Stay With Me

by Alexa Powers

  “Of course that’s not the reason and you know it. The man’s crazy about you. I’m happy for you, Em. So…how was it? Is he entertaining you properly?”

  “Amazing. He’s amazing, Lily. I really don’t know how else to describe it. And yes, he’s entertaining me just fine.” Emma couldn’t help the silly grin quickly spreading across her face as she tried to come up with adequate words to explain how she felt.

  “Well, let’s see. Hot. Sweaty. Mind-blowing. Orgasmic. Multi-orgasmic. Shall I go on?”

  “All of the above. Plus sweet, and throw in a healthy portion of can’t get enough,” Emma laughed, relaxing into the comfortable banter she was used to with her cousin.

  “Well, then, it’s a good thing you’re staying with him,” Lily snickered.

  “Yeah, it’s been really great. Now, tell me about your honeymoon.”

  “It’s so pretty here, and we’ve done a bit of exploring around the island. Honestly, Emma, I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to spend your honeymoon. It’s perfect.” Lily giggled once again as Josh commented on her current state of undress, and Emma took that as her queue to hang up.

  “Okay. On that note, I really need to go. Noah’s going to be home soon and I want to finish dinner.”

  “Aren’t you the happy homemaker?”

  Emma laughed at the truthfulness of Lily’s comment. “Yeah, I guess I am. Tell Josh I said hi.”

  “Will do. You’re still picking us up from the airport, right?”

  “Yes, of course.” Emma was glad Lily was coming home, but also disappointed that her time playing house with Noah would be coming to an end as well.

  “Miss you and give my love to Noah.”

  Hanging up, Emma felt relieved to have spoken to Lily about the change in her relationship with Noah. It was easy to talk to Lily, since she was actually encouraging it, as opposed to Ali, who always tempered her comments with words of warning and unsolicited advice.

  Knowing her sister had her best interests at heart eased the sting a little, but it always hurt just the same. She just wanted Ali to share in her excitement, not constantly frown upon it.

  Noah made her happy and she was sticking with him for as long as he wanted her. She’d deal with the consequences later. Right now, she wanted to concentrate on how happy he made her.

  Noah opened the garage door and dropped his bag by the door. “Honey, I’m home,” he joked, as he called out for Emma. When she strolled into the kitchen, he couldn’t help but pull her into a long embrace. “Something smells delicious.”

  “I made meatloaf. I hope you like it,” she stated sheepishly, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  “Well, if it tastes half as good as it smells, you’ve got yourself a winner,” he assured her, bending down to give her the kiss he’d been thinking about all day.

  “It’ll be ready by the time you get changed, so go on,” she said, smacking his bum playfully.

  Sitting down for dinner, Noah stared appreciatively at the plate she set before him. “You’re spoiling me, babe. I could get used to coming home to you every night and to a home cooked meal like this.” His mouth watered at the sight of it, mounded high with thick slices of meatloaf, along with heaps of mashed potatoes and vegetables.

  “I like spoiling you,” Emma stated bubbly, with a slight blush tinting her delicate features.

  It was their final night together before Lily and Josh returned from their honeymoon, and Noah wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of Emma leaving. He enjoyed having her around. Their time together may have been brief, but it felt like he’d known her his whole life. He’d never felt so at ease with another person, even when they were sitting quietly reading the paper or watching TV.

  He’d grown used to the warmth of her next to him as he slept, their limbs tangled together after a night of lovemaking. And waking up to her sleepy smile was something he’d never get tired of.

  He always prided himself on the fact that he could take care of himself, but he liked being cared for by Emma. She was a nurturer. He’d never had a need for someone to fuss over him, but it was special with her. And he found that he actually enjoyed it. When she wanted to play nursemaid, how could he refuse? He’d be a fool to turn down a good massage or an offer to kiss his aches away, or a delicious home cooked meal.

  New relationships usually started out with a flood of emotions and an insatiable desire for the other person, he wasn’t blind to that, but Emma was different. Everything with her was different, and he couldn’t foresee a time when he wouldn’t want her by his side.

  Just a smile from her was like a jolt to his system, and when she looked at him with hooded eyes filled with desire, nothing else mattered. Only her. She’d worked her way into his heart, and he ached at the thought of another man taking his place. He wanted to be the one she grew old with.

  He loved her. Three little words that changed everything. He’d never said those words to anyone before. They weren’t meant to be bandied about frivolously, carelessly.

  As they cuddled together in the hammock under a blanket later that evening, with the stars as their canopy, Noah’s heart beat wildly with nervous anticipation.

  He wanted this night to be perfect and was finally ready to confess his feelings for Emma. Entwining their fingers together to calm himself, he took a deep breath before baring his soul. “I know we haven’t been together for long, but I hope you know how much I care for you.” He placed his finger against her mouth when she started to say something, tracing his thumb along her bottom lip. “Let me finish, sweetheart. Please. I’m a little nervous, so bear with me.”

  “Okay.” She spoke so softly he almost missed it.

  Lifting her chin so she looked him in the eye, he took a deep breath before he spoke. “God, I love you, Emma. I’m so in love with you, it scares me sometimes. I know there are probably rules for this, and I’m surely mucking it up completely,” he paused, inhaling a deep breath, thankful to have finally spoken the words.

  Suddenly worried he’d said the wrong thing, his heart sank into his stomach. He knew he should’ve told her over a candlelit dinner with a champagne toast. “You don’t have to say it back to me, but I needed to say it. I wanted to tell you, here…in the spot where I was completely captivated by you.” Holding his breath, he watched as the full impact of his words registered on her pretty face.

  Emma’s beautiful emerald green eyes were suddenly rimmed with moisture as she touched his cheek with a trembling hand. He watched a tear spill from her eye, and slid his thumb across her cheek to wipe it away.

  “I love you too, Noah. And, for the record, you didn’t muck anything up. It was perfect. You’re perfect. And I must say that it was also very romantic…very, very romantic. I need you to kiss me now.”

  “Your wish is my command, my love.” He couldn’t stop the goofy grin from spreading across his face and didn’t want to. She loved him and that was all that mattered.

  “I like the sound of that.”

  The convenience of being under the cover of darkness with a blanket to hide their wandering hands and lips was overridden by his need to get her naked. Now. Trying to maintain his balance so they didn’t flip the hammock over was virtually impossible as their movements became more and more erratic.

  Pulling away from her, Noah tried to catch his breath, to calm himself long enough to make it indoors. He doubted he’d make it to their bedroom, but the couch, or even the floor would have to do, or maybe against the wall.

  Being a recognized figure had many blessings, but privacy wasn’t one of them. Sportsmen were held to a high standard in En Zed, a standard Noah strived to always live up to, and public fornication would not be looked upon favorably. He also wanted to protect Emma from the scrutiny of the media’s obsession with the private lives of footy players, the All Blacks in particular, for as long as possible.

  Not willing to lose the connection, he lifted her from the hammock and into his arms, cupping her bum in his hands as she cross
ed her long legs behind his back. He couldn’t help but smile as she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him there.

  Finally in the house, he set her on her feet. “Drop your gear,” he commanded a little too sternly, based on her shocked expression. “Please,” he amended softly, quickly kissing her before turning to close the blinds.

  He felt the thrill of anticipation as he turned to find Emma completely naked, still standing where he’d left her, a pile of clothes discarded at her feet. “Good girl. Now come and sit on the couch for me.”

  “I shouldn’t follow orders like this, but I haven’t seen this side of you before, and well…it’s kind of a turn-on.” Her sassy smile was almost his undoing, but he stood back and let her walk on by.

  He was holding on by a thread and his last ounce of control was spent resisting the need to reach out and touch her as she sauntered past him. What he really wanted was to throw her over his shoulder and take her to bed. But he’d fantasized about having her like this for some time now and needed to see it through.

  “Now, lean back and spread your legs for me.” He watched as she complied and almost lost it right there. She was so damn sexy; he was instantly so hard he could pound nails. “Damn. I want to do so many things to you right now, I don’t know where to start.”

  “How about here?” his little minx smiled seductively, raising her hand to her mouth, skimming her fingers along her full lower lip, and when her tongue peeked out, grazing the tips of her fingers, he groaned. “Or maybe, you’d rather start here?”

  Noah watched in amazement as Emma slowly ghosted her fingers down the long column of her neck and cupped her breasts with both hands, caressing them gently before teasing her hardened nipples.

  “As much as I adore the lovely options you’ve put on offer, I’m not sure they’re where I want to start, though. Anything else you have in mind? I’m open for suggestions.” He quickly lost his clothes and stood before her naked, waiting for her next move, hoping she was going where he thought she might.

  His heart was racing riotously and he felt out of breath. Needing some relief, he stroked himself as he watched her bite down on her lower lip, while the corners of her mouth twitched up into a suggestive smile. Her eyes opened widely as she scanned his naked body before coming to rest on his hand sliding up and down the length of his painfully hard erection.

  “Mmm. Well, maybe, just maybe, this is more to your liking?” Watching, frozen in place, his heart pounded violently, as she left one hand on her breast and lowered the other over her ribs. As if in slow motion, her fingers splayed across her stomach before dipping between her legs.

  Letting out a loud growl, he got on his knees and replaced her hand with his mouth. She’d teased him long enough and now it was his turn. Using his shoulders, he opened her further, and watched as she writhed in ecstasy, her hands flailing about as they searched for something to hold onto, finally landing on his shoulders. Listening to her whimper and moan his name as he drove her up and over the crest of her orgasm, almost had him joining her.

  Sitting back on his haunches, he gave himself a moment to take in the sight of her, all flushed and flustered. “Turn around and get on your knees and hold onto the back of the couch,” he requested, pleased to see her hurriedly comply without question, and the sight of her waiting for him was better than he’d imagined.

  Tracing the length of her spine with his fingers, they finally came to rest on her perfect round bum and he caressed her there, enjoying the silkiness of her soft skin. The feel of her warmth surrounding him was overwhelming as he entered her, and if he didn’t get himself under control quickly, it’d be over before it began, so he held still as he took in a deep breath before continuing.

  Bending over, he licked a trail up the length of her spine to her neck before kissing her there. Unable to resist, he reached around and filled his palm with her breast. Moaning out a shaky breath, she watched him over her shoulder, crying out as she started to climax and it wasn’t long before he joined her, collapsing breathlessly onto the couch.

  Encircling her in his arms, he pulled her tightly against his chest, thrilled he’d put the satisfied look on her face.

  “Holy shit. That was…um…hot.” Still overwhelmed from their explosive encounter, he tried to calm his racing heart with the sweet comfort of her softness.

  “I never knew you had such a bossy side,” she giggled. “Or that I’d comply so easily.”

  “I’m thinking I may have to explore that hidden side of my personality more often.”

  “I’m a little embarrassed. I’ve never…you know…done that in front of anyone before. Not sure what came over me.” He watched as her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink at her candid confession.

  “Don’t be embarrassed, Emma. It was dead sexy. I was this close to coming in my trousers.” He pinched his fingers together for emphasis. “I wanted to let you finish, but I couldn’t. I think every man fantasizes about watching his lover pleasure herself. It’s pretty much a given. We may have to try that again sometime and see if I can hold out long enough for you to make my dream come true.”

  “Oh, my God. You are such a guy,” she chuckled, slapping his chest, then to his delight, she left her hand there, gently caressing him.

  “Well, since you didn’t say no, I’ll hold out hope.”

  “Keep dreaming,” she laughed, lifting off the couch and holding out a hand for him. “Now take me to bed, Noah.”

  “Just where I want you.” He laced his fingers through hers and gladly followed her, primed and ready for another round.

  Finally succumbing to the need for sleep, Noah held her in his arms and closed his eyes, replaying the evening moment by moment, not wanting to forget a thing.

  “I love you.” He loved the sound of those three little words and his heart swelled with contentment before he leaned in and sweetly kissed her on the lips.

  “I love you, too. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that to me,” she whispered, reaching up to gently brush his cheek with her soft fingertips.

  “Then it’s a good thing I’ll never get tired of telling you,” he admitted happily. “I love you, sweetheart.”

  Resting her head on his chest, she fell fast asleep in his arms. Holding her tightly, he watched the way her lips curled into a sweet smile as she slept and he knew, without a doubt, that she was the one he’d been waiting for.

  He lay awake for a long while, thinking about the future. He had the girl of his dreams in his arms, in his bed, and now he needed to figure out a way to keep her. Moonlight spilled into the room, casting a silvery glow over her soft skin, giving her the appearance of an ethereal goddess. Waves of golden hair surrounded her like a crown of shimmering silk, and her hand rested against his still-pounding heart.

  He felt a sudden burst of panic at the thought of losing her. Mentally corralling his wayward thoughts, he discarded them to the rubbish bin where they belonged. He wasn’t a quitter, and he never gave up when he wanted something badly enough.

  The only thing he’d ever wanted this badly was to play footy, and from a very young age, he set out to accomplish that goal. He’d worked hard and sacrificed a good chunk of his social life to make it a reality, with no regrets, and never looked back. Over the course of his career, he’d had the privilege of sharing the stage with royalty and international celebrities, but none of that compared to the honor of having the love of his sweet Emma. What they shared was precious.

  She was precious.

  Chapter 18

  Emma was relieved when Noah asked her to stay with him once Lily and Josh returned from their honeymoon, happily making room in his home for her as she shifted some of her belongings to his house. Living with Noah was everything she could’ve hoped for, but at the same time, it wasn’t forever and she needed to keep reminding herself of that pesky little fact as they happily lived in a bubble, blissfully ignoring the elephant in the room.

  Emma knew it wasn’t in her best in
terest to move in with Noah, especially since they were behaving like a married couple, but she selfishly wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Even knowing it would make it that much harder when her time in New Zealand was up, it was impossible to walk away.

  Deciding that suspending reality until she boarded the plane for home was the only option at this point, Emma was determined to enjoy every minute she had with him. Waking up to the sound of Noah’s beating heart beneath her ear, tucked securely in his arms, made it easy to forget her worries and forge ahead.

  The next few weeks flew by as classes were finally beginning and Noah was busy training with the Blues. It made her proud to see how hard he worked, and his dedication to the team and his teammates was unparalleled. Sharing in Noah’s excitement for the game, Emma was looking forward to attending her very first rugby match at Eden Park. By now, she’d watched what felt like hundreds of them on TV with Noah, but she knew nothing would compare to being there when he stepped onto the field.

  Noah had secured tickets for her, Lily, and Josh to attend the match together, and the anticipation and excitement in Auckland had ratcheted up to a level like nothing she’d ever experienced before. She didn’t know how he dealt with the constant pressure. Every time you opened the paper or turned on the news, there was another story speculating on how this or that player was performing, or not performing.

  Wanting to help him succeed in her own small way, Emma made sure his home life was as stress-free as possible. Seeing the wives and girlfriends of professional athletes back home blamed for poor performance, she was determined to keep her name out of the conversation. The thought of being publically excoriated made her queasy. Noah was a national hero and, as such, was expected to perform his best at all times…no mistakes and no excuses.

  Since Valentine’s Day fell midweek, they’d gone to his parents’ house on Papamoa Beach the prior weekend, where they’d blissfully played in the sun by day and made love by night. The weather had cooperated for the most part and, when it didn’t, it gave them an excuse to stay in bed. Not that staying in bed with Noah was a hardship…far from it.