She reached up gently, using her right hand, and traced the jagged line. Her shoulder was healing beautifully and was almost as good as new. Her face…well, that was still something Noah didn’t discuss too much and she didn’t know if he just didn’t want to upset her or if he was afraid to tell her the truth.
She chose to believe the latter even though she’d never taken him for a coward.
Noah stepped into the room and came to stand behind her. “Staring at it will not make it go away,” he told her.
“I know.” Callie nodded, holding his gaze in the mirror. “How’s Max?”
“Scared, worried. His mother has cancer.”
“I heard him tell you that, so I decided to leave you two alone.”
Noah rested his hands on her shoulders and eased her against his chest. “That means a lot to me that you knew we needed that time alone.”
Callie drew her brows together. “Of course you needed to be alone. He’s your best friend and he’s dealing with life-altering news.”
He stared at her in the mirror and sighed. “I’ve just never known anyone like you, Callie. In the office you were an awesome employee and someone I wanted to know better, but now that I’ve gotten to know you even more, I can honestly say you’re amazing.”
Compliments made her uncomfortable, so she didn’t reply.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered as he slid her hair aside and kissed the side of her neck. “And I’m positive we were working on something very encouraging before that doorbell rang.”
Shivers slid through Callie’s body as she relaxed fully against him. “You’ve had such a stressful day, Noah. Why don’t you let me—”
“I know exactly what you can be doing and it involves silence,” he whispered against her ear before he placed a warm kiss in that very delicate, erotic area.
“What are we doing?” she asked.
“I’m about to get you naked.”
She sighed and smiled. “I mean, what are we doing? Is this a relationship or are we just having a good time?”
He froze, bringing his eyes up to the mirror. “I can’t answer that right now, but I can tell you I’m happy when you’re with me and I’m happy you’re here. Not with the circumstances, but I like having you in my house.”
She didn’t say anything, wasn’t quite sure how to respond to his lack of commitment.
“I’m sorry,” he told her. “I just can’t give you more right now.”
Callie smiled. “It’s okay. You’re honest. I’d rather that than you telling me what you think I want to hear.”
“Are you done talking?” he asked, the corners of his mouth tilting up.
Callie grinned. “I’m done. Now, what were you about to show me in that workout room before Max came?”
“I was about to show you how good we are together.”
Callie tried not to let those promising words into her heart, but she couldn’t keep them back. He’d turned them loose and like an arrow, they shot straight to the target.
But she knew he didn’t mean that like it sounded. She also knew they were good together and she wanted to explore the possibility that this might not be as temporary as either of them had thought.
Noah
’s talented lips cruised from her mouth down her throat and into the V of the oversize shirt. She loved wearing his shirts, always having that little piece of him right next to her bare skin at all times.
She gripped his shoulders as he undid each button and slid the garment off and to the floor.
In seconds, he’d turned her to face him and crushed his mouth onto hers. Chest to chest, she arched against his warm body, thankful he’d been about to work out and he’d forgone the shirt.
Without breaking the kiss, he shoved her shorts and panties down. She helped by wiggling until they were at her feet and she flicked them aside with her toes. She helped rid him of his shorts as well after he’d kicked off his tennis shoes.