“Goddamn,” he groans, moans, and then his lips are on my neck, teasing. Testing.
I press on the back of his head, and he applies more pressure.
My eyes open on a gasp, pointed at the sky.
The sun has set, the moon is high above us, and the man sucking the sensitive spots on my skin is… perfection.
And then a light blinds me and I yelp.
Noah jerks free, simultaneously pushing me behind him as his hand flies up to block the glow.
“Okay, you two, let’s go.” The security guard flicks his flashlight.
My skin flushes, not that it wasn’t already, and I duck my head, allowing Noah to drag me behind him out of the cornfield.
As we cross the dirt path, loud cheers sound, and my head darts up to see the people in line cheering us on.
I look up at Noah, horrified, but when I get nothing but a bright smile back, we’re soon laughing with them.
As we’re walking away, I realize today was one of the best days I’ve had in a really long time, and I have Noah to thank for that.
I hung out with my friends and family, enjoying every second of it. It didn’t hurt to see Chase and there was no awkwardness to speak of. It felt normal. Good, and I have a feeling the man at my side is the reason for it.
After that, being with Noah’s mom and the soft, loving way in which she spoke, eased the homesickness I hadn’t realized I was feeling. She is an honest, kind woman, and sort of reminds me of my own mom.
And there’s right now.
The high.
The kiss.
Noah.
I don’t know what it means, but I know I want more.
Noah must feel the same, because the moment the security leaves us, having waited until we reached Noah’s truck, he grips me by the wrist and tugs me to him.
Noah swoops down, taking my lips with his own once more. “That’s the second time security has chased us out of somewhere,” he teases, speaking in the gentlest of tones. “What am I going to do with you?”
I press my mouth to his, whispering with a smile, “Whatever you want.”
Chapter 23
Arianna
* * *
The entire common room is off their seat as Noah drops back, firing a perfect spiral from the opposing team’s fifteen-yard line, for an epic seventy-yard pass straight into Chase’s arms.
Cameron and I scream, jumping up and down, tangling our hands together.
“Come on, come on!”
Our eyes fly across the screen, snapping from right to left as he jukes defender after defender, and then he’s jumping up, throwing his arms out just enough to pass the goal line. It’s touchdown Avix U.
We freak the fuck out, hugging and shouting and clapping.
“Holy shit, Ari! His first college touchdown!”
We grab our phones to take pictures as they go for a two-point conversion, officially taking the lead in the game with twenty seconds left on the clock.
We record a short video message, yelling and laughing as we spin, capturing the responses of the room around us, then quickly drop it into the group chat we have, so they don’t miss our reactions.
Cameron pours us a shot and we throw it back, cheering as they get set to kick it off.
Cameron dances around, slipping close to whisper, “Let’s get out of here before we get stuck helping them clean up.”
“Good idea,” I whisper back. “But first…” I slide over to the table, snagging a half-empty bottle, and together, we run down the hall.
“Yes, bitch!” Cameron calls, and as we’re stepping into our room, the TV left on, the boys are taking the field in celebration of a win.
“Woo! Thank god. Noah needed this.”
“Ah, Noah did, huh?” She wiggles her brows.
I flip her off, skipping into my bedroom, and pulling my suitcase out from under my bed. I drag it into the living room, dropping it beside hers on the couch.
“Yes, asshole. He needed a raise in spirit.”
“Honey, you rose his spirit, trust that,” she teases, fully aware our Sunday was more than the physical activities she lives to attribute everything to.
I bump my shoulder with hers. “Okay, what are you packing for the trip?”
“Ugh!” She falls onto the armchair. “Do we have to? Can’t we get drunk together and talk shit like the good ol’ days?”
Rolling my eyes, I spin, grab the bottle and take a swig, passing it to her next.
“Fuck yes!” She pushes our suitcases off the couch and jumps up on the cushion. Cameron swaps over to Spotify on the TV and we dance around, drinking and making up for all the time we’ve missed lately.
A half hour later, we’re sitting on the floor, taking selfies, and scrolling through social media when my phone rings, my brother’s name flashing across the screen.
“There he is!” We fumble with the screen, answering the FaceTime call to find the boys’ sweaty faces, eye black smeared all down their cheeks.