Page 114 of After All This Time

My heart is beating fast like a race car driver driving in the Daytona 500, anticipating his answer.

“This.” He points to us, using his index fingers on both hands.

“You need to be more specific.”

He wets his lips, pressing them together. “Do I really?”

“You really do.”

His jaw twitches, his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. “I’ve had more fun with you this past month than I have with anyone in a long time.”

How is it that Noah Kaplan has this incredible ability to take my breath away with just the words that come out of his mouth?

I change the subject because I have no idea how to respond to what he said to me. “I snuck some fresh blankets on the bed in the guest room.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Anytime. I’ll be here. All day and all night just for your hospitality needs,” I say as I curtsy for him.

That gets a laugh out of him, causing me to laugh with him.

I don’t think I’ve laughed this much with anyone except for Dad. He knew how to make me laugh. He told the best Dad jokes. They were so bad that they were good.

I miss him so much.

“Well, time to get back to work. Then, I’m going to sleep. My brain might shrink down to nothing if I don’t. That would suck.” He smiles at me.

“Guess I should get back to my editing cave too.”

He starts walking into the living room, turning back around to face me. “Hey, Dani.”

“Yes, Noah.”

“Hope you get a lot of editing done.” He winks, smirking at me in the process.

I’m restraining myself from running into his arms and kissing him so hard his lips bleed slightly from me pulling on them with my teeth.

Pull yourself together, woman.

“Thanks.”

I walk into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

How am I going to focus on editing when Noah’s not even a foot away from me?

The kitchen is farther away, and so is the living room.

He’s doing this shit on purpose to test me and my hormone levels.

Thank God I’m not on my period.

I bend my elbows and clench my fists. Closing my eyes, I breathe in and out multiple times in a row.

Time to dive back into the editing cave.

My fingers are finally working their magic, typing all the words that are flowing out of my brain.

Although the story I’m writing isn’t as taxing as what’s unfolded over the past month here, it does have moments of emotional intensity.

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