“Um...you two are very different. I’ll say that.”
“Diplomatically stated. But it’s no wonder I’m different. She hasn’t had much influence on my life.”
He smiled as if he was thinking, Maybe you should be grateful for that, but he didn’t say anything.
“Do you miss living in Davis?” he asked.
She suddenly realized she hadn’t missed it at all. She’d scarcely even thought of her former home. She’d been too concerned with navigating the shark-infested waters she had to swim here. “Not too much.”
Confusion etched two lines between his eyebrows. “So why do you want to go back so badly?”
She should’ve said yes, she missed Davis. It would’ve been simpler. “I don’t know. It’s...all I’m familiar with besides this town.”
He gave her an enticing grin as he pulled out a key and unlocked his store. “What’s wrong with this town?”
Nothing—except what had happened fifteen years ago. That was the tragedy of it. She loved Whiskey Creek. But she shouldn’t be here. If not for Gran, she wouldn’t be. “There’s too much history.”
“You left when you were eighteen. How much history could there be?”
She shrugged as he held the door and she went in. “Sometimes it’s best to start over.”
She could tell her answers hadn’t satisfied him, but now that they were at the store, he was distracted by his eagerness to show her what he’d created with his life so far.
“I’m considering going into business with Brandon Lucero and expanding the shop to include snowboards, skis, that type of thing,” he said as he flipped on the lights. “If I retire soon, that’s what I’ll do.”
Brandon had carved out a name for himself in extreme skiing. Addy had been impressed by some of the video footage she’d seen of him—especially when he was dropped off on a mountaintop via helicopter and then raced down the steepest of slopes, none of them groomed. “He’s officially retired, then?”
“He never went back to it after that nasty fall where he broke his leg so badly.”
Addy had seen the footage of that, too. “The Fall” had been on all the news channels, and the Gold Country Gazette had chronicled Brandon’s injury and his recovery.
“The paper said he was going back to skiing after he healed.”
“He was keeping his cards pretty close to his chest.”
“So that injury forced him out of the sport?” She was beginning to understand why Noah considered giving up racing. He was getting older; why wait for a tragic accident to convince him it was time?
“He might’ve been able to keep going for a few more years. But then he met Olivia, and that changed his focus.”
“Right. Women weaken legs. I’ve seen Rocky, you misogynist.”
“I’m wounded,” he said when she shoved him. “I was merely saying it takes a lot to make a man leave a woman he loves.” He pulled a pink tunic off the rack. “Do you bike?”
“I’ve ridden before. But...I’m more of a runner.”
“Because you haven’t experienced all the possibilities. You should go out with me sometime.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’d be going maybe ten miles an hour, especially if we went off-road. And if I came to a pothole or a rock, I’d get off and walk my bike around it. You’d be bored stiff.”
“I doubt that.” He lowered his eyes to her new dress. “You’d look great in spandex.”
“But I can’t say the helmet would do much for me,” she said with a laugh.
“We’ll get you a cool one.” He started gathering up items. “You’ll also need some shoes and padded shorts. I wouldn’t want you to get a sore ass. Then you might not let me touch it.”
She slugged his arm halfheartedly. “Stop.”
“What about this?” He showed her a tight-fitting windbreaker with pockets for various necessities in back. “This will come in handy when it’s cold.”
“Noah, I don’t even have a bike!”
“We’re getting to that.”
She glanced at the rows of expensive bikes lining the showroom. “No, we’re not.”
“Sure we are. I want to take you biking tomorrow.”
She caught a glimpse of the price tag on the helmet he’d selected. Biking stuff was expensive. “But I can’t afford all this. Not right now.”
“You have plenty you could trade.” He slung what he’d been collecting over a rack and pressed her up against the register. “Want to pay now?” He nipped at her mouth. “Or later?”
She couldn’t resist his lascivious smile, especially since he intended it to be lascivious. He tempted her to be so carefree, so happy. She felt satisfied when she was with him in a way she’d never felt satisfied before, and that scared her. Because she knew their...connection, or whatever it was, couldn’t last.
Purposely avoiding any thought of the ending to come, she batted her eyelashes at him. “That depends on what payment includes.”
He kissed her, slow and soft. “It’ll definitely include the removal of your panties.”
She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, only hers wasn’t sweet and coaxing like the one he’d just given her. It was sexy and raw. Demanding. She put everything she had into it because she couldn’t share her feelings any other way—and she was desperate to enjoy him while she could. “What if I’m not wearing panties?” she whispered.
All playfulness disappeared from his expression as he slipped one hand up her dress. “Good thing I have a condom in my wallet.”
* * *
By the time they were ready to leave the store, Noah felt dazed. He had carpet burns on the backs of his hands where he’d shielded Addy’s backside as he drove into her in the break room, but he wouldn’t have done anything to change the experience. He’d never felt more possessive of someone, more hesitant to let go. Always before, he could walk away after sex. He’d preferred being able to go on with his life without any obligations, which was probably why he’d felt so defensive whenever his friends teased him. What they had to say was, to a large extent, true.
But things were different with Addy, which made every minute of being with her that much better. It made the sex better, too. Actually, it made the sex unbelievable.