“Yeah?” Serena raised one brow at him, her gaze teasing. “What are you, a cop?”
“No.” He straightened, his focus completely on her. “A Navy SEAL.”
“Oh, wow.” For the first time since he’d laid eyes on her, Noah felt like the tides had shifted in his favor. She seemed suitably impressed with his service. “I’ve seen documentaries on you guys. You’re like a real-life Superman.”
His slow smile refused to be stopped. “I try. Why’d you pick the crusades?”
Pink colored her cheeks before she looked away once Rebel was done, and adjusted her clothes. “I like to consider myself an SJW.”
“SJW?”
“Social Justice Warrior,” Rebel supplied helpfully from the other side of the table. “She does a lot of charity and philanthropic work.”
Serena shrugged. “I like to do my part, pay it forward.”
“Huh. That’s awesome,” Noah said. “Guess we both devote our lives to helping others.”
“Guess we do.”
The moment stretched between, the air around them sizzling with possibilities, until finally, Serena turned away to grab her purse. “Well, I should clear out of here so Rebel can get on with his next client.”
“Hey,” Noah said, staying by her side as they headed toward the exit. “Want to grab a drink or something? I’d love to hear more about your work.” He held the door for her, not ready for the night to end yet. “If you’re not busy, that is.”
She stopped at the curb and for an awful second, he thought she might say no. Then she took a deep breath and grinned, her teeth even and white beneath the orangeish glow of the streetlights. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Noah squinted his eyes open the next morning and wondered where the hell he was. He groaned and covered his face with one arm, the other wrapped around something soft and warm snuggled into his side.
Soft and warm and…
The memories jolted back to him in an electric rush. Serena. The art gallery. The tattoo. The drinks afterward followed by an invitation back to her apartment where one thing had quickly led to another. They’d had sex. Hot, steamy, seared-into-his-brain-forever-because-it-had-been-that-good kind of sex.
She gave a low moan as the knocking continued, her brow furrowing in her sleep. It was cute. In fact, Noah seemed to find everything about her adorable, which was stupid, since he’d never see Serena again after he left this bed, but still. He couldn’t resist kissing the top of her head before nuzzling his nose in her hair, inhaling the honeysuckle scent of her shampoo.
“Rena, come on!” another female voice said before the distinctive scrape of a key in the lock was followed by the apartment door flying open. Whatever sweetness had filled the last moments quickly evaporated. “Girl, we’re going to be late if you don’t—”
Another woman, about the same age as Serena, but taller and with blond hair, froze in the doorway to the bedroom, her shocked expression quickly morphing into a grin as she took in the sight of a naked Noah.
Serena, awake now beside him, pulled the covers up over both of them and scowled. “What the hell, Amy? What time is it?”
“About time you got busy, girl. That’s what time it is,” her friend said before giving Noah another once-over. A twice-over? “And you’re excused for being late. Damn. If I had that in my bed, I wouldn’t want to leave either.”
“Shut up and get out. I’ll be ready in a second,” Serena growled, waiting until the other woman left before shoving her messy hair from her eyes. She didn’t look at Noah, and he couldn’t help wishing that she would. No matter how awkward mornings after could get, he still liked h
er looking at him. And if that wasn’t a good reason to get the hell out of there, he didn’t know what was. “You should probably go.”
“Thinking the same thing myself,” he said, already up and grabbing his jeans and boxer-briefs from the floor. “Last night was…”
She held up a hand to stop him. “It was fun. Let’s leave it at that. The bathroom’s down the hall if you need to shower or…”
“Nope.” He zipped up his jeans and shoved his feet into his boots before yanking his shirt on. “I’m good. I’ll shower at my place. Sounds like you need to get going.”
“I do.” She sighed and finally met his eyes with a slow smile, that sultry smile that drove him batty with lust. Noah froze where he stood. “Listen. I enjoyed…” She gestured vaguely between them. “This. If you’re ever back in town and want to get together again, call me. Hand me your phone, I’ll give you my number.”
“Sure.” He finished buttoning his shirt, knowing some of the buttons were in the wrong holes, but not really caring at that point. Noah snatched his phone from the nightstand and punched in the passcode before handing it over to her. He watched her enter her number, knowing he’d probably never use it. “Great. Got it,” he said when she handed the phone back. “I’ll, uh…” He started out of the room, then turned back to peek his head inside. “See you around. And last night was amazing, just so you know.”
“I know,” she said, laughing as he bolted down the hall and out of her apartment.