Noah raised one eyebrow, waiting for me to go on.

  “He told me what you said about me,” I admitted quietly.

  “You’re making that sound like a bad thing.”

  I looked up at him, trying to hide the tears that had formed in my eyes. “It was the most wonderful thing I have ever heard.”

  Noah grabbed my face with both of his hands and kissed my lips with more passion than he ever had before. “I meant every word,” he said.

  “I know you did,” I said, pulling away from him just a bit, “I was thinking…”

  “Yes?” Noah asked.

  “I’m going to come back to work. And I don’t care what anyone says about us, I just want to be with you,” I said.

  “Well, that’s the most wonderful thing I have ever heard.” He groaned, pressing his lips to mine once again.

  Noah pulled me into his lap and pressed my body against his. He peeled off my jacket and started to reach for the buttons of my shirt.

  “Noah,” I said, pulling away, “Erin is right out there.”

  “You just said you didn’t care what anyone says,” Noah crooned.

  “Well, I don’t, but I don’t really want her to hear us having sex,” I said.

  “She better get used to it.” A cocky smile crossed his face.

  “Noah!” I said again, smacking him across the arm.

  “Hazel, the door is completely soundproof. Trust me, she is not going to hear a thing,” he said.

  “You’re sure?” I asked.

  “Positive.”

  “Good because I’ve been dying to fuck you all day,” I said.

  Noah bit his bottom lip and let out a low growl. He threw me onto my back on the couch and dove on top of me, somehow removing his clothing in the process. He unbuttoned my shirt and immediately started kissing my bare skin, somehow simultaneously being gentle and incredibly ferocious.

  I pulled my pants off, and Noah picked up my legs, placing one on each of his shoulders. He slid himself inside me. I let out a gasp of delight as he began slowly circling his hips, pressing further and further into me. I teased his nipples gently as he thrust into me, and with each movement, he let out increasingly louder moans.

  “You’re sure she can’t hear us?” I asked, gesturing over to the door.

  “I’m sure,” he said with his eyes closed, completely breathless.

  Noah picked me up and turned me around, so I was kneeling on the couch, resting my arms on the back of it. He stood up behind me and grabbed my hips before thrusting back inside of me. I couldn’t contain the groan that came out of my mouth as he moved himself in and out, teasing my entrance every now and then. I rotated my hips in a slow circle, arching my back as I went.

  “Hazel.” Noah moaned softly. “Oh, Hazel.”

  The sound of him saying my name was like music to my ears. I didn’t know if I would ever tire of it. Noah reached around and grabbed my breast with one hand while the other gently massaged my clit, sending chills through my entire body. His thrusts got a bit quicker, but they were still gentle as he made sure I got my pleasure first. I continued rotating my hips, and Noah’s motions became a bit more vigorous before we were both sent over the edge in an unbelievably synchronized climax. If Erin hadn’t been able to hear us before, she definitely heard us then.

  We collapsed down onto the couch, and Noah wrapped me in his arms, breathing heavily. I kissed his cheek and placed my hand on his chest. I didn’t know if there had ever been a moment in my life when I had felt happier.

  Chapter twenty-four

  Noah

  “Hazel,” I whispered, pulling her in closer to me.

  I kissed her hair and silently wished that this moment never had to end.

  “I’m leaving next week,” I started to say.

  “Leaving? What are you talking about?” she interrupted.

  “Let me finish. I’m leaving for a few weeks to go take care of some business in London, and I want you to come with me.”

  I felt her body relax a bit, but it suddenly tensed back up when I finished my sentence.

  “You want me to go all the way to London with you? For a few weeks?”

  “Is that a problem?” I asked.

  “No, I just—I don’t know. Are we ready for that?” she asked.

  “Hazel,” I said again, knowing that I would never tire of saying her name, “I would go anywhere in the world with you.”

  She smiled and let out a small sigh. “Okay, I’ll go with you,” she said as she kissed my chest.

  “Great, because I’ve already told Marisa you would be coming, and she’s arranged everything,” I said.

  “What? How? You didn’t know I would be here today. And you definitely didn’t know that I was going to talk to my dad,” she said.

  With a smirk, I replied, “I know things, my dear.”

  Hazel rolled her eyes at me, but I knew she was looking forward to the trip just as much as I was. Though I did have business to take care of while I was there, it was all things that I could have done from Chicago. I thought it would be a good idea for us to get away for a while. Truthfully, I was a bit homesick, and I was ready for a real cup of tea. Nothing in America compared to the good stuff at home.

  The following week, Hazel and I boarded my plane to set off to London. She had definitely overpacked, even though I assured her that I would be able to buy her anything that she may have forgotten, but she insisted that she needed everything in her suitcases.

  Marisa was coming along for the trip, as she was just as homesick as I was, and she also had a special guest joining her. Her dates while we had been in Seattle turned into a bit of a romance, and they were also itching for some time away together. Fortunately, the plane had several separate rooms where we could each have a bit of privacy, and once we landed in London, the two of them would be off on their own. Marisa was the most loyal employee I had ever worked with, and she deserved much more time off than she took, so I was thrilled when she asked to bring her girlfriend home with her.

  For the entire length of the flight, Hazel and I talked and laughed about everything we could think of. I didn’t think there was a quiet moment between the two of us the entire time. With each word she said, I fell more and more in love. She was smart without being showy about it. She was generous and kind, which she was incredibly humble about. And she was far more beautiful than she gave herself credit for. I told her about the night of the charity gala when I had first taken over the Bees. I described how I had felt seeing her step out of the car in the most incredible dress in the world. I told her about all the times that I wanted to kiss her, but I had to restrain myself. And I told her about all the things I was going to do to her when we finally had some privacy.

  We arrived at my London home late in the evening, jetlagged and quite worn out from the day of travel, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her. I gave her a quick tour of the townhouse, finishing with the main bedroom, where I was sure we would be spending plenty of time over the next three weeks.

  “Noah, this place is incredible,” Hazel said as she took in her surroundings.

  “I’m glad you think so. It has been a labor of love.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “This was the first home I ever bought. It was in shambles when I purchased it, and it has taken years of effort to get it to look like this. I have homes all over the world, but this one is by far my favorite,” I explained.

  “It’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me,” she said.

  I reached out to grab her hand, silently letting her know that I was happy to share it with her. She looked over at me with a sly grin on her face.

  “What are you smiling about?” I asked.

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” she said.

  “Hazel,” I said.

  “I know you’re tired, and I know you have a lot of work to do in the morning, but I was just thinking…” she started.

  “Yes?” I asked.

  “Oh, never mind. Let’s just go to bed,” she said, beginning to walk over to her suitcase sitting in the corner of the room.

  I grabbed her arm before she could get too far away.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” I growled at her.

  “I was just going to brush my teeth. Did you have something else in mind?” she asked, the sly smile back on her face.

  I pressed her up against the wall and pulled her hips to mine.

  “I have a lot of things in mind,” I whispered.

  I ran my hands down the side of her body until I reached the top of her pants. I slowly pulled them off and got down onto my knees. I lifted one of Hazel’s legs onto my shoulder. She ran her fingers through my hair as I began to kiss her inner thigh. The higher I moved, the more I could feel her body start to tremble. I grabbed her ass and slowly, excruciatingly slowly, I slid my tongue inside of her. She gasped and pulled at my hair, pushing my tongue further inside of her. I had been craving the sweet taste of her for too long, and my body pulsed with excitement the more I tasted. I circled my tongue gently, though I wanted to please her with much more intensity, and each moan that passed her lips was better than the last.

  “Noah.” She sighed.

  I looked up at her as I sucked her clit into my mouth. She moaned with pleasure, her back arching and her eyes closed.

  “Noah,” she said again.

  “Yes, my love?” I asked, my mouth just hovering over her body.

  “You are—oh—” She squeaked as I slid two fingers inside of her.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  She couldn’t get another word out as I slid my fingers up and down her clit and in and out of her. I started to move a bit quicker, and Hazel’s legs started to shake. Gasping for air with every motion I made, she had her hands around the back of my neck. I pushed my tongue back inside of her, much to her delight. She pressed her hips closer to me, and I couldn’t help it any longer. I completely devoured her as she rocked her hips back and forth, screaming with pleasure as she reached her climax.

  She grabbed the wall for balance as I slowly set her leg back on the floor and stood up to face her. Her chest heaved, and her eyes were still closed. I was certain that I had never seen anyone so beautiful.

  “Holy shit.” She sighed, still trying to catch her breath.

  I laughed and continued watching her come down. I placed one hand on the wall on either side of her head, waiting for her to open her eyes. I leaned into her and ran my tongue up her neck and towards her ear. I hesitated for a moment before I pressed my body completely against hers, pinning her to the wall. Hazel’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at me.

  “Did you have something you wanted to say to me before?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I probably did, but I can’t really think straight right now.” Even after the small reprieve, she still breathed heavily.

  “I love you,” I whispered into her ear.

  Hazel’s eyes snapped to meet mine, and she pushed me off of her. She pulled her shirt off over her head and unclasped her bra in one quick movement. It fell to the floor revealing her perfect body, with curves in all the right places. I followed her lead and removed my clothes as quickly as I could before she pushed me back onto the bed. I sat down on the edge and pulled her onto my lap. I guess I should say that I pulled her onto my cock, which was already waiting for her arrival.

  Hazel bounced up and down, her tits moving along with her body, and I laid back on the bed and enjoyed the show. She reached down and pinched my nipples, sending waves of ecstasy through my body. I grabbed her hips and thrust mine up into her body, which caused a moan to escape her lips instantly. I could have laid there and pleasured her and watched her move all night long. I was certain that there was no one in the world better suited for me.

  I lifted Hazel off of me and flipped her over onto her back. I climbed on top of her and let my dick dangle over her mouth as I ran my tongue up and down her clit. She started to lick the tip of my throbbing cock before pulling it into her mouth completely. I tried to concentrate on pleasuring her, but her mouth moving up and down me was almost too much to bear. I slipped my tongue in and out of her, teasing at her entrance until she was once again writhing with satisfaction.

  I rolled off of her and onto the bed, feeling fairly pleased with myself. Before she had a chance to move, I stood up and pulled her hips to the edge of the bed, where she was at the perfect height for me to enter her again. I slowly slid myself into her, and she wrapped her legs around mine as I began to thrust into her harder and harder. I gripped her hips and rocked mine back and forth, soaking in the sight of her being laid out in front of me.

  I pressed into her again and again until both of us were completely breathless. I used her hips and her ass to keep me balanced as I reached my climax in an explosion of pleasure. I collapsed onto the bed next to her and kissed her cheek.

  “I love you.” She sighed.

  The next morning, Hazel and I were sitting at the dining room table, I was enjoying my tea and, much to my dismay, Hazel was enjoying her coffee. The air between us was quiet but completely comfortable. I enjoyed knowing that I didn’t have to be in conversation at all times to be happy. It was comforting sitting in silence as we both sat in front of our laptops, looking over the work that needed to be done for the day. The sound of Hazel’s phone ringing on the table startled both of us, and she scrambled to silence the loud ringer. She turned over her phone to see who was calling and instantly answered the call. “Hey, Amanda,” she said. “What’s up?”

  There was silence for a moment as Hazel listened to what Amanda had to say.

  “Are you serious?” she asked.

  I tried to lean in closer to hear what was going on.

  “Yes, yes, of course. I would love to,” Hazel said emphatically.

  The suspense was killing me as I waited for Hazel to hang up the phone.

  “Wow, thank you so much. I don’t know what to say,” she said.

  The silence was killing me.

  “Okay, that sounds great. I appreciate it.”

  Hazel set her phone down and kept her eyes on it for just a moment before she looked up at me.

  “Did you have anything to do with that?” she asked.

  “What? With what? What was that all about?” I asked.

  “Don’t lie to me, Noah Hyde,” she said sternly.

  “I swear I’m not. I have no idea what that call was about,” I said.

  Hazel sighed but couldn’t keep the smile off her face. I leaned in closer to her, waiting for her to tell me what was happening.

  “Well, you know how Todd is retiring? And Amanda got hired as his replacement?” she asked.

  I nodded my head, having been the one who hired Amanda to replace Todd.

  “Well, she offered me a promotion. She wants me to take her old job,” she told me.

  “Hazel! That’s incredible! Congratulations,” I said.

  “I didn’t even apply for it, but she said there was no one else she would rather see in that position.”

  “Of course not. You’re incredible, Hazel,” I said.

  “Amanda said she interviewed about a dozen people. People from other areas of the marketing department, outside applicants, and even a few other social media assistants. I just can’t believe she would want me,” she said.

  “You are going to be amazing at this job,” I said.

  Hazel blushed and tried unsuccessfully to wipe the grin off her face. I leaned in to kiss her before declaring that we needed to celebrate tonight.

  “You promise you had nothing to do with it?” Hazel asked.

  “I promise. I told Amanda she could hire whoever she felt would be best for the job. I left the decision entirely up to her. I didn’t even mention your name,” I said, and it was completely the truth.

  “I can’t believe this,” she said.

  “I can. You’re more brilliant than you know,” I said.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “For what?” I asked.

  “For believing in me and loving me,” she said.

  “You, my dear, are very easy to love.”

  Chapter twenty-five

  Hazel

  “Hello, my love,” crooned Noah’s deep voice as I answered my phone.

  “Hey, babe,” I said, my stomach fluttering just like it did every time I spoke to him.

  “I have a surprise for you,” he said.

  “Oh really? I like the sound of that.”

  “Can you be ready to leave in an hour?” he asked.

  I looked down at my watch and saw that it was already past 6 p.m., my normal quitting time. “I have a few things to finish, but I should be able to get done by then.”

  “Excellent. I’ll have Marisa bring you something to wear,” he said.

  “Something to wear? Where are we going?” I asked.

  “That’s all part of the surprise, darling,” he said.

  “Noah,” I grumbled.

  “I’ll see you in an hour.”

  “Fine.” I sighed, knowing that it was no use arguing with him.

  “I love you,” he said innocently before ending the call.

  I shook my head as I set my phone down, determined to get everything done that I needed to finish within an hour. A moment later, there was a knock at my office door. Amanda poked her head inside, a huge smile plastered across her face.

  “You’re still here!” she exclaimed.

  “Yes…so are you,” I said.

  “Yeah, I just thought you’d be gone by now.”

  “Why? It’s not that late yet.”

  Not looking me in the eye, she said, “I know, but it’s Friday night. I thought you would probably have some big plans with Noah tonight.”

  “Uh, yeah, actually we do have plans, but I just needed to finish some stuff up first,” I said, suddenly suspicious about why she was so interested in my weekend plans.

  “Cool, cool,” she said, eyes still shifting around the room.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked slowly.

  “Oh, yeah! Everything is great. Just wanted to say bye before I left,” Amanda said, the words spilling out of her mouth.