NOAH

Chapter 6

"Just an off start to the evening," I replied the third time he asked me some variation of why I was in such a bad mood.

"Is it getting better?" He asked.

"It might." I shrugged.

Don't do it. Don't, I ordered myself. But I did it anyway.

"You know, you shouldn't go around kissing clients, Noah. People will get the wrong idea about what kind of business Ash is running here."

At first he seemed confused, his beautiful face scrunched as he pondered on my words. Then his mouth formed into an O and he nodded.

"You mean Callian? The long-limbed blond?"

It was my turn to nod.

"He's not just a client. He's a friend I work with at Marv's Groceries. He came here tonight for moral support, but I barely had time for him and felt guilty about anchoring him to the bar, so I told him to go stretch his legs on the dance floor. It was sweet that he came at all."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

Noah's friend had been here to support him on the night I was supposed to support him. But instead of me doing that, I'd only added to Noah's stress. I'd watched him work over the past half an hour and it hadn't escaped my notice that he'd been sneaking worried glances my way whenever he could. He'd even spilled some vodka because his eyes had been on mine as I'd silently stared at him.

I'd been a total and complete dick.

I wanted to sigh again, to groan, to bang my head against the bar. But that wouldn't help Noah so all I did was say: "I'm glad you have someone looking out for you."

And I meant it. I was happy that even though he'd only recently moved to town, he'd already found a good friend. Especially, when I couldn't be that for him. Not when I lusted after him.

"Yeah, I could use a good friend." He smiled and we parted on those words, him serving drinks and me, sitting on the stool, staring at the beverage before me.

He'd saved my life and I couldn't even be a friend to him when he'd admitted he needed one. And why not? Because I was a selfish prick, thinking about my own feelings. About my own safety. Would it be so dangerous to let Noah nearer, even if just as a friend?

Surely I could do it if I put my mind to it. I could ignore the carnal desire that had appeared so suddenly, it had taken me out of left field. Because even on that faithful first day when he'd pulled me away from the car, I'd wanted to get closer to the breathtaking being, crouched next to me on the pavement.

Maybe Ash was right. Maybe I was confusing first the shock and then the gratitude for something else. Or at least letting them stoke a fire that wouldn't usually burn so hot. Maybe I needed to find a way to step back and view Noah with objective eyes.

I lifted my head and turned in his direction in time to see him gracefully extend an arm towards a top shelf and wrap his fingers around a bottle. Then he turned around, his movements fluid even though all he did was pour some alcohol into a tall glass.

I sighed. No matter how I looked at him, he was still breathtaking.

~ Noah ~

The club was closed and I was finishing cleaning up the bar on my own. Throughout the night, Callian had kept popping up to check on me, the last time leaving with a devilish grin, the type that said 'I know something you don't'. I let him have that one; I was too tired to interrogate him about it. Maybe on Monday. We shared a shift at the grocery store then.