Page 8

Fiona

I don’t know why I’m still hoping.

Yesterday was painful enough. Every minute I spent behind that desk, staring at the door, waiting for Noah to walk in, was like a little stab to the heart. And then when he finally did show up, I couldn’t even look at him. I didn’t let myself. If I did, it would’ve made everything harder.

Noah’s a dream I can’t have. That’s just the cold, hard truth of it. He’s a drifter, a man who lives on the road and can’t stay in one place for too long. He fixed his bike, and that means he’s as good as gone. It’s only a matter of time before he’s out of this town, out of my life, and onto the next.

If I let myself hope for more—if I let my heartbeat for him like it wants to—I’ll never recover.

I knew it when I saw him in the office yesterday, leaning against the counter with that casual, confident posture of his. I knew that if I opened myself up to him, if I let him get any closer, I’d be signing up for heartbreak. It was hard enough keeping my distance, shutting him down with that stupid excuse about a headache. But what else could I do? Smile at him? Flirt like nothing happened? Give him any reason to stick around longer?

No. I couldn’t. I have to protect myself.

Even if it hurts like hell.

I spend most of my shift today moping, trying to stay busy, but it’s pointless. My mind keeps drifting back to Noah. How his eyes locked on mine, how his voice deepened when he spoke to me. It all comes rushing back in waves, each one harder to push away than the last.

He doesn’t come by today. Not once. Part of me feels relieved, like maybe I did the right thing by cutting things off before they went any further. But another part—the louder part—aches at his absence.

If it weren’t for the fact that his name was still on the list at the front desk, I’d have thought he’d already hit the road. Maybe that would’ve been better. If he left without saying goodbye, maybe it would be easier to get over him. At least then I wouldn’t have to face him, wouldn’t have to pretend like my heart wasn’t breaking into a thousand pieces.

It’s pathetic, really. We barely know each other,, and here I am, acting like I’ve lost the love of my life. But that’s the thing about Noah. He makes you feel everything all at once. There’s no easing into it with him. It’s like being thrown headfirst into a storm, and now I’m standing in the wreckage, wondering what the hell I was thinking.

When my shift finally ends, Marianne, with her perpetually sour face, comes to take over. She gives me her usual gruff greeting, and I just nod, trying not to let her see how disappointed I am. I shouldn’t care that Noah didn’t come by. I shouldn’t. But that doesn’t stop the sinking feeling in my chest as I gather my things and head out the door.

The evening air is cool, a gentle breeze lifting the loose strands of hair from my face as I step outside. My eyes immediately flick toward the parking lot, half-expecting—no, half- hoping —to see Noah. But I know better by now. He’s probably already gone. Maybe that’s for the best. Maybe I’ll finally be able to get over him if he’s not here, tempting me every time I look out the damn window.

But then, I see him.

He’s leaning against his motorcycle, arms crossed over his broad chest, the fading sunlight catching on the dark strands of his hair. My heart stutters in my chest, and for a second, I wonder if I’m imagining him. If maybe my desperation has conjured him up like some cruel joke.

But no. He’s real. He’s here.

And he’s waiting for me.

My steps falter as I approach, my stomach twisting into nervous knots. He looks so damn handsome standing there, like he’s walked right out of one of my fantasies. But this isn’t a dream. It’s real, and that only makes it worse. Because I know this has to be goodbye.

He’s leaving. Of course, he’s leaving.

I force myself to keep walking, even though every instinct is screaming at me to turn around and run the other way. I stop a few feet away from him, my voice catching in my throat.

“Hey,” I manage to say, though it comes out quieter than I intended.

Noah’s eyes meet mine, and there’s something in them—something deep and unreadable—that makes my pulse quicken. For a moment, he just stares at me, and I wonder if he’s as conflicted as I am. But then he pushes off the bike, taking a step closer.

“I’ve got something to say,” he says, his voice low and serious. “And it’s going to be hard, but I need you to let me get it all out before you say anything.”

My stomach sinks. This is it. This is the moment where he tells me it was all just a fling, that I’m just another stop on his journey, another face in the crowd. I nod, bracing myself for the heartache that’s about to hit.

“Okay,” I whisper, my hands trembling at my sides. “I’m listening.”

Noah takes a deep breath, like he’s steeling himself for what’s about to come next. And then he looks me straight in the eyes, and the intensity in his gaze nearly knocks me off my feet.

“You’ve been the only thing on my mind since I stepped foot in that dirty-ass motel,” he starts, his words hitting me like a freight train. “I know I don’t have a lot to offer. I’m a bounty hunter, Fiona. I travel from place to place, chasing after bad guys, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the kind of man who wants to put down roots somewhere.”

He pauses, and my heart twists painfully in my chest.

“I’ll never be the guy who wants the house with the white picket fence, the settled life. I’ll never stop chasing adventure. But I know one thing for sure.” His eyes lock onto mine, and I can’t look away. “No adventure is worth it to me if you’re not there next to me.”

I blink, trying to process what he just said. It doesn’t make sense. He’s leaving, isn’t he? He’s not supposed to be saying these things. He’s not supposed to be offering me this. Offering us .

Before I can even begin to wrap my head around it, he reaches behind him and pulls out something bulky and bright—something that catches the light as he holds it out toward me.

A hot pink motorcycle helmet.

I stare at it, completely dumbfounded. My heart’s racing, my mind’s spinning, and I don’t know what to say.

“If you’re willing to put up with me,” Noah continues, his voice softer now, almost vulnerable, “if you’re willing to take on life with me, I don’t want to leave this town without you.”

Tears well up in my eyes, and I blink them back, feeling a rush of emotions so overwhelming that I can hardly breathe. He’s offering me a way out. He’s offering me him —all of him. The road, the adventure, the unknown.

And I want it. I want him. I want it all.

I reach out, my fingers brushing against the helmet as I look up at him, tears streaming down my cheeks now. But they’re not tears of sadness. They’re tears of relief. Of joy. Of something I never thought I’d get.

“I—” My voice cracks, and I have to clear my throat before I can continue. “I want nothing more than to go with you.”

Noah’s face softens, a slow smile spreading across his lips as he pulls me into his arms, holding me close. And then he kisses me, deep and passionate, like he’s pouring every ounce of feeling he has into that one moment.

The world around us fades away, and all I can think about is the feel of his lips on mine, the warmth of his body against me, the way my heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I didn’t even know I needed.

The kiss deepens, and before I know it, we’re tangled up in each other, our hands roaming, our breaths coming faster. The heat between us is undeniable, and for a moment, I wonder if we’re about to lose ourselves right here in the parking lot.

But then Noah pulls back, his forehead resting against mine as he catches his breath.

“You sure about this?” he asks, his voice rough, his eyes searching mine. “You sure you want to put up with me?”

I nod, my heart still pounding in my chest. “Yeah,” I whisper. “I’m more than sure.”

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I know that everything is going to be okay. Because no matter where the road takes us, I’m not going to be alone.

I’m going to be with him.

“Could you take me back to your room? There’s something I want to do.” My body is on fire with need and I know there’s only one person who can put this inferno out.

“Of course,” he say, and the way his eyes darken tells me he knows exactly what it is I want.

“Let me take you into my humble abode,” he says, reaching into the pocket of the jacket I’m wearing and pulling out the motel keys I gave him earlier in the week. That seems like it was an entire lifetime ago now.

I follow him up to his door, waiting as patiently as I can for him to let us in. The door creaks open, and he grabs my wrist to pull me in behind him. I drop my helmet when he pulls me into a heated kiss, pushing my back against the door as he closes it.

I gasp into his mouth and wrap my arms around his neck. He responds with a growl, pushing himself completely against my body. I shudder at the promise of more to come.

While he’s kissing me, swiping the tip of his tongue across the seam of my lips, his hands slide down over my sides. His fingertips gently prod the curve of my waist before he grips my hips. Then, as if he’s trying to control himself, he tightens his hands.

That won’t do. I want him to lose control. I want him to take everything he wants from me.

“The bed,” I say, my words muffled by his mouth still hot and heavy against mine.

“You want to take this to the bed?” Noah asks, pulling back and looking at me with lust-blown eyes. When I nod, he chuckles darkly and kisses me again. “That can be arranged.”

He scoops me up, his hands cupping the swell of my ass. I squeak into his mouth, maintaining the kiss as best I can through the surprise. He carries me across the small room, gently settling me onto the mattress when we reach it.

“I’m going to undress you now,” he says, leaning over me and peppering my face with kisses before standing up straight.

He starts at the front of my pants, unbuttoning them and pulling down the zipper. He takes his time pulling them down my legs. The action in and of itself is like an act of foreplay. It’s so indulgent, and I’m not sure if it’s for him or me. I find that I like it more if he’s doing it for himself.

“Sit up for me,” he says when he drops the garment to the floor. When I dutifully do as he says, he praises, “That’s it, baby.”

My face gets hot as he slips his jacket from my shoulders. His touch grazes my arms, raising goosebumps in his wake. The leather pools around my waist, but his hands remain on mine. After a beat, he shifts to the hem of my shirt. As he slides it up my body, I lift my arms to allow him to remove it from my body.

“God,” he groans, staring down at me in nothing but my lacy bra and panties. “You’re so fucking perfect, Fiona. I can’t believe I get to have you.”

“I want you to have all of me,” I say, my eyes falling closed as he hooks his fingers in the waistband of my panties. “All the time.”

In a quick movement, Noah gets rid of my panties and kisses me hard. After a few seconds, I feel his hands on the clasp of my bra. He takes it off of my body with his mouth still attached to mine.

When he pulls away, I feel completely exposed, like I have no power here. I find myself liking it even more than I did last time. I think some of it has to do with the fact that he’s still completely clothed while I’m laid bare.

“Take yours off, too,” I say, my voice coming out weaker than I’d like. It firmly places him in control, with me making feeble requests of him.

It doesn’t matter how small asking makes me feel, Noah obliges. In contrast to how slowly he disrobed me, he undresses quickly. He practically rips his shirt over his head, revealing a broad chest with toned muscles rippling just under his skin. Before I can reach out and touch like I want to so badly, he’s going for his belt.

I watch in rapture as he reveals his large cock – half-hard and growing harder under my gaze. That’s going inside me, even though I don’t have any idea of how it’s going to fit. Even when I put it in my mouth, I could barely get my lips around it.

“You’ve already seen it,” he says, leaning back over me and following me up the mattress. “You still seem so surprised, though.”

“I don’t know how you’re going to fit,” I say, the blush from my cheeks spreading down my entire body. “You’re so… big.”

“You’re just flattering me,” he snarks, leaning down to kiss the side of my neck. “You’ve never seen anyone else’s before.”

“Maybe not in person,” I murmur, my voice wavering as he scrapes his teeth along my clavicle.

“You dirty little thing,” he chuckles, continuing to kiss further down, stopping over my breast. His hot breath distracting me.

“N-no,” I gasp when his mouth closes over the nub. “I took anatomy in school.”

“Mhm,” he hums against my body, not giving me any sort of chance to recover.

As he sucks at the sensitive nub, his hand trails up the inside of my thigh. The only thing I’m able to do is quiver beneath him. Then, when he’s pleased with the work he’s done on one side, he moves onto the other. The entire time, the hand between my legs continues to crawl further up.

I’m so absorbed in the way his tongue feels as it circles around my nipple that I’m not ready when his fingertip runs through my wet folds. It’s divine, and coupled with the stimulation of his mouth, it feels like this might be enough to push me over the edge. That isn’t what I want, though. It isn’t what I need.

“More,” I moan, unable to articulate exactly what I desire. “Please, Noah.”

“So eager for me to fuck you,” he chuckles, slipping a finger inside my pussy as if to punctuate his point. “I’ll stop teasing you, sweetheart.”

With that, he removes his fingers, leaving me empty and aching. Then, when he dips down, kissing me hard, I feel the tip of his cock against my opening. Slowly, as his tongue slips past my lips and swipes against my teeth, he presses in.

“Oh,” I gasp, breathless from how full I am.

“Tell me how it feels,” he tells me, watching my face for reactions to his intrusion.

“It’s so big, just like I thought it would be,” I manage to say after a few seconds.

My head swims. I can’t breathe. It’s even better than I could have imagined. It takes me some time to adjust to his girth. While I get used to him, he kisses me slowly and indulgently, providing me a distraction. When his hips start to twitch involuntarily, I nudge him away from my mouth.

“Move, Noah,” I say. “I’m ready.”

With a growl, he pulls his hips back before thrusting them back in with an unforgiving force. I can’t help but cry out in absolute pleasure. It shouldn’t feel so good, I think vaguely. But it does. It feels incredible.

It doesn’t take Noah long to work himself up to a steady roll and rhythm. I’m left to ride the waves, and it’s more than I ever could have asked for. Without any instruction from me, he knows exactly what I want, exactly what my body needs.

“You’re so tight,” he murmurs into my ear, his thumbs stroking the side of my face. “And so wet.”

I moan, unable to string together a proper response. I’m too overwhelmed by how good this feels to say anything. All I’m able to do is let him give me unrelenting ecstasy with his cock. From the low noises coming from deep inside of his chest, he’s more than happy to give me this.

My nails dig into the strong muscles on his back. They twitch underneath my touch, imbuing me with power despite my clearly passive role in this. I rock up into him, causing his length to hit a spot inside of me that makes stars blossom behind my eyelids.

I feel my sex flutter around Noah’s member. It’s completely involuntary, a sign of my impending orgasm creeping up on me. Noah feels it too, and responds by picking up his pace and latching onto a spot on my neck.

The feeling is all too much. I feel my body going over the edge without my permission. I gasp, the air punched out of me. My being tingles with pleasure as he continues to plow into me. I hear him groan, the noise sounding muted like I’m underwater.

As he collapses next to me, he pulls me on top of him and I lay there sprawled across his chest. The world clicks into place for me and for the first time in my life, I finally feel like I’m home.