After her workout Noah surprised her by coming over and hugging her. It felt so good she gave into it completely hugging him back just as hard. He even let out a small moan as he released her. “Why does if feel like I haven’t seen you in so long?”

She smiled and lifted a shoulder, pretending not to know but she did know because incredibly she felt the same way. A small part of her gave into the hope that maybe she wasn’t so bad off if he was feeling the same way. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that she couldn’t stop thinking of him lately, that the entire time she had dinner with Derek she kept having to get her head back into the conversation because it kept wandering off to thoughts of Noah. Then she remembered the picture and was back to square one. It was bad and she needed to snap out of it.

Their evening went as usual, they ate and watched television together, only tonight Veronica didn’t ask to use his phone. Then she showered and Noah was right there waiting in the hall when she emerged from the restroom, wearing only her bathrobe and the towel on her head.

His smile reeked of wicked mischief. He usually waited for her to get dressed then come out and say goodnight. Tonight she’d barely made it to her door when his big body was already up against hers spiking her heart rate in an instant. Before she could protest, as if she’d have the will to, his lips were on hers.

After the night she’d had last night and an the entire day of convincing herself she had to slow this down, she should’ve tried to push him off or at least bring her hand between them so he wouldn’t be so close. Instead she kissed him back ravenously, sucking away at his tongue until he groaned in response.

His thigh was pressed against an area that was now on fire. She was sure he’d feel the heat even through her bathrobe. She finally dragged a shred of willpower out from inside her and she pulled her lips away from his breathing heavily.

“Noah,” she strained to whisper.

“Mmm,” he said continuing to kiss her chin then her neck.

“We have to slow down,” she said squirming at the delicious sensation of his tongue on her neck.

“Okay,” he said just before she felt him suck her neck.

How was it possible that she felt that between her legs? Her body arched in reaction. It was magical. Then she remembered and pulled away. “Noah, no hickeys!”

He smirked, licking his lips. “Okay,” he murmured as he buried his tongue in her mouth again. By the time she was able to put a stop to the kiss it was probably one of the longest goodnight ones to date. They’d been standing outside her bedroom door for what was at least a solid twenty minutes and their kiss goodnight had escalated to him feeling her up completely over her robe resulting in barely-suppressed moans from her. So much for slowing things down.

She stood inside her room now, her back against her door still trying to catch her breath. Shaking her head she walked over to her dresser and stared at the horny disheveled broad she saw in the mirror. She’d even lost the towel on her head in the midst of it all. Then she saw it and frowned. Damn it he was fast. Another hickey. This one smack in the middle of neck and just dark enough to be very noticeable if she didn’t apply enough make up. No wonder he’d smiled so sinfully when he finally walked away.

This day had turned out just wonderful. She was supposed to have broken some ground on adding a little distance between her and Noah—on gaining her independence. Instead she stood there, her body still trembling all over and twitching in places that ached desperately for more of him. Even while her inner voice admonished her for doing this tonight her body was already looking forward to tomorrow night.

***

The rest of he week continued with Veronica determined to stick with her plan. One way or another she would overcome what was beginning to feel like an obsession. As soon as she got a chance to, she’d talk to Nellie about this. Nellie was always so wonderful about helping see things in a clearer light.

Deciding that her time after work and before she went to the gym would be her time now she scheduled something for that timeslot everyday that week. Tuesday, she went for sushi with her coworker Sylvia who had raved more than once about the new place that had recently opened up. So Veronica hit her up and Sylvia agreed to go with her after work. That evening she managed to cut the goodnight kiss down to half the time they’d spent on it the night before, but it was still just as sizzling.

Wednesday and Thursday she spent with Derek but she hadn’t planned it that way. Wednesday she agreed to meet him for pizza after work. It was going fine until he asked about the hickey she’d completely forgotten about. Only he didn’t refer to it as a hickey he asked if it was a love bite. Mortified she’d denied it though she was certain he didn’t buy it since the only explanation she’d offered was ‘I don’t know what it is, maybe from my seatbelt rubbing against my neck.’

Even after she’d changed the subject she noticed his eyes travel to the very spot several times. One of the times she’d caught him their eyes met and even though she’d been in the middle of telling him about not having talked to Nellie in a couple of days he asked, “So how are things with you and Noah?”

She’d been so stumped she went silent. Her and Noah? His wording alone was a giveaway—he knew. It was just like him to figure something like that out with the smallest of clues.

Feeling a bit defensive she said things were fine, changed the subject and said she had to get going.

Then Thursday after not being able to get a hold of Nellie again and no other prospects in mind she didn’t want to spend two days in a row with Derek, especially now that she suspected he knew more than he should. So she told him she was going to be busy with her camera at the park.