Arousal

CHAPTER 38: AROUSAL 

RACHEL'S POV

I rush back to the hotel room, my mind still tangled with Sandra’s words. Would she tell people about my living situation with Noah? How would I even explain it? At first, I was going to pretend like I didn't care but now, I am thinking that I really do.

I exhale heavily and sit on the bed, rubbing my forehead.  A headache starts to creep in, but before I can process any more thoughts, the door swings open suddenly.

Noah steps in, his gaze meeting mine for a brief, awkward moment before he looks away. There’s still this tension between us— something that’s been hanging in the air for a while now after the incident. To say we haven't been avoiding each other is an understatement.

  "Hi." I manage to greet him.

“Hi. I need to get out of here for a while,” he finally says, his voice even, controlled. “So, I was wondering if you have any interest in coming. Do you want to?”

I blink at him. “What?”

He shoves a hand into his pocket and leans against the doorframe. “It's kind of like a distraction. It seems like you could use one seeing how hard you've been working all through the day.”

I hesitate, but there’s something considerate in his tone. I don't mind going for some fresh air. I've been tensed enough. I exhale and nod. “Okay.”

“Meet me outside in fifteen.”

With that, he turns and leaves, and I scramble to take a quick shower and throw on a comfortable but cute outfit. As I step out of the room and go through the elevator leading to the down floor, I run into Beatrice.

    "Hey, Beatrice." I can't possibly ignore her after our eyes have met.

  “Where are you going at this time of the night?” she asks, her brows raised in suspicion.

I force a smile. “Just grabbing some fresh air.”

Beatrice eyes me for a second longer, but I don’t wait for her to question me further. 

   "I will be back soon. Sleep well." I slip past her, making my way outside where Noah’s car is parked just outside the hotel gate. The second I slide into the passenger seat, I glance at him.

   “So… where are we going?”

Noah’s lips twitch into the ghost of a smirk. “It’s a surprise.”

I see. I remain quiet during the whole ride with a high anticipation of where we are going.

When we arrive at the destination, I’m stun..

A late-night carnival.

The neon lights flicker, the scent of fried sweets fills the air, and the sound of laughter and excited screams from the rides create an atmosphere so vibrant, so full of life. I turn to Noah, completely bewildered.

  “You brought me to a carnival?”

He shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, I got two free tickets.”

I narrow my eyes. “Liar.”The word drops out of my mouth before I even know it. I just kind of have a hunch that he might be lying but then I know nothing.

He doesn’t confirm or deny it, simply nodding toward the entrance. “Are you coming or not?”

I roll my eyes but follow him inside with a smile.

We move through the carnival, stopping at random booths. Noah wins me a stuffed animal at one of the games after multiple failures, and I can’t help but tease him.

“Trying to impress me?” I smirk.

He scoffs. “It wasn’t that hard. Moreover, I don't want you to go back home crying.”

I pout and roll my eyes.

But when I hug the stuffed teddy toy, I catch the smallest flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, which makes me chortle.

Later, we share a stick of cotton candy. At one point, I get some on my lips, and before I can wipe it away, Noah reaches out and does it for me. His fingers brush against my skin—light, fleeting, but it sends a jolt through me. I swallow hard, suddenly hyper-aware of how close he is. I quickly avert my gaze before my heart bursts out.

We get on the Ferris wheel. As we reach the top, the city sprawls beneath us in a beautiful glow. Noah, who has been silently watching me, finally speaks.

 “What are you thinking?”

I exhale, my chest rising and falling gently. “That for the first time in a while… I feel okay.”

Noah doesn’t respond right away, but when I turn to face him, his eyes are already on me, darker than usual.

Then the wheel goes down making all of us on board scream so hard. After that, we get down. I can't help but laugh harder as I remember the lady behind who was screaming, asking for forgiveness of sin and asking for a second chance. 

   "Are you alright?" Noah asks me as I try to catch my breath because of laughing too hard.

   "Yeah. We can leave now,"

Instead of driving straight back, Noah takes a detour.

I glance at him. “Where are we going now?”

“You’ll see.”

So there is a second place. This has to be my blessed night.

We pull up at a secluded garden. Fairy lights are strung around, glowing softly in the night. A small speaker in the distance plays slow music. A few couples are scattered around, dancing under the lights.

I blink at Noah with amusement. “What is this?”

He extends his hand. “Dance with me.”

I hesitate as I look at his extended hand with a smile, “You  don’t seem like the dancing type.”

  “I’m not.” He steps closer, his voice lower. “But there is nothing wrong in trying out new things.”

Something inside me shifts. Slowly, I take his hand. He pulls me in, his other hand settling on my waist. At first, we move awkwardly, but then the music takes over. My body relaxes against his, and without thinking, I let my forehead rest against his chest.

Noah stiffens slightly but doesn’t pull away.

The air between us changes.

I become aware of everything—his hand, his breath, the steady rise and fall of his chest. My fingers tighten slightly against his shoulder. His grip on my waist lingers longer than necessary. I close my eyes and trustfully follow his lead until he turns me around gently and our eyes meet.

This time around, I do not avert my gaze. He was looking at me with this kind of calmness, not the typical one that I would see all the time. He lifts my hand again and turns me around for a second time. He pulls me by waist, making my back rest against his chest while he presses his face against the curve of my neck, breathing against the sensitive part of it. 

The sensation it sends through every part of my body makes me close my eyes, enjoying the moment before he turns me around again to face him.

Before I can fully process it, Noah tilts my chin up. His eyes are locked on mine—burning, unreadable. My breath catches.

Then, he slowly leans towards me and kisses me.

It’s slow at first, almost like testing the waters, but the second I respond, something snaps. His hand tightens on my waist, pulling me against him, and I gasp slightly as his tongue sweeps against mine. It’s hot, needy, and when I hear the faintest sound escape my throat, I feel Noah’s grip tighten even more.

The kiss grows deeper, sloppier. I give back the same energy as I receive. 

I forget about my environment as I allow Noah to completely devour me - my senses disappear, my trigger warnings are off. His fingers press into my lower back, molding me against him, and that’s when I feel it.

The hard press of his arousal against me.

Heat rushes through me and I immediately break away, breathless, my lips tingling, my entire body on fire.

Noah’s breathing is heavy, his gaze dark and hooded.

I swallow, suddenly too aware of everything. “I think I should get some rest,” I say quickly, forcing a yawn as my eyes darted around us.

Noah watches me, his eyes lingering on my lips for a second too long, but then he nods. Without a word, he leads me back to the car.

The ride back is silent. I hold the stuffed animal in my lap, staring at it, my heart still racing.

Why does being with him feel so different tonight?

My mind replays the kiss, the way his hands felt on me, the way his body responded to mine. The heat between us is undeniable, and the worst part? I liked it.

No—I craved it.

For the first time, I let myself wonder…

What would’ve happened if we hadn’t stopped?

The thought alone sends another rush of heat through me.

We arrive at the hotel, walking at a different pace so we don't get noticed. The second we step into the room, the tension is still there, thick and suffocating.

We stand inches from each other, breathing the same air. My skin tingles. My heart pounds.

Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, we meet in the middle—our mouths crashing together in another feverish kiss.

This time, there’s no hesitation.