by Rhea Wilde
There was no point in arguing with Marie when she got into one of her moods. She was overprotective over a bruised knee, so a minor concussion was even worse.
“All right, all right,” I sighed as I put my hands up. “I’m going.”
A few seconds later, Noah and I were standing outside of the shelter.
“Well, it looks like I don’t have any plans for today,” I said.
“Me neither.”
“You have to go work, Noah.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around my waist. Another gentle kiss made my body shiver.
“We have to celebrate,” he said.
“Celebrate? Celebrate what?”
“Our anniversary. Today’s the day we became official.”
“Riiiight,” I said with a nod. “I guess you have a point.”
I pulled myself away from his grip and looked at him.
“I should probably go get a change of clothes,” I said. “Take me to my place?”
There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He winked at me and hopped on his motorcycle. I was about to get on right behind him when I noticed a cab pulling up right behind the spot Noah was parked. I peeked through the windshield and narrowed my eyes to get a clearer look.
“Is that…”
A woman stepped out of the cab. She was wearing a matching black pantsuit. Her blond hair was tied up behind her head. She had some freckles on her cheeks, her skin tanned and wrinkled slightly with age. Her eyes were a deep green. She didn’t look the same from the last time I saw her but I recognized her instantly.
“Penny?”
She casually walked up to me, her hands in her pockets. She poked her tongue on the inside of her cheek like she was trying to hide a smile. Without warning, she suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me. I stumbled back and nearly fell over.
“Sheila!”
I burst into laughter from how tight my friend gripped me. She gave me the kind of a hug you would give someone if you hadn’t seen them in 15 years. I squeezed my friend tight in my arms before we finally relinquished each other.
“Sheila,” she said with the biggest smile on her face. “Wow… I can’t believe it’s you.”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You have? Oh, right… I suppose my name might have come up.”
“I work for the district attorney’s office now. I’m sorry. I’ve just been so busy I haven’t had a chance to visit. And I’m sorry I didn’t answer your text when you asked me about Castle. I wasn’t allowed to speak about it because of the investigation. If I’d known you were involved, I would have warned you.”
“It’s all right,” I said as I shook my head. “I understand. I know you’re busy. You worked too hard to get to where you are now to risk it all by telling me classified information. I’m so glad you came by to visit.”
“Yeah. I’m not just here to see you though. Some news came in and I figured I might as well come by to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s about Castle.”
My eyes widened from hearing his name.
“Castle? What about him?”
“After everything that happened the other night, the DA has more than enough to press charges. Abduction, assaulting a police officer, attempted murder. Everything. There’s no way he can buy his way out of this. Castle is going away for a long, long time and they’re throwing away the key.”
“That’s… That’s great news.”
“Yeah, I thought you’d enjoy that.”
She leaned forward and hugged me tight again for a few seconds then pulled away.
“Listen, I have to get back to work,” she said. “But we’ll get together when I’ve got some free time. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Of course.”
“You have to tell me everything. Speaking of which…”
Her eyes shifted to Noah, who was sitting on his chopper, waiting patiently for me. Even though I’d known Penny since I was a child, I couldn’t help but blush from the obvious intention on her face.
“Are you gonna introduce me?” she asked.
“Oh… Okay…”
I walked Penny over to Noah and he nodded politely to her.
“Noah, this is Penny. She’s my best friend. I’ve known her my entire life. Penny, this is Noah, my boyfriend.”
“It’s a pleasure,” he said.
“Likewise, Noah,” Penny said to him, her eyes shifting to me.
She was older but the smirk on her face hadn’t changed. It was the same grin she gave me when she wanted to know all of the ‘dirty details’ of my latest experience.
“Noah is Lee’s son,” I said to Penny.
The smile on her face disappeared. She looked at me confused.
“Lee? Lee Taurus?” she said, struggling to get the words out.
“That’s right,” I responded.
“Lee Taurus as in your Lee Taurus?”
“Is there another one?”
She shifted her eyes to Noah and he winked at her. When she looked back at me, I could see her holding her breath, trying to make sense of it all.
“All right,” she said with a smile, shaking her head. “You’re my best friend, Sheila. As long as you’re happy.”
“I am.”
Penny walked up to Noah and held her index finger up to him.
“I know your father,” she said. “What you guys do better not run in the family, you hear?”
“Penny!” I exclaimed. “He’s not like that.”
“I work for the DA’s office,” she continued ignoring me. “There’ll be hell to pay if you break my friend’s heart.”
“There won’t be any chance of that,” Noah said to her confidently.
“Okay. Good. I’m glad I made that clear.”
Penny lowered her finger and stepped away.
“Call me,” she said as she looked at me. “We’ll get together for lunch and catch up.”
“Okay,” I said with a laugh. “It’s good seeing you.”
Penny kept playfully glaring at Noah as she got back into the cab. I continued giggling to myself as I looked at Noah.
“That’s just how she is,” I explained, throwing my hands up in the air.
“Hey, if she’s your friend then she’s my friend.”
“Yeah… Thanks…”
“Now where were we?”
“You were about to take me back to my place so I could change my clothes.”
“Right,” Noah said with a slow nod. “We should get to it.”
I hopped on the bike behind Noah and squeezed my arms around him. We sped off down the street, the day still just getting started.
Chapter 29
He started before I’d even got in the door. His mouth trailed along my neck, gentle kisses distracting me from opening my lock. I couldn’t fight the smile off my face as I finally got the door open. As soon as I got inside, I turned around and pulled him inside. He slammed the door behind him and rushed toward me.
I hopped into his embrace, my arms and legs wrapped around him. Giggling like schoolchildren, we made our way through my apartment to the bedroom I pointed toward. When we got inside, he tossed me onto the bed.
I took my shirt off in a frenzy. I did the same to my bra. He tore off his shirt then rushed his face back to mine, kissing me and pushing his tongue into my mouth. The taste I’d experienced before had never been as sweet. It lasted just long enough for him to pull away so he could remove the rest of his outfit.
“Damn these jeans…” I muttered.
I tugged at them to try and get them off of me. Noah removed his own jeans so quickly that he had time to help me out. In nothing but my panties, I crawled backward on my bed and he moved on top of me, taking his place between my legs. A deep kiss sent me spiraling back to the bliss I demanded.
“Hold on…” I whispered as I pulled away fr
om him.
He moved away from me, his eyes wide in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just… I just want to look at you… Just for a moment.”
I raised my hand up to his face as he stared at me. I felt the rough stubble along his strong jaw and the smooth skin underneath. He stared deep into my eyes and I found myself lost in them.
This was enough. This moment satisfied me more than anything I’d ever experienced. Nothing could ever make me feel this happy.
The room was silent except for the sound of him breathing. The sound of the traffic outside crept in through an open window but it didn’t matter. There was nothing else but the two of us.
I shuddered when his hand caressed my stomach. My eyes closed as he ran his hand along my skin. His palms were hard and calloused but so wonderfully familiar that a sigh escaped from my throat.
I couldn’t take it any longer. I pulled his face close to mine and kissed him. We resumed and he didn’t miss a beat.
While our lips collided and our tongues danced, I deftly pulled my panties down and lifted my legs so he could finish removing them. I reached down and grabbed at his boxers but he did all the work in taking them off.
He reached one hand along my knee and pushed it to the mattress, spreading me open for him completely. I ached for him, a combination of wetness and heat beckoning for him to come closer. It wasn’t the first time I’d been with him but this time was different. This wasn’t just a session to satisfy our physical needs. This was a man who cared for me. And I cared for him. There was no better feeling in the world than being able to satisfy him completely.
I raised my hands up and ran them over his head. His beanie fell off the side of the bed and my fingers got tangled within his hair. I kissed him, desperately waiting for what I longed for.
Noah laid between my legs. One hand on my right knee holding it down. His other hand cradled his shaft. He held it just long enough to position himself at my entrance. His tip was enough to send a violent shiver through my entire being. Another shove and he moved inside of me, forcing my body to convulse. The feeling of losing control had never felt so good.
He moved his other hand around the back of my head and cradled it. I pushed my face closer to his, my mouth open wide like I was trying to consume him.
At the same time, he rocked himself back and forth inside of me with deep but gentle strokes. My mattress squeaked with every thrust. His hilt bounced off of my skin. The sound of the traffic outside grew more distant.
“Noah…”
I moaned into his mouth when he freed mine for just a second. His mouth trailing down to my neck, Noah caressed and teased my skin with his lips. My mouth hung open just as my legs spread for him. I was his entirely.
A warmth built inside of me and spread through my body. Already I was beginning to feel it. I couldn’t hold back. It felt too good.
“Noah…”
I moaned his name again. My eyes shut tight. My head rocked back and forth as he drove himself into me.
His grunts grew louder, coming out in rhythm with each of his increasingly faster thrusts. Sweat from his hard body dripped on my skin. The intoxicating scent of him filled my nostrils and made the pleasure swell inside of me.
“Noah… Noah, I’m gonna…”
It had come out of nowhere. Already I could feel my insides tightening.
Noah must have sensed it. He began working at a furious pace. His mouth moved up to mine but not close enough to kiss me. Our lips were just the tiniest bit apart. We groaned into each other’s mouths. I opened my eyes and he stared at me. Blue eyes with a lustful and focused intensity.
“Sheila…”
The sound of him saying my name was enough to push me over the edge.
“Sheila… I love you…”
He grunted hard. A sudden and forceful thrust inside of me told me he met the same end that I did.
My toes curled. My muscles tightened. My nails dug into the tight muscles on his back. My jaw clenched and my eyes shut so tight tears began to squeeze out of them. My mouth stayed open but anything that could possibly come out remained jammed in my throat.
The pleasure was almost too much to handle. Waves and waves pulsing from my core and pushing out through me. The energy spread out of my fingertips, my toes and from the top of my head. Radiating with an orgasmic energy I couldn’t describe, I held on just long enough to squeeze myself around him. I wanted to milk every drop out of him and into me.
He pulsed inside of me, thrusting hard and deep into me each time. I could feel him throbbing. His length stretched and rubbed my insides.
We were together. We were one being experiencing the greatest feeling two people could ever feel. Only he could make me feel this way.
Noah emptied himself into me and pulled out. Then he rolled over onto his back and sank into the mattress. I laid next to him for just a moment to gather myself. We were next to each other, a sweaty, gasping mess, trying to regain our composure.
It took me a few moments before I was able to roll over on top of him and rest my head upon his chest. I listened to the sound of his heartbeat. His chest rose and fell with every breath.
I’d been here before. I’d been this close to him when I first met him. I’d never felt as safe as I did then. And now I felt safe again.
We’d finished quickly but neither one of us minded. I could hear the contentment in his voice as I laid on top of him. My face against his chest, I trailed my fingers along the tattoo on his arm.
“You’re not in that biker gang, are you?” I asked.
“What?” he said with a chuckle.
“King’s gang. Whatever his name is. You’re not in his gang. Heaven’s Havoc…”
“No. No, I’m not in his club. I’ve never been in a motorcycle club.”
“Right.”
He sat up suddenly, forcing me to sit up as well. He looked at me with a smile on his face.
“What kind of question is that?” he asked.
“Nothing. It’s just… Heaven’s Havoc is a dangerous group.”
“They can be if you cross them. But King isn’t a bad guy. He’s a decent guy. He won’t cause any problems.”
“Yeah… I guess you’re right…”
I looked away from him, my thoughts suddenly wandering.
“Sheila, where is this coming from?”
“It’s nothing. I just… I’m realizing why I had some reservations about you. That’s why I wasn’t sure about you. I didn’t know who you really were.”
“Are you having second thoughts about all of this?”
“No,” I said as I shook my head. “In my experience, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. That’s what you are. Too good to be true.”
He reached forward and took my hands in his.
“I don’t know if I’m too good,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be so good you don’t deserve me. But I am true. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
He locked his eyes on mine and kissed my hands. The way he looked at me was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I thought I saw his father in him but this was different. Lee never looked at me the way Noah did.
“I know,” I sighed. “I guess I looked at the tattoos and my mind started to wander.”
“What?” he said as he looked at his arm. “These?”
“Yeah.”
“I got them for somebody.”
“Who? A girl?”
“No. Do you remember my squad? When I was in the military?”
I nodded.
“We were all on leave one week. It was the first break we’d had in months. We were out drinking and having a good time in some town I can’t even remember the name of. We were walking down the street and we stumbled across a tattoo parlor. One of the guys, Jackson, said we should all get a tattoo to remember each other.”
“What’s the significance?”
“Of the tattoo? Nothing. He said we cou
ld get whatever we wanted. Having a tattoo was enough to remind us of everybody else. I was drunk… This is what I chose. And it worked. I think about them every time I look at my arm.”
He sighed a deep breath and smiled at me.
“It might look silly but I don’t care. I got this tattoo for me, not anybody else. People can say what they want. They can judge me but I’m not listening. You should know by now I don’t care what anybody else thinks.”
“Yeah. I suppose I should have known that.”
I moved closer to him and sat next to him, resting my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the top of my head. I closed my eyes and felt myself slowly drifting away with fatigue.
“Maybe I should get a tattoo for you,” I said. “Something that’ll remind me of you.”
“You don’t need a tattoo. You already have me. You’ll always have me.”
Chapter 30
Two days later…
“Come on. You don’t want to be late.”
“Just a second.”
I worked my fingers furiously on the phone.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sending a message to Penny. She wants to meet for lunch later. I’m just making sure I have the right address. She doesn’t have a lot of time, you know? If I show up late for her then she’ll have to cancel.”
“And if you show up late for this, it’ll be a bigger deal than missing lunch with an old friend.”
I looked up from my phone and Noah stared back at me. He gave me the kind of look a parent would give to a child who didn’t want to finish their homework. I smiled back at him.
“Don’t give me that look,” I said.
“What look?”
“You know what look I’m talking about.”
“I don’t. I really don’t.”
He put his hands up like he was confused, but the smile on his face told another story.
“We’re almost there anyway,” I said. “Come on.”
We walked down the street together. I knew we were getting close because the street grew more and more crowded. We kept walking until we finally got to the coffee shop on the corner. Inside, the line was long. A hot summer day and iced coffee were the combination that everybody wanted apparently.
