Part 58 (1/2)

”Tacos,” Noc decided, watching Franka's profile, all he had since she was keeping her face averted.

She didn't only seem to be avoiding his eyes, she was also suddenly stiff, and he didn't get it.

”I'm happy with that,” Josette decreed. ”Franka?”

”Fine,” Franka said softly.

Noc beeped the locks to his SUV and Josette skipped to it excitedly.

She dug riding in cars, as in really dug it.

Franka didn't feel the same.

He steered Frannie to her door but didn't open it.

He turned her into him in a way she had no choice but to look up at him.

When she did Noc knew she was hiding something.

”Everything okay?” he asked quietly.

”Fine,” she repeated, moving to pull out of his hold and turn to the car.

He curled her closer and her gaze that had skidded away came back.

”Babe, you sure?” he pushed and added, ”Cars are safe, sweetheart, and I'm a good driver.”

She nodded but made no verbal reply.

He looked into her eyes.

She was totally lying.

”Frannie, what's up?”

”Nothing, Noc, though I am hungry so perhaps we can move along to luncheon?”

”We have that word, Frannie, but it's mostly called lunch here.”

”Ah,” she murmured, her gaze again sliding away.

He didn't like her weird change of mood, the suddenness of it or the fact she was lying about it. It could be she was nervous about taking another ride, she hadn't taken to being in a vehicle like Josette had done. It could also be she was embarra.s.sed by her misstep on her heels. Frannie didn't make many missteps. She wore her dignity like armor and didn't do embarra.s.sment very well.

It could be something else.

But Josette was in the car. It was time for lunch. Then he had to get them somewhere they could charge their phones and he could teach them how to use them.

After that, he'd be leaving them so Frannie could get ready, and he could go home and do the same, because he was taking Frannie out to dinner.

Noc decided to give her her s.p.a.ce now and talk to her then.

At that moment, he moved in and touched his lips to her temple.

His touch got him her eyes again and the remoteness he'd seen a moment earlier wasn't totally gone, but some of the warmth had come back and he knew it'd all be good.

Franka could go into her head. He'd find a way pull her out.

He reached beyond her as he s.h.i.+fted her out of the way of the door, muttering, ”Climb up, sweetheart.”

She did.

He shut the door behind her, rounded the hood and took his two other-world girls to find tacos.

Not surprisingly, tacos were a hit.

The door to Valentine's place opened and Noc stood still, staring down at Frannie.

Jesus, but Valentine had good taste.

”f.u.c.k, baby, you look beautiful,” he said quietly, staring at her dress.

It was a little black one made of lace. One shoulder had lace over it. The other was bare. The material under the lace looked nude. And the fitted skirt was short so her long-a.s.s legs went on forever, especially in those pumps that showed her toes and had bows.

Her hair looked amazing, poofed out and falling over her shoulders in big soft curls.

And she'd become a master with makeup in a very short time.

”Josette is enamored with the gadgets called 'curling irons,'” she declared when his attention fixed on her hair. ”We have something like this at home, but of course they're not heated through a string that's pushed into a wall.”

Noc shook himself out of it, moved into her, rounded her waist with an arm and shuffled her in, grabbing the door and throwing it to behind them.

”Encourage that obsession, Frannie,” he advised, dipping his face to hers.

”My hair is extremely...” she seemed at a loss for words but settled on, ”large.”

He grinned and dipped the half an inch he had left for his lips to hit hers.

”You work it,” he murmured there.

”I a.s.sume that's good,” she murmured back.

”Mm-hmm,” he replied then he pulled her close with both arms and took her mouth.

He felt her fingers circle the back of his neck, but only vaguely.

It was all about her t.i.ts pressed to his chest. The feel of his hips snug in hers. The smell of her. The taste of her mouth.

Noc slanted his head and deepened the kiss, bending her over his arm, wondering if he was hungry or if he'd be good just feasting on Frannie.