“She's honestly the best assistant I've ever had, so no stealing her away. I won't have it,” he said, trying to keep his face serious but failing. I kissed him on the cheek.
“I'll do my best,” I promised. He kissed me again, filling my heart with light. I was his and he was mine. Noah was staying.
“Can I buy you dinner tonight?” He asked once we were back on the boat. I looked up at the sky, seeing that the sun was much lower than I expected. “I'm afraid it won't be much. I have to catch up on some work, but …”
I looked back at him as he ran a hand through his hair, sending a spray through the air.
“I like having you around,” he said simply, a smile on his lips. “You make me happy.”
A giddy rush went through me. “You make me pretty happy too.”
“So, dinner?” He held his hands open in question.
“I can't,” I said reluctantly, shaking my head. “It's my job to cook tonight. You can come if you want. But know that you will be put through the ringer. The boys should be getting back from the mainland and they're itching for all the dirt.”
Noah gave me a thoughtful look. “Do you want me to come?”
“I would like you to meet them, but tonight's probably not going to be the best night,” I answered honestly. I was surprised that I really did want the boys to meet him. I wanted them to know how wonderful he was and I knew they would approve. However, tonight would be full of discussions about their trip and dissertations, which would leave Noah out of the conversation.
“I'll just catch up on some work, then.” He kissed my forehead. “I don't have to worry about them stealing you away, do I?”
I snorted at the idea. They were like my brothers. “Never.”
“Good. I would hate having to beat up respected scientists.” Noah cupped my cheek and brought his mouth down to mine in a perfect kiss. I loved the way his lips felt against mine, the warmth of his tongue and the gentle caress of his mouth. I kissed him back, pressing my body against his as the boat rocked us gently.
I finally pulled away and started the boat. He sat and watched me with a smile on his face as I steered the boat to the dock at Owen's mansion. The engine and the wind made it difficult to talk, but I was content with my thoughts.
If he was staying, then it meant he cared about me. I could feel the ropes I had tied around my heart to keep it from falling in love starting to loosen. If he was staying, then it wouldn't hurt to let myself have a little more of him. I could easily fall in love with Noah...as long as he wasn't going to leave.
Sandcastle Kisses: Chapter 13
I shut the screen door to the kitchen, leaning on the frame and closing my eyes. I couldn't have imagined a better day if I’d tried. Noah was amazing. My entire being felt light as air and filled with sunshine.
“Have fun?”
I opened my eyes to see Devon standing at the kitchen counter smirking. He was half way through making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I had completely missed him when I walked in; my mind had been elsewhere with Noah.
“You're home!” I yelled with a grin, running over to give him a hug. He had taken it upon himself to be my older brother, and I missed him like family when he was away. Devon set down his knife full of peanut butter and wrapped his arms around me. He smelled like sunscreen.
“Hey, kid,” he said with a laugh. He was tall and lean with a swimmer's body. The man loved to swim and usually did several miles out in the open ocean every morning. The only downside to his love of being out in the water was that he was of pure Irish descent: pale skin, freckles, red hair, and green eyes. Since moving to the Caribbean, he usually went through a bottle of sunscreen a week and still managed to burn.
“I'm making dinner tonight. Don't ruin your appetite, okay?” I asked, giving his sandwich a pointed look. “I'm making fish tacos.”
“Fish tacos! Can Mimi have some too?” he asked, putting the finishing touches on his sandwich. I wasn't worried about him ruining his dinner. The man was always hungry, and if he did somehow manage not to eat his body weight in food tonight, Mimi, his fiancée, would whip something up for him.
“You know I love her. I'd make tacos just to have her come over. You eat your sandwich, I'll hang out with her,” I teased. Devon took a big bite of his sandwich and chuckled.
“Lucas is gonna love you for making those tonight.” He swallowed and took another bite. “He ate some tacos at a food cart in Miami and then would not shut up for the rest of the trip about how much better yours were. I think he would marry you for those.”
I made a face at the thought of marrying Lucas. He too had taken on the role of older brother and protector. I loved him, but I would probably end up killing him on our wedding night out of exasperation.
“Now you're just flattering me,” I said, bumping him with my hip so I could get to the sink. “Did you guys have a good trip? How'd the dissertations go?”
Devon leaned against the counter and finished the last of his sandwich. It was a good thing he swam as much as he did, because he ate like a starving man. “Great, actually. Doc had us super prepared. I'm still a bundle of nerves, though.” He held out his hands toward me, making them shake.
“Yeah right, Mr. Confidence,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him and starting the water to wash my hands.
“Did I hear my little Izzy come in?” Lucas's voice entered the kitchen before he did. He was sligh