Chapter Three

Nana’s POV

There he was sitting, a face I hadn’t seen in years with those smile I remembered as adorable but now stirred up something in me.

“Noah? Is that you?” my worn out voice spilled out almost in a whisper. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

He stood, looking taller than I remembered, the years filling him out in a way I hadn’t expected. I didn’t move as he approached, his eyes glinting with a quiet dare.

“I’ve missed you, birdie,” he murmured, his deep, soothing voice grazing my ears as he stopped just inches away.

“Don’t call me that!” I protested, playfully swatting his hard, firm chest. But he was real, standing right in front of me, close enough to touch.

His laughter rang out, digging up a well of nostalgia inside me. It filled me, in a way I hadn’t realized I was missing.

“Come here you little devil!” I spread my arms wide reaching for a hug. The scent of his cologne filled my nostrils as I buried my face in his chest.

“Aww! Did you miss me?” He teased.

“Of course not!” I shot back, a weak laughter following. Our bodies locked for a moment as we continued to hug.

Noah’s body heat crept into mine as he held me tight, his long thick fingers scratching my hair playfully.

A new sensation crept inside me as our bodies continue to press together, then I felt it, a throbbing inside me, the need for more than just a hug.

My hair stood at the realization and I quickly tried to pull away but Noah only held me tighter. “No, no, no, what is happening to me? Nana get yourself together!” I mumbled silently.

“Are you already tired of me?” Noah asked at my attempts to let go of him.

My stomach twisted as I quickly thought of a lie. “No no… I just realized I’ve been outside all day and I probably stink!” I answered, steadying my voice as I raised my head to look at him.

“You smell fine to me” He smirked, his gaze meeting mine. My stomach fluttered at the sight of his piercing green eyes.

I tried to break free from his hug again and he finally let go. “Where is my brother?” He asked.

At the mention of my husband, reality hit like a cold wave. The memory of our earlier argument flashed in my mind, making my heart sink.

“Oh! Uh…he’s at work,” I stammered, plastering on a smile.

Noah’s brow raised slightly, as though he wasn’t buying it. “Really?

“Yeah” I forced an assuring smile.

“Anyways when did you come back? I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Today.”

My eyes widened. “Today?” I headed over to the bar, eager to put some space between us, feeling him follow as I pulled out a bottle of my favorite wine.

“Yeah!”

“Oh my goodness, aren’t you tired?” I got behind the concrete counter and browsed through the cabinet for a drink before finally deciding to pick my favorite.

“Want some?” I asked, waving the bottle. He nodded, eyes glinting with that familiar mischief.

“Sonya!” I called out. “Bring us two glasses!”

A minute later, she arrived, setting them down with a raised brow before disappearing. As I reached for the glasses, our fingers brushed, and a tiny spark shot through me, leaving me dizzy.

This was wrong. So wrong. I shouldn’t feel like this, not with him, of all people. Simon’s face floated into my mind, but it didn’t stop the ache tugging at my chest.

“So how was Las Vegas?” I asked, pouring his glass first and sliding it to him. A quiet but dangerous zap shot through my body as our fingers touched for a second or more. “Oh Lord!” I muttered silently.

I felt a wave of disappointment crash within me. I was disappointed that I felt this way while my husband’s brother was around. “Maybe I just miss him” I muttered silently. Another ache spread through my chest as the thoughts of Simon crossed my mind again.

“Well, Las Vegas was good,” Noah said, his husky voice snapping me back to the present. A slow smile spread across his lips. “Hot girls, fast cars…the usual.”

I forced a small smile, taking a longer sip of wine than I needed. “Sounds like you had a blast.” I’d imagined my night going terribly after the argument with Simon, but Noah had surprised me. I was grateful, really. Grateful for this little escape.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” I admitted, glancing over at him. “You sounded like you were never coming back the day you left.”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly planning to come back anytime soon.”

“I see…” I held his gaze, curiosity sparking. “So what changed?”

“Dad.” His fingers played across the rim of his glass. “He wants me here to take on some parts of the business, so…looks like my fun’s over for now.” His lips held a faint stain of red wine, and I couldn’t help but notice how it looked on him.

“So…does this mean you’ll be around for a while?” I asked, my voice light, but I could feel a strange excitement rise in me.

“Yes.” His eyes held mine, his fingers grazing his lips as he paused, like he was holding something back. There was something in his gaze, a glimmer that made my stomach flip, though I couldn’t name it.

Noah took a sip of his wine, watching me closely before breaking the comfortable silence.

“Nana,” he said softly, almost like he’s hesitant to break the moment. “Are you… okay? You look tired.” His gentle voice catching me off guard with his questions.

“What do you mean Noah?” I forced a smile, my stomach wrapping tightly at his question. It felt like he could see my façade. “I’m fine!, Even better now that you’re here!” I continued forcing another weak laughter.

But Noah didn’t let it go, his gaze remained firm. “It’s more than that,” he said, his brows knitting together in concern. “I can see it in your eyes, Nana.

I hesitated, feeling exposed under his gaze, but tried to deflect with a smile. “You’re imagining things, Noah.”

Noah leaned in just a bit, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. “Don’t do that. Don’t pretend around me… Is it Simon”

I felt my defenses cracking, my heart pounding. “I… it’s just… Simon’s been busy. Things aren’t easy, but I’m fine. I’m used to it.”

But Noah didn’t buy it. His eyes narrowed, a flicker of frustration showing. “Used to it? You deserve more than just ‘getting used to it,’ Nana. You deserve to be happy. Really happy. Are you?”