Page 79 of Noah's Reckoning

“But it was your career,” I insisted.

He shook his head. “No. Being an engineer is my career. Designing the best drilling rigs on the planet is my career. You though, you’re on a mission. To change the culture and save the planet. You made a nice jump with this move, babe. I figure you’ll need to make a few more to get to where you want to be. As long as the caveat is that I go where you go, I think we’ll be okay.”

I beamed. “You would do that? You would follow me wherever I go.”

“Babe, hello! I’m here, aren’t I?”

It was starting to settle in, the reality of Noah Aikens here with me. I leaned down and kissed him, then kissed him again just because I could.

Then I settled against his chest and thought I never wanted to be anywhere without him again.

“Don’t get comfortable,” he mumbled. “I’ve got to go back and figure out what bastardization of engineering this tin can really is.”

Yes, no worries about putting a caveat in my contract that any energy company who took me on would also have to take on Noah. Just the best ever at what he did.

“Uh, yeah,” I said, getting up. “Not exactly what happens the first time I show up on a rig.”

He slapped my bare ass. “I don’t know about that. This was pretty much what I wanted to do to you when you showed up on my rig for the first time, too.”

I rolled my eyes. “Hardee, har. Let me up.”

Peeling away from him, I glanced around his small quarters and found what I was looking for. He had a washcloth hanging next to his sink. I turned the water on and used the cloth to clean between my legs. Then it occurred to me he was probably freaking out again for not wearing a condom.

“Hey,” I said, not looking at him as I searched for my panties. “You don’t have to worry about sweating it out again. I finally did what I should have done years ago and got on birth control.”

“Shit,” I heard him mutter behind me.

I wiggled into my found panties and snapped into my bra. I turned toward him and he was standing in his boxer briefs, his jeans in his hands, looking mouthwateringly delicious. I’d just had him and already I couldn’t wait until tonight when we could come back here to his quarters and do it again.

Because there would be no sneaking around from this point forward. If any of the men thought I was fair game because I was sleeping with Noah, then they would have to go through him. I was certain that wasn’t going to happen. And because, technically, I was his boss, it’s not like anyone could accuse me of sleeping my way to the top.

Me. Noah. Small bed. Oh yeah, it was going to be a very warm winter off the coast of Scotland.

Then it occurred to me he was scowling about what I’d said.

“What?”

“My plan was to knock you up. Figured you couldn’t shake me loose then.”

My jaw dropped. “Noah! Are you kidding me? After everything we went through.”

He shrugged. “Now I know you want a kid. Had a chance to think about it and thought…yeah. That would work. A little mini us.”

I shook my head, completely dazed by him.

“I love you.”

“I know. You told me,” he said smugly.

We both got dressed and started to make our way to the control room. Over my shoulder I told him, “You know I’m not letting you knock me up until after we’re married. My parents might be hippies, but they are old fashioned that way.”

“Jesus, you’re demanding,” he said as he came up next to me and looped an arm over my shoulder, letting anyone watching us sknow exactly what we were to each other. “Fine. Ring first, babies next. But first, let’s fix this tin can.”

“Yep. I might have a few ideas, too.”

He snorted. “And Imightlisten to you.”

“Noah, I already know you respect my work.”

“That’s when you were an engineer. Now you’re a VP. Pretty much means you’ve forgotten everything I’ve taught you and all you care about are dollar signs.”

“Are you saying we’re back to being on opposite sides of the fight?” I asked him.

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Let’s face it, Liv. We both get hot when we fight.”

I smiled, knowing he was right. “Then let’s start talking aboutmyideas.”

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