Page 29 of Emma and the Elf Next Door

“That sounds good.”

We’re at my front door now and I’m reluctant to let him go. Even if it’s only for a bit.

“I’ll go to mine and freshen up. When do you want me back here?”

I glance between my watch and his lips. “Five minutes?”

His chuckle, so deep and rich, warms me. “How about half an hour?”

“Fine,” I grumble, not letting go of his hand.

He leans me back against my door and brushes his lips over mine. Once, twice, three times, until my lips are tingling. And then he kisses me, softly, tenderly, like someone who never wants to stop kissing me.

“Hmmm.” A small moan escapes me as he pulls away and the smile on his lips as he watches me has my knees trembling.

“I agree,” he says, his voice husky. “I’ll be right back.”

Through smitten eyes, I watch him walk back to his house, only opening my door once he’s disappeared through his.

“Come on, Carly, pick up,” I beg my phone when it rings once without being answered.

“Emma!” Carly appears on my screen like the angel she is. “I’ve been dying over here!”

I sit on my couch, my phone wobbling in my still shaking hands. That was one powerful kiss.

“It’s amazing,” I sigh, tilting my head up to the ceiling and saying a silent thank you prayer.

“What is?” she yells, demanding my attention.

“He is. It all is. We kissed.”

She whoops, doing a happy dance with her hand, the only thing she can move easily now at this stage of her pregnancy.

“I knew you would! How was it?”

“Best. Kiss. Ever.”

Carly looks like she’s going to burst. “Tell me everything!”

I open my mouth to spill when a chuckle on the other side of the wall has it snapping shut.How had I forgotten? He can hear everything!

“Carly, he can hear me…” I whisper, watching her eyes widen with comprehension.

“Yes, he can,” Noah calls back, a smile apparent in his voice. “And he’s dying to hear what you’re about to say next.”

Carly and I gape at each other, for once in our lives speechless.

“Umm,” I stammer, watching my face bloom a violent shade of red on the phone in front of me.

“What she was about to say next, Mr. Elf Next Door,” Carly yells, motioning for me to point the phone towards the wall. “Is that she thinks shemayhave met a nice guy but is waiting for her best friend to give her approval.”

Another chuckle. “Fair enough,” he says, clear as day through the wall. “How about I bake you a cake and we can talk about it?”

My best friend is stunned into silence, and I laugh at her expression. He may not have known it for sure, but Noah had found a direct way to Carly’s approval. And that is straight through her stomach.

“Does that sound OK?” Now his voice is tinged with apprehension and Carly winks at me.

“That sounds fine,” she yells. “Make it a chocolate cake.”

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