"He's just some random guy Gabriel met in the woods," I lied, or more technically didn't disclose the full information. Gorrie was a random guy that Gabriel met, just not in the woods but at 'Realm of Magic'.
"Hmm, I wonder how come I never met the guy when he's wandering in my land," Noah said, his piercing eyes studying me. "Isn't it strange?" He didn't look convinced with my reply.
"Yeah, like I said that guy is strange." I felt my face heating up and had the sudden urge to scratch the back of my head. I wasn't a bad liar, but it was hard to lie straight to Noah's face. Especially when he was looking at me like that.
His eyes narrowed but before he could say anything front door opened and my mother sauntered in.
She looked at Noah surprised. "Noah," she said, her face splitting into a grin as she recognized him. "It's a pleasant surprise to find you here. I hope this time my daughter didn't get drunk and drag you here."
"No, I came here to spend some time with Giselle and Gabriel." Noah got off the couch to greet her and take the grocery bags from her hands.
"Oh, you don't have to," she protested but couldn't stop him from carrying bags. "Well thank you. Just keep them near the sink."
"It's the least I could do Mrs. Martin after wiping off your home's cookies and popcorns." With a charming smile he followed her to the kitchen and placed the bags near the sink, leaving me to stare at him in wonder. This scowling prince was getting real chummy with my mother. It was as if he was trying to get in her good books.
Everything aside I was glad Mom showed up at the right time. Noah had been all ready to grill me about Gorrie if she hadn't stepped through the door.
I looked at Gabriel who had a big fat pout on his face as he was snuggled against the other end of couch and glaring at Ironman movie playing on television. I might not be his favorite person right now but if he had hidden about Gorrie and Magic Realm from me for weeks, he sure as hell wasn't going to open his mouth to Noah. Our anger and frustration got the best of us and we both slipped before.
"I'm sorry that night I didn't get to thank you properly for bringing Giselle home safely, but she told me how good you're to her," Mom said to Noah. They both were standing near the kitchen island. I moved to join them.
"You don't have to thank me Mrs. Martin. Giselle is my responsibility too."
I raised my brows in surprise when my mother smiled, pleased by him.
"Now that you're here you aren't leaving before dinner," she said. "Seeing my daughter hadn't started on anything I'll cook for you tonight." She shot me a look.
"It's not her fault. I showed up uninvited," Noah defended me.
I frowned at her. "You're the one who is early."
"I'll go get changed," Mom told Noah, ignoring my remark, "I'll be down in a minute." She went upstairs.
Later Mom prepared chicken pot pie and roasted veggies to go with it. She must've liked Noah to cook her special dish for him. I helped her with chopping vegetables and mushrooms. Noah tried to work with us too but he didn't know the C of cooking, so he was ordered to sit down on a stool next to the kitchen island and entertain us by chatting. Minutes later Gabriel joined him too, not wanting to miss out on 'adult talks'.
It was nice seeing Noah so homely with my family. He wasn't at all a snobby jerk that I earlier thought him to be.
"Is there something between you two that I should know about?" Mom asked us as we were setting the table.
I almost dropped the plates in my hands. I looked at Noah who was carefully placing the spoons and forks on the table. "Um-we-"
"We are dating," Noah announced, unashamed, and resumed his task as though he hadn't just dropped a bomb on me.
Mom turned to me and it took me half a minute to recover and nod.
"Very well," she said and set the hot pot at the center of dining table. "Let's eat."
After few minutes of awkwardness air returned to jovial when Noah complimented Mom on her cooking. He was such a suck-up. But I had to agree with him. My mother's chicken pot pie was a treat. It was a delicacy reserved for special occasions in our family.
Mom must be smitten by Noah to make it for him. Good news for me, I guess.
Dinner went by with mostly Mom and Noah talking, or more likely her interrogating him. Gabriel chimed in between not wanting to be left out. My mother had her reservations against rich folks, so when Noah mentioned his family name, which was quite known in Easthallow, she looked a little skeptical, but thankfully didn't dwell on the topic further.
My eyes clashed with Noah's every other second across the small table as we all gorged on the delicious meal.
*******
"My mom likes you. That's quite a feat you achieved," I said, standing with Noah next to his black Range Rover. It was almost ten and sadly Noah had to go home. I was seeing him out.
Today he didn't bring his Ferrari. Maybe he expected to meet my mother and didn't want to come off as a spoiled brat. Little did he know just owning a car at his age qualified as a spoiled brat in my mom's dictionary.
"What about you? Do you like me?" Noah asked, leaning against the side of his car. His heated gaze took me in and my cheeks burned.
"What you said back then about us... dating? Was it true?" I avoided his piercing eyes. Their intensity made my stomach clench.
His hand came up to grip my chin and make me look back at him. My face was red hot and a damn zoo was fluttering in my belly. "What do you think we are Martin?"
"I thought we are friends... Good friends."
His eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're not my friend," he stated, his thumb stroking my cheek. "I don't treat my friends like I treat you. I absolutely don't think about my friends like I think about you. I refuse to just have you as a friend."
"You don't want me as your friend," I repeated, hypnotized by his emerald greens.
He hummed. "I want us to be more than friends. So much more... What about you?"
"I want you," I said. I wanted him so bad. "Not as a friend."
His lips spread in a wide grin and his eyes shone with unrestrained happiness. "I swear you'll be the death of me Martin."
Seeing him I couldn't keep a smile off my face either.
"How about I pick you up tomorrow morning at eleven and tell you what I want us to be?" His thumb moved down to my lower lip, making it tingle underneath his skin.
"Are you asking me out on a date?"
"No," Noah replied and I frowned. A wolfish smile appeared on his kissable lips. His grip on my chin tightened, but it wasn't hurtful, on the contrary it was quite pleasant, smashing my cheeks against my lips. "Like a bossy asshole I'm ordering you to get ready by eleven so I can take you out on a date." His gaze lingered on my squished lips.
I shook his hand off my face and held it in mine. "You're not the only bossy one," I said and his brows raised in amusement. "I want you outside my house at sharp 10:30 am. If you're late..."
"Then?"
"Then I'll show you who's the real boss." I let go off his hand and crossed my arms.
His eyes gleamed with challenge and before I knew his arms wrapped around my waist and I was dragged into him. Sparks sizzled between us. "Ten thirty it is Boss." He bent down and inches separated our faces. My breath hitched. "I can't wait for tomorrow when we'll see how tough our little boss is."
When he let go I was breathing hard, gasping. He always left me hot and heavy.
"Your Mom must be wondering what's taking you so long," he said, looking at his smartwatch. "I should go."
I nodded even though I so didn't want him to leave. He got inside his car and adjusted the seat belt. "Good night."
"Good night Giselle. Don't forget to dream about me." With that he backed his car out of the driveway and drove away. He didn't have to say, if I wasn't having nightmares, it was him I always dreamed about.
Mom was sitting on the couch when I stepped inside the house. "He's a good boy, but be careful."
"What do you mean?"
"You both are young and dreaming big. But don't forget you two come from different backgrounds. His path is different than yours. He comes from money, you don't. Sooner or later he'll realize you don't fit in his future." She looked at me with sad eyes. "It's not his fault honey, that's how the world works. Save yourself a heartbreak and don't get too serious."
"I'm going on a date with him tomorrow," I told her. Her words hurt, but something deep inside told me Noah wasn't ever going to leave me. He'd never let me go.
Mom sighed. "I'm not going to stop you. My job is done, rest is your decision." She stood up and headed upstairs, before stopping midway and turning back to me. "Don't forget to do the dishes," she added before leaving.
*******
You can read two chapters ahead on inkitt. Link is in bio.