A wide smile spreads over her face. “You realize what this means, right?”
“We’re dating?” I grumble.
Carla shakes her head. “I won.”
A burst of laughter escapes me. “Yeah? Are you happy with your prize?”
A loving look softens her features. “You have no idea how happy I am.” Pushing herself closer to me, she presses a kiss to my mouth. “All I ever wanted was to love you.”
My eyes caress her face as warmth spreads through my heart. “Mine,” I whisper before I claim her lips in a possessive kiss.
Chapter 14
CARLA
The Noah I thought I knew and the Noah I’m getting to know – yeah, two totally different people.
Holy shit.
We were up half the night, either talking or making love. I can still feel him between my legs.
When I walk into the kitchen, Mila, Hana, and Forest are already having coffee.
“Morning,” I grin at them. I fix myself a cup of coffee, then turn to face them before I drop the bomb, “Noah and I are officially dating.”
Three equally stunned faces stare back at me. Mila’s the first to find her voice. “Wow. I so did not see that coming.”
Cocking my head to the side, I ask, “Why?”
Mila shakes her head, and just as Noah comes into the kitchen, she answers, “He’s not actually the dating kind.”
Noah grips hold of my jaw, and he presses a hard kiss to my lips before he takes the cup from my hands to take a sip. He hands my coffee back to me, then smiles at our friends. “That’s before Carla wore me down.”
Forest lets out a sputter of laughter, almost choking on his coffee. Clearing his throat, he says, “I warned you once Carla sets her sights on something, she doesn’t stop.”
“Yeah, that’s what I like most about her,” Noah chuckles. His phone beeps, and I watch as he reads the message, then he mutters, “Fuck.”
My eyes lock on him as he dials a number, and then turning away from us, he says to whoever he called, “Are you okay?” He walks down the hallway, and the last I hear is, “If you couldn’t save him, no one could.”
“His mom,” Mila whispers. “She probably lost a patient.”
“Oh,” I gasp. I finish my coffee and rinse my cup. “Have a good day, everyone,” I say as I walk down the hallway to Noah’s room.
I hesitate by his door, not sure if I should knock first or if I can just go in.
The door swings open, and the moment Noah’s eyes land on me, he grabs hold of my wrist and yanks me inside. He shuts the door, and then his body presses hard against mine as he shoves me against the wood. His mouth crashes down on mine, and he kisses me as if he’s been starving for the taste of me.
I lift my hands to the back of his head, and my fingers get lost in his hair as our tongues duel for control.
When he finally pulls back, we’re both breathless. He presses his forehead to mine as we take a moment to come down from the high of the kiss.
I clear my throat and ask, “Are you okay?”
He nods. “My mom just takes it hard whenever she loses someone.”
I wrap my arms around Noah’s neck and hug him as tight as I can.
He slips an arm around my waist, and his other hand grips hold of my ass. Then he grumbles, “God, I want to fuck you right now.”
I let out a chuckle. “I’m still recovering from last night, and we need to get to our classes.”
He pulls back, and his gaze locks with mine while a hot smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah? Are you sore?”
“Just tender.”
His hand moves to my front and slips between my legs, then he cups me lightly. “Good. That way, you’ll be reminded of my cock inside you all day long.”
I shake my head. “I underestimated you, Noah West.”
“Now you understand why I pushed you away,” he murmurs.
I nod. “I do.”
He tilts his head. “Do you still want to be with me?”
I bring my hands to his jaw, and feeling the sharp edges causes a fluttering in my stomach. “More than anything.”
My words earn me another pleased smile from Noah. He cups me hard between my legs before he pulls his hand away. Reaching for the doorknob, he says, “Let’s get to class.”
I place my hand against the door, then ask, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Mila said you never dated. Is that true?”
Noah’s eyes drift over my face. “I tried a couple of times, but it never lasted.”
His answer piques my curiosity. “Why?”
“Because I struggle with the emotional side of a relationship.”
His answer makes a frown form on my brow. “But you’ve been fine with me.”
Noah shakes his head, and his mouth curves up. “You’re patient with me. You give me the time to process what I’m feeling where the others didn’t bother.” Noah takes a step closer to me, and he presses a tender kiss to my lips. “It’s like you know exactly when to push and when to wait. Besides my family, Kao’s the only one who understands me like that.”
I grin up at him. “I’m glad to hear that.”
He opens the door. “We better get going, or we’ll be late.”
My heart feels as light as a feather as we leave his room. When we walk out of the suite, Noah wraps his arm around my shoulders and yanks me tightly to his side.
NOAH
The past week of being in a relationship with Carla has been surprising. It’s definitely not what I expected. There are no demands, no arguments about me not telling her I love her back. No angry glares because I haven’t bought her anything or made a huge fuss over her.
Carla’s happy with me just as I am, and it makes me want to do everything for her that I hated doing for any of my ex-girlfriends.
I realize it’s because I hate being told what to do. Carla’s letting me take the lead where the others tried to lead me.
I now understand why the emotions I feel for Carla scared and confused the hell out of me in the beginning. It’s because I knew it would give her power over me, and I didn’t like the idea one bit.
Turns out, that’s not the case.
With every happy smile, every cuddle into my side, and every moan drifting over her lips, Carla is making me fall in love with her – deeply, irrevocably, and fast.
For the first time in my life, I struggle to focus on the lectures. No article can keep my attention.
There’s only Carla.
The instant the lecture is over, I’m up and out of my seat. I grab my bag and flinging it over my shoulder, I stalk out of the class. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I text Carla.
N: Where are you right now?”
Seconds later, she types out a reply.
C: I just finished at the library and walking toward the restaurant.
Another couple of seconds later.
C: Passing the parking area.
A grin tugs at my lips as she keeps typing.
C: Passing the dorms.
She comes into my line of sight, and I shove the device back in my pocket as I walk toward her. When I’m within touching distance of Carla, her head snaps toward me, and then a beautiful smile spreads over her face. I grab hold of the back of her neck and crush my mouth to hers.