I suppose it could be because Margaret had convinced him all was well, and I was sure that she had the ability to do that. But still, with Noah and me here, I’d think he might be more concerned.
I got up and went into the shower, a little bit regretful that I wasn't in the suite with the large tub. This room had a little tub. So small it was hardly worth the effort. So, I stepped into the shower and washed away my day. I had hoped to wash away Noah as well, but as I got into my pajamas and then climbed into bed, I knew that was going to be easier said than done. Noah had talked about his inability to resist me and I think I understood that, because I was in the same situation. After all, whenever he showed an interest in me, I let him touch me. I was helpless to make him stop.
At the same time, he was right that despite
this crazy lust between us, it was a fruitless endeavor to indulge it. I don't think technically I'd be breaking any company rules if I did, since Noah wasn't officially a part of the Strong Incorporated staff. But I felt pretty sure that Margaret wouldn’t approve of my sleeping with her grandson. And knowing Noah's history, I was pretty sure Margaret would disapprove of his sleeping with me. It would just make everything complicated. And then once this trip was over, he was leaving anyway, so what was the point?
I turned over in bed, pulling the covers over me and willing sleep to come. But even in sleep, I couldn't fully escape Noah.
When I woke the next morning bleary-eyed from a sleepless night, I suspected that there would be no escaping Noah until he finally made his break from the family.
19
Noah
Things didn’t go quite as planned. I felt rotten about it because even when I tried to be honest, I ended up hurting Andi. I hated leaving her in her room last night, but I knew I was the source of her pain and therefore I couldn’t stick around.
When I got back to my room, I worked more on the hacking issue. The sooner we finished this, the sooner I’d be able to get away from Andi and start my own life. My stomach clenched at that idea. Why? All I’d been working for over the last few years was the ability to be on my own. To be seen as someone who wasn’t a spoiled rich kid given everything but instead, someone who had earned respect. The irony was that I wasn’t behaving in a way to earn respect, at least not from Andi.
I stood, stretched, and got a drink. I looked out the window at the city below. I’d been here a few years ago and had some interesting adventures. Adventures that I bet Andi would have enjoyed. Except I hadn’t been the one to show her. Marcus Chen had. Fucker.
I worked on my own project the rest of the night thinking that would get my emotions back on track. Not as productive as I’d have liked to have been, I finally headed to bed and was haunted by dreams of Andi.
I woke up deciding that my current plan in life wasn’t working. It was time to make a new one. I showered and dressed, then I grabbed my coat and headed out the door, taking the elevator back to Andi’s floor.
I rolled my shoulders to rid them of tension, which didn’t work. I was a fucking nervous wreck. I knocked on the door and waited. With my luck, she’d be having breakfast with Chen.
The door opened. Andi looked at me with surprise in her tired eyes. “Noah?”
“Good morning.” I got that out, but then my mouth stalled.
“Is everything okay?”
I nodded. “I came to take you to breakfast.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
I held my hands up in surrender, about to tell her that my intentions were simply to enjoy a meal but that was a lie too.
I looked down for a moment wondering if I had the guts to go through with this. Finally, I looked up at her.
“Do you remember when we met?” I asked.
Her expression softened, and she smiled. “Yes. You took me on a motorcycle ride.”
I was pleased that not only she remembered, but also that it seemed to be a good memory for her.
“I didn’t know you, and yet I wanted to ride off into the sunset with you.”
Her smile dropped. “That’s not true.”
I frowned. “Yes, it is.”
She shook her head and sighed. “What game are you playing now, Noah?”
“No game, Andi,” I said confused and wishing she’d let me inside her room so we could have this conversation in private.
“The minute we got back; you took off. The next time I saw you was nearly a year later. I believe you had two bimbos on your arm.”