Page 37 of Stay With Me
“Okay, off to brush your teeth and braid your hair. Grab a new water bottle if you’d like one. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be in bed soon,” I tell her as I stand.
“Sleep good, pip-squeak,” Noah tells her.
I watch her as she goes down the hallway. “Do you think it’s weird how she asked that question?” I ask Noah quietly.
“Which question?” he asks.
“If they’ll still like her when they get to know her?”
“No, I think that’s a valid question. I think it’s a normal thing to think about as a kid.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
He pulls me into his chest. “Hey, I promise, if I thought something was off about the question, I would tell you. But if it makes you feel better, we can talk to the therapist about it. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” I say, tilting my head back to meet his eyes.
“Now, I’m going to give you a good night kiss so you can head to bed because I hear you have a new romance book to start for your book of the month with the girls.”
My jaw drops, and my cheeks heat. “How… how do you know about the book we’re reading this month?” I ask.
He shrugs with one shoulder. “The guys talk about the book of the month and read it themselves, but I don’t think the girls know.”
I just blink at him because we didn’t know about that. He brings a hand up to my jaw and pushes it closed, then slides it back through my hair, angling my head the way he wants. My heart rate picks up as he lowers his face to mine, and my eyes flutter shut as his lips connect with mine.
It’s like all my worries fade away, but my heart races like I’m running outside. As I start to open my mouth slightly to deepen the kiss, he pulls away, and I feel the loss.
With a quick kiss on my lips, he looks at me and says, “Not while Jess is up. Plus, I’m not ready, and I know you aren’t either.”
I just nod because he’s right. I’m not ready.
“You need to head to bed, or I’m going to take you to bed with me,” he says and taps me on my butt, slightly pushing me in the direction of the hallway.
I look over my shoulder at him, thinking I kind of like the idea of going to his bed.
“Don’t look at me like that. Go to the spare bedroom, my Lunabella, and sleep well.” He groans and adjusts himself.
I giggle. “Good night, Noah. Sleep well.”
Turning to walk down the hall, I’ve never felt more for someone in my whole life, and I think I like this feeling.
My smile drops when I see Jess sitting on the bed with her reading light. I don’t know if this feeling is something I can explore or if we’ll have to leave and start somewhere new to stay hidden from The Family.
EIGHTEEN
Luna
Ichecktheclockfor what seems like the hundredth time this hour and go back to scrubbing the counter-top. It’s been a week since dinner with our friends, and Noah let me know last night that tonight, Sam is going to watch Jess so we can go on our first date.
Earlier this week, Noah asked me what my ideal first date would be.
I froze.
I didn’t know what to say because dating was never something I thought about since The Family just told the women who they would marry. When I told him I wasn’t sure but wanted something quiet and just the two of us, he told me he would take care of the rest.
I talked to the girls about the date, but I still don’t know what to expect other than we’re going to have a low-key picnic for dinner and watch a movie.
“If you scrub any harder, dear, you might be able to see into the cabinets below soon,” Ann says as she walks in.
