He climbed into bed. “You ready to go to sleep?”
“Yeah,” was her soft reply.
He flipped off the light and let his eyes adjust to the dark as he put his hands behind his head.
“Thank you.” Her words were so quiet, he almost missed them.
He laughed. “For taking you to see a hairball? Most women would have taken off running.”
“Just goes to show how much you really know me.”
And he did know her. He knew that she liked her coffee with several tablespoons of hazelnut creamer. And that she hated to wear socks, even in the winter. That she sucked at parallel parking and had accrued a whopping seven unpaid parking tickets. He knew she often got so absorbed in a photography project, she’d go all day without eating. But when she did eat, she didn’t pick around her food—she had a healthy appetite. He knew she had a kind and loving heart and that she’d do anything for her friends.
And he knew that he loved her.
He expected to be more surprised by the revelation, but perhaps he’d been warming up to it since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. A part of him had guessed at the truth for months. The real question was how he could make her see that they were meant for each other.
“It was a perfect day. I don’t think anyone else would have guessed what I truly needed today. So, yes, a giant hairball and world record egg were perfect. One day, when you finally decide to settle down, you’ll make some woman very happy.”
“What about you?” he asked, deciding to go for it. His pulse quickened and he forced his breathing to remain steady, every sound amplified in the dark.
She released a soft chuckle. “I think maybe it’s time for me to reexamine my life.”
He mentally kicked himself. Obviously, he’d posed the question the wrong way. “Like what?”
“I’ve been thinking about your offer.” She rolled onto her side to face him, propping her head on her upraised hand. He could see her profile in the light filtering through the cracks of the draperies. It reminded him of her photography project and he suddenly wished he had a camera to preserve this moment. But he knew he’d never capture it the same way she would.
“Oh?” What was she talking about? He couldn’t remember making any offer. “And what did you decide?” he asked, hoping her answer would jog his memory.
“I think I want to move to Seattle and stay with you.”
Blood rushed to his head as he fought his emotions. Could it really be that easy?
“It wouldn’t be for long,” she added.
What? Then he remembered how he’d posed the offer. He’d suggested that she move in as his roommate, not his partner. He struggled to form a response, finally settling on, “You can stay as long as you want, Lib.” Stupid. That was stupid.
She laid back down on her back. “I know you’d let me stay as long as I want, but you and I both know that wouldn’t work long term. And your future girlfriends wouldn’t appreciate me living there. Is that what happened with Donna? I noticed you two were together until right before my wedding.”
Should he tell her the truth? Was it time to lay his heart on the line?
“Besides,” she continued. “I’ve decided turning thirty alone is a good thing. I think I should give up men for the year and work on my project. If I’m in Seattle it will be easier to use you as my model.”
“Alone?” he forced out. God, karma sucked. He knew he deserved this ironic twist, but it didn’t mean he was any less horrified.
“Well, I won’t be totally alone. I’ll have you.”
But not in the way he wanted.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“About you moving to Seattle?”
“Well . . . yeah. All of it.”
What should he say? “I think moving to Seattle is a fan-freaking-tastic idea. You know I’ll help you any way I can. And you don’t have to hurry to find a place. You just said you don’t have enough money for the security deposit for a new place in Kansas City. The cost of living is higher in Seattle.”
“That’s the part that concerns me. I’ll be starting from scratch with my clients. But I can supplement my income with a part-time job to save for a deposit.” She sighed with disappointment. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.”
“No, it’s a great idea. But you should just focus on moving to Seattle and settling in with me. Then you can work on your project and build your client list without the stress of making ends meet. There’s no need for you to hurry to move out.”
“You have a one-bedroom apartment, Noah,” she said skeptically. “That will never work long term.”
“I’ve been thinking about moving,” he lied. “The real estate market is improving, so it makes sense for me to invest in a bigger place. You could have the second bedroom and stay with me until you’re more established.”
“What about Tortoise?”
“I’ve been thinking about a house.” Another lie, but he felt no guilt. He’d do whatever it took to get her to agree. “Then Tortoise would have a yard. We could take him for walks in the neighborhood. Besides, I miss the rambunctious guy.”
She was quiet for several long seconds. “Are you sure?”
“Very.” He was more sure about them than he’d ever been about anything in his life. He’d wait for her. A year felt like an eternity, but if she wanted a year, he’d give it to her. Libby St. Clair was worth waiting for.
She was silent again. “This seems so spontaneous, but it feels right.”
“To me too.” She had no idea.
She was quiet again and Noah soon heard the steady rhythm of her breathing.
He lay awake for another hour, repeatedly checking his phone for another message from Tiffany. He didn’t know much about Abrahams’s plans in Vegas other than he was attending a trade convention that began Tuesday at Caesar’s Palace and he and Tiffany would arrive tomorrow afternoon. But he did know that Abrahams hadn’t yet signed a contract with the other engineering firm, which meant Noah still had time. But when he pressed Tiffany for details about his competition, she remained vague and made comments about how excited she was to see him in Las Vegas.
This was bound to get complicated.
The next morning Noah woke before Libby, a rare occurrence he attributed to all the uncertainties in his life. For a man used to coasting through life, he suddenly had quite a few things to worry about.
The top item on his list lay on her side, facing him. The covers had slipped down and her skimpy pajama top had shifted while she slept, exposing a generous amount of her breasts.
A jolt shot straight to his groin and he suppressed a low groan. God, he wanted her, and the urge to slip into bed with her was so strong he had to clench his teeth. With women, Noah was used to acting on urges, so this new restraint chafed. His surging hormones insisted on seducing and screwing her, but his heart wanted more. When his head finally chimed in, it told him his heart was right. Libby had an underlying distrust of men, even if she would never admit it. She expected men to screw her and leave her. He had to prove he wanted more.
He wasn’t sure how to effectively do that other than to continue to be her friend. But then he risked that she would never see him any other way.