I looked at his picture from Las Vegas, the defiant look in his eyes, his firm lips, his strong hands, his broad shoulders, and couldn’t believe that I got to touch him, got to kiss him.

That I wanted to keep doing those things indefinitely.

About half an hour later, the door swung open, startling me. I’d been lost in thought, pondering my relationship with Noah and what I should do. I hadn’t arrived at any definitive solutions, but it struck me all over again how incredibly sexy he was when he grinned at me. “Sorry for taking so long.”

“It’s okay.” And it was. I was willing to wait for him.

Just like he’d been willing to wait for me.

He put his award down on the table and came over to me. His phone buzzed, and he checked it. “It’s from Ray. Traffic has lightened up enough that we could go. But one of the tires is completely flat and apparently there’s no spare. He has to wait for a tow truck, so we might be stuck here for a while. Any ideas on what we should do?”

“Some,” I said, standing up to meet him. My mouth had gone dry and my heart was beating hard in my chest as I thought about what I wanted to do. “I’ve been thinking about you teaching me and was wondering if maybe we could expand our lessons a little bit.”

Another grin from him. “I like where this is headed. Proceed.”

“I know how to kiss a guy now and how to not freak out after.”

“I’ve definitely taught you well,” he agreed.

“I love how humble you are about it and I hate to encourage you, but yes. So now, oh great and wise one, what would I do if I wanted things to go a little bit further? Not all the way, but maybe next level?”

Before he could respond, an earthquake rumbled through, briefly shaking the room around us. I put my hands against his chest, feeling like I might have another anxiety attack. “I hate earthquakes,” I muttered. I’d grown up in Southern California. I should have been used to them, but I’d never gotten to that point.

“It was just a little one,” he said. “It’s okay.”

“I’m someone who relies on the ground beneath my feet. I need that. Something that’s rock solid.”

“I’m solid.” He put his hands over mine on his chest. “Rock solid.”

He was. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. He’d always been someone I could rely on and trust.

Do the same thing for him. Tell him the truth. Show him he can trust you, that annoying voice said.

Okay. I was going to tell him. I tried ignoring the drumline that had set up residence in my heart and forced my mouth open to speak.