“Damn.”
Chase opens his door and steps out, offering me a hand.
When I don’t move, a grim smile curves his lips. “It’s just a hand, Ari.”
A low, nervous laugh escapes, and I nod, slipping my palm into his.
When my feet hit the ground, his fingers don’t release mine, and we look to each other.
It seems like he has something to say, but I know better.
He won’t say a word.
With a withdrawn smile, I gingerly pull my hand from his, already turning away. “Let’s go see what the others want to do.”
As I glance up, my feet freeze in place.
Noah stands at the top of the porch, staring right at me.
I raise my hand in a small wave, averting my eyes as something that feels a lot like guilt knots inside my stomach, and I’m not sure why.
That might be a lie.
Mason steps up with a groan. “You guys want to go back to your house?”
I glance around, seeing girls and guys filing in from all angles of the street, settling on Cameron.
She crosses her arms, yawning into the air. “Yeah, I don’t want to party.”
A warm hand meets the small of my back, and I look over as Noah slides up beside me.
“Hey.” I wrap my arm around his waist, hugging him, and only after the fact, do I realize this might be the first time I’ve done so.
He’s warm and solid and smells like… Noah.
Like fresh cotton and clean sheets. Like the winter’s breeze and pine, a hint of mint mixed in.
Noah releases me, nodding his chin at the others. “Just find out about the house switch?”
“Yeah, I guess we’re headed back to our place.” Cam shrugs.
Noah’s eyes slide my way, and after moment, move to my brother. “You guys want to come up instead?” He pauses before adding, “All of you.”
“For real?” Brady grins. “You want to bring us lowly fuckers into the captain’s quarters?” He teases.
My brother laughs.
They all seem to agree, but I find myself frowning, and I don’t realize it until Cameron is elbowing me in the side.
She bulges her eyes at me briefly, and I drop mine to the sidewalk.
I don’t think I want to be in Noah’s space with them.
It’s always only the two of us, other than the occasional pop in of one of his teammates, and I like it that way. I want to keep it that way.
The others, they’re involved in every aspect of my life, and while I love that about our group, I don’t want to share the one thing I have outside of them.
I don’t want to share my time with Noah.
With them, we’ll talk shop, drink beer, and watch ESPN or Ninja Warrior. I always loved those night, but I don’ know.
With Noah, it’s just… different.
I’m Arianna Johnson, not Mason Johnson’s little sister.
I like it.
I need it.
I need—
Noah fingers brush along the back of my arm, and I meet his gaze.
“We’ll order in.” He speaks with purpose.
You see it, don’t you?
His thumb glides along my elbow as if in answer.
Noah knows what’s going on in my head. He’s telling me it’ll be fine, that we won’t share our fun. We won’t cook together or chat about nothing and everything. About things that don’t matter and things that do.
He wants to make sure I know I can say no and the idea will be tossed out, just like that.
I don’t have to share him; it’s my choice.
Warmth spreads throughout my chest, but it doesn’t stem from a blush. It’s on the inside this time.
Noah’s lips begin to curl before I even nod, but I do. I nod.
“Okay, Noah’s it is. Now, let’s go before more people get here and try to follow us or something,” Cam chirps as she pulls me along, as if she knows where she’s going.
I lead us to the right, and we step aside, so Noah can unlock the door. He lets us go first, so I head up the stairs.
Inside, I curve into the living room, pulling the string hanging from the fan to turn the light on, and Noah flicks the switch by the stove.
Noah peels his jacket off, setting it over the small chair, and I drop my sweater on top of it.
He opens the fridge to grab some beers for the others and a water for himself, while I grab the menus in the drawer below the microwave. I hop up on the countertop and he leans over, reading the options aloud to me, even though he knows I’m reading them in my head.
“We could do the family pack and get a little of everything like last time?” Noah suggests, taking a long pull from his water bottle.