Before You Go by Clare James Page A

tell they’re all really feeling it. I just love that. And the music.” I sigh. “And Patrick Swayze.”
    “I knew it ; always about the men with you chicks,” Noah says, his hand resting on the small of my back. A layer of cotton is between us, but his touch is still electric. He leans in and brushes his lips against my neck.
    And I want more.
    Even though it scares the hell out of me.
    A moan slips from my throat at his touch. I’ve had to keep myself so controlled around Noah for the past few weeks—not an easy feat when I know how good he is with his hands, and his mouth, and…ugh! I’m starting to unravel. I need to take control of this—whatever this is—if I want to get out of it unscathed. Maybe if I lead, if I keep it purely physical…maybe then, I can get what I want.
    Noah.
    But I have to be in control. I’m not ready to hand over my heart again.
    Noah opens his mouth to say something , but I interrupt.
    “Is it okay if we just hang out here for a while and not talk?” I ask him gently.
    “Too many questions?” he asks, looking hurt.
    I nod , but slip my hands under his shirt before he can be too wounded.
    There . Advantage: me.
    I rest my head in the crook of m y arm, using the other to explore his lower back and shoulders. I slide in closer and Noah’s breath hitches.
    I’m doing it.
    My hand comes around his body to his chest, where I let it drift over his lean muscle. Getting a little daring, I trail my thumb over his nipple.
    And that’s all it takes.
    He crushes into my lips and kisses me, really kisses me, and I take the plunge, not thinking about anyone or anything other than him.
    We kiss. And kiss. And kiss. Soft and slow at first. I’m lost in the feeling. In Noah. He smells like peppermint and tastes sweet; The Head and the Heart plays in the background. Everything is perfect.
    The kisses become more intense and he leans into me. My body responds to his and pushes back whil e the music echoes in my head. I’ve never felt this before, even when things started getting heavy with Thomas it wasn’t like this. I didn’t want to crawl into his skin or tell him how special he was.
    I want all of that with Noah, but I’m not sure I can. I’m not sure he’d want to continue if he knew the real me, if he knew the whole story. The guys at my old school—even the nice ones—looked at me like I was damaged goods once the word was out. I wonder if Noah would be like them.
    But the more my mind drifts to the past, my body works overtime to keep me in the present. Each to uch, each sensation is heightened. Then in one fluid movement, Noah has me flipped over and trapped under him. His lips continue their rough assault and his hand snakes under my shirt.
    It makes me nervous; I need to take charge again.
    I take his hand and pull it off my bare skin, struggling under his weight. He lifts up to relieve the pressure, and that’s when I launch myself on top of him. Straddling his hips, I use my hands to push my full body weight down on his chest.
    All me.
    His eyes grow wide, waiting to see what I’ll do next.
    I lean back and pu ll my shirt over my head. Noah’s hands travel to my ribs, gripping me, before moving to my breasts. Again, I grab his hands and place them down by his sides.
    I reach behind my back and unclasp my bra.
    “I really wanted to do that,” Noah says, his voice strained.
    With a slight adjustment of my shoulder, the bra falls off.
    Noah exhales. His eyes burn my skin.
    “Touch me,” I give him permission.
    He obliges, watching me closely as if he now understands that I need to be in control. He leans up to touch me and taste me.
    Soon I want more.
    I guide his hand between my legs and know it will take nothing to make me come undone. But before he touches me, Noah stops.
    He shifts our position, dropping me to his side as he takes the hand I was using to guide him and slowly moves it to my chest, holding it tight in place.
    “My turn,” he says , his face