Chapter 451 Chapter 451
The afternoon was busy with more tasks of setting things up, and moving things that had been moved ten times now already, there was always a better location. When it was suggested to go outside and put new weather stripping on the many windows and doors, Noah raced outside with Blair. Emersyn kept giving him looks, ones he understood but didn’t understand at the same time. He’d seen them before, just never directed at him. Why she was, he didn’t know.
“Does that work for you?”
Noah blinked to see Blair looking at him, with a strange look on his face. He looked to see he was still holding the window that was already back in place. He had no idea what Blair had said, so he nodded, “looks good.”
Blair grinned then shook his head. “Are you even in there?”
Noah frowned, “what?”
“That’s what I thought.” Blair motioned to move to the next window. “I said,” he shook his head again, “that Beth is taking Kobie and a few of the women from here to get more clothes now that we know sizes, and I have to be at my place to give a hand with the interior of the buildings, Jake and Gary are going to be helping me, so,” he paused as he slid the window up, “can you run over and give Gage and Kelsey a hand in the shop?”
Noah jolted; he hadn’t heard a word he’d said. “Uh, yeah.” He took the window to hold while Blair put the strip on the bottom of it. “Gates. They need gates.”
“Gates?”
He looked at the house, “for the bedroom doors so they can stay open, but the little ones don’t wander at night.”
Blair blinked and then nodded, “I’ll tell Kobie, but back to a second ago—where is your head at?” Blair smirked, “I mean, I know you’re usually stuck in it, but today it’s like you’re an empty shell.”
Noah scowled at the window he held, thinking they came out way too easy, from the outside. He’d have to ask Cooper about locks for them. Although, if someone was in the yard to get to them, they’d already be dead. “I kissed Emersyn.” He mumbled, hoping that answered the question.
“Okay.” Blair shrugged as he worked, “I guess that’s distracting.” He smirked at him over his shoulder, “in a good way.”
Noah shook his head, “it’s not a good way.”
Blair turned and tugged the window out of his hand. “She didn’t like it?”
Noah opened his mouth and then closed it. “I don’t know.” How was he supposed to know something like that?
Sliding the window back in place, Blair turned around and put his hands on his hips, and looked at him. “You don’t know?” He rubbed his hand over his hair, “well, did she kiss you back? Or did she stiffen like you tasted like her least favorite food?” Picking up the box, he started walking to the door that was next.
Noah stumbled after him, “I think she kissed me back.” Had she?
“You think?” Blair stopped so suddenly, that Noah almost walked into him.
“I’ve never kissed anyone before,” Noah confessed.
Blair looked at him, his mouth gaping open. “Okay, wait.” He set the box down, “I know you lived in some sick ass version of hell,” he lifted his hand in the air, “for years, but,” he huffed out a breath and put his hands on his hips again, “weren’t you surrounded by women? Didn’t you ever sneak a kiss?”
Noah shook his head, realizing he had never fully described what he’d gone through. “None of us were there by choice.” He said in a low tone.
Blair blinked, “right. Fuck. I’m sorry, I just—” he lifted his hand and then dropped, “you’ve never kissed anyone before? I know you said,” he wiggled his hand in his direction, “never done that before, but I thought,” he blew out a breath and then frowned, “why do you keep telling me this shit?” He smirked, “I mean, yeah you were there for me when my head,” he tapped his hand on the side of his head, “was a mess, but you could share this with someone else.”
Noah raised one eyebrow, “with who?”
Blair held his look for a second. “Right. Jake would broadcast it; Gary would blush and be less than helpful.” He nodded and picked up the box, “okay, so,” he started walking again, “she didn’t freak out, that’s good.” He went over to the door and set the box down again, “what did she do?”
Noah reached up and held the trim in place while Blair cut it. “She uh, smiled at me.” He frowned, “and rubbed her hand up and down my arm.”
Blair paused and glanced at him, “so she was okay with it.”
Noah glared at him.
“What? You didn’t want her to like it?” He shook his head and then jerked the piece of striping from his hand to put up.
“I am not good for her.” Noah swung the door back further out of the way, “she deserves so much after what she’s been through.”
Blair gave him a strange look, “I’m confused.” He leaned closer, “bud, she’s your mate, you’re it.” He nodded.
“I can’t be that.” He gave his head a brisk shake. “I...”
Blair grinned at him, “dote on her, understand her, know what she needs...”
Noah chuffed, “no.”
Blair nodded his head in an exaggerated way, “yes you do. You jumped in a hole after her,” he chuckled, “without knowing what was at the bottom.” He pulled the strip out to measure the next part, “you were ready to crush that guy’s windpipe,” he shrugged, “and had the strength of Thor because we couldn’t get you to let go.” He gave him a quick look, “you put things in the trailer that you knew she’d never had...”
“That doesn’t mean I’m good for her.” Noah scowled at the side of his head.
“Would you ever hurt her?”
“No.” That was a dumb thing to ask.
“Will you protect her and Aspyn from anything?” Blair cut the strip and tossed the rest of the roll at him.
He caught the roll and gave him a blank look. “If I can, yeah, of course.”
Blair nodded his head as he put the strip along the side of the door, “then I’d say you are good for her and exactly what she needs.” Blair squatted down, “we need a plastic strip for here, this one is garbage.” He stood up and jerked the door out of his grip and started to close it when Emersyn appeared in it. She gave Blair a brief smile and then looked at him.
“I made coffee, Noah, if you wanted some.”
Noah swallowed and nodded his head quickly. “I can come in and get some.”
Emersyn smiled, a soft look in her eyes, “I’ll get it. I know how you like it.” She turned to Blair, “um, would you like some?”
“I’m heading out in a minute, but thanks.”
When she closed the door, Blair swung his head to look at him. “She didn’t mind the kiss at all, my friend, in fact,” he shrugged, “she wouldn’t mind another one.”
Noah looked from him to the door, “what do you mean?”
Blair threw his head back and laughed, “oh, we have a lot to teach you.” He sobered and then patted him on the shoulder, “just trust me, she didn’t mind at all, and you have nothing to worry about.”
Noah watched him pick up the box and walk away. He glared at his back, he had everything to worry about. The thought of touching a woman made him want to throw up. She had been abused by Lindon, there was no way she welcomed his touch. He put his fingers over his mouth. He still didn’t know why he kissed her like that. The sooner he got to the shop, the better. He needed to think about all of this and try to figure it all out.