Page 15 of Falling for Fury
“Sex personified?” he repeats. “Not entitled, just... a desire.”
“Is that really all you got from what I said?”
“You’re right, you don’t owe me anything. And perhaps I am being persistent, and it is borderline creepy. But I can’t get you out of my head and it is driving me crazy. And then I run into you again and it just feels like… well, I just want a chance to talk, to apologize for being weird every time we have run into each other, and to get to know you without the wall of anger you surround yourself in,” he deadpans. His face is no longer in a smirk, but his eyes are staring—no—burning holes into my face, and the warmth from earlier is back.
“Ads, we’ll meet you at home. Text us if you need us,” Casey calls back, and I don’t miss the Rosie-level cheek in her tone.
“Um guy… Greek sex-god—” Rosie starts.
“It’s Noah,” Noah shouts back with the biggest grin on his face, but his eyes don’t leave mine.
“Right, Greek sex-god Noah. I have a photo of your face, so if Addison goes missing, I will send it to the police. I am also very good at internet stalking so I will find where you live,” Rosie shouts as she makes to follow Casey up the street.
He releases a low laugh before responding back in a playful shout. “Last name is Karvelas, happy stalking. I will make sure she is home safe.” I am still silent because I have no idea what is happening.
“Wait a second. You bitches are just leaving me with a stranger?”
“Live a little, Ads!” Rosie shouts back with a wink and turns so she and Casey can hightail it out of here. I turn back to Noah.
“I do not need your assistance getting home. I will just order an Uber.” I turn to go back inside, pulling out my phone to wait somewhere warm and safe for the ride.
“Addison, I don’t bite.”
“Well, maybe I do.” I practically growl the words at him.
“I can only hope.” The fucker winks at me, and I scold myself for walking straight into that. I roll my eyes and fold my arms across my chest as he continues. “Can you lower the barricade and accept a friendly conversation? We can walk in the direction of your place. I will keep five feet between us if you prefer.” He says it low and gentle, with a touch of humor, but his eyes are anything but. I stare at him, then stare up the street in the direction of Cas and Rosie up ahead, and then at the time on my phone. Arghhhhh.
“Fine!” Turning, I walk up the street, and he jogs two steps to catch up coming up beside me. I can see from the corner of my eye he is staring at me with a stupid smirk of achievement.
“About before, I didn’t mean to cage you in near the bathrooms. That was super weird. I just got… well, anyway, I am sorry.”
“You just got what?” I give him a boring tone, not letting my eyes leave the sidewalk in front of me.
“Carried away… I guess.” My eyes snap to him then.
“And what about our interaction made you get carried away? Were my jeans too tight or my cleavage too visible? Perhaps I should dress like a nun and wear a sign saying, ‘I don’t like to be touched’ so you would get the hint?” I internally grimace at how I’ve let my anger control me, as I throw probably too much angst into my statement, but it’s true. Why is it that us women have to walk around being vigilant with keys between our fingers while men get to just say ‘sorry, I got carried away’?
“Woah, absolutely not. This didn’t have anything to do with what you’re wearing, Addison.” His voice has more pain than I usually get from him, and I let my eyes meet his again and we stop in the middle of the sidewalk. His expression is serious now.
“I am saying what I did wasn’t okay. On a separate topic, you smell amazing, and yes, you also look incredible. But I got carried away, probably too many martinis. I was riding a high from a successful day and the game win… I don’t really know. I do know I wasn’t blaming you. It had nothing to do with something you did or didn’t do. I wanted to apologize for making you uncomfortable, and I wanted you to know that I knew what I did wasn’t okay.” His face remains serious, almost in a frown, like he truly is mad at himself.
I narrow my eyes, trying to pinpoint the lie or the joke that is about to hit me. I don’t trust him just admitting all of that, but nothing. He remains silent, holding my gaze like he is trying to communicate telepathically.
I concede.
It is way too exhausting to stay this angry at him. He has kept the distance as he promised. He has apologized and appears to take responsibility for the creepy behavior. My shoulders slump forward, and I release a breath. His face relaxes into a peaceful smirk, and he seems to release a breath as well. I drag a hand down my face and turn to walk back up the hill, not wanting to look into his delicious chocolate eyes anymore.
“Ugh, I am sorry, too.”
“I am sorry. What’s that now?”
“Don’t push it, Noah.”
“I like the way you say my name with such fury.” He releases a low chuckle, catching up to me again in only two steps.
“Is it exhausting being a sunshine person, literally all the time?”
“Is it exhausting hating everyone, literally all the time?” he challenges back. I look at him side on before I roll my eyes at his stupid, lopsided smirk.