Page 175 of After All This Time

“We were beginning to think you guys weren’t coming. Are you okay, Noah Bear? Lizzie told me what happened.”

He goes in for a hug before coming back to stand next to me.

“I’m fine because I had my little helper with me.” His hand hardcore squeezes my ass, making me jump.

“Everything okay, sweetheart?” Mom asks me.

I give him a death stare and turn my head back around to meet Mom’s gaze.

“Just peachy.” I give Mom and Laura a fake smile and thumbs up.

Our moms walk into Lizzie’s room.

“Are you guys coming?” Laura looks at both of us, waiting for an answer.

I nod. “Yeah, just give us a minute.”

He’s in so much trouble.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

noah

We’re standing in front of the wall near my sister’s hospital room.

Dani looks like she’s going to murder me. Lucky for me, she doesn’t have her giant flashlight in her hand right now to kill me with.

She hits me below my shoulder. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

My eyes grow wide. “Sorry, my hand spazzed out.”

Sticking my tongue partially out, I burst out into laughter.

“Bullshit.” She crosses her arms underneath her breasts, reminding me I’ve seen them bare.

In fact, I’ve seen her naked body. Getting hard as I keep thinking about it. Don’t fucking go there, man.

She looks down at the bulge growing in my shorts, her mouth hanging partially open. “What the hell is turning you on right now?”

“You!” I raise my voice.

“Keep your voice down,” she says quietly, her jaw vibrating and placing her hands on her hips. “How? I’m not even doing anything.”

“It’s the Danielle Solomon effect, remember?”

I’m not telling her I’m picturing her wet, naked body in my head. Why the hell would I do that? That’s too weird.

“Right.” She shakes her head, flattening her kissable pink lips.

She walks into Lizzie’s room with me trailing behind her.

Lizzie’s face is essentially a blank canvas. “Look who finally decided to show up.”

I open my mouth to talk first. “We told you we were going to be running late, genius.”

“I’m fucking with you, shithead.” Lizzie’s eyes land on Mom and she points to us with both of her index fingers. “They’re taking me home.”

“We’re relieving you of Lizzie duty,” I tell Mom. “Dani and I will meet you back at the house. Celia, can you take my mom home?”

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