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It builds and builds until an orgasm hits that has black patches at the corners of my vision. Belly sore and voice hoarse from screams I didn’t even know I was making, Noah finally pauses long enough for me to catch my breath. “Oh god. Oh my god.”

I’m shaking and the strangest urge to giggle bubbles up until I can hardly contain it.

“Mmm, better now?” He kisses my inner thigh softly.

I nod. “So much better. Just what the doctor ordered. But what about you?”

He shushes me, climbing onto the bed and pulling me into his arms. I’m too floppy and dazed to protest anymore, so I curl up at his side and let him stroke my hair until my eyelids are drifting closed. Which is ridiculous, because it’s the middle of the afternoon and I’ve done practically nothing but lie in bed all day.

Noah’s quiet for a while. When he still makes no move to continue, I blink open my eyes and look up at him. “Is everything OK?”

His hand on my hair stills. At that moment he shifts back to his human form, his skin changing from the pretty blue-green hue to the light tan of a guy who spends his free time in the sun. “Is this—am I hurting you, Olivia?”

“I—” I don’t know what to tell him. Is he asking about my pussy? My gut says it’s deeper than that.

Noah scowls. “I guess that’s my answer.”

“No. It’s not like that, I just…” I look away, unable to hold eye contact, and consider confessing the feelings I’ve definitely beendeveloping. He said it was against the rules. I’m sure if I tell him I’ll miss him when I leave Australia, he’ll call it quits now. But I can’t face lying to him.

“I might have broken the rules just a little bit,” I tell him eventually, still not able to make eye contact.

A gentle hand at my chin encourages me to look up at him again. “What do you mean, Olivia?”

There’s something so intense in his gaze. A need there I can’t put words to. For a moment it looks almost as if he’s feeling a little like I’m feeling now, desperate to hear the words I know won’t be said. To know that he cares. “Well, I know you said you don’t do feelings, but I can’t help it. I actually like you.” My eyes skate away from his again and this time he lets me.

I sit and tuck my knees up into my chest, unable to bear the incredible moment of vulnerability any longer.

Then he shocks me again by rubbing a hand over his face and saying, “Yeah. Me too. I mean I actually like you.”

I’m staring. My heart pounds against the base of my throat and my palms are sweaty. “You do?”

Noah lets out a little laugh. “I know. Wild, huh? I don’t like anyone very much. Myself included, but I like you, Olivia Zeston, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” The words burst from me. Thoughtless as an ocean breeze, wishful and stupid. Of course he will. Or I will, because I don’t want to stop.

“I think you’re full of shit.” His sardonic look twists the truth out of me.

“OK, look. It’s true. It will hurt when it’s time to say goodbye, but here’s the thing. It would hurt just as much if that’s today or a week from now or months from now.” God, imagine months of this. I think I will be completely and utterly in love with him after months of wicked grins from over the top of my pussy or thoughtful caresses when he thinks I’m asleep.

“Hmm.” Noah sighs. “So you’re saying I’ve already hurt you?”

“Maybe it can’t be helped.” I can’t stand the dejected look on his face. My lower lip trembles and tears threaten to well in my eyes, so I blink them back. “But you’ve also given me so much.”

He scoffs.

I take his hands in mine, willing him to believe me. “I would never have thought I’d find this kind of passion and kindness. Not in a million years. You’re only a friend and you already treat me a hundred times better than Justin ever did.”

He curses. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? That guy is a piece of work, but, Olivia, you deserve better. So much better.”

“I know.” I squeeze his hands. “I know because you showed me. And now I won’t settle for less. And I have you to thank for that.”

“Stop being nice to me, Zeston.”

“I’m not. I’m being honest.”

Noah sighs. “I know you are. You’re always honest with me. That’s one of the things that makes it so fucking hard not to like you. So what do you want to do? You have to tell me, or I’ll just keep taking and taking. I won’t be able to stop myself.”

The raw need in his voice makes my pussy give a tired flutter. “I don’t think you will. I think you’ll keep pretending to be a bad guy when you’re really the knight in shining armor.”