Chapter 104 Is This Poison?

Eden's POV:

Noah's being amazing and if I was feeling a little bit less exhausted, I'd be all over him. Literally. But I'm not okay and the perfect gentleman that he is, he doesn't expect me to pretend to be.

Instead, he leads me into my apartment, telling me to go and wash up as he wanders into my kitchen to start cooking something. He's not really thought this through. I would have thought he would have worked it out by now that my fridge is usually a little on the empty side.

As I undress and step into the shower, I almost laugh at the idea of his disappointment when he realises that he won't be able to cook that dinner he's promised me.

I hurry to wash myself, not wanting to waste a moment of my time with him. He's been nothing but a complete gentleman and I can almost guarantee that he'll be leaving as soon as we've finished eating together. I might be completely done in and desperate for a decent sleep but that doesn't stop me wanting more than just dinner.

We've been so busy with all the drama at the company and now with my grandma being sick that we've not had much time for us. There's definitely not been enough time to go on dates or anything like that.

I put on some comfortable clothes. As much as I might want more, I'm fully aware tonight isn't the night I'm going to get it. Not only that, I don't think Noah is going to be put off by the sight of my in lounging clothes. It's weird because with my last boyfriend lounge clothes were a big no no. Noah makes me feel so comfortable, putting me at ease in a way no one else ever has.

Sticking my hair up in a bun, I making my way through the apartment to the kitchen. Hovering in the doorway, I watch as he stands over the stove, stirring something in the wok I've never used.

I guess he must have found some food somewhere. He has some impressive culinary skills to have found success in my kitchen.

"What you making?" I ask in what I hope is a lighthearted tone.

For at least a few hours I don't want to think about work or my parents or even my grandma's health. I don't want to worry about all the things that might go wrong. Or have gone wrong. I just want to breathe and maybe eat some dinner with my boyfriend.

"Stir fry," he says, turning around to grin at me.

"I didn't even know I had an noodles..."

"Your fridge is full of food," Noah says.

For a second, I think that Noah must have done some shopping for me except he's not left my side once since we first went to the hospital. Not only that... He doesn't have a key to my apartment.

"Martin..." I say with a wide smile.

He really does look after me and my gran. He's so thoughtful. There's no way he killed my parents. Noah might think I'm crazy for trusting him but he's proven himself time and again to be someone I can rely upon.

"Martin?" Noah asks as he plates up our dinner.

"He'll have stocked the fridge," I tell him.

He doesn't say anything. He's got that look on his face that says that he's doing his very best to hold his tongue. He doesn't want to upset me and so he's avoiding the conversation he most wants to have.

I set the table, pouring us both a glass of water. I would really appreciate a glass of wine right now but I don't want to drink in case we have to return to the hospital later.

"This looks amazing," I say when he puts the plates down on the table, before taking a seat opposite me.

"I just threw some things in a wok," he says humbly. "There's a real chance this will taste awful."

"Doubt that," I say, lifting my fork to my mouth. "It's smells brilliant."

"It smells expensive," Noah replies. "Martin didn't skimp on the groceries."

I can't tell from his tone whether he's pleased about it or if he's still silently worrying that we're eating poison. It's sort of laughable to even imagine that Martin would try and hurt me. Noah is quiet as we eat and I find myself wondering if I should be trying to make conversation.

The problem is that I have absolutely nothing to say... Everything that comes to my mind is included in that collection of things I just don't want to think about, and so I remain quiet. At least until I can take it no more.

"Well... Even if it's poisoned at least it tastes good," I joke.

I'm deflecting, using a morbid sense of humour to avoid the silence that has fallen between us and all the thoughts in my mind. Noah chokes on his food, completely taken by surprise by what I have just said.

"Don't joke," he says, shaking his head. "I sort of like living."

"Sort of?"

"Yeah... Sort of. You certainly make things interesting."

Interesting... I make his life interesting? What he really means is that he's scared for his life. He's now staring down at his plate as if he's reconsidering eating the meal.

The tension broken, we enter into an easy conversation, avoiding the serious topics. I don't think either one of us wants to deal with everything right now, not that there's much we could anyway. I need a plan but I can't even get my head on straight, I'm so tired, so that plan will have to wait.

"Do you want seconds?" Noah asks when I finish my food. I'm surprised that I've managed to eat it all. I'm pretty sure it's all thanks to Noah. He's very good at keeping me distracted.

"No, thank you," I say. "You can though... If you want."

"I'm stuffed," he tells me.

Getting to my feet, I pick up our plates before crossing the room so that I can wash the dishes.

"Do you want a hand?" Noah asks, coming up behind me.

Filling the sink with hot water and soap, I lean back against his warm chest. It's an almost meaningless gesture and yet I immediately feel a little bit safer. Noah's arms come around me as he grabs the sponge so he can wash the dishes for me.

"I could do it," I grumble.

"I know that," he tells me, dropping a kiss to my neck, "but I want to help."

"You could dry..."

"So can you," he retorts and I can practically hear the laughter in his tone.

He pulls one hand out of the sink, making a grab for a tea towel before flinging it into the air in front of us. I have to make a quick grab for it to stop it landing in the sink. Noah seems to be making it his personal mission to cheer me up, teasing me about how terrible I am at drying the dishes.

"Cor Eden, you're so slow," he teases. He's already finished washing up and the sink is now completely empty and he's just waiting for me. "You grew up with servants, didn't you?"

If anyone else said that to me, I'd probably not talk to them for a month but unlike the other people I've known in my life, I know he's just joking. This little joke is his way of showing me that he really doesn't care how much money I have.

"Can't cook... Can't clean..." He's fake ranting. "Is there anything you can do, Eden?"

Twisting in his arms, I turn so I can face him. His eyes are alight with entertainment.

"I can think of a few things I'm pretty good at," I say in what I hope is a flirty voice.

His pupils dilate and I know I've got his attention. We're so close and I'm highly aware of every inch of his body that is touching mine. I want to kiss him. Biting down on my bottom lip, I lean back against the counter so that I can keep a little bit of distance between us. Just enough for me to catch my breath. But he doesn't allow it, shifting forward until I'm flush up against him once more.

I think he's going to kiss me and I can barely wait. He doesn't so much as blink as he stares down at me intently.

"I should go," he says, taking me by surprise.

I really don't want him to go.

"You don't have to," I tell him when what I really want to say is that I don't want him to.

"You need to sleep and I'm pretty sure you won't get any sleep if I stay."

He's right of course. If he stays there's a real chance something will happen between us that hasn't happened yet. And if that happens, there's no way I'll be going to sleep until the early hours. The thing is though, even if he leaves, I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep.

"I want you to stay," I whisper, almost begging him.

"No sex," he says it so sternly that I end up giggling.

Guys don't usually refuse. Noah really isn't like the other men I've met. He goes on to tell me some romantic crap about wanting to take me out for dinner and a movie or something. He seems to think I need 'wooing' before I'll spread my legs.

I'm more than willing to be wooed but I'd also be quite happy to have sex tonight too.

Not saying anything, I do my best to control my laughter as he glares at me. Eventually, I'm able to express my agreement, telling him that we can just watch a film or something.

"Netflix and chill?" he jokes, a smirk on his face.

Wandering through to the living room, we settle in to watch TV. Once I'm sitting down, wrapped up in Noah's arms, tiredness begins to overwhelm me and I struggle to keep my eyes open. I can feel Noah's laughter rumbling in his chest as he laughs at the telly, but I have absolutely no idea what he's laughing at as the world disappears.