Because the fact that he was trying made something squeeze in Kristina’s chest. Concern. Affection. Pride. “That sounds like it could be cool.”
“Yeah, I guess. Hopefully it’s not too…touchy-feely.”
“It’ll be a classroom full of people just like you. You’re probably not the only one for whom something like this is new.” Kristina ate another bite and eyeballed Noah’s reaction. Things seemed normal between them again. Relaxed. Relief could’ve melted her right into the warm blanket.
“That’s true,” Noah said.
“Oh, here comes a plane,” Kristina said, pointing over Noah’s shoulder.
Noah peered up at the sky to see—
His whole body went rigid. Kristina thought she imagined it at first. But as the airplane got closer, his arms flew over his head like he was shielding himself. The airplane was nearly overhead now, so low it felt like you could touch it, and the roar of the engines got louder and louder as it passed them by to land just across the water.
“Noah?” she said. No response. No wonder, between his hearing deficit and the plane.
She scooted closer, unsure whether to touch him, but absolutely certain that he needed her to help bring him back from wherever he’d gone. Laying right beside him, she gently rested her hand between his tense shoulder blades. Still no response.
With her lips close to his good ear, she said, “Noah, it’s okay. You’re not in—”
He pinned her. In a quick series of moves, he pushed her to her back and covered her upper body and face with his. “It’ll be over soon. And then I’ll get you out of here. Just hang on, man.”
Kristina didn’t even want to imagine the scene his mind was painting for him. She had to bring him back. “Noah. It’s me, Kristina. You’re okay. Everyone’s okay.”
But, oh God, over his shoulder she spied another plane coming in for a landing. Sometimes it was like that—lulls intermixed with one landing after another.
It was clear when Noah heard the second plane, because he jerked, his far-off gaze searching for the source of the low rumble. She could feel it in the ground on which she lay as much as hear it. “Fuck. Incoming.”
She cupped his face in her hands. Her mind scrambled. On instinct she barked, “Cortez!” His eyes snapped toward her.
Kristina kissed him.
At first, he didn’t respond. And then his lips moved softly, tentatively, like he wasn’t sure. And then he was freaking devouring her.
His muscles went lax on a groan and he wrapped himself around her. His arms cradled her shoulders. His hands raked into her hair. All while his lips sucked and his tongue plundered and his teeth nipped.
“Fuck,” he moaned as the plane passed directly overhead, the engine roar louder now. He shuddered out a breath that ghosted over her wet lips. “You saved me.”
And she would keep on doing it, as long and as much as he needed her to do it. All the while, it was like she was caught in the center of a storm. Heat lashed her nipples and core. Concern tossed her belly. Emotion overwhelmed her like a waving crashing over her head.
She had no time to wonder whether this was a good idea. She couldn’t let herself take the time to think, to debate, to weigh the pros and cons. She reacted on pure instinct—the instinct that said that Noah needed her to ground him in this world. Right here. Right now. And she was willing to do anything to bring him back to her.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped, his lips claiming hers again and again. “So sorry.”
She shook her head, her fingers plowing into his hair. “You’re good. We’re good.” Needing him, too, she sucked on his tongue hard, and the strangled groan he unleashed was a heady thing. Hot and needy. Raw with emotion.
The plane’s noise receded.
No part of Kristina wanted to give up Noah’s kisses. And she knew they had a better than average chance of taking another hard left into awkward territory o
nce this moment passed. But they had to leave before the next plane started in on its descent.
Pulling back and breathing hard, she held his face in her hands. “Let’s get out of here.”
Dark brown eyes searched hers, and even with the tension carving hard angles into his face, he was still the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. He studied her a long moment, then gave a tight nod, his gaze skittering around them like he was looking to see if anyone else had noticed him.
Noah rose to his feet and looked toward the distant sky, wariness in his eyes. Kristina knew what he was looking for, which was why she had the cooler packed up and the blanket balled in her arms in mere seconds. She took his hand, and his fingers wrapped tightly around hers. Like maybe he still needed her to ground him. And she was totally okay with that.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, she turned to him. “Come home with me and I’ll cook dinner?”