Read Online Wildflower (Colors #4) by Jessica Prince - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Prince
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floor. The three other people at the table gaped at me as I worked to regulate my breathing and calm my frantic heart.
“Oh, shit,” Chloe gasped as she brought her hand to her mouth. “You were really gonna do it.”
“Coach,” Ethan spoke, his voice full of awe. “My respect for you just tripled. You’re the bravest man I know.”
No one said anything for what felt like an eternity. Then, unexpectedly, Harlow burst into a fit of laughter so hard tears poured from her eyes. Shortly later the rest of us followed suit.
Surprisingly enough, the rest of the evening was more enjoyable than I would have imagined. I never would have thought being around Noah again could have been so much… fun .
But it was.
The whole Green Bean Debacle, as it would come to be known as, had cut through the tension clouding the room. From that point on we were all able to move past any animosities and have a good time. We laughed, we joked, we ate the hell out of Chloe’s desserts since we were all starving, and we sat and watched football, Chloe and I rolling our eyes while Ethan and Noah yelled at the TV screen.
The sun had set hours ago. Chloe had left to catch some sleep since she had to wake up early to open the bakery, and Ethan was holed up in his room blowing shit up on his X-box.
Noah stood at my side in companionable silence as we washed and dried the dirty dishes, having already thrown away every bit of the food I’d cooked—mostly all uneaten.
“Thanks again for letting me be here today,” he said, breaking through the quiet in the kitchen.
I twisted my head to look at him and smiled. “You’re welcome. Thanks for being willing to risk your life just to eat my food.”
“Any time,” he chuckled deeply. We sunk back into silence as Noah scrubbed the last of the dishes and handed them to me to dry. I placed the last dish in the drying rack on the counter and turned to face him, my breath catching in my throat as he reached up and brushed his thumb along my cheekbone.
“Sorry,” he whispered as he focused on the path his thumb was taking, back and forth along my cheek, before he dropped his hand. “Soap suds.”
“Oh, uh… thanks,” I mumbled, my cheek burning hot from his touch.
He stepped even closer as he spoke in a low, gravelly voice, his words flaying me open as my body fought my brain, wanting to move even closer. “I know the situation that brought you home is terrible, and I’m so sorry for your loss, but I’m not sorry you’re back. I could never be sorry about that.”
“Noah…” I shook my head and looked away from his penetrating gaze. Part of me, deep down inside, craving those words while the other part revolted against them. “Please… don’t,” I pleaded quietly.
“You’re still the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” he murmured.
My eyes stung and my nose tingled at the reverence in his voice. I blinked back the tears, refusing to let them fall. I wouldn’t cry in front of him. I wouldn’t cry for him. I’d done that enough already. “Stop.” That one word came out stronger, and I watched as pain flittered over his face, so quickly I almost missed it.
Wiping the sorrow away, he smiled at me. “Happy Thanksgiving, wildflower,” he offered just before leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek. “It was a wonderful day.”
With that, he walked out of the kitchen. I stood frozen in place as the front door opened and closed, announcing Noah’s departure.
I climbed into bed later that night, telling my brain not to think about Noah Murphy, but as I drifted off to sleep I could still feel his lips on my skin.
“Say it.”
“No,” I giggled, my laughter filling the air around us.
“Come on, wildflower. Say it.”
“First tell me why you call me wildflower,” I pressed. It was a question I’d been asking since we first started dating. He had yet to tell me, so I wasn't expecting to get an answer right then. However, Noah took me by surprise by
“Oh, shit,” Chloe gasped as she brought her hand to her mouth. “You were really gonna do it.”
“Coach,” Ethan spoke, his voice full of awe. “My respect for you just tripled. You’re the bravest man I know.”
No one said anything for what felt like an eternity. Then, unexpectedly, Harlow burst into a fit of laughter so hard tears poured from her eyes. Shortly later the rest of us followed suit.
Surprisingly enough, the rest of the evening was more enjoyable than I would have imagined. I never would have thought being around Noah again could have been so much… fun .
But it was.
The whole Green Bean Debacle, as it would come to be known as, had cut through the tension clouding the room. From that point on we were all able to move past any animosities and have a good time. We laughed, we joked, we ate the hell out of Chloe’s desserts since we were all starving, and we sat and watched football, Chloe and I rolling our eyes while Ethan and Noah yelled at the TV screen.
The sun had set hours ago. Chloe had left to catch some sleep since she had to wake up early to open the bakery, and Ethan was holed up in his room blowing shit up on his X-box.
Noah stood at my side in companionable silence as we washed and dried the dirty dishes, having already thrown away every bit of the food I’d cooked—mostly all uneaten.
“Thanks again for letting me be here today,” he said, breaking through the quiet in the kitchen.
I twisted my head to look at him and smiled. “You’re welcome. Thanks for being willing to risk your life just to eat my food.”
“Any time,” he chuckled deeply. We sunk back into silence as Noah scrubbed the last of the dishes and handed them to me to dry. I placed the last dish in the drying rack on the counter and turned to face him, my breath catching in my throat as he reached up and brushed his thumb along my cheekbone.
“Sorry,” he whispered as he focused on the path his thumb was taking, back and forth along my cheek, before he dropped his hand. “Soap suds.”
“Oh, uh… thanks,” I mumbled, my cheek burning hot from his touch.
He stepped even closer as he spoke in a low, gravelly voice, his words flaying me open as my body fought my brain, wanting to move even closer. “I know the situation that brought you home is terrible, and I’m so sorry for your loss, but I’m not sorry you’re back. I could never be sorry about that.”
“Noah…” I shook my head and looked away from his penetrating gaze. Part of me, deep down inside, craving those words while the other part revolted against them. “Please… don’t,” I pleaded quietly.
“You’re still the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” he murmured.
My eyes stung and my nose tingled at the reverence in his voice. I blinked back the tears, refusing to let them fall. I wouldn’t cry in front of him. I wouldn’t cry for him. I’d done that enough already. “Stop.” That one word came out stronger, and I watched as pain flittered over his face, so quickly I almost missed it.
Wiping the sorrow away, he smiled at me. “Happy Thanksgiving, wildflower,” he offered just before leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek. “It was a wonderful day.”
With that, he walked out of the kitchen. I stood frozen in place as the front door opened and closed, announcing Noah’s departure.
I climbed into bed later that night, telling my brain not to think about Noah Murphy, but as I drifted off to sleep I could still feel his lips on my skin.
“Say it.”
“No,” I giggled, my laughter filling the air around us.
“Come on, wildflower. Say it.”
“First tell me why you call me wildflower,” I pressed. It was a question I’d been asking since we first started dating. He had yet to tell me, so I wasn't expecting to get an answer right then. However, Noah took me by surprise by
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