Exposure - Kelly Moran Page 0,10

get married and breed perfect little dark-haired children after sex with any of your partners?"

He knew the answer was no. Any other possibility and she'd be barefoot and pregnant. Every guy she set her sights on would capture the moon in a box if she desired such a thing. Her not being the other half of someone's whole was because she didn't want to be.

She sighed. "You know I haven't. But we know each other. Don't you think that makes this different?"

The most interesting fact about this conversation, this entire night up until now, was she never denied interest. Not once did I'm not attracted to you spring from her lips. Scooting his chair back, he grabbed the arms of hers and drew it flush, trapping her knees with his. When her breath caught, he leaned closer and inhaled her scent in the curve of her neck where her pulse beat wild.

Rain. She smelled like rain. Through the years, he wondered how she mastered that, and he'd yet to watch a storm where he didn't think about her.

Her hand landed on his forearm, warm and steady, fingers tightening. "Noah?" Her hot breath fanned his cheek, catapulting his erection from hard to painful.

"I want you. And I usually get what I want. I had to wait too long to have you already." He lifted his head, the rasp of his shadow filled the quiet as his cheek brushed hers. Her lashes fluttered to half-mast, cementing his belief she wasn't unaffected. "You live inside your head, where all the power is overruling your ability to enjoy. It's why you've been unsatisfied with your partners. I want you, and you need to learn to let go."

He leaned in to whisper against her mouth, until even a tremble couldn't come between them. "It'll be so good, Raven."

A noise trapped in her throat. Desperation? Frustration? Didn't matter. He'd made his point and she understood.

Slowly, he rose and set a stack of bills on the table. He waited for the desire to clear from her eyes while he shoved into his coat. After several beats, her questioning gaze lifted to his, her fingers tightening over the chair arms.

He buttoned his coat, hiding all traces of her affect on him. "You need time to process. When you make your decision, come to my condo on Friday night. One week. I'll cook for you for a change." He paused, shoving his hands in his pockets so he didn't touch. "Please wear that dress. It does things to me you can't begin to understand."

Grinning when her eyes widened, he nodded and walked out.

Chapter Three

Halfway through Monday, any progress in regards to work was shot. Raven couldn't get what happened with Noah out of her head.

Ten years they'd been friends, and she'd never once suspected. Never suspected his alter ego or his attraction to her. Worse, she couldn't decide what to do about Friday. Should she go to his place?

She remembered when he'd bought the condo, right after his company took off, around the same time she started looking into investors for hers. She hadn't been there since the first walk-through other than a handful of times. Noah knew she preferred the comfort of her apartment, and rendered her that small vice.

God. He was Hoan Dwell. Rich, mysterious, sexy Hoan Dwell. The man who captured women through his lens with innate skill. Noah had liked photography back in college. He used to carry a camera around wherever he went. It had been years since she'd seen him with one. So he could better hide what he was doing? Who he was?

The tight ball in her stomach clenched. He'd lied to her. For years. Part of her didn't think she'd ever be able to trust him again. His reasons seemed valid, but he was so vague in responding that she couldn't figure out what he was talking about. Just what or who haunted his past? And why were they so dangerous he was forced to lie to even her?

He was like two different people. The comfortable best friend who she could talk to about anything and the intense artist who showed up to dinner. The things he'd said, the way he'd said them…the letters!

Noah. All along. Her cheeks flamed even now. Heat pooled in her belly.

How strange that her mind didn't question the shift from hands off to please touch. She didn't even like being touched. It was illogical not to have a grace period when merging from friends to lovers.