“Thanks.” I watch as he walks out, then I whisper, “I didn’t say you’re smarter than me, though.” Letting out a chuckle, I take a sip from my wine.
Walking back into the living room, Jase has taken Mila’s seat, and he has her on his lap, then he says, “Remind me to email all my notes from my MBA to Carla.”
Mila glances at me. “Are you struggling with the work? I can help.”
I sit back down next to Noah. “I’ll be okay. Thanks, though.”
Noah looks down at me. “It’s only been a week. What could you possibly be struggling with?”
I slant my eyes up at him. “And here I thought we were doing so well.”
He frowns. “I’m asking so I’ll know what you need help with.”
My eyebrows dart up. “Wow, you suck at offering help.” Then I give him the sweetest smile I can conjure up. “But it’s so heartwarming to know you care. I’m good, though.”
Noah tilts his head at me. “You’re not going to stop with the caring shit, are you?”
I shake my head and impersonate him, “Nope.” I lock eyes with him. “Not until you admit you don’t hate me.”
A shocked expression flashes over his way-too-hot features. “I don’t hate you.” Then he frowns again. “You think I hate you?”
I shrug and take a sip from my glass before muttering, “With the intensity of a thousand suns.” Lowering my voice, so only Noah will hear, I mutter, “You tell a guy you love him, and all of a sudden, you’re public enemy number one.”
Noah leans closer as well, whispering, “I just wanted to give you space so you could… you know… move on.”
Turning my head, our eyes connect, and there’s instantly an explosive current jumping between us.
Unable to stop myself, I ask, “Am I really the only one who feels this?”
“Feel what?” Noah pulls back, and bringing his hand to his face, he rests his chin on his thumb. I watch as his mind begins to work overtime again, trying to figure something out.
As brilliant as this man is, he can be slow when it comes to the emotional side of things.
I pat his thigh again. “Don’t overthink things. I wasn’t expecting an answer.”
Chapter 6
NOAH
Sitting in our suite's living room, I read a study done by Havard Medical School. It’s on love and the effects it has on the brain.
Levels of the stress hormone cortisol increase during the initial phase of romantic love, marshaling our bodies to cope with the “crisis” at hand.
“Well, that fucking explains it,” I mutter. “Carla’s definitely a crisis at hand.”
I keep reading, and it just says what I already knew. It’s just a chemical reaction.
Carla comes into the suite, a frown on her forehead. When she sees me, she drops down right next to me and says, “You will not believe who I just ran into.”
I quickly lock my phone and set it aside. “Who?”
“Kennedy Quinn.” Her gaze turns to me, and I can see the worry darkening her eyes. “Forest’s ex-girlfriend.”
Not following, I ask, “Yeah? Why are you worried?”
“Because Forest and Aria are ‘dating’.”
Still not understanding, I ask, “Why would that be a problem?”
Carla turns her body toward mine, and she rests her knee against my thigh. My eyes dart down as oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin starts to flood my brain.
Nothing but chemicals, Noah. You’re fine.
“It’s supposed to be a fake relationship, remember. If they took things to the next level, Aria’s not going to take Kennedy’s return well.”
“Oh… right.” I’m too fucking focused on the emotions spreading through me to pay much attention to what Carla’s saying.
“I’m sure they’ll be okay,” she murmurs, not sounding too convinced.
My gaze lifts to Carla’s face as she worries about Forest and Aria, and I take in her features. Her chocolate-colored irises, her high cheekbones, and full lips that smile so easily. My eyes lower to her neck, her silky-looking skin, and down to her collarbones. When my sight focuses on the cleavage peeking from her shirt, my heartbeat starts to speed up.
“Do I have something on my shirt?” Carla glances down, and it has me shooting up from the couch.
“Nope. Nice… ah… shirt.” Feeling frazzled, I dart down the hallway to my room.
Come Monday, I’m no closer to understanding these sudden and totally unwelcome feelings I have whenever Carla is near me.
It makes me feel off-balance and moody.
Coming out of the classroom, I’m also bored out of my mind. I’m only here to get the degree, but damn, the work isn’t challenging at all.
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I text my mother.
N: Tell me something interesting.
I keep my phone in my hand so I’ll feel when it vibrates. Walking out of the building, I head toward the dorms.
“Hey, roomie,” Carla calls from behind me.
I glance over my shoulder and see that she’s jogging toward me. My gaze drops to her breasts as they bounce, and I instantly feel confounded again.
Carla catches up to me and wrapping her arm around my back, she gives me a sideways hug. “Aren’t you going for lunch?”
“Nope.”
She glances up at me. “Is the cease-fire over?”
I shake my head.
“Bad mood?”
I shake my head again.
“Wow, aren’t you talkative today,” she quips.
Walking faster, I mutter, “You’re talkative enough for the both of us.”
As Carla walks away from me, she mutters, “Grumpy.”
My phone buzzes, and I quickly open the text from Mom.
M: Hey, my boy. Just hold out. You’re almost done with your studies. In the meanwhile, here you go… I have a twenty-year-old male patient who was rushed in with an aneurysm. Basically, the thoracic aorta consists of the aortic root…
I keep reading as I head into the dorm and up to the suite. Every word makes me feel less restless until I’m back to feeling in control of my emotions.
I shove thoughts of Carla way down, even though I know I won’t be able to avoid them forever.
CARLA
I walk into the restaurant and see Forest and Aria already sitting at our table. As I take a seat, I almost make a comment about them being caught in their own little bubble, but instead impersonate Scar from the Lion King, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”
Aria chuckles. “What happened?”
I haven’t told them about Noah’s weird behavior, so I just mutter, “Noah.”
Movement behind Forest catches my attention, and when I see Kennedy, my eyes widen.
Shit, here we go.
Forest is clearly startled by the sight of her, and Aria looks like she’s going to be sick. At least I gave her a heads up this morning that I ran into Kennedy last night.
Kennedy’s all smiles as she asks, “Tell me everything I’ve missed out on.”
Hoping Forest and Aria will come forward with the fact that they’re more than friends, I lean over to Kennedy and say, “Prepare yourself for this. Forest and Aria are in a fake relationship.”
My gaze is sharp on my two friends to catch their reaction. Forest instantly looks unhappy, and Aria shrinks back against her chair.
Mhhh… just friends? Right?
Kennedy lets out a burst of laughter. “Yeah? Why?”
It’s up to me to explain, “Forest didn’t date after you left, and rumors started going around that there’s something wrong with him.”
Kennedy’s eyes widen, and she turns to Forest. “Oh my gosh! Really?”
He just nods, letting out an uncomfortable chuckle.
When Forest and Aria decided on having this fake relationship, I drew up a contract so I wouldn’t be caught in the middle if it backfired. Never did I think they’d forego one of the cardinal rules and actually start dating. The fact that the
y haven’t bothered to tell me hurts like a bitch, and it makes me wonder just how much I mean to them.
My attention is drawn back to the conversation when Aria gets up, mumbling, “I have to get to class. We should catch up later.”
When Forest gets up to go after her, there’s zero doubt left in my mind. They’re dating for real.
I order my lunch and focus on catching up with Kennedy because she’s not a bad person at all. We all pretty much got along with her when she dated Forest. While she tells me about her experiences while living abroad, my thoughts keep whirling around Forest and Aria.
We’ve been best friends since I can remember, and for the first time, I’m not part of the group anymore. It sucks… and causes my heart to ache.
I finish my meal, and getting up, I smile at Kennedy, “Catch you later.”
Walking out of the restaurant, I’ve never felt more out of place and lonely than I do at this moment.
I head back to the suite to be alone with my misery, but when I walk in, Noah’s in front of the TV, watching CNN news.
I sit down next to him and stare blankly at the TV screen. A couple of seconds pass, then I lean my head against his shoulder, whispering, “Just a couple of minutes, and I’ll leave you alone.”
He sits frozen for a bit, then asks, “Is everything okay?”
I shake my head. “I feel lonely.”
Noah surprises me by lifting his arm and wrapping it around my shoulders. He pulls me into his side.
Not letting this opportunity pass me by, I snuggle against him and wrap my arm around his waist. “Thank you.”
I take a deep breath of his scent and focus on the feel of his body against mine. My fingers grip his shirt as a sharp ache shoots through my heart.
God, I want more of this.
My body shudders from how amazing it feels to be held by Noah.
He tightens his arm around me, and lifting his other hand, he presses it against the side of my head, and then I feel his breath stir over the top of my head.
I freeze, and all my senses are focused on Noah as he presses a kiss to my hair. I forget to breathe, and my heart could’ve stopped, and I wouldn’t have noticed.
I’m filled with the love I’ve never gotten to express, and it makes my eyes tear up.
I love you so much. Please love me back.
Noah continues to watch the news, and I keep still, so he won’t get annoyed from having to hold me. My eyes begin to grow heavy, and then I’m unable to keep them open.
Chapter 7
NOAH
When Carla’s body relaxes against mine, I glance down, and seeing she’s asleep, I let out a deep breath.
I stare at her while emotions war inside of me, everything from tenderness to apprehension.
Her head slides down my chest, and before she can faceplant against my cock, I slip my hand under her cheek and position her on my thigh.
Slowly, I pull my hand from under her, but the movement still makes her stir. She rubs her cheek against my thigh before curling into a little ball.
Staring at Carla, I lift my hand to her forehead and carefully brush her brown curls away from her face.
My gaze drifts to where my arm is resting on her side. I move my left hand until my fingers lightly brush over her arm.
Her skin is soft.
With my right hand, I pinch a curl between my pointer finger and thumb.
Also soft.
Since the night she told me she loves me and I watched her run up the stairs, I haven’t seen Carla vulnerable until today. It makes a weird protective feeling flutter to life.
Another new emotion to try and process.
The news on the TV is totally forgotten as I take in the girl sleeping on my lap.
Girl?
Is she really still a girl?
I take in her curves and the cleavage, which is more prominent now that’s she’s lying on her side.
No, Carla’s definitely not a little girl.
Carla’s grown up, and now that she’s a woman, I’m not so sure the age difference matters anymore.
Maybe I should give a relationship with her a try? She knows what I’m like… that I’m different. Still, she hasn’t given up on me, and it’s been years. That has to count for something.
My eyes lock on Carla’s face, and I allow myself to experience the emotions she brings out in me. My heart begins to beat faster, and my lips part as my breathing speeds up.
Whether it’s a chemical reaction or more, Carla makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. Interest, desire, protectiveness, the need to dominate her.
There’s a need to get to know every single thing about her until she’s no longer a mystery.
But I’ve hurt her once before, and I really don’t want to cause her any further heartache. What if it turns out I can’t be with her? That would break her heart again. Just because she loves me, it doesn’t give me the right to use her as if she’s some experiment.
Carla deserves a man who will worship the ground she walks on. She deserves better than a man who struggles to deal with emotions.
The thought of Carla dating another man makes my jaw clench and my breathing speed up. I feel a possessive twinge and the urge to punch something.
Tilting my head, I try to process the new emotions.
Fuck, Carla is like an out of control rollercoaster, and I’m not sure I’ll survive the ride.
Needing to examine the mess in my head and chest, I carefully slip my arms under Carla and getting up, I carry her to her bedroom. I set her down on her bed, and in a moment of insanity, I lean over her and press my mouth to her temple.
My eyes drift shut as I take in the feel of her skin against my lips. Pulling back, I rush out of her room and head to my own.
Opening my phone, I dial Dash’s number. I need to speak to someone who will give me some answers, and my sister is the only person I can think of. She takes after my father, where I’m more like my mother, but Dash understands how my mind works.
“Hi, Noah,” her voice comes over the line. “How are you?”
“Hey, I’m okay,” I rub tiredly over my forehead. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” I hear her move around and a door shutting.
“What is… how…” I struggle to find the right words. “So, there’s this girl…”
Dash lets out a chuckle. “And you’re confused about how you feel?”
My sister always gets me.
“Yeah.” I let out a sigh.
“Okay, let me try and explain it in a way you’ll understand. Give me a minute to think.” I listen to my sister’s breathing, then she says, “Love is like a driven force. It comes from the part in your mind that craves things, like chocolate, a hug, or getting an A on a test. As humans, we’re driven to procreate, and when you see a suitable mate, you feel attraction toward them. You crave the person, so to speak.” She pauses then asks, “Am I making sense?”
“Yeah… but,” I suck in a deep breath, then say, “the girl is Carla Reyes.”
“Oh, she’s stunning. Of course, you’d feel attracted to her. You move in the same circle. She comes from a similar background as you. She’s a suitable mate for you, and you recognize that.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I mutter.
“Stop overthinking things and enjoy the process, Noah.”
Easier said than done.
I talk with my sister for a little while longer before hanging up.
Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I let out a sigh.
Should I just go for it and see if things can work between Carla and me?
No, I should wait.
Yeah, I’ll wait and see if these emotions keep growing.
CARLA
Walking back to the suite after I overheard Forest tell Kennedy that he’s in a relationship with Aria, hurt squeezes at my heart.
So much for us being related. Were they even going to tell me?
Before coming to Trinity Academy an
d signing the stupid fake relationship contract, which doesn’t mean shit, we were so close. Now it feels like I’m nothing to them.
I walk to my room and grab the contract we signed. Taking the piece of paper from my drawer, I head to the living room. I lean back against the couch as my mind races to find an excuse why Forest and Aria would just cut me off like that.
Tonight I want answers. I’m done being cast aside.
I don’t have to wait long before Aria walks into the suite.
“The relationship is real?” I ask as I try to swallow back the heartache. “So much for us being best friends. Right?”
Before she can answer me, Forest comes in behind her.
My gaze snaps to my cousin. “You lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie to you,” Forest practically growls at me. “While we’re slinging accusations at each other, where the hell do you get off telling Kennedy that Aria and I are in a fake relationship? You had no right to do that.”
Feeling disappointed, I move closer to Forest. “If the two of you hadn’t kept it from me, I would’ve known to keep my mouth shut. Don’t you dare turn this on me.” I dart back to the couch and grab the contract. Tearing it in half, I try to keep from crying as I say, “This show is over. You both crossed the line and then kept it from me. What am I to the two of you? Chopped liver?” I take a deep breath of air, but it doesn’t help to lessen the pain.
“I’m sorry, Carla,” Aria says. “I didn’t want to drag you into it.”
That’s all she has to say? They’ve ignored me for two weeks, and that’s all I get?
Anger begins to whirl with the loneliness I’ve felt because they just left me. “You both dragged me into this mess the day you decided this fake relationship was the answer to all your problems. I didn’t have much choice in the matter.” I suck in a breath of air as I struggle not to cry, and then I admit how they made me feel, “You’ve been living in your little bubble since school started. I’m not even a part of the group anymore. It hurts finding out just how little you mean to the two people who were supposed to be your best friends.”
Callous Heir Page 4
