“Are you sure you’re okay?” Leia asks, holding up a screwdriver for me. I nod as I take it from her, trying my best to focus on fixing my malfunctioning product. This lab has become my escape. It’s the only place where memories of Noah don’t overwhelm me. Losing myself in my work is the only way I’ll be able to cope. “Amara, you’ve barely spoken three words since you got back. You’re not okay.”
I drop the screwdriver onto the table and turn to face her. “It doesn’t matter,” I whisper, my voice breaking. I clear my throat and raise my voice. “Whether or not I’m fine doesn’t matter, Ley. It’s not like I can do anything about it, anyway. I made the right choice — I just didn’t think it’d be this hard.”
She stares at me, as though she’s at a loss for words too. I breathe a sigh of relief when she nods and hands me one of the tiny screws she fabricated for me. If she questioned me about Noah, I don’t think I’d be able to take it. I can barely think of him without wanting to cry, and I’m tired of the pain.
“Damn it,” I snap. “These damn things are so goddamn tiny!”
Leia tenses next to me, her hip bumping against mine. I don’t realize why until I hear his voice.
“Give me that,” he says, his voice soft.
For a second I think my heartbreak riddled mind has me hallucinating, but then he smiles at me, his hand wrapping around my waist.
“Noah,” I whisper, my voice betraying the disbelief I’m feeling. His grip on me is tight, and he pulls me into him without hesitation. I gasp as I tumble into his arms, my hands on his chest to brace myself. I look up at him, surprised to find him here.
I’ve been second guessing myself since the moment I stepped out of his car. I’ve missed him more than I thought was possible. Having him standing here, smiling at me in that way he only ever smiles at me soothes my aching heart. “How are you here? Why are you here?”
Noah keeps one hand wrapped around my waist while he cups my cheek with the other, his thumb tracing over my lip. “You’re here, so where else would I be?”
There’s no hesitation in his eyes, no doubt. I was so certain that my words would’ve pushed him away. Yet here he is, standing in my lab.
My eyes drop to the faculty badge around his neck, and I lift it up with a smile. That explains it. I guess being the campus doctor makes him faculty staff. I’ve never seen him wear this badge before, but then again, he would never have had any use for it. Not until now.
Noah turns to Leia and offers her his hand. “You must be Leia,” he says, a charming smile on his face. “We’ve seen each other before, but we’ve never officially met. I’m Noah. Amara’s boyfriend.”
I freeze while Leia smiles at him and shakes his hand. She glances at me wide-eyed, barely able to hide her excitement. “Boyfriend?” she asks, turning to face me. “Is that so?”
I glance at Noah who just stares at me, arms crossed, an expression on his face that dares me to deny his words. I smile at him, my cheeks blazing. “Yes,” I tell her, my eyes never leaving Noah’s. I thought I lost him when I walked away from him, yet here he is, smiling at me as though I’m all he can see.
Noah wraps his hand around my waist, a satisfied smirk on his face. He leans into me, his lips brushing against my ear. “Good girl,” he whispers, and my heart skips a beat.
Leia glances at her phone and then at me, and I just know she’s about to make an excuse to leave. She’s the world’s worst liar. “Oh, I need to go,” she says. “My dog got his paws on a roll of toilet paper and TP’ed all of my furniture.”
She says it with such a sorrowful expression that I struggle to bite back a smile. How she comes up with this shit is beyond me.
“You don’t have a—”
“See ya!” she yells, rushing off. I watch her in amusement, my smile melting away when the door closes behind her.
My heart is racing as I turn to face Noah, my nerves getting the best of me. “Boyfriend?” I murmur.
He picks up the screwdriver, his eyes on my prototype. “Yes. You’re mine,” he tells me. I watch him as he leans in and works on my toy, as though he didn’t just say something crazy.
“I… um, what?”
Noah tightens the last of four tiny screws, taking seconds to do what would’ve taken me minutes, his hands far steadier than mine. He sighs as he drops the screwdriver onto the table.
“I’m tired, Amara. I’m tired of fighting this thing between us. I’m tired of missing you. I’m tired of pretending like I’m not completely fucking crazy about you. I’m done. You’re mine, and you know it. Let’s stop pretending like you’re not.”
Noah takes a step closer to me, and my breath hitches. He looks at me, daring me to object, to tell him no. As if I ever would. I want this just as badly as he does.
He smiles when he realizes I’m not going to fight him on this, and my heart skips a beat when he leans in, his hand wrapping into my hair. I instinctively rise to my tiptoes, meeting him halfway. Noah’s lips come crashing down on mine, and I sigh in relief at his touch. I didn’t think I’d ever get to have him this close again.
He tightens his grip on my hair, his touch possessive. A rush of desire runs through me, and I push against him, wanting to be closer to him. Noah pulls away just slightly, smiling against my lips. “You’re mine,” he whispers. “Say it.”
I tilt my head, capturing his bottom lip between my teeth, punishing him for teasing me, for withholding more of his touch. “I’m yours, Noah. I’ve been yours since the day I walked into your office.”
He cups my cheek, his eyes on mine. “I’m in love with you,” he whispers. “I’m so fucking crazy about you. I love you, Amara.”
My eyes widen, and a smile spreads across my face. “I love you more.”
Noah shakes his head. “Impossible.”
“Take me home with you and I’ll show you,” I whisper.
Noah chuckles and nods as he pulls away, his hand slipping down my arm until our fingers are entwined. We’re both smiling as he leads me out of the lab, my hand in his. I didn’t think I’d get to do this ever again. I didn’t think I’d ever again get to walk around with my hand in his.
“Thank you,” I tell him as he leads me to his car.
Noah frowns, confused, and I smile.
“Thank you for doing what I didn’t have the courage to do. I’ve missed you too, Noah. I’ve thought of you every single second since I walked away, wondering how it could possibly be the right decision when it felt so wrong.”
He twists me around and presses me against his car, his arms on either side of me. “I’ll never let you go again,” he says, his eyes blazing. “No more games. No caving to pressure from your family. No denying what’s between us. You’re mine.”
I smile and lean in for a kiss. “So, I guess that makes me your girlfriend?”
He laughs and meets me halfway, his lips finding mine. “That sounds too juvenile to describe how I feel about you. You’re so much more than that… but for now I’ll settle for being your boyfriend.”
He smirks before kissing me, his hands moving over my body with the same need I’m feeling. Something this good can’t be wrong. I’ve been miserable since walking away, but I’m done being scared. I want this with him.
This. This thing between us. It’s worth fighting for.
