Noah nodded as he sat on the edge of the couch and slid her hand aside so he could adjust the buttons.
Why hadn’t he thought of her place? Maybe because that was just another level of Callie he was afraid to enter. While she was here, on his turf, he was fine. But if they went to her place, he would be so out of his territory….
“That will be fine,” he conceded. “We can pick up some lunch and eat at your apartment. The real-estate agent is coming at noon, so I’d say we need to be gone by eleven-thirty.”
“I’ll be ready,” she informed him. “But, um…are you sure you’re okay?”
He cocked his head, and when her eyes darted to his lap, Noah laughed.
“I’m okay,” he assured her. “I promise this isn’t my first hard-on and it won’t be my last where you’re concerned.”
Nine
Callie was so confused. She wanted to read more into last night’s little escapade, but how could she when he’d only been on the giving end and not the receiving?
Had to be out of pity. But what man did that? She’d never known a man to put her sexual needs first. Of course, she hadn’t had that many lovers by which to judge.
Mercy, she was beyond confused.
As Noah wove his way through the streets toward her apartment, she was trying to recall if it was clean. Oh, well, too late now, and it wasn’t as if she had a cleaning service to come in and take over.
He pulled up in front of her building and came around to help her out.
“My key is in the side pocket of my purse,” she told him, holding her bag with her left hand while he dug out the keys.
Noah unlocked her door and ushered her in. “While you gather more things, I’ll get the food from the car and meet you in the kitchen.”
Callie nodded and headed to her room. With her right arm snug against her body thanks to the sling, she had to tug on drawers with her left hand, one side at a time until they sprang free.
She grabbed more underwear, because she just couldn’t bear to ask Noah to wash hers, a few more shorts and the few button-down shirts she owned. As much as she liked wearing his, she knew she couldn’t go on like that the whole time she was with him.
She tossed all that she wanted onto the bright orange comforter and went in search of a tote. She had a slew of tote bags from various pharmaceutical companies when sales reps came into the office.
She found a bag and began putting her items into it and hoisted it up onto her good shoulder with only a slight wince as she pulled too hard and jarred the broken collarbone.
She needed another pain pill, but she was afraid to ask Noah after his reaction the other day.
After placing the bag by the door, she turned to see Noah at her two-seater table spreading out their Chinese food containers.
“Smells great,” she told him. “I’ve been craving Moo Shu Pork for a while.”
He smiled and looked up at her. “We just had it in the office two weeks ago.”
Callie shrugged. “Then I’ve been craving it for two weeks. Seems like so much longer. I could eat this stuff every day.”
He pulled out their egg rolls and turned toward the kitchen. “What do you want to drink?”
Callie moved past him. “I can get it, Noah. It’s my apartment. Let me.”
“No, you sit. I can get the drinks.”
She sighed. “You’re not going to let me win this little argument, either, are you?”
He grinned and that damn head tilted sideways as if he just knew his charm would win any battle he fought.
“Fine. I’ll take some ice water. I can’t imagine there’s much else in there. I was due to go to the store after the photo shoot.”
The photo shoot. At least she could say the words now without breaking into a crying fit or turning into a total bear and growling at everyone. Well, not everyone. Just Noah.