My feet are a little unsteady from the alcohol, but Noah keeps me grounded with his body.
We walk back to campus in silence and despite my leaving the place in tears, there’s no awkwardness to speak of between us.
Twenty feet in front of the brownstone building my dorm room is located in, Noah reaches out to grab my hand, halting my footsteps, and when my eyes find his, he nods his head toward the fountain.
With a light laugh, I follow his lead, lowering onto the cement edge beside him.
He angles himself, so he’s facing me, and after a moment of holding my bloodshot eyes with his own, he nods. “You didn’t tell him, did you?” he speaks softly.
“Tell him what?”
“That it was your first time,” he guesses.
A sharp pain knocks against my ribs, my attention dropping to the ground beneath my feet.
I shake my head, somehow not at all surprised by his perceptiveness.
“Shit,” he mumbles, then shifts closer to me. He lifts my gaze to his, leaving his hand to rest on my cheek. His forehead is pinched, torn between a few emotions I can’t quite name.
“Was he gentle?” He works hard not to frown; I can see it in the strain between his brows.
“Noah—”
“Tell me,” he quietly cuts me off. “Tell me, Juliet.”
His voice’s barely above a whisper now, and something in my chest warms.
This man, who I’ve met a total of three times, feels like the furthest thing from a stranger.
My lips curve up slightly, and I reach out, placing one hand on his chest.
“He was gentle. Maybe even too gentle.” I scoff a laugh. “He had no idea, but he treated me better than I could have asked him to. We have a complicated relationship, more so now, but he’d never hurt me.” I smile sadly. “Never intentionally anyway.”
Noah nods and brings his right hand up to cover mine on his chest.
“You know this has nothing to do with you, right?” he stresses. “This is all him and his uncertainties.”
When all I offer is a twitch of my lips, his eyes narrow slightly.
He squares his shoulders. “Trust me, I’d bet he’s just scared and doesn’t know what to do.”
“He doesn’t see me, Noah. Not like I wanted him to.”
“He sees you.” Noah’s steady gaze floats across my face. “How could he not?”
His sweet words have me pushing down an airy feeling in my stomach, but he’s wrong. Thinking that way is what got me into this mess.
“He loves and respects me the way I do Brady, the way Cameron does him, but that’s all.” I shrug. “I get it, but it still sucks, and it’s taking longer than I wish it would to come to terms with that fact.” I reach down, running my hand through the fountain water beside us. “I’ll get over it and hopefully, our friendship will make it once I do. It has to, for my brother and the others. For us too, I guess.”
Noah’s quiet for a few moments before he speaks. “This is why I haven’t seen you at the house.”
Not a question.
I grin at the water, admiring the way the moonlight beams through. “Been looking for me, huh?” I tease, tossing his words from the bonfire back at him.
“Yeah.”
His instant response has my gaze flying to his.
We sit there, staring at one another for a moment, and then suddenly, Noah jumps to his feet.
“Come on, Juliet.” He holds his sturdy hand out. “Let’s get you home. You mixed whiskey and beer tonight. Your head’ll be killing you come morning.”
I groan and allow him to pull me to my feet. Noah insists on walking me all the way to my door, so I ignore the nosy rosies in the halls as we pass.
Love how it’s totally normal to be up at three in the morning in college.
“You’ll be all right tonight?” He leans against the frame as I unlock the door.
I grin, slipping in and using the door as leverage. “I’ll be fine.”
A small frown slips over his face, but he nods.
“I really needed tonight. Thank you for… you know, all of it.” I glance away, heat sneaking up my cheeks. I can’t believe I unloaded all my problems, but Noah erases the unease swimming in my stomach.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He stares at me a moment, his low exhale following not long after, and he takes a step back. “Do me a favor and drink some water before bed tonight.”
My head falls to the frame. “How is that doing you a favor?”
He cocks his head the slightest bit, making me smile.