Breaking Noah by Missy Johnson, Ashley Suzanne

my naked arms or
that
kiss that’s causing my heart to race and my bare flesh to pebble.
    Inside the warmth of the apartment, I walk through the living room, chuckling as I see Dillon sprawled out on the sofa, empty bottles covering the carpet below him. I flick the light off and stalk to our bedroom where I unzip my dress, letting it float to the floor. I step out of it and walk into the bathroom, the sudden urge to shower impossible to ignore. I scrub my body viciously, as if I’m trying to wash away any trace of his scent on me.
    How could I have enjoyed myself so much? I’d forgotten, just for a moment, the reason that I’m even bothering with this. I can’t afford to be so absentminded. That’s probably how Karly had fallen into his trap. It’s easy to fall for a gentleman and be screwed into loving a douche bag. I just can’t help but feel that he’s not the jerk I’m painting him to be. Even Dillon at first, as gentlemanly as he was, still had a faint resemblance to an asshole. There’s nothing about Noah that leads me to believe he’s anything but perfect. Maybe that’s part of his game?
    —
    After my shower, I hang my towel and walk over to the bed, pulling back the sheets. I climb in and snuggle into the warmth. I reach for my phone and pull up Noah’s number.
    Me:
Thanks for taking me out. Is it wrong that I get more excited spending time with you than I do with my own boyfriend?
    Noah:
You already thanked me, remember? And no, it’s not wrong, especially when you’re dating an asswipe like Dillon.
    I laugh and switch my phone off. He’s right there. Charles Manson would provide better company than Dillon. Still, I can’t deny I enjoyed tonight, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, that kiss felt pretty impressive. I’m getting to know Noah and it’s throwing me off my game because I’m seeing sides to him that I wasn’t expecting.
    I need to stay focused, because even though I’m pissed and hurt, I’m still a woman. And he’s doing all the things that women fall in love with. If I don’t watch my step, I’ll be falling right into his trap instead of the other way around.

Chapter 8
Noah
    I had her lips on mine. I finally got to feel what I had been imagining since our phone call. I now know what that type of guilt feels like. I took advantage of her and enjoyed every damn second of it.
God, what the fuck is wrong with me? How do I come back from this? What’s going to happen in class? If she tells the dean? Fuck.
    I didn’t see Zara on campus yesterday. I waited in my office, thinking that she’d eventually come by and actually be tutored this time. I’m really hoping that my disappointment is because she is losing time catching up with the other students and not because I didn’t get to see her. All of these emotions are catching me off guard and I might need to take this weekend to figure them out.
Thank God for Fridays, right?
    After the final bell of the day, I don’t bother sticking around until the early evening like I’ve been doing every afternoon since school began. The students all file out extremely fast, which is typical for a Friday, and I’m not far behind. Turning off the lights in my classroom, pulling my door shut, I’m in my car before the last of the students clear the parking lot.
    To make it the absolute best possible day ever, Shannon sent me a text earlier that she was going to Chicago for the day with her sister and would probably stay the night. She also informed me that she already ordered some pasta from the Italian restaurant up the road and it was in the fridge waiting for me.
If that’s not wife material, I’m not sure what is,
I think to myself, rolling my eyes.
    As I’m about to pull onto the street, Zara catches my eye. She’s standing next to a beat-up old Mustang with the hood propped. That’s not the attention-grabber, however. It’s what she’s doing—leaning over the bumper, staring at something near the motor, her skirt raised