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With a deep sigh, he turned abruptly, heading in the direction of the door. As he did, he just missed slamming into Catherine Moore, once again avoiding a potential catastrophe.
She laughed warmly, her voice low and seductive. “You saved me again, Noah Stallion!”
Noah’s smile widened. “It does look that way, Catherine.”
“Please, call me Cat. Only strangers call me Catherine.”
“You look beautiful tonight, Cat,” he said as his gaze skated the length of her body.
She wore a knee-length skirt with a yoked waist with tightly pulled gathered material and a full ruffled petticoat beneath it. The color was dark granite partnered with a tailored white blouse and platform pumps in a bright floral pattern on a black background. Her look was stylish and sexy.
She smiled. “Thank you.” She narrowed her gaze on his face. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He nodded. “I think I’ve had my fill of memory lane trips for tonight.”
She nodded but said nothing as she stood staring at him. There was a heated wave of energy that surged between them. Her gaze was intoxicating, and Noah felt his body reacting. He took a deep breath and held it for a brief moment before letting it out slowly.
“I’m actually headed back to the hotel myself,” she said. “Why don’t you join me? We can grab a drink in the hotel’s bar and catch up without all the noise.”
Noah’s gaze was still connected with hers. He suddenly felt like a snake being charmed. He nodded, completely possessed. “I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
Catherine smiled. “The girls are riding home in the limo. I’ll grab my purse. We can take your car, if you don’t mind.” Her tone was commanding as she turned on her high heels and disappeared back into the gym.
* * *
Camille and Crystal tossed each other a look as Catherine rushed back toward the table.
“Where are you going?” Camille questioned as Catherine grabbed her leather handbag and guzzled down the last of her drink.
“Back to the hotel.”
Crystal looked toward the entrance where Noah Stallion stood staring in their direction. “Are you going alone?” she asked, her expression all knowing.
Catherine grinned. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I’m not.”
Her two friends both shook their heads, amusement painting their expressions.
“It’s about time,” Crystal said. “I was starting to think that all you two were going to do was stare at each other all night long.”
Camille nodded in agreement. “I can’t believe he’s still that shy. Are you sure something’s not wrong with him? I mean, you have been known to date really good-looking men that have actually turned out to be complete freaks. Wasn’t one of your exes a serial killer?”
“He’s not that shy and he’s not a freak,” Catherine answered, “and you know darn well I have never dated a serial killer.” She leaned to hug and kiss one and then the other. “I’ll call you later.”
“I know I don’t need to give you my ‘practice safe sex’ speech, right?” Crystal asked as she hugged her friend back.
Catherine laughed. “I think I’ve got this handled.”
Camille laughed. “Girl, bye! Just go have fun!”
Tossing them both one last smile, Catherine headed toward Noah, her excitement practically beating her to his side.
Chapter 4
Minutes later, they were careening down Poplar Grove Boulevard, just six miles from the Hotel Monaco. Catherine had rolled down the window, allowing the cool evening breeze to blow through her hair, the highlighted strands falling past her shoulders. There was a comfortable level of quiet that had settled over them, and neither spoke—no words were needed as they acclimated themselves to the emotion building between them. And something was building, the thickness of it completely intoxicating.
As they waited at a stoplight, she turned toward Noah, the streetlight illuminating her face. There was a halo of sparkle around her head, and Noah thought she had to be the most exquisite female he’d ever known. They both smiled again as they caught each other’s gaze.
“So how long are you in town?” Noah finally asked, breaking the silence.
She shrugged her narrow shoulders. “I’m only here for the weekend. I have to be in Atlanta next week then back in New York.”
“You get around.”
She chuckled softly. “I do,” she said as she shifted her gaze back out the window.
“Is that a good thing?”
She shrugged again. “I never thought about it.”
“How does your fiancé feel about it?”
Her head snapped back in his direction. Her eyebrows lifted in amusement. “My fiancé? What fiancé?”
Noah’s eyes skated in her direction then back to the road. “Someone at the reunion said you were engaged to an artist or something.”
Catherine laughed. The sound was musical, a warm treble that filled the air between them. “I bet it was Crystal or Camille that told that lie. I am not engaged, nor have I ever been married. I don’t even have a steady boyfriend.”
Noah grinned. “Oh,” he said. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Are you really?”
He shook his head. “No.”
She laughed again, and he laughed with her.
As he pulled into a parking spot in front of the hotel they kept eyeing each other, grinning foolishly. Noah felt like he was seventeen all over again. Moving into the lobby, Catherine led the way toward the hotel bar. Grabbing his hand she pulled him along to a cushioned seat in the corner, gesturing for the bartender as she reluctantly released the hold she had on his fingers. They sat down, facing each other, their bodies close as they shared the seat.
“What’s your poison?” Catherine asked as she shifted forward in her seat.
“I’ll take a beer. Corona with a twist of lime.”
“I’ll have a glass of white wine,” she said to the young man who’d come to take their orders.
She sat back as she rested her arm atop the seat’s back and leaned her head on her hand. She lifted her leg so that her knee was lightly pressed against the side of his upper thigh. Her touch was heated, and Noah felt himself break out into a sweat.
She lifted her eyes to stare at him. “So tell me what you’ve been doing since we graduated, Noah Stallion.”
Noah chuckled. “Do you want me to recap the highlights of my résumé or give you the whole spiel?”
“I don’t want your résumé. I know what you’ve accomplished in your professional life, remember? I want to hear about your personal life. I want to know if the guy voted best personality and most likely to marry a supermodel ever did.”
His head moved from side to side, a slight blush warming his complexion as he laughed. He ran a hand over his freshly shaven head. The gesture drew her attention, and Catherine stared.
Noah Stallion had grown into himself. Gone was that baby-faced high-school student. His chiseled features had matured nicely. His eyes were dark pools, his nose almost too perfect and he had the most luscious lips of any man Catherine had ever known. They were full, like thick pillows, and she couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like pressed against hers. She heard herself gasp out loud, suddenly embarrassed that she’d been staring so wantonly.
“What is it?” Noah asked, meeting the look she was giving him.
She shook her head, desperate to suddenly shake the rise of emotion from her. “Nothing. I was just waiting to hear about you.”
“You were staring.”
“I was.”
“Why were you staring at me?”
She blinked as he eyed her curiously. “Get over it, please. I did it, it was rude, but I’m not going to explain it or apologize for it.”
Their gazes held, and then Noah laughed again.
His deep chortle moved her to giggle. He suddenly reached out his hand to brush a lock of hair from her face. His touch was gentle and easy, like a cool breeze on a summer night. Catherine felt a tingle of heat waft through her, moving her to hold her breath.
Noah finally answered her question. “There’s really nothing to tell. I’ve been focused on my career. And no, I never married. I have no children and no drama in my life other than things my siblings manage to get themselves into. And now, here we are.”
She nodded. “Here we are.”
Noah took his own deep breath. “So tell me about you. About your personal life when you weren’t building a multi-million-dollar empire.”
“Doing that didn’t leave me much time for anything else.” She let out a low sigh.
“Do you regret it?” Noah asked, noting the expression that crossed her face.
She shook her head. “Not at all. I still have time. It’s not like I’m that old.”
“That’s true.”
“Do you regret not having a family yet?”
Noah pondered the question. He’d never really given it any thought. He’d been taking care of people since he’d been a boy. Truth be told it was really all he knew. Being the oldest, he’d always been responsible for his younger brothers and sisters. He’d stepped in to do what their wayward father had refused to do and what his mother hadn’t been able to do by her lonesome. He didn’t miss not having kids because he felt like he’d already raised four of them. But he did miss companionship and having a partner by his side to share his life with.
He met the curious look she was giving him. “I guess regret is not the right word. I wish things were different but the right woman just never came along.”
“Until now?” Catherine’s eyes were wide, her brazen remark surprising them both.
He laughed, his gaze narrowing slightly. “You never know.”
Her smile was wide and bright, warming his spirit. “Noah Stallion, I do believe you are blushing!” she exclaimed, trying to deflect the attention back on him.
“I’m sure I am. I’m not use to a woman putting me on the spot like that.”
“Oh, yes, you are. I’m sure women put you on the spot all the time.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you’re an easy target. I don’t think you realize...” She paused, biting down against her bottom lip as she searched for the right words to explain herself.
“Realize what?” Noah persisted.
“I don’t think you realize the power you have with women. You’re the whole package. You’re intelligent, good-looking, well-rounded, good-looking, kind, good-looking...”
Noah laughed, a wave of embarrassment flushing his face. “I got the good-looking.”
“And that’s my point. You don’t see what women do so you’re not full of yourself or arrogant, and that makes you even more desirable. I bet half the time you don’t even know when women are hitting on you.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I don’t.”
“Which leaves you blushing a lot, I’m sure.”
“So, are you hitting on me?” His expression was just shy of smug.
She smiled, meeting his gaze evenly, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she took a slow sip of her drink. The look she gave him made Noah laugh heartily. She changed the subject.
“I was sorry to hear about your mother passing,” she said, her tone soft.
“Thank you.” Their gazes locked for a moment before Noah dropped his eyes to the space of sofa between them.
“Is your father still living?”
Noah shrugged his broad shoulders. “He is, but we never knew our father. You might know him, though. Nolan Perry?”
Her eyes widened. “Reverend Perry is your father?”
Noah nodded. “The one and only. My mother followed him here to Utah from Texas when she was fifteen. He was the love of her life but he abandoned her and never had anything to do with us kids.”
She pressed a hand against his arm as he continued.
“I went to see him once but he wouldn’t even speak to me.”
“I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
He shrugged again. “It is what it is. I don’t think about it much anymore.”
A look of sadness flashed in his eyes, and Catherine sensed that wasn’t quite true.
“You came from a big family, didn’t you? You had a lot of brothers and sisters, right?”
“Two brothers and two sisters. My brother Nicholas plays football for Los Angeles and his twin, Nathaniel, is an orthopedic surgeon.”
Catherine nodded. “I remember the twins.”
“And then there’s my sister Naomi. She’s a holistic life coach, and my baby sister, Natalie, is a high-fashion model.”
“I don’t remember Natalie but I know Naomi. She and Crystal are good friends. Crystal uses a ton of her hair care products.”
“Naomi’s actually built a very successful organic health care business. I’m very proud of her.”
“I don’t remember you guys socializing much while we were in school.”
Noah shrugged. “We couldn’t afford it. Besides, you and your click weren’t interested in hanging out with us poor kids.”
“That’s not true. I remember we spent a lot of time together after football practice and at the games.”
Noah laughed. “I remember you used to give me a hard time.”
She grinned. “See, I was even hitting on you back then and you didn’t have a clue.”
Noah thought back to the times they’d spent together. Catherine and her friends hadn’t cut him any slack. The teasing had been formidable. A slow smile pulled at his mouth. Back then, Noah didn’t say much but he didn’t run from situations, either. Having the cheerleaders hanging on him had, in some ways, been a badge of honor, giving him favor among his peers. But what he remembered most about that time was that it had taken little for them to leave him hard and wanting. Back then a warm breeze would leave his teenaged body with an erection. Catherine Moore and the cheerleading squad were a warm breeze times ten. He laughed out loud, and Catherine laughed with him.
Before either realized it, they’d been talking for almost two hours. It was almost midnight, the bar had closed and they were still sitting together in the hotel’s lobby, completely enamored with each other. Noah had never told anyone as much about his childhood as he found himself sharing with Catherine. They talked about his family, her parents, their dreams and their fears. They had more in common than not and they made each other laugh. Their conversation was comfortable and easy and Noah imagined that it could have lasted forever without any effort.
“So, what made you want to leave your job?” Catherine asked. “You sound like you really enjoy what you do.”
“I actually haven’t made a decision. I was very flattered that your organization was interested in me but I’m not sure if that’s what I really want for myself.”
“So there’s still a chance that you might not work for Fly High?”
“There is.”
She pondered his statement for a moment. Crystal’s comment days before suddenly popped into her thoughts. She had never before given any consideration to pursuing a relationship with a Fly High employee. But technically, Noah didn’t work for her, and might not ever.
Noah stared intently as she drifted off into thought, his gaze skating over her face as he inhaled her features. Catherine Moore was incredibly beautiful. Her complexion was a warm coffee with much cream and her features were fine and delicate. There was an air of fragility about her, her cover-model looks belying her authoritative personality. It was her strength that he found most attractive. Everything about her moved him like no other woman before her. He found the sensation only slightly unnerving.
She suddenly stood up, turning to stare down at him. A wave of anxiety flitted across her face as she looked him in the eye. “So, either this is going to be a monumental mistake or it’s not.” She took a deep breath and then another, blowing the air out in a loud gust. “I think we have great chemistry, Noah Stallion. And since you don’t work for me yet and I think you and I could be very good together, would you like to come up to my room?” Her hands were clenched in tight fists at her sides, her nervousness blanketing her posture. “And please don’t think this is something I do often, because it’s not,” she said, suddenly feeling like she needed to explain herself. “You’re the first man I’ve ever invited back to my hotel room like this.”
Noah moved onto his feet beside her. He stepped in close, and she gasped, the nearness of him so intense that it drew the oxygen from her lungs. When he eased an arm around her slim waist and pulled her even closer, she thought she might faint. She grabbed the front of his leather jacket to steady herself, her hands grazing his chest.
“What’s going to happen if I do take the job?” he questioned, his voice dropping to a loud whisper. “If we do this, then how...” His voice trailed.
She took another deep breath. Her eyes darted back and forth, purposely trying to avoid his. “We’re both adults. If you do decide to take the job I think we can be mature about the whole thing. I just know that...well...I just know what I’m feeling right now.”
“And what’s that? What are you feeling?”
She finally lifted her eyes to his, falling headfirst into the stare he was giving her. In that moment everything in her head became a muddled mess. Seconds earlier it had all made sense, now it didn’t.
“I... Well...we...” she stammered. Her face was flushed, heat tinting her cheeks a brilliant shade of red.
Noah puller her even closer. Both his hands snaked from the curve of her waist to around her back. She felt amazing in his arms, like she’d been born to be there. He dropped his head slightly, his mouth just millimeters away from hers. His warm breath was teasing and her own lips parted in anticipation. Noah hesitated as he pressed his forehead to hers. Her perfume was light, an airy floral scent that tickled his nostrils. He brushed his cheek against her cheek as he wrapped his arms tightly around her torso, hugging her easily. He whispered, the warmth of his words blowing past her earlobe. “I feel the same way,” he said.
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