Page 82 of Quiet Obsession
He stops at that, looking up at me and waiting. I brace my hands on his shoulders, my fingers hidden inside my hoodie sleeves, our lips a breath away.
I kiss him.
We both exhale shakily, and Noah takes the lead, his tongue slipping into my mouth, one hand cradling the back of my head.
“I’ve wanted this since I first saw you, beautiful,” he says against my lips. “It’ll be worth your brother’s anger.”
His lips are soft, but the way he moves isn’t shy. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and it feels good, but nothing more than that. I shudder in his lap, making him smile.
He kisses like he knows what he’s doing. Like he’s planned this and waited to show me what it’s like to be wanted by someone who thinks before he acts.
“You taste like rain,” he breathes, deepening the kiss.
His teeth scrape my bottom lip before he sucks it into his mouth. I wait for a bite that doesn’t come. Still, the heat building inside me flares hotter. My hands move to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric.
“Tell me what you need,” he says, his voice barely audible. “Whatever it is... I’ll give it to you.”
He’s different from Creed.
There’s no urgency in his touch, just controlled desire. He tastes like coffee, mint, and a hint of chocolate. He’swarm, smells edible, and I love how he steers my face, deepening the kiss, pulling me closer. I feel him growing hard beneath me.
As if summoned by what might be about to happen, Creed hijacks my head. The lust in every one of his kisses and touches comes back to haunt me. The desperation of his body moving against mine like he needed me as much as I needed him. Like he could exile his demons if he held on to me hard enough. Like he could punish and worship at the same time.
With Creed, I’m alive.
With Noah, I’m breathing.
Creed made me feel powerful. Noah makes me feel safe... safe to fall apart because he’ll pick up the pieces and keep them close. That’s not what I want. I want to be ripped apart and put back together better. I want new pieces, new sensations, and permission to exist without wondering if I’m too much.
I break the kiss, resting my forehead against his, eyes closed, my breaths coming out in soft bursts, not breathless pants.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, hating myself for keeping this door open, though I suspect I’ll never walk through it. “Can we slow down a little?”
“Yeah, of course.” He brushes my hair over my ears, cradling my face with both hands. “No rush, beautiful. I’m here. I’ll wait until you figure out what you need.”
I pinch my lips, staring into his dark eyes. “Thank you.”
He moves his hands away when I start shifting, and I climb off his lap, a sense of loss writhing inside me. Why can’t this be enough? Noah wants me. He doesn’t demand or push, doesn’t leave bruises and... doesn’t make me feel invincible.
He rises to his feet, brushing invisible lint off his hoodie, and behind him, a shadow flickers briefly across the end of the aisle, someone passing between the shelves.
“I should check on your brother and Creed,” Noah says.
My abdomen flutters at his name.
“Come on,” Noah adds, “I’ll walk you back.”
I shake my head, offering a small smile. “I’ll stay.”
He hesitates, studying me, but doesn’t argue. “Okay. Goodnight, Millie.”
“Goodnight, Noah.”
He turns and disappears between the tall shelves, his footsteps fading into silence.
I settle into the velvet loveseat, curling my knees close to my chest. I could stay here forever and still not figure out why the safe choice doesn’t feel right.
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