“Here, put them on. I’m going to go get your toothbrush.”
True to his word, he’s back in a second with my toothbrush in hand, but that’s not all. He brings me everything I need to get ready for bed. A warm washcloth to wash my face, a little towel to dry it off. Some water to help ease my hangover in the morning.
Then he draws down the blankets on my bed so I can crawl underneath them.
“You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met,” I say, meaning it. “I’m going to tell everyone. Everyone. They won’t believe me. I think I had too much wine.”
“So did I.”
“Why are you the one putting me to bed then? I should be helping you.” I try to sit up.
“Here, lie back.”
“You could sleep in here.”
“I…don’t think that’d be the best idea.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not of sound mind. I can’t be trusted to make good decisions.”
“Pfft. Decisions shmuh-shisions. Who cares.”
He leans down to kiss my forehead. “Good night, Audrey.”
He leaves me in bed and walks to the door. He looks back just for a moment and I give him a little wave like I’m a toddler he’s babysitting.
When he’s gone, I stare up at the ceiling and sulk.
What a waste of a perfectly good evening.
Next Saturday night we’ll be back in the States. Life will be normal and boring again. No Noah right across the hall from me. No scandalous opportunities right at my fingertips.
I whip my blanket off and open my door to find Noah walking out of his room too. He’s changed into shorts but he’s not wearing a shirt anymore. He’s had a change of heart about going to his room; I see it all over his face.
“On second thought—”
“Actually—”
We speak at the same time, assuring each other that this is a good idea. We’ll have a friendly sleepover in my room, but we’ll be very responsible and chaste. Not even one kiss. We shake on it.
I take his hand and tug him into my room, and we fall onto my bed together.
To our credit, it’s platonic at first. We’re lying down facing each other. My eyes rove over every inch of him. His hands stay planted firmly at my waist, no wandering.
“We’re supposed to be sleeping,” he says. “Close your eyes.”
I do. For exactly half a second, and then I squint one eye open to see he’s doing the same.
Well, well, well…looks like neither one of us is to be trusted.
We cut the crap and open our eyes.
I scoot a little closer. He tilts his head down.
“We should really sleep,” I tell him, arching my head until our lips are almost aligned.
“Shhh. I am asleep,” he says, tugging me toward him until our bodies are flush.
It’d be impossible to say who initiated the kiss.
We meet exactly in the middle.
Two lovers who can’t be held off a moment longer.
His fingers tangle in my hair. My hand flattens against his chest. What starts out as innocent fun turns wicked almost immediately. The kiss is scorching and reminiscent of the one we shared at the club last week. All that pent-up longing…it has to come out somehow, and I see that now. I feel the way Noah wants me and it emboldens me. I start to press up onto my elbow so I can crawl on top of him and Noah breaks the kiss, breathing hard, dragging a hand down his face.
“We should stop. I should stop.”
He’s worried about taking advantage of me.
Hilarious! He should be worried for his own safety. I’m about to take advantage of him, poor guy.
“Stop? No no. We can’t.” I crawl on top of him and sit up. “I want this. I want this so badly. I’ll write it on that contract for you if you need me to. The defendant Audrey Cohen is of sound mind and will testify that she’s absolutely 100% okay with Noah putting his hands on or around her breastal region and in her panties too. Something like that. I’ll sign it and everything.”
“Breastal,” he repeats, tickled.
I point back and forth to my breasts. “Exhibit A.”
Even in moments like this, we’re unable to be completely serious. We can’t just look at each other and say the god’s honest truth: Noah, if you don’t kiss me and touch me and undress me out of these pajamas, I feel like I might spontaneously combust. I want you—god, can’t you see that? Haven’t you always seen that?
He smiles like a confident superhero who’s just saved a whole city from destruction and mayhem.