NOAH: AN ANDERSON BILLIONAIRES NOVEL

by Anne, Melody

  “There’s a little bit of everything here for people seeking many different adventures. I’ve been wanting to visit since I heard about it,” he told her.

  “What are we looking for?” she asked.

  “I want to see the layout. It’s a good place to model the center after. There’s a main lodge, cabins along the river, and so many activity areas, which I didn’t even think about adding. There’s fishing, rafting, horseback riding, and trails. If we have a resort-like setting, more veterans will want to come to the facility and get the help they so desperately deserve. Remember that session we had with Joseph a month back?” he asked.

  “Yes, there were so many ideas thrown out, though; I can’t seem to keep them all straight.”

  He laughed. “I know. When there’s all of us in a room, it does get a little chaotic,” he admitted.

  “It is a little hard to get a word in edgewise when all the Andersons are grouped together,” she said. His smile faded.

  “I’m sorry, Sarah. I don’t want you to ever feel that way. Your voice is appreciated and heard in this project.”

  She reached over and squeezed his arm. “I know. You’ve made me feel very involved. I was just making a joke.”

  He smiled. “Well, that’s when the idea struck. I think we need to go back to Joseph and really pursue this.”

  “Let’s see how it is first, but I’m thinking you’re right. Just taking this trail is getting me excited,” she told him.

  They came out of the trail and then were both silent as they caught sight of the giant three-story lodge in front of them. It was beyond massive. Sarah gasped. Noah shouldn’t have been surprised. Joseph never did anything on a small scale. It wasn’t in his DNA.

  A few people were wandering about, and there were animals roaming, but it looked like a very efficient and cozy operation, even with the massive size.

  “Wow, now I’m thinking our main center isn’t big enough,” she said with a laugh.

  Noah laughed, too, as he parked. “This is huge, but I think our center will rival it when it’s all finished,” he told her.

  They stepped from the golf cart and both stood there gazing at the impressive building. “Was this here, or did he add it?” she asked.

  “He built this one. The old lodge was old and run down and about half the size,” he said. “I did my research on the place. He did make sure and leave the cabin they’d stayed in together—after having it redone, of course, but leaving the colors and style exactly the same. He’s truly sentimental.”

  “Yes, he is. I think you are, too,” she told him. Then she shocked him when she stepped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was frozen for a moment, but it didn’t take him long to return the embrace. There was no better place he liked to be than in this woman’s arms. He was ready to kiss her when they were interrupted.

  “Looks like putting you in the birthday cabin was the right choice,” a voice said.

  Noah turned to find his brother Hudson standing there with a big grin on his face. He was coming down the huge lodge steps.

  “Great timing as always,” Noah said as he reluctantly pulled away from Sarah to shake his brother’s hand. “Glad you could meet us here.”

  “Of course. I’m falling in love with this place,” Hudson told him. A woman approached with a big smile. “This is Alice. She’s run the place forever and will be keeping an eye on you to make sure you don’t act up.”

  Alice laughed. “Ignore your brother. I’m a peach,” Alice said. “It’s so nice to meet you. I feel as if I know you all, since your uncle Joseph has gushed about his amazing nephews.”

  “This is Sarah, my partner on the project,” Noah said. Sarah stepped forward and shook both Hudson’s and Alice’s hands. She’d met Hudson but had seen him less than the other brothers.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Sarah said. She was in her element meeting new people. She certainly wasn’t shy. Her confidence was something else he admired about her.

  Introductions were such odd things. He’d never liked the formality of them. It was so much easier to just start talking to someone without all the hoopla. But pleasantries were a necessary evil.

  “I like your girl,” Hudson said quietly as Sarah and Alice spoke for a moment. “The birthday cabin was a good choice.”

  “I don’t know what you’re going on about with the cabin, but yeah, I like her a little bit, too,” Noah said.

  “It’s the honeymoon cabin,” Hudson said.

  Sarah caught those words, and Noah was a little surprised when she flushed. She wasn’t the type to get embarrassed too easily. He kind of liked it. She was a confident woman, but she also had an innocence about her that made him like her that much more.

  “Quit being an ass,” Noah said as he elbowed his brother.

  Hudson didn’t seem in the least offended. He elbowed Noah right back. “Okay, pry yourself away from your woman long enough to take a tour with me.”

  He wasn’t going to bother telling his brother she technically wasn’t his woman. Because he really did think of her that way, even if they hadn’t made it official. They were adults, and they didn’t need a high school ring to make something official. That thought led him to thinking about other sorts of rings, though, that would show the world she was his. That was a sobering thought. He’d never once considered buying a woman a ring. Now that the thought was in his head, he was afraid he wasn’t going to get it out again. Damn. Maybe he should just accept what everyone else already saw.

  “I better get you away from here before you put your damn foot in your mouth,” Noah said. He then turned to Sarah. “I’ll apologize for my brother. He’s an ass. But I won’t be gone too long.”

  She grinned. “Take your time. I’m going to check out the lodge.”

  “I’d love to show you the lodge after I show you your cabin,” Alice told her.

  “Thank you.”

  The two women took off, and Noah stood there for a minute watching Sarah walk away. He realized she was the first woman he’d ever been around who it pained him to see leave, even if it was only for a short time. He really was going to have to figure out what was coming next. He felt like that clock he’d been thinking about earlier was ticking a little bit faster.

  “Let’s go,” Hudson said with a knowing chuckle.

  Noah had the urge to slug his brother. What was wrong with his siblings lately? They were all giving him this look like he was a lost cause. Was that the same look he’d been giving Finn when he’d walked in the room announcing he was going to marry Brooke after knowing her for five minutes? Maybe.

  He and Hudson strolled through the paths of the resort, and ideas were forming in his head as they watched different people doing a variety of activities. There were volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts. There were two swimming pools and hot tubs and secluded paths with picnic areas. Anything and everything a person could imagine existed on this five-hundred-acre parcel of land. He and Sarah should have come to this place in the beginning of their journey, because it was all he needed to complete the vision they’d set from the start.

  But if they’d come here first, they wouldn’t have had any of the other adventures the two of them had shared together, and that would be tragic. Every step of the way he’d gotten to know her a little more. And each time she’d opened up to him, he’d fallen a little more.

  So he was glad this was the end of their treasure hunt instead of the beginning. He hoped she was just as inspired as he was. He and his brother chatted as they made a circle back to the lodge, where several firepits had been placed strategically to give guests private areas to gather with their friends and family.

  “Are you inspired?” Hudson asked. “Because I’m ready to build more.”

  “Yeah, the wheels have been spinning from the moment I flew into this place,” Noah told him. “This was the final piece of the puzzle I needed to know how to complete the project.”

  “Good. It’s funny how long all o
f us have been drifting through life. It was horrible to lose Mom, but I’m so thankful she gave us Joseph and the rest of the Anderson family. I feel more settled now, and I feel like I’m finally ready to grow up.”

  Hudson’s words shocked him. All of his brothers had been shocking him lately.

  “What is happening to us?” Noah asked. He was utterly perplexed.

  “I have no idea,” Hudson said with a shrug and a laugh.

  “I think maybe we’ve always had the foundation; we just needed to build the walls,” Noah said with a shrug.

  Hudson laughed again. “Hey! I’m the builder. Shouldn’t that be my line?”

  Noah was in a great mood. He was noticing he was in a good mood a lot more lately. He had no doubt that had a lot to do with a spunky woman he couldn’t get off his mind.

  “I might not put the pieces of wood together, but I sure as heck know how to bring a building together,” Noah told him.

  “You have an incredible talent,” Hudson said.

  He was so used to having a more joking relationship with his brothers that all of these deep talks were throwing him off a little. He couldn’t say he didn’t like it, though.

  “Okay, we’re getting a little too sentimental now. Let’s have a drink and enjoy a good fire. Then I want to call it an early night.”

  “I bet you do,” Hudson told him with a waggle of his eyebrows.

  Noah wasn’t even going to try to argue with that. He just went with his brother to find a drink. Then they returned to the fire and continued speaking about plans for the center as he waited for Sarah to join them. It took much longer than he wanted, but he sensed her coming near him before she said anything.

  “I have so many ideas,” Sarah said as she stepped up. He turned and immediately wrapped an arm around her back. He also noticed she looked a little worn. She wasn’t at full strength yet, and he wasn’t going to keep her out too late.

  “We have food,” Alice said as she set down a covered dish.

  “I’m starving. It smells delicious,” Hudson said.

  “I think you’re always hungry,” Alice told him with a laugh.

  “This place has good food. Of course I am,” he said. The way Hudson was looking at the woman made Noah wonder if something was going on between the two of them. He was going to have to remember to ask his brother about it later.

  They sat at the fire and had a nice meal. But there was now only one thing on Noah’s mind, and he made some pretty quick goodbyes before he took Sarah’s hand and led her away from Hudson and Alice.

  It had been way too long since he’d been with Sarah. But saying that, even one day was too long, in his humble opinion. Judging by the sparkle in her eyes, she was feeling the exact same way. He sure as heck hoped so.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Alice had told Sarah how the cabin they were staying in was the one Joseph had brought his wife, Katherine, to that had made him fall in love with the place. She said it was impossible for a couple to use the cabin and not have a happily ever after. What scared Sarah more than using a honeymoon cottage was that she wasn’t afraid of it.

  She was beginning to see a future with Noah, and she wasn’t sure he wanted the same. She knew he had feelings for her and knew there was magic between the two of them. She didn’t know if it was strong enough to last forever.

  Nerves filled her as they made their way to the cabin on a dimly lit trail. This place was filled with magic, taking down any and all of her guard. She just wanted to be with him, even if it was just for now.

  They didn’t speak as they moved together to the cabin. She had no doubt what was going to happen. She wanted it as much as him. She was feeling much better knowing it had been just as hard for him to wait as it had been for her. The looks he’d been sending her as they’d sat by the fire had left no doubt in her mind about how their night would end.

  There was lust in his expression, but there was something more there, too. She wished she could trust fully what she was seeing. But there was still a piece of her that was afraid to trust the emotions. If she was a little braver, she’d try to have a talk with him. Maybe soon. But not tonight. She didn’t want anything to ruin this night.

  The cabin was unlocked, and they didn’t need words as they stepped inside and shut the door. He immediately pulled her to him and captured her mouth in a kiss so sensual she melted against him.

  Their clothes disappeared as he backed her up to the bed, only taking his lips off hers long enough to pull away both of their clothes. She knew his body as much as she knew her own now, but each time she touched him was just as exciting as the last.

  He was so hard, so ready, she wondered how she could ever have doubted how hot their desire was for each other. He laid her down and stood there for a moment looking down at her. The look was so intense she wanted to hide. But her desire was too out of control to turn from him.

  He joined her on the bed and ran his fingers over her heated flesh, skimming his fingers across her breasts and shaking stomach, over her thighs, and across her heat. He was barely touching her, and it was still almost too much. It didn’t take much from him to send her over the edge of control.

  She turned off all thoughts and focused only on what she felt. She needed him—only him. It was his touch, his body, his kisses that gave her exactly what she wanted. There would never be another she’d want.

  He leaned over her, running his mouth across her skin, touching each new place until she was whimpering in the need for release. He knew exactly how to build her up higher and higher. His lips and fingers brought her to heights most people couldn’t ever reach.

  She held on, kissing him when he allowed it and touching him as much as he touched her, but there was no doubt he was in control. She was his to do with as he wanted. And she didn’t even care about the loss of control.

  “I can’t get enough of you,” he said as his tongue traced the curve of her neck.

  “I want you inside me,” she said as she wiggled beneath him.

  “Always,” he insisted.

  “Yes,” she said without a second thought.

  But instead of burying himself inside her, he ran his mouth down her neck and over her breasts, taking time to lick and suck on her nipples. She squirmed beneath him, but he wasn’t giving her what she wanted. She whimpered as his mouth moved down her stomach. She reached for him, tugging on his hair, but he wasn’t budging from what he wanted.

  Her hips arched as he ran his tongue over her hips. He found places on her body she hadn’t even known were sensitive before him. This man knew how to bring her more pleasure than a person could ever expect to feel. And she wanted more. He made her greedy.

  Her entire body ached as he swept his tongue across her thighs. Finally, he pushed her legs apart and ran his tongue across her heat. She cried out as he moved it up and down before circling that sensitive area that he knew so well.

  He buried his fingers inside her as he sucked and nibbled. That was all it took to send her into an oblivion of pleasure. She shook beneath him as he swept his tongue across her flesh again and again.

  She cried out his name as the last of her tremors took her to the highest peaks and then began to calm again. Then he slowly kissed his way back up her body as she lay there, unable to move. It took several moments for her to catch her breath.

  She was still breathing heavily as he positioned himself above her, his thickness pressing into her hot core but not pushing inside yet. He didn’t move, and she opened her eyes as much as she was able to.

  When she saw the look on his face, she went up in flames again. No one had ever seen her the way this man had. It brought tears to her eyes. She wanted to freeze this moment and never let it go.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  He leaned down and gently kissed her as he buried himself deep inside her. A tear escaped, but she didn’t care. She loved him deeply, passionately, and forever. Nothing would change that.

  His lips traced hers as he
moved in and out of her, slowly at first, then with more urgency. She clutched him tightly as heat developed again. His mouth never left hers as they built their pleasure together.

  Her next release came at the same time as his. They cried out as their bodies trembled together. And as he sank against her, she knew she was home. When he shifted, she whimpered her disapproval.

  “There will be so much more, baby,” he whispered as he pulled her tightly against him.

  “Promise?” she said.

  “Oh, that’s a promise I’m more than happy to make.”

  She smiled as she closed her eyes again. She fell asleep in his arms, hoping this would be just one night of many.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Some mornings were good, and some not so good. Sarah could definitely classify this morning as a great morning. Her body ached everywhere—in a fantastic way—and she was hungry and sleepy, but the first thing she saw when her eyes opened was the sight of Noah sitting at a small table, sipping on a cup of coffee, staring at a newspaper. It made her smile. He didn’t know she was awake yet, which gave her time to study him, and he was well worth studying.

  They’d been up most of the night making love. She’d lost count of how many times he’d pulled her into his arms. But each time he did, she responded, more than happy for the pleasure she was about to receive. The more turned on he was, the more she wanted him. They had a passion most people only dreamed of having.

  If they only had days left together, she could say she had no regrets. But if she had longer, she’d be okay with that, too. She was addicted to this man, and it was something she didn’t want rehab for.

  She lay there for several moments, not stirring. But he somehow sensed her eyes on him, because he turned and looked at her, a crinkle in the corners of his eyes, his lips turned up. For just the briefest of moments he looked so beautifully tender it brought tears to her eyes. She thought about lying back and inviting him to join her again. They could remain in the bed together for a solid twenty-four hours, and she still didn’t think it would be enough. This man intrigued her and turned her on. He made her laugh and cry and angered her sometimes. She’d take it all.