1. Unspoken Desires

Belle’s breath quickened as she found herself in a dimly lit room, the air charged with anticipation. Shadows danced around her, but she didn’t need to see to know who was near, she could feel his presence, his heat, his energy. Noah could feel the way her breathing quickened and how her body reacted to his touches, tracing the curve of her jaw, making her tremble. His touch was everywhere. His fingers glided over her skin, igniting a fire within her that she hadn’t known existed. His hands, warm and strong, traced the curve of her waist, drawing her closer until she was pressed against his chest.

Noah was close, so close that she could feel his breath on her neck, hot and heavy, sending a delicious shiver down her spine. A soft moan escaped her lips as he kissed her neck, nipping lightly at her skin and then soothing it gently with his tongue. She arched her back, yielding to the feeling, her fingers digging into his chest as if she needed his embrace to remain conscious. Noah placed slow and deliberate kisses on her neck. His hands slid down her back, fingers digging into her hips as he pulled her even closer, their bodies fitting together as if they had been made for each other. The heat between them was unbearable, yet she craved more, needed more.

She had no control over the things she was experiencing, she was lost in the touch, in the smell of him. She tightened her grip on his shoulders, gripping them as she needed a firm ground to catch her balance.

“Love…” His voice was soft, but sultry enough to make her shiver with pleasure. His mere voice sent shivers down her naked body flooding her with lust and longing.

She tried to respond, to say something, but the words were drowned as his lips finally touched her lips. The kiss was fire and ice, passion and tenderness, a slow burn that flared into a raging inferno. She kissed him back with a fervor she didn’t know she possessed, her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, needing him closer. His taste was intoxicating, his touch sensual, every brush of his lips, every slide of his tongue sent spark through her body.

But the dream seemed to fade away as the kiss deepened. The warmth of his body, the taste of his lips, the feel of his hands on her skin, all of it started to move away, leaving her grasping at nothingness. 

Belle’s eyes flew open, her heart pounding, her body trembling with the remnants of the dream. Her cheeks were crimson and her heart was racing. She was trembling, her body still aching with the phantom sensations of his touch, her lips tingling with the effect of his kiss.

“Noah…” She traced her lips with her fingers as if expecting to feel the touch of his lips there. But it was gone and along with the warmth, the sensation, the overwhelming desire that had consumed her just moments ago. It was incredibly realistic and for a moment she was confused if what she had experienced earlier was nothing but a dream. A sigh escaped her lips and she clutched her hair tightly in frustration as she tried to brush off the thoughts of the dream from her mind.

The way his hands felt on her skin, the way his lips moved against hers, the way he whispered her name like a secret only he could know. She felt a rush of heat between her legs, an ache that wouldn’t go away, a need that had only been stoked higher by the dream. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breathing, to calm the racing of her heart. 

"It's just a dream." She whispered to herself, a mantra, a plea. Belle shook her head, trying to clear the lingering haze of the dream. But deep in her heart, she realized it went way beyond all that. It was an expression of all that she felt in the past so many years. It was the outcome of the longing, the desire, the frustration of loving someone who seemed just out of reach.

Her thoughts spun and she shook her head, trying to focus. Today was her 18th birthday — a day she’d waited for, counted down to. But all she could think about was Noah. He was supposed to be at the party tonight. The thought of if he would actually notice her or he would see her as the woman she was becoming or not was eating her.

Noah Alabaster. The very name was enough to give her goosebumps. He was the type of man who simply walked into a room and automatically became the center of attention. He was tall and well-built and had this charming smirk that would render any lady speechless and men envious. He was the kind of person who made you feel like you were the only one in the room when he looked at you. 

Belle had known Noah since she was a child, a constant presence at her home due to his friendship with her brother, Luke. He was gentle but reserved, always keeping an invisible barrier between them, a barrier Belle longed to cross. Their paths had crossed only occasionally. But those brief encounters have been sufficient to leave a lingering impact on her. She had secretly harbored feelings for him for as long as she could remember, feeling nervous when he was nearby.

The house was buzzing with preparations, but Belle's mind was elsewhere. Her mother, Lara, called out to her to help with decorations, but Belle moved through the tasks mechanically, her thoughts miles away, back in the dream. She imagined his hands on her again, his lips, his voice, low and rough against her skin.

“Belle!” Luke called, unexpectedly interrupting her thoughts. “Have you been daydreaming the whole damn morning? Well, what is it?”

She giggled inappropriately to hide her nervousness. “Oh nothing, just had been thinking about the party.”

“Sure, the party." Luke smiled. “And perhaps a particular guest?”

Belle's face flamed red. “Luke!” She protested, but he only laughed harder.

The rest of the day was a flurry of activity, but nothing could suppress the thrill that was rising within her.

The party was in full swing by the time Belle spotted Noah entering the room. Just seeing him gave her butterflies in her stomach. He looked just as she remembered — tall, confident, with that deadly smirk that always made her weak in the knees. There was something unique about him which she found attractive, something that awakened desires in her chest. She wasn’t the only one who noticed his arrival. The moment Noah entered the room, the room seemed to buzz with a different kind of energy.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she watched him greet her family. His smile was easy, his laughter genuine, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that seemed to catch on her and hold.

Noah’s eyes finally met hers and for a second everything paused. There was a moment of understanding, a lightning of a connection that was so brief that she doubted whether she saw it or not. He smiled. The enigmatic smile that she had once found irresistible and she felt herself blushing at the heat that crept from her neck to her cheeks.

“The way you’re throwing these lustful looks for Noah, anyone will get to know what’s on your mind.” Rose almost whispered to Belle.

Her face immediately turned crimson. She felt a mix of embarrassment and panic. She hadn’t realized she was being so obvious. “I… No, no, it is not like that.”

“It’s exactly like that.” All of them screamed together, grabbing everyone’s attention. 

They realized what they did, so they passed everyone a smile and kept in mind not to grab their attention like this again. 

“So, how does it feel to have Noah back in town?” Jeff asked, winking at her.

“It’s….. It’s nice to see him again.” She stammered, not wishing to pay attention to their sly smiles.

“Just nice?” Rose giggled. “The way you were staring at him, it screamed a lot more than simply nice.”

“Guys, stop!” Belle tried hard to hide her blush.

“You’ve had a thing for him forever, admit it first.” Agastya teased. 

Belle groaned. "Guys, please!" “Can we please talk about something else?” Her heart pounded as she desperately tried to change the subject. 

“Sure! But don’t think we didn’t notice.” Kashin passed another teasing look to her.

“Belle." He said softly, his voice deep and gentle and she felt shivers run down her spine. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you." She said softly. She felt small under his gaze and yet somehow, more alive than she had in a long time.

As the evening went on, Belle found herself constantly aware of Noah’s presence. She watched him from across the room, her eyes following him like a magnet. Her friends noticed her distraction and began teasing her mercilessly.

“The way you’re looking at him." Rose whispered. “It’s a wonder the room isn’t on fire.”

Belle flushed. “Stop it!” She hissed, but she couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips.

“Oh, come on, Belle." Jeff joined in. “How does it feel to have Noah back in town?”

Belle’s face burned. “It’s… nice." She stammered, trying to ignore the knowing grins on their faces.

“Just nice?” Rose giggled. “I’d say it’s a bit more than nice, judging by that look on your face.”

Belle rolled her eyes, but her heart was pounding. She could sense that he was staring at her and as she raised her eyes, she saw that he was indeed looking at her. Their gaze met and she could barely catch her breath.

And then, suddenly, she found herself in a secluded corner of the room. The party became hazy around her; the sound of the music played in the background seemed distant. She looked around and there he was — towering over her, right in front of her, focused, his eyes filled with an emotion she could not quite name.

“Noah…” She whispered the name out so faintly that it could barely be heard.

He stepped closer and touched her lip, his finger coming up to gently tuck the hair away from her face. The sensation of his fingers lightly brushing her skin made her feel as if  a jolt of electricity passed through her body. “You’ve been staring at me all night." He said softly, his voice a low rumble that made her knees weak.

Belle felt her cheeks burn. “I-I wasn’t." She stammered, but he only smiled.

“No?" He asked, his voice teasing.

“No." She insisted, but her voice betrayed her.

The smile slowly slipped away from Noah’s face and was replaced with something more intense, something close to desire. His eyes fixed on her lips and she wondered if he was going to kiss her right there in front of everyone.

But he didn’t. Still, instead of replying to her, he moved closer and whispered into her ears. “Happy birthday, Belle." He whispered again, this time his voice was full of such desire that Belle blushed instantly. “We will talk later. When the world is asleep.” 

Belle shivered, unable to respond. She could only nod, her heart racing as he slowly drew away from her with a devilish gleam on his lips.

And as he walked away, she knew that this was only the beginning.