The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbor, #2)(37)

‘No, no. Not how to have sex. I mean, I know how to do that.’ Although now she was doubting literally every sexual encounter she’d ever had.

‘I mean, I want to keep this casual.’

He looked like he might protest but Hazel plowed forward. She didn’t want to make this weird for him. She didn’t want him to think she was expecting anything to come of it. But if he wanted to undo her buttons and if she definitely wanted a repeat performance from yesterday then maybe she should go for it.

Casual sex with Noah was perfectly aligned with her goals for an adventure. And so...

‘I know you don’t date people long term and that’s totally fine because obviously it would be weird for us to get together and it would never work out and...’

Noah was staring at her again. ‘Wait, why would it be weird?’

‘Oh. Uh. Well, I don’t know. Too many overlapping friends and we have to see each other all the time in town and stuff and then when it doesn't work out it would be awkward.’

‘And why wouldn’t it work out?’

Hazel huffed and gestured between them. ‘We don’t make sense together.’

Noah blinked. ‘Right.’

Wait, did she hurt his feelings? Shit. This was officially the world’s worst seduction. ‘I just meant, you don’t do long-term and I’m not looking for that anyway and I just thought while we are having fun together anyway, we could add this ... component, but obviously I’m terrible at this so ... we can just forget it.’

‘No way.’ Noah’s words were fast and sharp and Hazel’s head snapped up from where she’d been staring at her feet to avoid his gaze.

‘No way?’

‘No way we’re forgetting it.’ His mouth tipped into a slow smile and Hazel’s breath caught. ‘I can teach you.’

‘Oh.’ Heat crept up her neck but it wasn’t just her face that was warm, it was all of her. Heat pooled in her belly and between her thighs. Just a look from Noah had her hotter than all her past relationships combined.

‘When should we start?’ he asked, taking another step toward her until she could feel the rise and fall of his chest against hers.

‘Um ... as soon as possible, I would say. Unless...’ The words stuck in her throat when she felt the soft brush of Noah’s hand against her breast. ‘Unless you’re busy.’

Noah chuckled as he undid her top button. ‘Definitely not busy.’

‘Right.’ Another button undone. ‘Good.’ Another.

Noah paused at the fourth, his gaze settling on the cleavage that was now visible. Thank the sweet lord that she put on a good bra this morning and not the worn-out one that was barely hanging on.

He leaned in and swept the hair from her neck with his hand. His breath skated across her skin before he kissed along her jaw bone.

‘This is going to be fun,’ he whispered, sending chills through Hazel’s body. She had no doubt about that.

His fingers continued their trek down the front of her shirt undoing each button, slowly, torturously, while Noah kissed and sucked her neck. He tugged the bottom of her shirt from her pants to get to the last of the buttons and when he did, he pulled away from her neck and stood back.

Hazel was dazed, already so turned on she didn’t know what to do with herself. The delicate skin on her neck tingled from Noah’s lips and the scrape of his stubble. Her shirt hung open, the rapid rise and fall of her chest moving the two sides further apart.

‘Much better.’ Noah’s smile was triumphant this time, his eyes dark and hungry and for the first time in her life Hazel understood what it felt like to be wanted. To be desired.

And it felt really damn good.

She wrapped her hands in Noah’s tight black T-shirt and tugged him forward. She wanted more of this. More of him. More of feeling this damn good.

‘Do you know how many times I’ve pictured you like this?’ he murmured into her skin as he kissed down her neck. He traced the top of her breasts with his lips and then with his tongue and Hazel groaned.

He stood and put his hands on her hips and she was up on the countertop before she registered what he was doing.

‘Every damn time I would come into that shop and see you there behind the register, all buttoned up. All prim and proper.’

‘I’m not prim.’ Hazel gasped as Noah’s tongue dipped into the top of her bra and found her nipple. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tugged him closer.

He chuckled, his warm breath raising goosebumps in the places he’d just licked. ‘Well, I know that now. But then, I just wanted to rip open that damn shirt and...’

He demonstrated exactly what he wanted to do, burying his face between Hazel’s breasts, his hands coming up to cup and squeeze them. Hazel arched toward him, wanting more, needing more. She slid the shirt the rest of the way off, letting it pool on the counter behind her.

Noah’s hands came around her and undid the clasp of her bra. He pulled back, then, like he was unwrapping her and didn’t want to miss a minute of seeing his gift. A moment of insecurity hit Hazel. It was a heady feeling to know someone had been fantasizing about you, but what if you didn’t live up to the fantasy?

She met Noah’s hungry gaze. Okay, maybe she was living up to it pretty well.

‘So perfect,’ he groaned, cupping a naked breast in his hand. He ran his thumb over the nipple and Hazel couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath at the movement. He grinned. ‘You are so damn sexy, Hazel Kelly.’