Forever Love (9 page)

After paying we sit down in one of the cozy enclosed booths staring at each other over our cups.

"I don’t think I've ever seen someone get so excited over coffee. Maybe I should have taken you to a support group or something cause you take caffeine lover to the next level." I roll my eyes, maybe he's right, I do seem to do that a lot. Ah, it's only because he brings it out in me.

"That’s because your not used to real coffee. That poor excuse for it they serve at Annabelles would be laughed outta Atlanta."

"You miss Atlanta?" He asks while taking a sip

"Not really." I shrug. "I miss my best friend Trina and her family but that’s about it."

"You sound like your close with them."

"Yeah, I practically grew up with them, they were really good to me."

"What about your Mom?" I can feel my body go rigid at the mention of the Bitch. Although Noah knows that me and the woman who birthed me don’t get along, he doesn’t know any details. Nobody really knows the full fucked up details of Dana Preston's mothering skills. I'd like to keep it that way.

I'm sure he gets the hint since I don’t answer and he doesn’t push, though I know that from my reaction, his interest has been piqued. You'd think after so many years with my I-don’t-give-a-fuck mask in place, I wouldn’t let it slip, but Noah just knocks my defenses right down. I'm still contemplating whether that a good or bad thing. One thing is for sure, I'm not totally comfortable with being so vulnerable with someone, especially a guy.

I throw my shoulders back and pull myself together. After such a perfect morning I'm sure as hell not gonna let the Bitch worm her way into my head and ruin it now.

"You ever been? To Atlanta I mean?" I say before blowing and then taking a sip of my Espresso. I let out a sigh of contentment.

That cocky half a smirk is on his face, the one that makes him look even more insanely hot than he already is, if that’s even possible.

"No, I've never been. The nearest city to Franklin is Savannah." He waves his hand in the air, gesturing around us. "I just usually come here. What can I say, I'm a country boy, big cities don’t do it for me."

"Me neither. Don’t get me wrong, I like having a decent coffee in the morning and in Franklin, that doesn’t seem to be happening. Everything else about the town I love though. Don’t go telling my Dad that though, he'll start thinking he's won me round."

"Fancy a walk along River Street?"

"As if we could come to Savannah and not."

Noah stands up and shuffles out of the booth as I neck the rest of my coffee, ignoring the burn in my throat. No way am I wasting the good stuff. He does a little bow and holds a hand out for me before pulling me out the booth and out the door, not letting go of my hand for a second. I still feel those same sparks when he touches me, I was sure they would have stopped by now.

We walk alongside the Savannah River, the breeze whipping into our faces and I notice that just about every romantic moment I've had in my life, every amazing moment that has taken my breath away, has been with Noah in the last ten days. Maybe that’s what brings down that last wall, but right now all I can think about is that the only thing scarier than being in a relationship with this guy is never being in relationship with him.

"What're you thinking?" I don’t even realize that I'm staring at him as he gives me a puzzled smile.

"That you're just about perfect." I say before resting my palm on his cheek.

His smile lights up his face and I know that after this kiss, I'm not gonna run again. I lean up into him as I take his lips in a slow sensuous kiss. My fingers of my left hand run through his soft hair. His hands are on my waist pulling me into him as we get completely lost in the moment. This kiss definitely reigns supreme and I pour everything into it, every fear, every emotion, every memory. I pour my entire heart and soul into one neverending kiss. I pull away smiling into his bright green eyes as I look down to my feet and let out a shy giggle.

"Wow, if that’s what good coffee can do I think we're gonna have to make this jaunt a regular thing." I roll my eyes at his dramatics.

I move to walk forward, a spring ready in my step, before he spins me back into him, his lips taking mine, his tongue exploring my mouth with his hands on either side of my face. Well hello there! This kiss is pure animalistic, all the pent up sexual tension being released.

The kiss comes to end and we're both gasping for air. Wow that boy sure can kiss.

Chapter 10

Noah

My hard on is near enough bursting out of my fucking zipper and I'm really starting to regret wearing jeans. That shit hurts. The minute she kissed me, it was like all my birthdays, Christmas' and Thanksgiving's rolled into one. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I know what I'll be thankful for this year, hell yeah! I never knew beforehand but the minute she instigated the kissing, shit got real. She's irrevocably mine now, I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks or says, including her. It was one thing when I was doing all the pushing but forget treading carefully now. I'd be lying if I said that when I planned this day out, I wasn’t hoping for this to happen because I totally fucking did. I wasn’t prepared for the shit that went through my mind when her lips were on mine though and as soon as she turned to carry on walking, I just had to pull her back to me.

We continue walking along the River, me stealing kisses what seems like every five seconds. What can I say, I'm addicted. Every now and then I'll notice a look pass over face, I don’t know what the hell it is but she'll either look towards me or at our entwined hands and it's gone. I know that despite her being completely badass in other aspects of life, relationships are not my girls fortay. I don’t know what made her that way, especially since every girl I've ever met or known has been so hung up on lovey dovey shit. I definitely think something happened to her though, just a feeling I get. Maybe some guy was a dick to her. Shit, I better bury that thought way way down since it just about has me seeing red.

"You ever been to Savannah before?"

She looks at me with surprise on her beautiful face.

"Yeah, I've never really seen it though, you know? Trina's grandmother lives out in Bloomingdale and I've tagged along to see her a couple of times. Trina's family comes from here so when we've come, there hasn’t been much exploring to be done."

"Well you shoulda said, can't have you going home disappointed now, can we? You ever watched Forrest Gump?"

"Of course, I love that movie."

"Then I think I know something you'll definitely want to see."

Growing up only an hour away from Savannah, which when you live in a town that’s the middle of nowhere is nothing, we never really saw anything special about it. I mean sure it’s a pretty city and I guess it's got some cool things in it but thats about fucking it. Kids from Franklin only ever really see it as a place to get some decent branded clothes and better food. Of course with Liv now living in Franklin, that list now includes getting decent coffee. Livs eyes widen with surprise and excitement as I point things out to her on the way to Chippewa square. It should only be about a twenty minute walk down Whittaker Street but I go a different way so as to show her some of the old buildings.

We enter the park and I point to the white concrete wall a little in front of the big bronze statue.

"Look familiar?" I gotta be honest, I'm really fuckng proud of myself for remembering this and bringing her here.

"It’s a wall." She deadpans.

"Well I can see that but do you recognize the wall? Its fucking famous."

This girl just is not getting it.

"I don’t think walls can be famous, Noah."

"Course they can, what about the Great Wall of China."

"This don’t look like no Great Wall."

"This is the bench that Forest Gump sits on." I say, unable to believe she doesn’t recognize it.

Liv looks at me as if I've lost my mind.

"Noah, there's no bench." She speaks slowly and carefully as if speaking to a cornered animal. For fuck sake, try to do something nice and you get treated like a fucking nutcase.

"Well there isn't now. Its in a museum or some shit but this-" I point to the bare space in front of me. "This is where it was. You know on the first scene, with the feather."

A smile graces her face when she finally gets it.

"Life is like a box of chocolates." She says in a deep heavy southern accent, which is a total fail.

I shake my head and this time it's me rolling my eyes. Who would have thought that the girl with the bitchy persona that I met a week and a half ago would be doing Forest Gump impersonations, poor ones at that.

***

After a full day, walking around Savannah, having some Tutti Frutti ice cream, which I thought Liv was gonna buy the whole shop out of with the way she was raving about it, I pull up just outside the old gate for the second time today. It's now getting dark and I know that soon those stars are gonna be making an appearance. This is my last plan for the day and fingers crossed it goes well. Livs eyes are barely staying open and I feel a bit bad that I'm dragging her out here when she's tired. I have to do this now though, before her mind starts overthinking and she gets cold feet. I've spent most of the day with my face glued to hers to stop that happening, theres no complaints from here though.

I push open the gate, I'm suprised that shit hasn’t fallen off its hinges yet, and wait for Liv to pass. Yet again, the white Phlox are practically invisible under the cover of darkness. I have the blanket from earlier in one hand so that we can sit down and her hand safely encased in the other. I lay the blanket on the ground and pull her down with me, leaning back on my elbows and stretching my legs in front. She's way too busy staring at the sky and I'm way too busy staring at her. I lie back flat and gently take her by the arm and guide her down to me, settling her with my arm wrapped around her shoulders. She's the perfect fit, not that I was expecting anything but. She's perfect everything.

I tickle the side of her face, amazed at how soft her skin is and she looks up to me with bright blue eyes. I lean down and rub my nose against hers before taking her mouth. Her full soft lips molding to mine. She surprises the fuck out of me when I feel her tongue poking through my lips, seeking entrance to my mouth. Who am I to deny the lady what she wishes? I rub my hand down her flat toned stomach as her hand grips the back of my neck, playing with the ends of my short hair. My eyes are closed yet I feel as if she's filling all of my senses. Her sweet smell is filling my nose, her gentle moans filling my ears, her tongue filling my mouth and her sweet soft skin filling my hands. It's hard to believe that there's a person in existence that’s this perfect. I know that half the male population in this town thinks so aswell with how many fuck off looks I've had to hand out since she's arrived.

I run my hand from her shoulders over the outer swell of her breasts that I'm just itching to knead and grab and back over her stomach. I can feel her thighs slowly opening as she slowly grinds her pelvis into me causing me to let out a groan. Our kissing is becoming more feverish as I push my lips against hers harder and my touch becomes rougher. I can feel Livs hands slowly making their way under my shirt, touching my abs causing them to tense under her cool touch. I pull myself from her, breathing in air heavily, this isn't how I want this to happen. Shes not some slut to bang in a field in the spur of the moment and I'm not one of those chumps back in Atlanta that she gives fuck buddy status. No, we're more to each other than that and even though we haven't known each other long, I know that I want to give her memories that she can cherish throughout her life, no our life.

I take in her face which is flushed and her eyes are bright and feverish.

"Be mine." I nearly growl the demand at her.

"W-what?"

"I'm not gonna have sex with you, Liv."

I can see the hurt pass over her features and feel like fucking kicking myself at my poor choice of words.

"Not yet anyway." I rush out, not liking the injured expression on her face. "Your not just some girl that I wanna lay and I'm not some guy that your gonna use to forget whatever shit that’s on your mind."

She goes to speak but I soon put my forefinger against her lips to stop her.

"You're beautiful, you're special and you deserve to be treated that way. Yes, this is romantic I suppose but I want you to be mine more than I want to fuck you. I know you're scared and nervous but I wanna take care of you, I wanna to love you." I briefly regret using the L word. I hope to fuck that doesn’t have her running in the opposite direction.

Liv doesn’t say a word, just looks into my eyes as if trying to work out if I'm being sincere or not. I appreciate the fact that I'm probably seeing her at her most vulnerable in this moment and that thought is cemented by the words that next leave her mouth.

"Please don’t break me." It’s a near whisper and if it wasn’t so silent out here, I probably wouldn't have heard. The look in her eyes, the sound of her voice, it near enough breaks my fucking heart. Who the fuck hurt her? And what the fuck happened to make a young girl so scared of love?

"I promise. Just be mine and nothing will ever touch you." I'm putting everything out on the line here for a girl I've known for a little over a week on a half. Sounds crazy even to me and I'm living it.

She gives a small, almost imperceptible nod which has me grinning from ear to ear. I take her mouth again In a scorching kiss that seals what we've just committed to. Each other.