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Chapter Forty-Three

Wrapping my robe around me, I padded quietly to the front door and pressed the buzzer to let Noah into the house. Watching his shape move silently up the stairs, I stepped to one side before closing the door behind him.

When we reached my room, the silence was hanging over us; heavy and laden with unspoken emotion. Removing his boots and jacket, he climbed onto the bed and sat up against the headboard, his frame almost taking up the whole space. Without saying a word, he gestured for me to come over as he held an arm out expectantly.

Maybe I should have been more annoyed with him for his caveman-like behaviour earlier that afternoon. But the sight of him sitting there, wordlessly asking for my forgiveness, was too much. Letting out a sigh, I climbed onto the bed between his legs and laid my head back on his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"How's your face?" he whispered.

"Okay," I murmured. "A bit bruised, but nothing too bad."

"Abi, I really didn't mean to catch you like that, it was an accident. You know I would never hurt a woman in that way, especially not you, right?"

"I know."

After a couple of minutes had passed, Noah broke the silence once more.

"Why was he here?" he asked, his voice trembling. "After everything he's done why was he here, in your flat, looking all cosy with you?"

"He just showed up," I shrugged. "We were friends for a long time, you know? Even after the way he treated me, I still care about him in some weird way."

"Care about him in the same way you care about me?"

"Not at all." I replied, shaking my head against his chest. "He did a lot of things to hurt me, Noah, but he was there for me during one of the most terrible parts of my life. He only just found out about the car accident. He was worried so he came to check I was okay."

"And did you tell him you're okay?" Noah replied. "Did you tell him I'm here to look after you now, to treat you the way you deserve?"

"Yes, I told him," I sighed.

"What did you say?"

"Don't worry, I told him I'd met someone new and in no way would me and him ever be like that again."

Noah's chest rose heavily under my head as he inhaled deeply.

"Good," he whispered, placing a lingering kiss on the top of my head.

Pulling myself up to face him, I smiled gently at the sight of his perfect but troubled features glowing in the low light of my bedside lamp.

"Just so you know, I'm going to go back and see my mum this weekend, okay?"

Nodding gently, Noah cupped my face in his hands as he softly placed his lips against my forehead. "Okay," he whispered.

"Are you staying here tonight?" I continued.

Noah cocked his head slightly, seeming unsure of whether he was welcome. "If you'll let me?"

"Of course," I smiled, "But I really need to get some sleep. I've got a nine o'clock lecture in the morning. Some of us still have uni, you know?"

Letting out a small chuckle, Noah held his hands up innocently.

"I'm good with sleep," he smiled. "You sleep, I'll just lay here and watch you..."

"You're bordering on stalking again there," I laughed. "Talking of which, did you secretly have my phone number all this time?"

"I may have got it from your friend that first night at The Lock," he smirked. "You know, the guy with the bleached hair?"