18. Naomi

My heart was still poundingas the doors closed behind me.

I couldn't believe I'd done that.

Those muscles, his hand on my neck, his taste—all of it had added to the thrill.

The power.

I'd never had power like that before. Never taken it so shamelessly. Because he'd been honest with me. Part of me knew that wasn't how things usually were between people. But with class in session, I trusted him to tell me more than he usually would.

Than any other man would. It was for research.

To get into the mind of a man.

But what if it was more?

God, I was so hot and twisted up. How the heck was I supposed to go into the lobby like this? Iona would know something had happened.

She always freaking knew.

Music and laughter floated out from the lobby. I peered around the corner, surprised to see at least ten people out there.Nope, I couldn't go out yet. I needed a second to get myself together.

I ducked into the bathroom and swore at how swollen my lips were. But man, the race to get him off had me freaking drenched and needy. I was tempted to duck into one of the bathroom stalls to take the edge off. Who the hell was I?

And why did it turn me on so much to go down on him?

Was it just Colder?

"It's just fun, Naomi. Don't get twisted up," I said to my reflection as I washed my hands."It's just research. And finding out you have a bomb ass sex drive is a good thing."

Excellent reminder—this was supposed to be fun. I could have fun. I was having fun. And the thrill of having someone like Colder get riled up about me was incredible. Even better, I could enjoy it without getting in over my head.

Before I could talk myself into freaking out, I slipped out of the bathroom and down the hall to the lobby.

Iona spotted me and lifted her wine glass. "What took you so long?" She waved me over. "Oh, wait—get a glass first."

I stopped at the coffee bar and poured myself a glass of soda. I didn't think wine would be a good idea just yet. Especially with the amount of drinking I'd done the night before.

With glass in hand, Iona introduced me to everyone. I couldn't hold all the names in my head, but the laughter and camaraderie eased my usual social awkwardness. I'd lived in my building for four years and I was pretty sure I'd met only one of my neighbors.

The Heights had more community to it than I'd even had at the dorms. I probably wouldn't have known anyone there either if Iona hadn't adopted me.

The conversation flowed around me, and I found myself laughing and joining in.

I was surprised to see Callahan. Did he live in the building too?

Seemed like Lonegan's was an extension of our apartment building. He seemed to know everyone here as well. He wore a baseball hat that had seen a few hard years, and the simple black ear gauges he usually wore were replaced with small diamond encrusted hoops.

Just different enough from his bar attire to make me notice.

People watching was my favorite thing to do, and this crew kept me entertained.

"There he is!" Eli and Callahan both stood with raised arms. "Our favorite guy."

I turned to see a man coming through the doors with two large flat boxes and a red to-go cooler on his arm. He was tall, with disheveled dark blond hair, and tired eyes.

"Well, don't just shout hello. Come help me, you animals!"

Eli, who was actually wearing something other than a suit, hustled to the door with Callahan right behind him. Eli took the boxes from him, and Cal grabbed the cooler.

"Where's my little brother?" the man asked.

"He hasn't been back down yet." Eli set the boxes down near the soda.

People from the couches hurried over to the food. When the scent of the pizza hit me, I followed suit. I'd been writing all day and kept forgetting to eat. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so enthralled with something.

Well, except for Colder, but I had a feeling the good sex thing was mostly because it was so new. Getting lost in my writing? Nope, that was a whole new experience.

I'd always written in secret without believing it would be anything other than a hobby. Something just for me because I couldn't contain the ideas that crowded my brain.

The logical side told me to go back to submitting for jobs, but the story had already consumed me. I'd written all morning and probably would have continued if Iona hadn't bugged me to come down and be social.

Then again, there was Colder.

If I hadn't come downstairs, I would have missed…well, going down on him.

Already, I'd put some of his lessons to use. Layering the possessive side that Colder had shown me into the story. The conflict and tension were so much better now.

"Nay!"

"Coming." I put my writing thoughts back into their box and joined the others. My mouth watered at the array of pizzas with a familiar box.

"And who might you be?" the tall guy who'd brought in the pizzas asked.

"Oh, hello. Sorry, I was overwhelmed by all the names today. I'm new to the building. I'm Naomi."

"Oh, you're Naomi." He popped a pretzel in his mouth as his smile widened. Crinkles at the corners of his eyes gave me a little deja vu. "I'm Jimmy."

I glanced at the box then at him. "As in the pizza?"

"That's me. Jimmy Banks."

Banks.

He had a similar look to Colder, though he was probably a few years older. Instead of light blue eyes, Jimmy had hazel eyes."You know my brother pretty well, huh?"

"Um, yes. We are neighbors." What the hell was I supposed to say to that? I'm banging your brother for science? Dear God.

"So Brian said."

I frowned. Who was Brian?

"My delivery guy."

"Oh." My hands went to my cheeks. "Oh..."

Jimmy laughed. "I can see why my brother is a smitten kitten."

"He mentioned me?"

"No, but that will be rectified very soon." He nodded over my shoulder. "What's up, asshole?"

I turned to find Colder with his hands in his pockets of his jeans. The were the perfect kind—old and worn in with holes at the knees with a matching Henley to the one I stole a few days ago, this one white against his tanned skin.

"I see you met Naomi." He came up beside me. "Whatever he said is probably a lie."

"You're not a smitten kitten?" Jimmy grinned and reached out to tap Colder's cheek. "Pretty sure I'm right on the money there."

Colder ducked away from the tap. "Don't be obnoxious."

"Aww, you really do like her." Jimmy flipped open the box and took out a slice of loaded pizza. "Today's going to be fun." He took a big bite and headed toward the television where the game was starting.

"I'm sorry in advance. Between Cal and my brother, it can get a little heated on the trivia."

"I didn't realize you had a brother." I didn't really know anything about him except that his mother had died.

Because we were transactional.

My stomach twisted. My choice there, but I still could have asked him more questions about himself. Not just used him for my own devices.

Colder didn't seem to have the same reservations. He flipped one box open, then he went to the other and took out a piece of pepperoni. "Do you have any annoying siblings?"

"No." I didn't know what to do with my hands, so I picked at the snack items and made a plate I didn't really want all of a sudden. "They only ended up with me."

He glanced at me, those silvery eyes seeing far too much. "Think they ended up with a pretty great kid, as far as I can tell."

Which made me feel even worse. Before I could ask him more about himself, Cal interrupted.

"Since we've got a new player today, how about we play girls against guys?"

Iona held her glass aloft. "Oh, that just means we're going to kick your ass. Especially since my roommate is a brainiac."

My eyes widened. I certainly was not. I was pretty sure my general studies degree would not be the winning flavor additive. "I guess that's my cue to get over there."

"Looking forward to roasting your truly spectacular ass, Naomi."

I laughed, surprised at the change in Colder's demeanor from earlier as well as after the elevator ride. "Do you have a competitive streak?"

"Iona threw the gauntlet."

"Sweeten the pot?"

His eyes sharpened. "Definitely."

"Your team wins, you pick what we do tonight. Lesson or not."

"And if you do?"

"My lesson of choice."

He held his hand out. "You're on."

I wasn't sure what that meant for me, but I was suddenly very interested in a game of trivia. I shook his hand and a shiver slid up my spine as his thumb slid along the top of my hand before he let me go.

"Nay, get over here," Iona demanded.

Shaking my head, I rushed over to find our team now consisted of a few more people since I'd been talking to Colder and his brother. I gave up trying to keep the names straight and settled myself beside Iona on the carpet.

"First round is Marvel movies." Cal stood beside the screen as a familiar logo filled the screen and four boxes came up.

I hid a smile. This was going to be cake. I'd had a very uninterested ex-boyfriend who'd left me to my own devices most of the time. My streaming accounts had been well plundered for my four years in Chicago.

The rounds were lightning fast with a heavy dose of pop culture and Trivia Pursuit-style questions. I'd never actually played in a trivia team, but I found myself shouting out answers far more than I'd expected.

Cal, Eli, and Colder were very competitive, and the sharp insults for wrong answers between them were a little jarring until I realized that's just how they spoke to one another.

Yet another lesson for me without stripping out of my clothes.

I took mental notes as we went into a tiebreaker for the end of the first round.

"Last question to the girls. If they get it wrong, the guys win it."

"We haven't gotten it wrong yet!" Iona was three glasses of wine in and getting cocky with it.

My back was settled against the bottom of the couch and I was sitting with my legs criss-crossed. There was another couch across from us where three of the guys were seated along with three more of them behind the couch. Colder's smile was a little dangerous as he leaned against the back of the couch and didn't break eye contact with me.

He dragged his thumb along his lower lip which distracted me from the good-natured ribbing going on between Dahlia and Eli.

Cal cleared his throat. "What actor has a role in a major film franchise as well as stars in a hit television show for a certain red-themed streamer?"

The names flashed up on the screen and I couldn't pull my attention away from Colder.

"Oh, I know this one." Amberly clapped. "Definitely Zendaya."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes!" Iona sipped. "Damn right it's my girl, Zendaya!"

Colder's smile widened, and I frowned.

I looked up at the screen and knew it was wrong.

"Wait!" I sat up.

"Nope, you said yes." Cal hit the remote and I saw the correct answer light up.

"Dammit," I hissed. That was a trick question.

"Who the hell is David Harbour? He's not more famous than Zendaya." Ioan stood up. "That's a lie!"

"David Harbour plays The Red Guardian in Black Widow as well as the Sheriff in the Netflix show Stranger Things. Zendaya's show is on HBO."

"That's bullshit!" Iona plopped back onto the couch. She looked down at me. "Why didn't you save us, Nay?"

I whipped my gaze to Colder. "I got distracted."

He shrugged. "We win."

"I'll remember that, Colder Banks."

Cal clapped. "All right, we'll take a fifteen and go for round two. See if you girls can tie it up."

"Bah." Iona got up. "I need consolation pizza."

Colder straightened, then he crooked his finger at me. "Time to pay up."

My belly jittered. "Now?"

"Now." He backed up, then he headed for the left-hand side of the lobby desk. I'd never been on that side of the building. It was for the higher end loft apartments as well as the penthouse where the owner of the building resided.

I glanced over my shoulder. Iona was too busy talking to Amberly and Dahlia to pay attention to what I was doing. I rose and hurried over to meet my fate.

Colder was waiting for me in the shadows of the hallway, making my heart race.

"We aren't supposed to be over here," I whispered as I caught up with him.

"Nope." His dangerous smile sent a shiver through me. "We sure aren't. Welcome to your next lesson."