Authors: Jade Whitfield
Chapter 17
Liv
I don’t know why I'm so jumpy, I just have a feeling. Not like a feeling like 'Oh I'm gonna die today.' With the amount of time Noah's spending looking at my legs instead of the road I probably should. I just feel like something big's about to happen. Whatever it is, I don’t like it. I'm a little nervous about Noah being in Atlanta. I know it’s a big ass city and I doubt we'll bump into anyone but I'd just prefer to avoid it. I feel like I've made a fresh start in Franklin, let go of all the angst that always seemed to suffocate me in Atlanta. I haven't heard from Mark since that text a couple of weeks ago and it's not like I kept in touch with any of my other exes, if that what you'd call them. I haven't told Noah everything though and even though there's a small part of me that thinks that if I did, it would help, I just can't. How do you find the strength to open your mouth a tell someone something that you’ve kept bottled up for so long. I've only ever uttered the words once before and that experience pretty much stopped me repeating them. It's not that I'm afraid I'll get the same reaction, though I'm sure other people would take that attitude if it was them. Even though the Bitch didn’t much care after my Dad left, Trina and her family took me under their wing, treated me as though I was of their own blood. That’s pretty much the only thing that’s stopped me falling apart, stopped me becoming a statistic. That and not wanting to give the other relevant parties the satisfaction of beating me. I don’t know if that’s me being a hardheaded ass or just a survival technique.
It's amazing that just a few short weeks ago, I was hopping over Marks front lawn to my Mini, thinking about how I was never coming back here. Maybe I jinxed it or some shit cause here I am. What made Pam decide to make this some kind of family trip, I have no idea. I do feel comforted that Noah is with me though and incredibly lucky to have found him, even if he is probably the most inappropriate person I could have picked to have fallen in love with. Yep and there it is. I don’t know when it happened, but when I was sitting on his lap in that field telling him about my Bitch of a mother, It clicked. This is the guy that owns my heart completely. I would laugh at the situation of falling in love with my stepbrother if it wasn’t me. Trust it to be my life, it can never just be easy.
"He asleep?" Noahs voice interrupts mt thoughts.
"Huh?"
He motions his head towards the back seat where Chase is flat out, drool running down his cheek.
"Ewwww."
Noah grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. He's so handsome, it takes my breath away.
"I'm looking forward to meeting Trina."
"Really?."
"Yeah, shes your bestfriend, gotta get the stamp of approval."
I love how even though our relationship is a secret to our parents, Noah still acts like we're a completely normal couple. He couldn’t be further from the dumb jock I thought he was on first meeting him. His movie star good looks along with his kickass personality and Greek God physique just make a package of perfection. His Henley shirt stretched over his chest, which ripples and tenses when moving the gear stick, it near enough has me drooling.
"Whatcha looking at?" He asks, giving me a sideways glance.
All I can do is give a lighthearted giggle, one that had it come from anyone else, I'd probably call them a silly twit. I take a quick look back towards the back seat where Chase is sound asleep, the drool now hitting the collar of his shirt. I carefully lean over as Noah looks from me to the road in front.
"I'm just thinking how you hot you look driving." I whisper seductively in his ear. "I'm also thinking how fun this ride could have been if Chase hadn’t come."
His eyes widen and he lets out a nervous cough. I trail a finger down his strong forearm, his eyes following the movement.
"Fucking Chase." He curses as he continues to try and keep his attention on the road in front.
"You know, Noah, I think maybe we've waited long enough to take the next step in our relationship. I think we can both safely say this isn't like anything we've had before. I know that I for one, can't wait to see what your packing." I wiggle my eyebrows up and down.
The car swerves to the right, what the hell?!
"Shit." I grab onto the dashboard for support while he stomps his foot on the breaks.
"What the hell man?" Chase says, in the process of wiping the drool from his chin onto his arm.
Noah carries on staring at me, his eyes filled with lust as I struggle to hide my smile by looking out of the window. I look back towards him and he mouths 'You wait'. He then proceeds to adjust what looks to be a pretty impressive erection. My eyes widen and I'm sure my face is beet red as I swing my eyes to anything but the thing standing to attention in his pants. Noah must see my reaction since he shoots me that cocky side smirk that just about has me melting to a puddle on the floor. Well, it looks like my flirting may have backfired on me, since I'm the one that’s a bumbling mess now.
***
The Atlanta Plaza Hotel has to be one of the fanciest places I've ever stepped foot in, except Dickwads house of course. That place could give the White House a run for its money, its practically a fucking compound. All I can think of as I walk through the opulent lobby is that this must have cost my Dad a fucking bomb. Then again, it’s the least he can do dragging me two hundred miles to see the wicked witch of the West, or South in this case. I don’t think I've ever seen so much marble in my life. Light marble floors, matching walls, giant gold chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that are probably bigger than my car. This is definitely the life of luxury and totally not me. I've never been into this stuff, I mean, sure I like nice clothes and stuff but this is on a whole other level. If I am forced to see the Bitch, I cant wait to gloat about this. If the car accident didn’t kill her, her envy surely will.
It's dark outside, the only light coming from the giant sign advertising the hotel and the street lamps lining the cobbled street.
"The whole of Atlanta isn't like this you know, the rest is pretty much a dump." I tell Noah and Chase as they struggle to lift their jaws from the floor. After a nap in the car, I'm feeling pretty refreshed despite it being just past half one in the morning. I offered to drive about halfway here so Noah could get some shuteye but he refused, said he couldn’t trust me with his precious car. Boys and their damn toys.
I notice my Dad and Pam sitting on a plush red crushed velvet couch in the corner, I don’t know how they got here before us.
"We've only been here ten minutes but we're all checked in. Pretty nice place eh?" My Dad says.
We can only nod as our eyes scan the room around us.
"Ok, so boys you're in room 212, Liv you're in 213 and we're right next door in 214."
"Why do I have to share with Noah?" Chase moans, pulling his sulky face that would be cute on a five year old but isn't on a fourteen year old boy.
"Shut it knucklehead, it's not like I wanna share either."
"Boys come on, let's get some sleep. We can go sightseeing tomorrow while Phil and Liv are at the hospital." Pam says while her head limps onto my Dads shoulder.
We make our way up to our rooms, I have no idea how or if Noah will be able to sleep with me tonight, I hope so. I give him a warm smile as I enter my room and he returns it with one of his own.
Holy Shit! I was sure that we'd be in some average rooms, like in every other hotel, no matter what the lobby is like, this is something else though. There's a huge oak four poster bed in the middle of the room with white lacy drapes hanging from it. I run my fingers over the wallpaper, huh, its velvet. I dump my bags onto the chaise lounge in the corner and shuffle my feet over to the monstrosity of a bed. I swear you could get like five people into this thing. I pull my top over my head and shuffle out of my skirt before searching through my bag for some pajamas. You have gotta be kidding me! I slap myself in the forehead, how could I forget my pajamas? There's no way Noah can sleep in here now. You'd think considering I packed so much for such a short stay I'd at least to remember to pack something to sleep in. I double check my bags to make sure I've at least bought underwear because who knows what else I've forgotten. Oh well, I'll just sleep in my underwear. Imagine Noah's face if he snuck in here and found me like this, damn boy'd have a coronary. That thought sends me chuckling to the bed as I pull down the soft sheets. The mattress is like some kind of bouncy castle and I fight to make it to the middle of the bed. Who needs this many damn pillows on a bed? I fall into an uncomfortable sleep, feeling bare without Noah's strong arms wrapped around me.
***
I take a glance at the clock at the side of the bed as there continues to be knocking coming from the door. Its only three in the morning, who the hell could it be? I slowly lift of the bed, barely opening my eyes as I look through the peephole and see Noah in the same clothes he was wearing earlier. I briefly recollect there being a reason I wasn’t gonna be sleeping with him tonight but in my state of being half asleep, I haven't got the energy to care. I open the door, my eyes slits upon looking at him.
"What the fuck Liv?" He says, pushing me into the room, his eyes wide looking around the hallway.
At that moment it comes back to me and I look down at my nearly naked body. The only things covering my modesty are a pair of lacy lilac panties and matching bra. I try to cover myself with my hands in vain as Noah slams the door shut.
"Shit, shit, shit, I forgot my pjs." I dive under the covers of the bed and bring it up to my chin, Noah is rooted to the same spot.
He looks at me with pure hunger in his eyes and I slink more under the covers.
"Y-you cant sleep in here." I say, rattled at my state of undress.
"We don’t spend a night apart babe, you know that." He lifts his shirt over his head, showcasing his sculpted stomach as I bite into my lip. He really is a very beautiful man.
"Pass me your shirt then." I say, holding my hand out.
"Oh there's no chance in hell are you covering up now. You can't show a guy that and then hide it away. Don’t worry, you're perfectly safe."
He steps out of his sneakers and drags his sweatpants down his legs, the only thing left are his boxers which aren't doing anything in hiding the raging boner standing to attention.
"Oh my God." I whisper, as I take in his perfect form.
I'm sure I'm the one with hunger in their eyes now. Shit, I don’t know what to do. I know what I said earlier but that was just teasing and with the recent revelation that I'm in love with Noah, do I really want to ruin what we have by bringing sex into the equation? To anyone else, that thought would sound damn stupid, I've never had a relationship that’s more than sex though. Hell, I've never had a relationship at all. What if it doesn’t work out after we bring sex into the equation? What if he can tell I've been with a bunch of guys? I know the body doesn’t really work like that but you always hear those stories about girls with loose vaginas because they’ve been with so many guys. Ok, I haven't been with that man, but I've still been with more than most girls my age.
What the hell is wrong with you Liv? I don’t usually panic like this, usually I'm confident and self assured. Noah's not any other guy though, he's not a one night stand, hes not a fuck buddy or a random hook up. What if he thinks I have a loose vagina and then he thinks I'm not girlfriend material? Oh god, I think I'm gonna be sick.
I feel a warm hand encase mine and it stops my thought.
"Hey, are you ok?" His eyes are filled with concern and force me to take a deep breath.
Noah's not like other guys, I know this. He's sweet and kind and oh so handsome. I just need to pull myself together. If this is what being in love is like, all panic and worry, well you can fucking keep it.
"Im good, yeah."
"We don’t have to do anything Liv. I didn’t come in here for anything, just to hold you in my arms."
And how the fuck am I meant to not jump his bones when he says stuff like that?
He climbs under the covers and his body heat is coming off him in waves. He's all man, not a soft spot on his body, apart from his heart. He turns onto his side facing me as he runs his forefinger down my cheek, causing me to close my eyes at the sensation. It goes down my neck, over my shoulder and right down my arm. His hands are rough but his touch is soft and it causes little sparks under my skin.
"You are so beautiful." He whispers, full of emotion in his voice.
I open my eyes to his green pools that look as if they are looking right to my very soul. I lay my hand on his cheek and inch my head towards his, him meeting me halfway. His lips are soft and gentle and loving. What starts as a gentle kiss turns into more of a mauling though as I grind myself into his hardness. He gives as good as he gets as his tongue plunders my mouth, his hands roam over my bare stomach, becoming more of a grip as they go higher and higher towards my lace covered breast.
My hands are on an exploring expedition of their own, dragging down the hard muscles of his stomach. His muscles rippling under his skin on my touch. I gently bite into his bottom lip, opening my eyes to his as I slowly pull away. His eyes don’t leave mine as they cup my breast, his breathing ragged as he lifts his hands to the strap of my bra and gently eases it from my shoulder. It has to be the most erotic thing I've ever seen or felt. That simple action causing a tingling sensation in between my legs. Damn, he's perfect.