Forever Her Cowboy - Lucy Darling Page 0,11

forgive you. So I’ll get you that blanket and pillow because the only place you’ll be sleeping tonight is this couch.”

“Noelle.”

Him saying my name almost breaks me, but I continue down the hall to get him what he needs to spend the night on the couch. I grab what I need and make my way back, the whole time telling myself that I need to stick with this because he hurt my best friend. Even though I want him to spend the night with me. For us to spend every second we can together before I tell him about the baby. Before things have the chance to change.

“Noelle,” he tries again.

“Don’t you Noelle me. Here’s your pillow. You’re sleeping here tonight, and I’ll see you in the morning.” He tries to grab me, but I evade him, walking quickly back to my room. We’ll see about that are the last words I hear him utter before I shut my bedroom door.

6

Josh

“Fuck.” I run my hand down my face. I’m actually enjoying the throb Eric left in my gut. I deserve it. It’s what I get for always thinking I know what’s best for my sister. Instead I ended up hurting her more. It wasn’t because I didn’t want her and Eric to be together. I knew that would happen eventually. I just didn’t want the years until then to be hell for either one of them.

Now I’m starting to think I made it exactly that way for both of them. The look in Daisy’s eyes was one of betrayal, and I’ll have a lot of explaining to do first thing tomorrow morning.

Frustrated by the situation I’ve created, I punch my pillow and try to lie down on the couch for the night, knowing that sleep isn’t going to come easy. Besides the issue with my sister and Eric, my mind won’t stop racing about Noelle. Having her this close and not being able to be next to her is fucking with me. I toss and turn for a while, but I can’t get comfortable. Now that I’ve had her, there is no staying away from her. She can’t say that I didn’t try.

I’ve made it exactly thirty-four minutes before I decide that I’m not going to be able to stay away from her. I’ve spent years staying away from her. Daisy and Eric may think I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes, but I do. It was the reason I did it. Waiting for Noelle was the hardest thing I’ve ever endured. Many times I thought I was going crazy, thinking that the waiting would never end.

I push off the couch heading back toward her bedroom. I ignore the sounds coming from my sister’s room. Hell, I do not need to hear that shit. When I push open the door, I see Noelle sitting up in the middle of the bed.

“You okay?” I shut the door behind me, making my way over to the bed.

“It’s silly.” She shakes her head.

“Nothing is silly when it comes to you.” I tuck one of her blond locks behind her ear.

“I missed you.” That makes me smile. “Hey!” She smacks my chest. “This is crap. You’re supposed to be in trouble, but now I have to deal with the fallout of not getting to sleep with you tonight.”

“I could sleep with you.”

She shakes her head adamantly no. “Daisy is my best friend. If she’s mad at you, I'm mad at you. I don’t make these rules, I just live by them.”

“All right.” I stand up.

“Wait. You’re leaving?”

I walk over to the bathroom flipping off the light before I crawl back into bed. “No. I’m not leaving. I guess I said it wrong. I didn't mean I could sleep with you. I meant I am sleeping with you. Not sure you can really stop me.” I hear her huff out a breath. I sit up to pull her back down to lie in the bed. She doesn't fight me.

“Whatever.” She huffs. Fucking adorable.

“See? This way it’s not your fault. You tried to kick me out.” I pull her flush against me, wrapping my arms around her. She still feels a little tense. I kiss her shoulder and then her neck. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, just a lot is changing. Not just Daisy and me moving here either. Now she’s with Eric which I’m over the moon about, but I’d hate if we started drifting apart. I hear people do that.” I can