Page 81 of All of Him
“And drunk?” she asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Amanda let loose with me for a few minutes, both of us dancing as if we knew what we were doing. The atmosphere was upbeat, as usual, and it only pushed me further to go along with my plan for the night. I just had to wait for the perfect timing. She deserved that—a perfect moment.
And then fate threw me another bone.
“Falling Slowly,” the song that I’d played for Amanda on the piano, came from the band. Couples fell into step around us, and I drifted forward, pulling Amanda close. I wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, letting the other hold her hand up, our fingers tangling into one nervous ball.
I felt a grin take over my face as she spoke in my ear.
“Is this the song you played me?”
I pulled my head back, smirking at her.
“Maybe.”
She narrowed her eyes at me playfully, then let her head fall to my shoulder. I felt every muscle within me relax, my heart taking the full brunt of the night’s impact.
This girl had given me so much without asking for anything in return. It was time to reciprocate, using every bit of strength she’d gifted me and nothing less. She needed to know how I felt. Especially since, in that bar, my feelings were solidified. There, with Amanda in my arms, words made their way to the forefront of my mind. Words that I’d never said. Words that had been simmering deeply for months.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
Ilove thislife.
I felt a smile I couldn’t tame, one I didn’t care to, and began singing to her. I kept my cheek pressed to the side of her head, needing contact with her at every possible point. Because she’d pulled me out of the rut I’d been stuck in for so long. She’d shown me a view from a summit I’d never thought I’d reach. Amanda Bette had done the impossible. She’d unearthed every bit of my buried soul, and I was going to embrace that with everything I had.
The music picked up again, people closing in on our general area, clapping to the new beat. But the change in atmosphere didn’t faze us or ruin the moment.Our moment.
“Noah Murphy,” Amanda teased, her eyes directly aimed at my unwavering smile, “I think you have a crush on me.”
I smirked, leaning down and kissing her temple.
“Let’s go,” I whispered, nodding toward the door.
45
Amanda
I WAS CONFUSED ASNoah led me to the footbridge we’d used on the way to the bar. The night had felt so perfect with the dancing and atmosphere, and I didn’t want any of it to end. We hadn’t even done anything to cross a line, so I wasn’t sure why he’d wanted to leave.
“Noah,” I said.
He’d gone ahead of me on the footbridge, his hands in his pockets. As soon as his name was called though, he stopped and turned around.
“Noah, why did you want to leave?”
I walked up to him, trying to gauge his reaction. His eyes bored into mine, but his face remained stoic. I thought for a second that I’d done something wrong, joking about his feelings for me, but the side of his mouth turned up just enough to reassure me. My heart pounded as his hair blew slightly in the winter breeze, and I felt a strong desire to be as close to him as possible.
“Come here,” he said quietly.
I walked closer to him, hesitant. When I was within arm’s reach, he placed his hands on my hips and pulled me in. I pressed my forehead to his chest, trying to savor whatever was happening.
“Look at me, Amanda,” he whispered.
I looked up, my eyes meeting Noah’s once again. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his jaw tight. Cautiously, his mouth began to relax, his lips parting as he looked down at mine. I let my lids flutter closed as both of his palms found the sides of my face.
Do not do anything stupid, Amanda.Do not fuck this up.
