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“Perks of knowing this place,” I chuckle. “No one comes here. Everyone frequents the balcony on the front.”

Noel turns to me. Against the moonlight, he looks so magical that my fingers twitch slightly, wishing I had a pen with me to draw a sketch. I need to ingrain this onto my memory and then put it to paper later. I haven’t drawn anything or anyone in ages. The last one to stir that interest in me was Emil, but ever since he passed, I just didn’t feel the motivation or the muse anymore.

The fact that Noel does that to me, so suddenly, is unexpected. I was intrigued by Sterling’s paintings, but I know better than to insert myself too much into an artist’s muse. However, meeting Noel in person changed everything. I was expecting to meet a melancholic young man, but instead I met someone fierce, sassy, and slightly mysterious. He pulled me in from the moment I talked to him.

“What are you thinking about?” Noel asks me, curiosity in his voice.

“I was thinking about how I need to draw this moment.”

“What, me here?”

“Yes,” I say. “It’s truly magical. You are beautiful.”

Noel’s whole face seems to heat up, his cheeks turning pink, as do the tips of his ears. “How can you say that without sounding weird?!”

I shrug. “Because it’s true.”

Noel stares at me like I have lost my mind. I can’t help but find him so adorable when he is confused. I take his face between my hands. “Certainly, you have heard that before?”

“No,” he says. “Well, I have had my ass complimented a couple of times, but only if someone wanted to get into my pants. But usually no one sounds sincere when they say nice things.”

“And I? Do I sound sincere?”

“You do, and that’s so fucking confusing.”

I don’t loosen my grip on his face, but instead pull him closer, until our lips brush against each other.

“You are not toying with me, are you?” he asks, his voice so small it pulls at my heartstrings.”

“I would never toy with anyone, let alone you,” I say.

“Okay, because I pretty much like you.”

“It makes me happy to hear that, because I like you too.” I don’t know the last time I told someone I liked them. Emil. I loved Emil and told him so. He was the only one I ever said ‘I love you’ to. But even back then, the words barely left my lips, and until now, I usually don’t tell anyone I like them. With my hand at the back of his head, I tilt it up slightly before claiming his lips. Noel's fingers dig into my suit, holding onto me while he answers my kiss, almost hungrily so. I brush my thumb over his chin before gripping it to keep him in place, my teeth grazing his bottom lip.

Noel gapes, allowing my tongue to push past his lips. For a moment, we battle for dominance, until he just seems to melt in my arms.

Fuck, that’s hot!

I loosen the grip on his chin and move my hand down to his ass, squeezing it through his soft pants.

Then my phone vibrates.

“Damn it,” I mutter.

Noel draws back slightly, his lips damp and his pupils dilated. I don’t know what I would have done if my phone didn’t distract me, but I am sure it wouldn’t have stayed at just kissing him. I put my arm around him to pull him against my body before I take my phone out of my pocket.

The name popping up makes me frown.

“Work?” Noel asks me.

“No, Kayden,” I mutter more to myself than to him. Raising my gaze, I can see something flash in his eyes. He looks hurt all of a sudden, and once more anxious. Right, I should probably clarify. “He is one of my brothers.”

Noel turns red. It’s endearing how easy it is to read his expression. I switch my phone to silent, putting it back into my pocket. Noel looks at me curiously, but doesn’t push for answers. Instead, he keeps casting me glances. It seems like he wants to say something, but the minutes pass by without him saying one thing.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” I ask instead.

He lets out a frustrated sigh. “It’s going to sound pathetic and weird, or creepy and pathetic, or—”