“As much as I wish we could explore this, I’m afraid I just can’t go into something with you when I don’t even know what demons you battle or what my future holds.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Then we’ll take this slow. I never back away from what I want, Callie, and I want you. In my bed.”
“Well, that was blunt.”
“And honest,” he told her. “I’m done lying to you, to myself. I guess I’m learning you need to take what you want when you want it because it could be gone in an instant.”
She listened to his tone grow almost angry, yet nostalgic.
“Noah, I can’t be a replacement for whatever happened to you. You act as if I’m plan B in whatever went wrong in your past. That’s not how I want to live. I’ll never play second to anything or anyone.”
“And you shouldn’t have to,” he told her, stroking her cheek. “But I want you to know where I stand and why I’m so adamant about being with you again.”
Callie leaned into his touch. “I’d be a fool to lie and tell you I haven’t thought about you, fantasized about you. But right now the last thing I feel is sexy.”
He stepped back and nodded. “You can’t help how you feel, but know this. I find you damn sexy, Callie. No matter what you look like on the outside. To me, you’re a sexy woman because of your kick-ass attitude and your personality. I know that’s unusual for a man to say, but it’s true. Sexy doesn’t have to mean flawless.”
Callie laughed. “I hope you’re not going to use that for your new ad slogan.”
The corners of Noah’s mouth kicked up. “No, that’s for your ears only.”
“Then I won’t tell anyone,” she replied, but her smile faded. “Noah, I know this probably doesn’t need to be said, but—”
“No, it doesn’t.” He cut her off. “I don’t want to hear it.”
She looked down at her feet, then back up beneath her lashes, afraid to fully look him in the eyes. “I’m sorry I let you down for the new ads.”
Noah closed that final sliver of space between them and took hold of her face with both hands, careful of where he touched her right side. “Listen to me and look me straight in the eye. I don’t care about the ads. They will go on and something else will work out. Those ads are the last thing I’m worried about right now.”
“I realize you’re not worried, but your new office is supposed to open in a couple months and you didn’t have anything else planned.”
“No, I didn’t,” he agreed, smoothing her hair off her forehead and away from the bandage. “But I also know that something will come to me, and the ad agency I hired is on it. We’re looking at a few options, but nothing is final. We may not use a model now. We’re looking at something simple with a catchy slogan.”
“You’re so good to me,” she whispered. “Even though I’ve done nothing but bring you misery, you’re amazing. Don’t think I’m not grateful. Even when I yell at you and cry, I’m still thankful to have you in my life.”
Callie wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him, because she’d just seen another flash of fear, of angst, spear through his eyes, and she didn’t want to get into another argument on whether or not he should open up to her. One day soon, she vowed, she’d get those demons from his closet and then she could help him bury them where they belonged.
Ten
She’d hidden long enough.
Callie hadn’t lied when she told Noah that he didn’t need to worry about her and to have his normal life with his friends over. This was his house and she was his guest.
But Noah’s best friend was the hottest actor in Hollywood and here she looked like Frankenstein’s project gone awry.
Callie took a deep breath and smoothed down the simple backless sundress she’d snaked up over her body. But she’d be lying if she tried to pretend she didn’t love wearing Noah’s soft cotton shirts, because even though they’d been laundered, they still had the very sexy masculine scent of his cologne. And once when he hadn’t been looking, she totally turned her nose straight into the collar and took a long, deep inhale.
Just because she was battered and vulnerable didn’t mean she didn’t still have needs, emotions and a craving for the man.
Callie moved down the wide hallway leading to the patio doors off the kitchen. Before she stepped outside, she st
opped to admire the fine scenery the two men on the patio made. They were opposite in so many ways, yet both of them were so sexy that a woman couldn’t help but notice them.
Noah had that dark hair, sultry smile and bedroom eyes. Clichéd as it sounded, the description fit him perfectly. The man always had those heavy lids that screamed Do me, baby.
Max, on the other hand, had that messy dark blond hair that never quite seemed fixed but worked for him and his carefree ways. He was quick to smile and always flashed those dimples. He’d starred in so many films recently, Callie would be fooling herself if she didn’t admit she was jealous of his string of luck.
No. She was not going to let her thoughts ruin Noah’s company or his day. She was a guest. She didn’t have to stay out and socialize the whole time, but she did owe it to Noah not to sit inside and pout like a child.