Little by little, Chloe told Noah the details (how much she knew) about the man (aka Mr. Baldeo) from Montana and the benefits the Longs will obtain from her union with him. She named the seniors that are pressuring her and the ones that will benefit from that marriage.
During this whole time, Noah didn't let go of her hands.
He asked a few questions, and at the end, Chloe said, "Even if that marriage agreement is void, my seniors will not let me go. They will find another bachelor, or another deal, or another thing that I should do in order to contribute to the family. Before they brought up this marriage, they wanted me to approach Charlie and to secure a job at Smithsonite corp. so that I can work as a spy for Longs. They believe that the younger generation needs to follow decisions of the seniors in order for the family to prosper."
"And you don't agree with that?", Noah asked.
"I don't have anything against contributing to the family. However, they are not asking for a portion of my paycheck or to do them a favor. They want to make important life decisions for me, and how is that different than being a puppet? For them, they see it as expanding the market and getting some stocks, but I am a living being with feelings and I want the right to make my own mistakes."
Noah smiled warmly as he remembered Chloe calling it a mistake just before he kissed her. "Thank you for telling me all this."
Noah's reaction surprised Chloe. He listened attentively and then thanked her. She had to ask, "That's it?"
"Did you expect something else?"
"I don't know what to expect. Most of the time you are unpredictable and eccentric so…", Chloe exhaled and shook her head. "I was afraid that you will do something reckless."
Noah couldn't believe that she just called him eccentric. In his face! He took a mental note to punish her for this later.
"Hmm…", Noah hummed and caressed Chloe's cheek with the tips of his fingers. "I might do something reckless tomorrow. Tonight, I want to enjoy with my girlfriend."
Chloe's face exploded in a fierce blush. He called her his girlfriend! She is dating Noah Bennet! Oh, God!
Noah inched closer to Chloe and he chuckled as the readings on his Eve-lens told him that she is close to passing out from anxiety.
"Don't be scared, my little rabbit…", Noah murmured into her lips. "I will not eat you… yet."
Chloe felt Noah's lips on hers and she went soft in his arms, forgetting to ask about that rabbit reference.
…
Later that evening…
Chloe tossed and turned in bed, unable to relax enough to sleep.
After an intense kissing session on the sofa, Chloe and Noah parted ways to get ready for sleep. Just like that.
Chloe was a bit disappointed that Noah was a gentleman and didn't go beyond kissing. Somehow, she thought that he will be eager to get handsy.
It's not that Chloe is an outgoing type, but considering Noah's looks, identity, and the fact that many women are willing to throw themselves at him, Chloe made assumptions that she will need to fight him off, or at least to tell him to stop, yet he stopped on his own. Too soon.
Chloe groaned her frustration into the pillow.
She really wanted to hug Noah and kiss him more. His firm muscles under her palms were amazing, and he tasted divine. And the fact that his room was down the hallway didn't make her situation easier. Noah was close, yet Chloe was too shy to go to his room.
A light knock on the door got her attention. Did she imagine it?
After a second knock, she spoke, "Yes?"
The door opened slowly, and Noah peeked in. "Is everything alright?"
The room was dark, and the hallway light from behind Noah showed his outline.
"Why wouldn't it be?", Chloe asked, hoping that he didn't hear her groan into the pillow. What if he thought that she was doing something naughty?
Noah scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry. It's just that last night you were in distress, so I thought of checking on you. To make sure you are fine. It seems that you are fine so… I will be going… Good night."
Chloe noticed that Noah spoke robotically, and she didn't need any light to confirm that he was embarrassed. This was a new side of Noah she didn't see before. It was sweet of him to check on her, and she had a good idea that he hoped she will need comforting and he will get to hold her, like last night, and she would be lying if she said that she didn't hope for something like that.
"Noah?"
"Yes?", he asked immediately, louder than intended.
"I might be a bit in distress, so…"
Before she could finish, Noah was in her bed.
Chloe never saw a person move so quickly.
"Why didn't you say so right away?", Noah said in an almost singing voice while pulling Chloe in his embrace. "Allow me to ease your troubles away."
Chloe needed a moment to recover. Noah's change from awkward timidness to bold shamelessness was too sudden, but then… he was always unpredictable and eccentric, however, even with all that she noticed that he always steadily moved toward her.
As for Noah, after they parted for the night, Noah's first priority was to find more information about Mr. Baldeo from Montana and the deal he made with the Long family. Of course, this would not be something easily accessible, and he needed help from professionals. Unfortunately, it was late in the evening, and he didn't want to disturb Sarah, Aiden, or anyone else from the Cliffside Villa, so he ended up in a conference call with Aaron and Mishi; it was morning in Romania.
Aaron and Mishi promised to get right on it, and that he will have information by morning (Los Angeles time). Noah was pleased that they didn't ask any questions, even though he told them that this is not the official Army of Chaos business.
After ending the call, Noah realized that there is no way he will be able to sleep because his mind was in the guest bedroom, next to Chloe. The previous night he was holding Chloe through the night. She was soft and warm, and she clung to him and he didn't want to sleep without her ever again.
The truth was that Noah hoped Chloe slept off already, and his plan was to sneak into her bed without waking her up, but then he was caught… however, it all ended well, and she was back in his embrace, her soft body pressing against his, and it was sweet torture to behave and not get handsy, but Noah would take this torture over sleeping without Chloe, anytime.
Noah felt that Chloe was reserved, and he nuzzled her neck with his nose. "Sleep, my little rabbit. We have a busy day tomorrow…"
Chloe looked at Noah. The light that sneaked from the hallway through the door he didn't close, cast shadows over his face, making him look mysterious and super-handsome.
Chloe slid lower, leaned her head on his chest, and took a deep breath, allowing his scent to fill her up, and the way he tightened his hold on her, made her heart race.
"Good night, Noah…", Chloe said softly.
"Good night, my little rabbit…", Noah responded, and she could hear that he smiled.
He kissed the top of her head and that made her smile as well.
Chloe had no idea where this was going, and she doubted that they had a future. But for this weekend, Noah said that there will be nothing other than the two of them, Chloe and Noah, and she believed him.
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