NoahMy mother is packing down stuff for her honeymoon with Elias, whom she married less than twenty-four hours ago. He doesn't seem like a terrible person, and he raised Natalie, so there must be some good in him."Don't stay up too late while I'm gone, and no snacks for dinner. I'm serious, Noah. Eat proper food. Have Frank cook you five meals a day—he is an excellent chef. You're a professional football player and need protein."I roll my eyes. "Mother… I'm not a kid anymore. Do I have to remind you that you're the one living in my house?"My mother looks up at me while packing her suitcase. Her bottom lip is quivering, a sign of her about to waver. "I know—you're all grown up, and it makes me sad! You've always been my little boy, and now you're even taller than your dad!"Great, now my mother will start crying. These days all she ever does is get emotional. I love my mother, of course, but she can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.A few nights ago, she cried while watching a child
NatalieI wake up feeling dizzy. It's been two weeks since my dad and Cynthia left for their honeymoon. I've spent every night either studying or watching Netflix with Noah. It's been a good two weeks, and I'm happy that my dad and Cynthia will be gone for at least three more weeks. It will give me more time to cuddle and spend time alone with Noah. We haven't really talked about what we are, and we haven't had sex. Noah has been too tired from his games and midterm exams. He usually comes home to fall asleep with his head in my lap. Not that I mind—his presence is enough to make me happy.I get up from bed. Noah is out for his weekend run, and I should walk down to get breakfast—My thoughts vanish in a puff of smoke when I suddenly bend forward and royally puke all over the freaking floor. Dear Lord, have I caught the stomach flu or something?"Fuck..." I'm crying, and my throat is parched, like the desert of the freaking Sahara. "I need water... So thirsty..."I walk toward the b
NatalieI'm munching on a sandwich in front of the TV. It's cheesy and heavenly, and I'm cozy. A super dramatic romance series is playing, and Frank, the butler, is gripping the seat while wearing a passionate expression. He is really into this show, and I don't mind hanging out with him.Noah is fetching me that pregnancy test, and I'm super lazy today—I'm wearing sweatpants and Noah's oversized t-shirt. Nothing else. I can't be bothered to put effort into my appearance."No, Cammie!" Frank exclaims, turning to face me. "Why is she being such an idiot? She should be with Rafael, not with Alexander!""I don't know..."Frank inhales to calm down but mutters. "Cammie is driving me insane. She keeps going back to this ex-boyfriend Alexander even though he has nothing to offer!"I shrug and bite into my sandwich again. "Alexander has some nice abs, and he is super-wealthy. Cammie is obviously into that.""But Rafael is her true love, and he is a CEO in secret!"I laugh. "What can I say?
NatalieThe wait seems endless. Noah is being operated on, and I'm staring down at the floor. I haven't even touched the cola Frank bought me from the vending machine. Neither have I eaten anything.I pull my legs to my body, hugging them while other people receive good news about their loved ones.What if I won't receive good news about Noah?Fear and panic are crashing over me like a tidal wave, again and again, until it gets heavier to breathe. My heart is throbbing, but I can only sit deathly still as the tears fall."Why did I ask Noah to go to the pharmacy for me..." I whisper. Guilt is gnawing at me. "This is all my fault...""It's not your fault, sweetheart," Frank sighs. "It's no one's fault. Accidents happen all the time.""What if Noah won't make it?" I ask."I'm sure Noah will be fine," Frank says, but even he doesn't sound convinced of his own words. "Your dad and Cynthia are taking a flight back to the city tonight."I swallow plenty of tears. My brain can't focus on my
NatalieI'm woken up by high heels storming through the hospital, and without opening my eyes, I can feel the person is headed for me. And I must have spider senses, for Cynthia is coming for me when I open my eyes."You shouldn't be here, you dirty little slut!" Did Cynthia just call me a slut?Am I still dreaming?I blink life into my tired eyes, and it seems I'm not experiencing a nightmare right now. Cynthia is seething without us having spoken a single word until now. I'm still not fully awake and stretch my legs, gasping when the woman walks over to where I'm sitting. She casts me in her shadow.It's dark outside, and no one else is sitting inside the waiting room—it gives Cynthia the perfect opportunity to slap me, not once but three times across my face. Her hits rattle me to the core, and I lift my chin to stare up at her in utter confusion."What did I do?" I question, placing my palm against my chin. "Are you absolutely mad?!""How dare you!" Cynthia roars. She is weari
NatalieIt's been three weeks since I moved in with Frank and his wife, Carmen. They are a lovely couple and have ensured that I will be given the apartment next to theirs tomorrow. They spoke to the landlord and recommended me, which paid off in my favor. I'm incredibly grateful. I had to drop out of school recently, and now I have a part-time job at the mini-marker until the baby comes. Oh, and I'm pregnant. Twenty years old and soon a mother of one.It's scary, and I'm still freaked out about how life can take a turn, but I'm trying my hardest to stay brave.Frank walks into the living room. He has just come home from work; he works at the mini-market with me. "So... I have both good and bad news." Frank drawls.I'm drinking tea with Carmen, and I lift my eyes to face Frank. He is wearing a hard-to-read expression. Their living room is cramped, and he slouches down in one old armchair. "What's up?" I ask."Yeah, Frank, you can't just come in and say something like that; tell us
NoahIt's been months since I was in a car accident, more than a year since I lost my identity. The doctors claim I only forgot two years of my life, but I'm confident my soul is shattered.My heart is constantly aching. Something is missing from my life, and it drives me mad because I think it's a person, but no one will tell me anything in this fucking household!My mother treats me like glass and something fragile that needs to be guarded twenty-four-seven, but I'm a grown-ass man!Thanks to her, I'm frustrated every minute of the day. The only time when I'm not surrounded by bodyguards is when I hit the gym.I can't even relax in my bed!I'm trapped in a nightmare that keeps coming back night after night when I fall asleep. I wake up with a woman smiling at me from afar. Her hair is brown, and her face is round. She is gorgeous, but when I try to reach her, my feet won't budge. It breaks me apart, and I always wake up with a face drenched in tears.The car accident wasn't a simpl
NoahNatalie stood me up. She never returned to the park the day after I met her, and neither did she pop up the day after that. Am I insane for feeling disappointed?I'm probably crazy, but... I kept walking back to the park bench where I had met Natalie. Day after day, but she would never be there. Instead, I caught Natalie walking together with a man on the street. They were laughing at something. And while I know I had no right to be angry, I was beyond pissed off seeing them. It doesn't make sense. Natalie is a mere stranger, yet something snapped within me seeing her with that other man. He was good-looking too, not as tall as me, but he had stubble—so now I haven't shaved.Fuck.I'm losing my goddamn mind over this woman."Mr. Parker?"I peer up from my desk, not surprised to find Bianca, my assistant, standing in the doorframe. We recently bought this office, and I have yet to install a locked door."Yes?" I ask her. "The people who applied for my role during the summer a
Natalie Half a year has passed since I married Noah Parker. We are happy together, but... I wish he would step down from his career and be home with me for some time. Noah presses a kiss to my lips every morning and says, "Good morning, beautiful," and leaves to start his day. We barely see each other except on holidays or some weekends. Don't get me wrong, Noah always goes the extra mile to make me feel loved and appreciated. There are endless flowers, gifts, beautiful text messages, and phone calls to keep me happy. But we spend more days apart than together, and it hurts me sometimes... So naturally, I want that to change. But I'm afraid to ask Noah to put his family before his football life. What if he gets mad at me? He probably won't, and if I tell him why I want him to stay home, he will probably do it. I'm just nervous. Noah walks into the living room. I'm sitting on the couch, and he tilts his head at me with a brief smile. "What are you thinking about?" Okay, he
Natalie "Are you ready?" Frank asks me. The sun casts him in luminous light, and the breeze outside the church smells like the ocean. "No cold feet this time, right?" "No. Because this time, I will push open these doors and wind up with the right man." I hand him a smile. "I'm ready." There are actual tears in his eyes. "Your new designer wedding dress is gorgeous—wait until Linnea and Carmen see you walking down the aisle. They are going to cry their eyes out." My smile only grows, but I tilt my head to meet his eyes before I push open the doors. A question has been burning inside my mind for quite some time now. I wet my lips. "Can I ask something?" Frank's wrinkly face turns serious. "Anything." "Why did you refuse to walk me down the aisle last time?" His lips form a knowing smile. "Were you in love with Alaric?" I shake my head. "No." "That's your answer." "Good answer." "I always rooted for you and Noah," Alaric nods at the doors. "Are you ready to get married?" "I
NatalieEmma is sleeping, and Noah is standing in the shower. I'm behind him, checking out his ass while thinking about earlier. "I still can't believe you barked your mother off," I dramatically inhale and place my hand on my forehead. "I had an instant hard-on."Noah snorts from under the waterjet. "Should I be worried about you talking as if you had a dick?""No, I'm just..." I can't hold myself back and just walk up to Noah to hug him from behind. My lips kiss his tanned skin, and then I lean my cheek against him while feeling his heart thump. Noah becomes calm too and turns off the water. He places a hand over mine, and I hug him harder. A soft laugh leaves his lips. Noah is amused by me sticking to him like glue."Are you trying to kill me?" He asks. "No..." I mumble into his skin. "I just REALLY love you."My words make Noah turns around, and I peer up at him with my heartbeat in my throat. There is even a hollow ache in my chest. Noah looks at me like he sees me. As if he
NatalieI'm officially in hell. Noah denied me sex on the plane, and like a good girl, I sucked it up. We got to the luxurious resort, met with Frank and Carmen, and now I'm dying again.Noah is sitting on the tiles around the pool with Emma. She is wearing her pink sunhat and a cute bathing suit with a unicorn. Our daughter is genuinely adorable, and Noah is having a tea party with her and—Fuck my life.I drink more water from my chair under the shade and try not to ogle my future husband's abs. I'm in horny jail, and it's not fair. Noah automatically became three-hundred times hotter playing with Emma.He is wearing this hat made of paper, and even though he is wearing shades in the sun, I can see that he is smiling. "No..." Emma glares at Noah. "Not drink now.""Sorry, madam."Noah smiles sheepishly and places the teacup on the tiled floor. Emma is the boss in their father and daughter relationship. I try not to laugh when Noah glances at me with a face that says he is in trouble
Natalie"No-no-no, that's not a good idea, Noah!"My future husband isn't listening to me. He doesn't stop whatever mischief he is plotting.Noah is down on his knees in front of my seat. Panic surges within me when he unbuckles my seatbelt with expert fingers. He does it slowly, almost sensually, and meets my eyes with a smirk on his lush lips. Sexy bastard.He looks too good between my legs, and I must resist the urge to mess up his perfectly styled brown hair. Or run my fingers along the faint stubble on his carved jawline. It's hard. Every nerve is hyperaware of my soon-to-be-husband. I'm balancing on a thin line and have to suck in a deep breath and try not to swoon when Noah tilts his head at me."What isn't a good idea?"While waiting for my answer, Noah takes off my shirt and gets this predatory gleam in his eyes when he sees my breasts. I try to find wise words. "Having sex on your private jet.""Why?""Because the cockpit staff will hear us. We should wait until after th
NatalieI lean back in my seat. I'm on a private jet, drinking champagne while Emma is to travel with Carmen and Frank. I miss my daughter, but... I don't think she would appreciate what might happen on this flight.My eyes find Noah. He is talking to a female private flight attendant. She is batting her eyelashes at him, making my mood turn sour. I can hear her giggle like a little girl through the walls, and when she places her hand on Noah's chest, I swallow bitterly. I know that Noah is getting married to me. I trust him, but that flight attendant blushing and giggling—fucking giggling at him? Well, I sure as hell don't trust her.She reminds me of that waitress at the Vietnamese restaurant. Then again, most girls react this way to Noah. Even if they aren't attracted to him, they want his money, which makes him alluring in their eyes.An already handsome man turns into the hottest thing on earth when you realize he is a billionaire...Noah enters the flight, and I watch him take
Natalie "You're flying to the luxurious resort tonight?" Frank exclaims. "You're not joking with me, right?" Laughter sips out through my lips. Frank blinks rapidly at me while his wife, Carmen, is chuckling to herself. They are both sitting on the couch, yet Carmen is the only calm one. Frank is panting. "That's right," I say with a smile playing over my lips. My life is finally coming together, and the strange thing is that I've been waiting for this to happen even though I didn't know it myself. "Tonight, my little family is leaving this country behind." Frank rakes his finger through his dark hair, still not believing what I'm telling him. He repeats the question. "Tonight?!" "Yes, tonight, Frank," Carmen sighs and shakes her head at her husband in irritation. "Aren't you listening to anything she is telling you? Or are you going deaf on me?" Frank inhales with his lips twitching into a smile. "Sorry... It's just a lot to take in at once." I smile at him from my seat, kno
NatalieAfter getting eaten out by Noah in the car, I'm on freaking cloud nine. Every part of me is tingling, and things are great. The afterglow is getting to my head, and I feel drunk.One glance at Noah, and the feeling grows stronger. Happiness is spiraling within my chest, bringing hot tears to my eyes and soft laughter to my lips. "I'm sorry for coming so quickly..." I tell Noah with a grimace that turns into a smile. "I'm just... I'm just so excited and happy, and. I can't believe we are getting married..." Noah lies next to me in the sand and turns to face me with an amused curl to his lips. He strokes his rough-padded fingertips over my arm and gazes deeply into my eyes. "There will be more time for us to have sex," his voice is husky and low, affectionate. He breathes a laugh. "But you must really like me since you came so quickly—"I gasp to silence him and narrow my eyes. "You're so arrogant!"Noah smirks. "And you realize that now?""You can't just tease me like that!
NatalieWe stop the car by the beach. As soon as we are outside the vehicle, Noah grabs my waist. I smile as he pushes me into the car and claims my lips with his. It makes tiny sparks start by my toes and soon travel up my entire spine and body. I slip my hand into his suit, gasping. "My God, you're so hard. I swear even your muscles have muscles."Noah is bent over me and breathes a laugh before cupping my face and finding my eyes. It makes me nervous seeing the tiny smile on his lips. No other man has ever made me feel like I need to deliver, but with Noah, every second counts."You're gorgeous," Noah is playing with the zipper of my dress. It makes lust spiral in his eyes. His voice is raw and deep. Hungry. "But you would look so much better without it." "You want to have sex here?" His smile only grows. "Uh... Yes? I can barely keep my hands off you, and the hard-on I'm sporting isn't good for driving."My cheeks flush. "I still can't believe this is happening. You're here, wi