Her phone buzzed with an incoming text: Linc and I are on our way. I’ll have a drink ready for you when you walk in the door.
Relief nearly stole her legs out from under her. With Annabelle at her side, Julia could venture into the choppy waters with confidence—even if it was superficial confidence.
Her stomach floated back into position, and Julia moved to the door to open it for Noah. “You gave me more time than I expec—” She stopped short when he stepped into the room. One glance down his body, and she blew out all her air. She’d expected him to look good, but not quite that good. “Wow.”
He had that nervous expression she didn’t see often. He pulled his black blazer open, showing the black vest with silver buttons beneath. “Vest or no vest?”
“Oh, keep the vest.” She smiled and nodded. “Very…” She chuckled as she thought of another boarding term she’d learned from the guys during their workouts. “Front. Very front.” She crinkled her nose. “Did I use that right? It doesn’t sound right. Oh, what did Finn say the other day that had me on the floor? Swank something?”
He laughed and stepped into the room. “Swankalicious.”
Julia burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that’s right. That’s you, Hunt, swankalicious.”
His gaze slid over her body, hot and intimate. “And you are perfection personified. You look mouthwatering.”
“Thank you.” The heat was rising between them, and she needed air before she combusted in a ball of flames, so she tapped his chest with her clutch. “Ready to do this?”
“I’m actually way more interested in doing you, but since you keep insisting that’s off the table, I guess the party will have to be a very, very distant second choice.” He pulled his hand from his pants pocket with something small and black in his palm. “But I have something for you before we go.”
He offered her a velvet box, his demeanor quieting and deepening. “For all you’ve done,” he said, voice soft and serious. “For all you’ve put up with. For staying.”
Oh hell. Everything inside her melted. “Noah…”
“Don’t freak out. It’s nothing crazy. But I hope you like it.”
She took the box from his hand, met his gaze, and reached up to stroke his jaw. “Thank you.”
His eyes went soft, but he held on to the edge of humor. “Open it first. You might hate it.”
Grinning, Julia lifted the lid. Inside, on a fluffy pad of white, lay a sleek silver necklace. She pulled in a breath of pleasure and lifted the small, simple round charm with the hammered finish to read the engraving.
Badass
&
Beautiful
Julia burst out laughing and bent at the waist, holding the necklace to her heart. “Oh my God.” She straightened and looked at it again. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
And she lifted on her toes to kiss him.
The reaction was as automatic and innocent as his kiss the night before. And as soon as her lips touched his, she was ready to blow off the party to spend the night in bed with Noah. He kissed her back, gently, lightly. No diving in for tongue or pushing her against the wall to take what he wanted. Just soft, short little kisses that made her ache for more.
“Ooooookay,” he said, leaning away. “If we don’t stop that, we’ll never get to the party. And now look what you’ve done.”
He reached down to reposition his erection, making Julia laugh again, but this time, her face flamed to life.
When he turned for the door, she caught his arm. “Will you put this on for me?”
He lifted his brows. “You want to wear it tonight?”
“Of course.” She paused, frowned. “Unless you don’t want—”
“No, I do.” He faced her and took the delicate necklace from her hands. “So, you like it?”
She turned and closed her eyes at the feel of his rough fingertips brushing her skin. “I love it.”
As they walked