Chapter 10

10

A s soon as Noah got off the gondola, he waved goodbye to his co-workers before heading to the resort lobby. He smiled at the front desk staff before stepping through the door to the office. His mom sat at the desk, powering down her computer before leaving for the day.

“Hey, Mom.”

She turned and smiled. “Oh, hey, Noah. How were the slopes?”

“Good. No serious injuries to report.”

“That’s good to hear. What brings you over here? Going on a date with Jessa again?”

“I will be later tonight. What I would like to know is what you said to her?” Noah raised an eyebrow.

An innocent look crossed her face before she shrugged. “I just wanted to meet her. I only introduced myself.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, that’s it. Your dad came along and interrupted our conversation.”

Thank God for that.

Noah grabbed a chair from a nearby table and turned it toward his mom before sitting down. “Mom, I know you mean well, but please don’t try to check on her intentions.”

“What makes you think I’d do that?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe because you seem to do that with every woman I have an inkling of interest in. Which is incredibly embarrassing at my age. And even more embarrassing when I don’t have an interest in them.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “That happened once.”

“Once was enough.”

She sighed heavily. “I just want to make sure she’s good for you.”

“I think I’m old enough to decide that for myself.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to be sad again.”

There it was. He knew his mom always stressed about him after his last real relationship went up in flames. Noah tried to date occasionally, so she wouldn’t worry about him, but then she would stress he would get hurt. But if he didn’t date, she stressed he was alone. As far as he knew, his mom didn’t stress about his other siblings. Probably because he was the oldest.

“Mom, I’m fine. You need to stop worrying about me.”

“I’m your mother. I’ll never stop worrying. Is it too much to ask to just have my boys happy?”

Noah chuckled. “I think we’re all pretty happy.”

“Yes, but I’d like grandchildren.”

Noah rolled his eyes and stood. “Need I remind you that you have one beautiful granddaughter named Emma?”

“I love Emma dearly. You know that. But it would be nice to have more than one.”

Noah laughed and moved toward the door. “Maybe someday.”

“Hopefully someday soon!” she called after him as he stepped out of the office and back into the lobby.

Noah walked out to the parking lot and climbed into his truck. He needed to get home to shower and change before his date. Wintervale was a small town, so it didn’t take long before he was pulling into his driveway.

He made it inside his house and showered quickly before dressing in a pair of dark jeans and a button-up shirt. Then he went to his dining room table and set out plates and napkins before calling in a food order at the resort. In hindsight, he would have swung by the store and grabbed a tablecloth to cover up his old table. He also would have grabbed a candle to light to cover any scent of man that could be lingering in his house. Not that he thought it stunk, but he couldn’t be positive.

Too late now.

He gave his place one more look before tugging on his coat and going back out to his truck. Noah slid in just as his phone rang.

Jackson’s name flashed across the screen, so he swiped to answer it as he started up his truck.

“Hey, man.”

“I hear you have a date with Jessa tonight,” Jackson said.

Noah chuckled. “Did Mom tell you that?”

“Actually, no. Megan did.”

Noah raised an eyebrow as he pulled into the resort parking lot. “Megan, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s pretty cool. I saw her at the bar alone the other night when you were out with Jessa, so we chatted. I’m going to meet her at the bar again tonight.”

“Wow. I’m surprised you’re seeing someone other than Mia.”

Jackson’s sigh came through the line. “Mia and I aren’t dating. Plus, I’m not dating Megan. It’s just two adults enjoying each other’s company.”

Noah chuckled. “Whatever you say. Maybe you should date Megan. It’ll get Mom off my back.”

Jackson groaned. “Oh, no. She at it again?”

“Yep. She met Jessa in the lobby this morning.”

“Sorry, man.”

Noah shrugged and looked through his windshield at the resort. “She means well. But I need to go. Have fun with Megan on your not-a-date date.”

“Go marry Jessa and give Mom more grandbabies.”

Noah snorted before disconnecting the call. He hopped out of his truck and walked inside, nodding at the staff at the desk as he passed. He went straight to the bar and smiled at Dixie. She held up a finger to him before disappearing into the kitchen and coming back out with a bag of food.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Have fun tonight.” She gave him a knowing smile, and he only tipped his head at her before walking over to the elevator bank. He stopped and waited just as one opened and Jessa stepped out.

She wore a red sweater dress with black tights and knee-high boots. Her hair was in waves down her back and her coat was draped over her arm. She smiled shyly at him.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” He stepped forward and hugged her with his free arm. Her arms timidly wrapped around him. And just as quick as it started, it ended. They broke apart, and he smiled.

“Ready?”

She nodded.

They made it through the lobby without seeing any of his family members, and he sighed in relief when they stepped outside into the cold air.

Jessa giggled. “What’s the sigh for? Expected to see your entire family again?”

He chuckled. “That’s exactly what I expected.”

He led her out to his truck and opened up the passenger side door, waiting for her to settle in her seat before closing it. Then he rounded the truck and put the bag of food in the backseat before sliding in himself and starting it up.

“I hope it’s okay, but I grabbed us some food and thought we’d go back to my place to chat. As long as you’re comfortable with it.”

Her eyes flickered between his before she nodded. “Sure. That sounds fun.”

“I’m just trying to avoid anyone overhearing us. News travels fast in this town.”

She giggled. “I can imagine.”

He drove down the street, and they were parked in his garage within a couple of minutes.

“Wow. Must be nice being so close to work,” she said.

Noah laughed and climbed out of the truck, pulling the food out of the back before rushing around to her side and opening her door.

“It definitely has its perks. Especially if I oversleep.”

He led the way through his garage to the door that led into the house, stamping his feet on the rug before kicking his boots off. Jessa kicked hers off right alongside his and followed him inside.

He watched her looking around the kitchen and dining room. He always wondered how people saw him and wished he could see himself through her eyes. When her eyes met his, she smiled.

“You have a nice place.”

His house wasn’t large by any means, but he didn’t need the extra space. It was a three-bedroom house with two bathrooms. He had the master bedroom with the small attached bathroom. One of the spare rooms housed his exercise equipment. The third room was more of a dumping ground for the equipment he had for participating in various activities around town.

“Thank you. It’s a good size for me.”

He led her over to the table and pulled her chair out. Once she sat, he pulled out the food he had picked up from the bar and opened up the takeout container. Jessa laughed loudly when she saw the nachos inside.

“I figured I couldn’t go wrong with nachos,” he said.

“You are correct.”

Noah sat across from her and they divided up the food. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Noah rested his elbows on the table.

“So, I wanted to clear the air with why my mom is… overprotective.”

Jessa set down the chip she was holding and put all her focus on him.

“You can keep eating while I talk if you’d like,” Noah said, gesturing at her food.

She shook her head. “Honestly, I can’t focus when nachos are involved.”

He chuckled. “Would you prefer we finish eating and then talk?”

She nodded as a smile grew on her face. “I absolutely want to talk to you, but I seriously love nachos and I’d like to eat them before they get cold.”

He laughed. “Deal.”

They finished their food in silence and once the plates were empty, Noah nodded toward the living room.

“Take a seat wherever you’d like. I’m going to start a fire.”

He could feel her eyes on him as he put wood inside the fireplace and got it started before putting the spark guard in front of it. When he turned around, he caught her admiring his backside.

She blushed and pulled a lip between her teeth. “That was quick.”

He sat down on the plush suede couch beside her. “I grew up making fires.”

The fire crackled in the fireplace and nerves suddenly crept through him. He had every intention of telling her about his past and what had happened during his last serious relationship, but his nerve had dwindled the longer they had sat eating.

“So… my mom,” he said with a chuckle.

She giggled. “She took me by surprise. I won’t lie.”

“She does that.” He ran a hand over the back of his head before gripping his neck. “I got involved with a woman three years back. She was a tourist, and we began dating. Once she went back home, we tried doing long distance. It lasted a year before it went up in flames.”

He shifted his eyes up to meet hers and she watched him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“It was the distance that eventually did us in. Neither of us was willing to move, so there wasn’t a future there and we broke it off. Afterward, I fell into a depression that had my family concerned.”

“I can imagine that was difficult,” she said.

“It was. I almost moved to be with her, but knew I wouldn’t be happy unless I stay in Wintervale. My life, my family are here. And I know that wouldn’t be fair to expect her to uproot her life, since she wanted to stay where she was for the same reason. No one was at fault. It just couldn’t work.”

“I get that.”

“After all that, my family always gets worried when I date… especially with someone who doesn’t live here. But then if I don’t date, they get worried as well. I can’t really win there.”

She smiled. “I think most families are that way—always worried no matter what you do.”

“Are your parents that way?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. My family is a little different. I don’t see them often. We chat through text and do video calls and whatnot, but they aren’t really around to be involved in my life. And it isn’t something I really tell them about.”

He scrubbed a hand across his face and chuckled. “Man, we come from completely different lives.”

“We do.”

Jessa sat straight on the couch despite it being plush. She was nervous, that much he could tell by her wringing hands and flickering eyes.

Noah turned toward her on the couch and took one of her hands in his, smoothing his thumb over her knuckles. “Am I making you nervous?”

She turned toward him and watched their hands, her body relaxing. “A little. It’s just been a while since I’ve been at a guy’s place.”

“Don’t date often?”

She shook her head. “Not usually, no. I’m not in any one place long enough to date. And long distance rarely works.”

He knew the truth of that last statement. “I guess I should ask how long you’re in Wintervale?”

“A few weeks.”

He nodded. This should be the time when they went their separate ways. She said it herself that she’s never in one place long enough to date. But, for once, he wanted to be selfish. He wanted something for himself that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Something he certainly hadn’t felt with any locals.

Noah leaned forward, giving her the opportunity to back out if she wanted. But her eyes only flicked between his before closing. He closed the distance and their lips connected in what felt like a thousand fireworks going off at once. He cupped her cheek with his hand and deepened the pressure.

Within seconds, she had scooted forward and had him straddled. This was better than the New Year’s kiss. He groaned into her mouth as her body melted into his, pressing against his growing erection. His hands moved to her ass, gripping it and pulling her closer.

She moaned and rocked her hips, grinding down into him. His cock throbbed. It had been too long since he had felt this much chemistry with a woman, and he thought he might die if he didn’t have her.

He pulled back slightly to see her face. Her eyes were hooded, and she looked just as far gone as he was. Their breathing was heavy as they moved together, her grinding down into him and him pressing up into her center. Her fingers moved to his head and gripped his hair as her breath quickened.

He had her close. She was going to orgasm, and they were still fully clothed, dry humping on his couch.

She moaned, and her body rolled with her pleasure, her fingernails digging painfully into his scalp. He held her in place, helping her ride it out until she came to a stop.

Her dark brown eyes opened and met his, a flush staining her cheeks. His hard cock still twitched beneath her, but he had no intention of taking care of it right now. He could finish himself off in the shower later. For now, this was about her. Seeing her fall apart on him was the sexiest thing he had experienced in a long time. He wanted nothing more than to take her to bed, but the realization that he didn’t have any condoms in his house stopped him in his tracks.

This was enough for now. He’d get condoms for next time.

Next time. He was already planning to see her again. To be with her. He was a goner, and he didn’t regret it for one second.