Phoebe

In love? Me? I- can I even fall in love with someone...

I shake my head at these ridiculous thoughts flowing through my head right now.

I can't be in love... Can I?

I stand up from the table, trying to get my mind off what my sister just said. I start clearing the table, putting the dirty dishes into the sink so I can wash them. Noah doesn't get up from the table. Instead, he just sits there, continuing to watch me.

I start washing the dishes, taking my frustration out on them. I am scrubbing a plate so hard my wrist cramps up; this action makes me drop the plate in the sink with a loud sound.

"Ow," I hiss, rubbing my hand for relief. Noah is at my side in seconds, grabbing my hand, looking for an injury. I look up at him, as he holds my hand examing it. "I'm fine," I finally whisper, and he nods his head. I don't have to wear my wrist brace anymore, which is nice, but my wrist seems to cramp up if I use it too much.

Noah steps away once he realised I am not physically injured. He stands behind me by the oven and continues to watch me. The cramp is gone, so I keep washing the dishes. I finish washing the last plate, and I feel the frustration boil over.

"Why are you just standing there, watching me?" I turn around, drying the glass cup. Noah doesn't answer, making me nod my head and scoff. "So you can judge my mental state? To make sure I don't freak out and have some episode?" I ask, walking closer to him.

"No," Noah says, making me grip the glass cup in my hand.

"Then why are you looking at me? I'm fine. What my sister said was- was"

"Was right." Noah walks up to me, not touching me. "I believe she is right, but we are either too oblivious or were lying to ourselves." He takes his hand, brushing the stray hairs from my face.

My heart is pounding, looking into his beautiful eyes and wondering if he will kiss me again. He leans in, making me remember the glass cup I have in my hands and how hard I am currently gripping it...

"Noah."

"Hmm?" Noah makes this sound, making me bite my lip.

"I uh- I am gripping this glass cup-" I swallow, "Really hard and, and I don't want it to break in my hand. So I-"

Noah grabs the cup from my hand, placing it on the counter. He does this without looking away from me. My heartbeat and my steady breathing are starting to fill my ears as his hand touches my waist.

These feelings... If they are real. I- I wouldn't know how to react to them. I have never felt this way before. Not with any of my exes, and definitely not with Jay. It feels like my heart is going to pop out of my chest...

"Noah?" I ask, placing my hand on his upper arm and the other hand on his abs. They are so defined, even through his shirt. Okay, I'm getting distracted. "I- I don't know what to do. I mean- with these feelings." I whisper, sounding pathetic. I'm a 29-year-old woman, and I don't know how to react around a man.

"We can take this slow, as slow as you need, baby. I won't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable." Noah smiles, pulling me into a big hug, practically engulfing me in his body. I close my eyes, breathing him in.

"Can I tell you something, well two something's?" I ask, talking into his chest.

"Always," Noah replies, making me smile and nuzzle into him.

"I like it when you call me, baby." I smile, feeling my cheeks get hot.

"Well, then I will keep calling you that." His chest vibrates in my ears as he speaks. "What's the second something?" Noah kisses me on the top of my head.

"You smell so good and, and I really like it when you kiss me on the top of the head." I wrap my arms around him.

"That's three something's." Noah chuckles, making me look up at him. "Also, I will continue kissing you on that beautiful head of yours." He lifts his head up strangely, making an effort to kiss me on the top of the head again.

"You could have just kissed me on the forehead-" I say, noticing a different smile on his face. "What is that smile for?"

"What do you mean?" Noah asks, still smiling at me strangely.

"That smile!" I point at him, trying to free myself a bit from his giant hug, but he pulls me closer to him. I press my head against his chest, closing my eyes.

"You're absolutely beautiful," Noah whispers. What did he just say?

"What?" I ask, looking up at him.

Noah smiles at me, making me feel some type of way. When he looks at me, my heart beats faster; my brain can't think and feel my body wanting to be closer to him.

I have never seen my parents like this, for as long as I can remember, I think I've only seen my parents kiss a few times. They only kiss when we had company over, or when they had an interview. What they have... Is nothing like this.

This- this thing between Noah and I... I feel like it's more than that, but is it a facade or is it real?

"You're absolutely beautiful, Phoebe," Noah repeats, staring into me. He puts a finger under my chin, "Everything about you is magnificent. I am truly captivated by you."

Silence.

Noah continues to look at me, he is starting to look confused, and it seems like he is hurt at the fact that I am being so quiet. But quickly, that is replaced by a flash of hope in his eyes. Noah smiles and starts to let go of me.

Before he can move his hands from me, my hands snap to stop him. Noah looks down at our hands and then back into my eyes. I feel his fingers grip my waist, making me move my hands off his and slowly wrap them around his neck. I feel a slight pain from my ribs, but I push those thoughts of the pain out of my mind.

"You captivate me too," I say, getting on my tippy toes, inches away from his face. Our noses are touching, our lips millimetres away from touching... when my phone go off. I go to pull my head away from him, but he kisses me more intensely.

"Ignore it," Noah stops the kiss to say, pulling my lips back onto his.

"I-" I try to say, but his lips feel so good on mine. "One second." I stop kissing him, picked up my phone and answered it. "Hello?" I say, kissing Noah softly on the lips. Barley making a sound.

"Hello, Miss. Marshall. This is Officer Hudges. Are you free to talk?"

"Um- Yes. Hello." I answer as Noah kisses my face. Moving from my lips, to my cheeks and to my ears.

"I wanted to let you know that Jace Mathers made bail-"

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I just wanted to say that my heart goes out to everyone in Australia. That is my favourite place in the world and hopefully my future home... so for it to be dealing with the bushfires- It just breaks my heart.

If you can help in any way, please do.