still impacted by his dad’s approval.”
That actually made her want to be friends with him more. They might come from different backgrounds but they weren’t all that dissimilar. The waitress stopped at their table, setting down the nachos, flatbread, and small plates. Grace’s stomach growled vigorously. Noah grinned.
“Can I get you two anything else?”
“I’m good. Thank you,” Grace said, glancing over at Noah.
“This looks awesome. Thanks.”
They gave themselves a moment to dig into the food.
“You’re funny and smart.” Grace said, dipping a nacho in some salsa.
Noah’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“Why I’d want to be friends with you. I’m giving you reasons. You’re mostly easy to hang out with. You make me think about things in a different way but we’re actually pretty similar. I mean, aside from you growing up the poor little rich boy with the mean daddy and me growing up in a trailer park.”
He winced, and she was about to apologize because she’d truly been teasing him, but he interrupted, pointing a tortilla chip at her.
“Don’t give me your sob stories. You were just biding your time in those trailers, plotting how to take over the world.”
She laughed. “While you were sitting in your ivory tower looking for fun.”
Both of them laughed. “It’s sad but true,” Noah said.
She stopped, waited until he met her gaze. “It isn’t. You could have stayed in that tower, taken the easy road, riding high on Daddy’s money. Instead, from the sounds of it, you worked your ass off for your dad. When it didn’t work for you, you got out, looked for something more fulfilling. Meaningful. I know you’ve had a less hands-on approach in the past but this tim
e you haven’t let what you don’t know stop you from trying. You’re willing to try, adapt, and change. That matters. It’s brave. It’s hard to go against the grain of how we were taught. The examples that were set for us.”
He blinked several times. “You’re an incredible woman, Grace.”
She inhaled, absorbed the compliment. “We need to stop trying to prove ourselves to people that aren’t even paying attention.”
“That’s good advice.”
“That’s what friends are for, right?”
They settled into an easy silence while they ate. After the waitress refilled their sodas, Grace lightened the mood. “So? Love? Hate? Must-haves in life? Favorite sport?”
Noah pursed his lips, wiped his hands on a napkin. “Love my family. Hate traffic jams. I need peanut butter brownie ice cream like I need air. Anything with a ball if I’m watching but if I’m doing, I prefer running or being in the water.”
“Yes. I remember. You came out of the ocean like you were part of it.”
“How about you? Hidden talents besides dog wrangling, decorating, and making a man feel good about his life choices?”
Now it was her turn to smile. He couldn’t see the happiness bubbling inside of her from the easy way he described her. She’d spent too much of her life defining herself in negative ways. Ways she didn’t want to be. But he saw her differently. Maybe one day, she’d be able to do the same.
“I’m pretty good at puzzles. I like running but prefer a treadmill to the road. I can swim but don’t do much else in the water. Predictably, I love reno shows, poring through magazines, and playing with design software.”
“Where are your parents?”
His phone buzzed on the table. He glanced down, but when he looked back up he didn’t stray from the topic. He waited.
“Don’t know my dad. Never did. My mom followed him to Vegas as a teenager. They moved around a bit, had me, he split. She kept moving on, trying to find the next one who’d make her life easier. I counted down the days to graduation and left immediately after. I settled here because even though I didn’t know anything about my family, I knew where my mom grew up. Met Morty about five years ago and now I have all the family I need.”
How to Love Your Neighbor Page 16
