Lusting (Carnal Sins Of Noah Trilogy #1) (11 page)

"I want to devour every part of your delectable body. To taste, tease, urge and squeeze every last drop of your essence out until you feel your world split apart...

My God I need this man!
Her breath quickened and her legs wanted to spread wide for him, right there. To let him do what he just confessed.

Yes! She wanted that. She needed him to split her world apart. She needed him. Just him.

"...But I can't have you. I can't have anyone like that."

And he walked away, leaving her aroused, weak and humiliated.

Chapter Nine

A
lexis played that night in her head over and over again, whenever she had time to think. It had been five days since she last saw Noah. He didn't stop by the spa or call to check to see how the business was going. And Cadence, who’d been to Eden every night, told her that Noah didn't even show up since her last night there, five days ago!

"Even his cousins and Mateo are worried about him." Cadence had told her the day before at breakfast.

Alexis thought it was probably that he didn't want to risk seeing her again.

And if he felt anywhere near what she felt when she’d seen him, Alexis couldn't blame the man. Each time she saw Noah, her heart felt as if it was going to thump right out of her chest.

She didn't know what he meant when he said 'I can't have
you. I can't have anyone like that."

But she wanted to find out -- needed to find out. The man plagued her every waking moment and taunted her endlessly, in her dreams. She needed to do something about it and knew just the person to call.

Sitting across from the devilishly handsome Mateo, Alexis finished ordering her lunch and waited until Mateo finished ordering his, before she spoke.

"Thanks for meeting me Mateo, I know you're busy."

He smirked, "I hardly work anymore, Alexis. Especially now since Noah’s doing pretty much everything, keeping busy and pouring himself into the business like his life’s depending on it. So, it's my pleasure to meet a dear friend for lunch. Especially, if she’s finally going to admit that she’s much more attracted to ‘the dash of sin and splash of sextract."

She couldn't help but to smile at him. He was just too much sometimes.

Mateo sighed, “Go ahead. Ask me.”

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she didn’t pretend ignorance and asked, "Is he ok?"

Mateo’s eyes crinkled, "He's fine. I talked to him earlier this morning."

She nodded and sipped the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. The tart liquid was soothing to her. But not enough for her liking. Her heart ached for Noah. She needed to find out how to help him. Something wasn't right.

Mateo looked at her, his eyes thoughtful yet, piercing like he was trying to read her mind. It was a little unnerving.

"It will be hard, Alexis."

She raised an eyebrow, "What will be?"

A small smile played on his lips, but his eyes remained serious.

"Making him see what’s in front of him. Peeling the hard shell he formed around his heart."

She let out quick breath, "Well...why is it there in the first place? What happened to him?"

Mateo shook his head and sighed heavily brushing his hand through his thick wavy hair, "I can't tell you that, Alexis. I want to but, it's not for me to tell. He was like this when I met him. And I believe it’s because of his childhood. "

What did he mean by that?
"Because of his parents’ death? I remember seeing about that in a magazine article once."

Mateo nodded, "Yes. But, I’m sure it's much more to the story. And he'll have to tell you when he's ready. I don’t even know it. But he needs to open up to someone. And I think it’s you. Just give him time. He'll come around."

"Mateo, you've been friends with Noah for a very long time, right? Have you ever known him to get in a relationship? He told me he...doesn't even..."

She couldn't finish.

"Sleep with the same person more than once?" He finished for her, his disapproval clear.

She nodded.

How many people has he slept with?

"Well, Alexis. I've known Noah for 15 years now and I've never known him to even glance at a female for more than five seconds. And he stares at you constantly, when you’re around. So what does that tell you?"

"That I'm pretty?" She joked sarcastically. Alexis knew she wasn’t gorgeous by any means, but she thought she was pretty enough. But maybe she was mistaken.

"You are undeniably beautiful, Alexis Monroe. But, I think he feels more than that for you. He's never missed a night at Eden. Never. But since you left, he hasn't been there. He's been
pouring his heart and soul into the business trying to stay busy. Yet, he asks about you, every day."

"He does?" She whispered, daring to believe him.

Mateo nodded, "I think that whatever’s plaguing him, you can help smooth away. He's my best friend and I want to see him happy. He deserves it. Put him out of his misery, Alexis. Go to him."

She took a deep breath. It was so much she wanted to know, so much she needed to understand about him. She needed to find out about his past before she could do anything else.

"Thank you, Mateo. I appreciate it."

She made a mental checklist of the things she needed to do.

Mateo grinned at her, "Don't thank me. I'm just as sure you’ll be banging my head against the wall before it's all over. Noah can be very stubborn."

"Yea. Well so can I." She muttered.

"Alexis, do you have any idea of what you are asking me to do?!" Ryan whispered furiously, as he sat up from his desk in his office. Piles of paperwork were strewn across his desk.

Alexis rolled her eyes at Ryan. She and Ryan had been friends since birth practically. She knew him better than anyone, including Cadence, which is why she felt guilty for not including him in her going on’s lately.

She and Ryan had always shared everything, as he was like the brother she never had and knew he felt the same way. He was very protective of her and didn't want her getting involved with the 'bad boy billionaire' in the first place.

"Nothing good could come from this, Lexi." He shook his head in disapproval.

He rarely told her no. If she needed anything, Ryan was always there. And she knew he would be there for her now.

She filled him in on everything that has happened in the last three weeks, leaving out the minor facts of Noah's kisses.

"So why do you feel the need to look through his and his parent’s files?" Ryan asked.

Alexis looked at Ryan. Like really looked.

He was handsome, not like Noah or Mateo...but still handsome. He was height and weight proportionate and his eyes were very expressive, with her. But with others, he slid on a mask of cool indifference. She guessed it was because of his job. He was a detective and at 28, that was impressive. He excelled at his job, too. And she needed him to look into Noah's background.

"Just please do this for me, Ryan. You know I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important." She pleaded, giving him the puppy dog eyes he always fell for.

Running a hand through his hair, Ryan sighed and she knew she'd won.

She ran around his desk and gave him a heartfelt hug and kiss on the cheek. He grinned and said, "You were always a spoiled little brat, Alexis."

"And you love me anyway. Bye!" She laughed and headed for the door before he could change his mind.
Get help from Ryan…check!

She smiled when she heard him mumble about 'little sisters being spoiled brats." She closed his door, a smile on her face, when she heard her name.

"Ms. Alexis Monroe."

Uh oh, she knew that voice like it was her own.

Turning around, she came face to face with the man she didn’t expect to see here. Dressed suavely in a black suit, white shirt and gray tie, he looked picture perfect.

"Mr. Noah Kane."

His hungry eyes took all of her in and she could have kicked herself for not wearing something more flattering.

"I didn't expect to see you, here." He added that last word smoothly.

But she knew he meant that he didn't mean to see her at all. Ever again.

Narrowing her eyes and pursing her lip, she told him, "I was visiting a dear friend."

"Oh? And who might that be?"

"Detective Ryan Pierce."

His eyebrows shot up, "Truly?"

Hmm, does he know Ryan?
"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering. Well, Ms. Monroe, it was nice seeing you." And he turned to leave.

"What were you doing here?" She blurted out before he fully turned his back on her.

Looking sideways, he looked at her with an arrogant eyebrow raised.

"Business."

"Business? With detectives?" Her voice laced with skepticism.

"Yes."

Well he didn't seem to want to expand.

"What about?" she asked boldly.

"Ever the curious one, Alexis. You should think about becoming a reporter." He quipped, turning fully toward her.

"Hm. I thought about it and nope, not for me. I'm just curious about you Mr. Kane."

The wary look came into his eyes and she knew he was about to shut her out. She couldn't let that happen. Not yet.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I have a thing tomorrow that I'd like you to attend with me." She told him before he could try to escape again.

"A thing?" His expression changing from wary to curious.

"Well...I uh…know you like running and you're the only person available…that I know…who likes to run..." she babbled.

"You want me to run with you?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well, it’s a 5k color run and I thought you'd enjoy it. I didn't want to go by myself and I already bought two tickets, but, Cadence can't make it and Ryan’s too busy an..."

"I'll go." He promised, stopping her tirade.

“Great!”

She gave him a blinding smile, kissed his cheek and turned to leave before he could change his mind.

Get Noah to myself…check!

Later that night, Alexis was catching up on her TV series, when a knock sounded on her door.

She rolled over and looked at the time. 11pm. Who in the hell could that be? Maybe it's Cadence, she always forgot her key, whenever she came to spend the night. Sighing Alexis paused her show, walked to the door, and opened it. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

Noah!

A soaked Noah!

She stared at him from his drenched hair, his wet nose and lips, down to his shirt clinging to his chest and stomach, defining ever single sculpted muscle, then further down to his jogging pants, hanging low on his narrow hips and clinging to the definite bulge. Whipping her head back up to his face, she was at a loss for words.

Noah. Here. At my place. At 11pm. Wet
.

It was too much. She closed her eyes shutting out the beautiful, emotionally fucked man standing before her. She must be dreaming. Had to be. Noah wouldn't come to her this time of the night. In the rain. Not when he was dead set against doing anything with her.

This is one helluva dream
, the little red devil on her shoulder snickered.

"May I come in?" His voice penetrated her mind.

Nope! Not a dream
.