Chapter 172 Chapter 172 inst be hungry .
I ordered your favorite food Dont think too much .
You must be Hearing Nicolass words .
Noelle was stunned ... She glanced down at the lavish spread before her .
As expected , every dish was something she loved .
From the variety and presentation alone , clear how much thought and care Nicolas had put into this .
He must have known her preferences inside and out to have ordered a spread that perfectly matched her tavje .
Suddenly , she felt warm Looking at Nicolas , she found his expression was filled with an all encompassing gentleness .
Noelle blinked , studying him carefully .
On the surfer , Nick seemed just like his usual self , but deep down , she couldnt shake the feeling that he was pretending She couldnt quite understand why she felt that way .
There was no reason or logic behind it , yet the feeling lingered .
Despite the lingering uncertainty , Noelle chose to put it aside for the moment .
Since Nick didnt want to show any sadness , and she didnt want to in their time together , she forced a bright smile and leaned in , saying with genuine warmth .
These are all my favorite dishes .
Thank you , Nick I told you . Theres no need to thank me Nicolas raised his eyebrows and smiled faintly .
He raised his hand instinctively , wanting to touch the girl , but just as his fingers moved , the memory of her rejection earlier froze him .
His hand lingered in the air for a moment , before slowly dropping back down , the gesture unfulfilled .
Just as Nicolas was about to retract his hand , Noelle suddenly reached out and grabbed it , her fingers curling around his with a firmness that surprised him Seeing this , Nicolas smiled again .
He looked at the girl and asked with a smile .
Its okay to shake hands ? Noelles bright smile never f never faltered as she leaned in , wrapping her arms around Nicolas .
She nestled her head against his shoulder , looking up at him with a radiant smile .
This is okay too , she said , her voice warm and sincere When Nicolas beard this , he smiled .
His hand also wrapped around the little girls slender and soft waist .
He looked at her and asked , What about this ? Sure ! Noelle nodded .
Brandon said he didnt mind Noelles physical contact with Nick , but there were boundaries .
Kissing or making love with Nick was off limits , but other things , such like hugs , handshakes , or even kisses on the cheeks , were still allowed .
Nicolass smile deepened , becoming more enigmatic .
He felt a flicker of confusion in that moment , unsure of what the person behind Elly babe was trying to achieve .
He felt that the person behind Elly babe should hate him for touching her .
After all , they hadnt even allowed them to meet before , but now , he was kating her touch him , to have that physical contact with hati .
He truly didnt understand what that person was thinking But one thing was certain .
That person hated him deeply : it of hatred At that moment , Nicolas couldnt help but imagine the worst case scenario , Elly babe trusted that person so much , and with the amount the other person had for him , he feared that one day , the person might even order berto kill him .
He didnt know what he would do if that happened .
Should I fight back or just let her kill me ? Nick Nick ! Just as Nicolas was deep in thought , Noelles voice suddenly sounded in his car Nicolas came back to his senses .
He looked down at Noelle Noelle blinked at him and asked with concern , Whats wrong ? Yes ! Nicolas was slightly stunned .
Noelle continued .
Your hand suddenly so strong .
I cant even breathe ! Nicolas looked down at his hand , still firmly wrapped around Noelles waist .
Realizing hed been so lost in thought that he hadnt controlled his strength , guilt washed over hun .
He must have hurt her without even realizing it Chapter 172 Nicola spackly released his emp , his hand lingering for a moment before gently caressing the spot on Noelles waist .
His touch was soft , in soother away the hurt .
Tmi Elly babe , he murmured , his voice Eilled with regnet .
Does it hurt ? Frrying okay ? As Noelle spoke , she placed her hand on Nicolas forehead and asked , Nick , what happened just now ! You suddenly looked so pale .
Were you thinking about something ? He wanted to say that he was wondering if the person controlling her wanted to kill him .
But this question would definitely pur Elly babe in a difficult position and even scare her . Hence , Nicolas only held Noelles little hand , placed it on his lips, and kissed it lightly .
His gaze was fixed on her as he smiled and changed the topic .
Its okay to kiss you like this , right ? Yeah Noelle answered .
Kissing on the lips wasnt allowed , bur kissing on the hand was okay .
Nicolas couldnt help but chuckle inwardly , his thoughts a mix of amusement and frustration .
So thats the limit , huh ? he mused .
He had suspected the person controlling Noelles life had some sort of obsession with her purity .
Could he be an old man ? Nicolas secretly complained .
Soon , he changed the topic again and said with a smile .
Lets start eating now .
He ignored what had just happened and didnt mention it again .
Okay ! Noelle was also hungry .
Seeing that Nick was unwilling to tell her what was on his mind , she did not ask further .
The two of them leaned against each other and enjoyed the delicious food together .
The atmosphere between them was undeniably warm , filled with an unspoken harmony .
Love seemed to flow effortlessly , wrapping them in a gentle embrace Yet beneath the surface , there lingered a quiet tension , like the calm before an inevitable storm