CARLA
I walk into the restaurant and see Forest and Aria already sitting at our table. As I take a seat, I almost make a comment about them being caught in their own little bubble, but instead impersonate Scar from the Lion King, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”
Aria chuckles. “What happened?”
I haven’t told them about Noah’s weird behavior, so I just mutter, “Noah.”
Movement behind Forest catches my attention, and when I see Kennedy, my eyes widen.
Shit, here we go.
Forest is clearly startled by the sight of her, and Aria looks like she’s going to be sick. At least I gave her a heads up this morning that I ran into Kennedy last night.
Kennedy’s all smiles as she asks, “Tell me everything I’ve missed out on.”
Hoping Forest and Aria will come forward with the fact that they’re more than friends, I lean over to Kennedy and say, “Prepare yourself for this. Forest and Aria are in a fake relationship.”
My gaze is sharp on my two friends to catch their reaction. Forest instantly looks unhappy, and Aria shrinks back against her chair.
Mhhh… just friends? Right?
Kennedy lets out a burst of laughter. “Yeah? Why?”
It’s up to me to explain, “Forest didn’t date after you left, and rumors started going around that there’s something wrong with him.”
Kennedy’s eyes widen, and she turns to Forest. “Oh my gosh! Really?”
He just nods, letting out an uncomfortable chuckle.
When Forest and Aria decided on having this fake relationship, I drew up a contract so I wouldn’t be caught in the middle if it backfired. Never did I think they’d forego one of the cardinal rules and actually start dating. The fact that they haven’t bothered to tell me hurts like a bitch, and it makes me wonder just how much I mean to them.
My attention is drawn back to the conversation when Aria gets up, mumbling, “I have to get to class. We should catch up later.”
When Forest gets up to go after her, there’s zero doubt left in my mind. They’re dating for real.
I order my lunch and focus on catching up with Kennedy because she’s not a bad person at all. We all pretty much got along with her when she dated Forest. While she tells me about her experiences while living abroad, my thoughts keep whirling around Forest and Aria.
We’ve been best friends since I can remember, and for the first time, I’m not part of the group anymore. It sucks… and causes my heart to ache.
I finish my meal, and getting up, I smile at Kennedy, “Catch you later.”
Walking out of the restaurant, I’ve never felt more out of place and lonely than I do at this moment.
I head back to the suite to be alone with my misery, but when I walk in, Noah’s in front of the TV, watching CNN news.
I sit down next to him and stare blankly at the TV screen. A couple of seconds pass, then I lean my head against his shoulder, whispering, “Just a couple of minutes, and I’ll leave you alone.”
He sits frozen for a bit, then asks, “Is everything okay?”
I shake my head. “I feel lonely.”
Noah surprises me by lifting his arm and wrapping it around my shoulders. He pulls me into his side.
Not letting this opportunity pass me by, I snuggle against him and wrap my arm around his waist. “Thank you.”
I take a deep breath of his scent and focus on the feel of his body against mine. My fingers grip his shirt as a sharp ache shoots through my heart.
God, I want more of this.
My body shudders from how amazing it feels to be held by Noah.
He tightens his arm around me, and lifting his other hand, he presses it against the side of my head, and then I feel his breath stir over the top of my head.
I freeze, and all my senses are focused on Noah as he presses a kiss to my hair. I forget to breathe, and my heart could’ve stopped, and I wouldn’t have noticed.
I’m filled with the love I’ve never gotten to express, and it makes my eyes tear up.
I love you so much. Please love me back.
Noah continues to watch the news, and I keep still, so he won’t get annoyed from having to hold me. My eyes begin to grow heavy, and then I’m unable to keep them open.
Chapter 7
NOAH
When Carla’s body relaxes against mine, I glance down, and seeing she’s asleep, I let out a deep breath.
I stare at her while emotions war inside of me, everything from tenderness to apprehension.
Her head slides down my chest, and before she can faceplant against my cock, I slip my hand under her cheek and position her on my thigh.
Slowly, I pull my hand from under her, but the movement still makes her stir. She rubs her cheek against my thigh before curling into a little ball.
Staring at Carla, I lift my hand to her forehead and carefully brush her brown curls away from her face.
My gaze drifts to where my arm is resting on her side. I move my left hand until my fingers lightly brush over her arm.
Her skin is soft.
With my right hand, I pinch a curl between my pointer finger and thumb.
Also soft.
Since the night she told me she loves me and I watched her run up the stairs, I haven’t seen Carla vulnerable until today. It makes a weird protective feeling flutter to life.
Another new emotion to try and process.
The news on the TV is totally forgotten as I take in the girl sleeping on my lap.
Girl?
Is she really still a girl?
I take in her curves and the cleavage, which is more prominent now that’s she’s lying on her side.
No, Carla’s definitely not a little girl.
Carla’s grown up, and now that she’s a woman, I’m not so sure the age difference matters anymore.
Maybe I should give a relationship with her a try? She knows what I’m like… that I’m different. Still, she hasn’t given up on me, and it’s been years. That has to count for something.
My eyes lock on Carla’s face, and I allow myself to experience the emotions she brings out in me. My heart begins to beat faster, and my lips part as my breathing speeds up.
Whether it’s a chemical reaction or more, Carla makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. Interest, desire, protectiveness, the need to dominate her.
There’s a need to get to know every single thing about her until she’s no longer a mystery.
But I’ve hurt her once before, and I really don’t want to cause her any further heartache. What if it turns out I can’t be with her? That would break her heart again. Just because she loves me, it doesn’t give me the right to use her as if she’s some experiment.
Carla deserves a man who will worship the ground she walks on. She deserves better than a man who struggles to deal with emotions.
The thought of Carla dating another man makes my jaw clench and my breathing speed up. I feel a possessive twinge and the urge to punch something.
Tilting my head, I try to process the new emotions.
Fuck, Carla is like an out of control rollercoaster, and I’m not sure I’ll survive the ride.
Needing to examine the mess in my head and chest, I carefully slip my arms under Carla and getting up, I carry her to her bedroom. I set her down on her bed, and in a moment of insanity, I lean over her and press my mouth to her temple.