26. Colder

Drinking was bad.

Especially drinking and fucking your brains out all in the same hour. I was pretty sure there was actual whiskey coming out of my pores.

"You alive?" I asked.

"Partially," she said against my chest.

I wasn't sure when she'd collapsed there. Things had gotten a little fuzzy at the end. The high of the orgasm along with a long day—oh, and couldn't forget Cal trying to get me lit up with whiskey—all coalesced into a very dead me.

My hand slid along her naked back to her sleep shorts. Hell, I hadn't even gotten her naked. Or my damn jeans off, for that matter.

I was pretty sure Iona would be happy about that part since we'd banged the hell out of each other on her sofa.

She eased off me and I groaned. RIP my dick once more.

This woman was going to kill me. I looked forward to it for the rest of my life.

She found her shirt and slipped it back on, then picked up the other sandwich I'd left on the plate beside us. She ripped it in half and gave me me half. "You good?"

"Define good."

She tore off a corner and stuck it in her mouth. "Need some water?"

I laughed and stuck the half sandwich in my mouth and stood up. "Yes, please." I finished it in two bites as I made a quick trip into the bathroom to get rid of the condom. I winced at the state of my face and my neck.

This time, there was definitely a hickey.

I washed my hands and rinsed my mouth before returning to her. She was already cleaning up the dishes as well as a pile of pens and a notebook. A fresh bottle of Iona's vitamin-infused water sat on the coffee table.

I cracked the top and drained half of it. The booze was already fading, and a headache was brewing. "Working?"

She glanced at the notebook. "Actually, I had something to tell you when we got distracted by a…lesson." She picked up the notebook and flipped the cover closed. "Think you can get a day off on Wednesday?"

"Sure. I can find someone to cover for me."

"Good. I finished my book."

"What?" I choked on the next sip and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Is that why you jumped in my arms?"

She nodded. "Then you distracted me. You're pretty cute when you're drunk." She arched a brow at me. "Are you already sobering up? How?"

"I was just pleasantly buzzed. And the rush of my girl rocking my world did the rest." I sat beside her and hauled her in for a hug. "I didn't realize you were almost done."

"I'm shocked you hung in this week, actually. I was a lunatic." I snuggled into his arms. "It's not polished yet, but yeah."

"That's awesome. We're celebrating?"

She nodded and peered up at me. "Iona wants to have a little party in the rooftop garden."

"Yeah. I'll definitely make sure I'm there." I dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'm really proud of you."

She teared up and hugged me tighter. "Thanks. I can't believe I did it." She looped her arm around my back. "I have so much more work to do, Colder. More than I ever expected, and I've been in the publishing world for years." She traced the pattern of the Lonegan's logo on the T-shirt on my chest.

"One step at a time. I know that busy brain of yours is sprinting ahead seven steps, but just sit here with me and bask in it for a second. Maybe even a whole day." I leaned back on the couch, and she curled against me. I sunk my fingers into her hair.

I wanted to share my news, but it was her moment.

And I'd told Cal I would hold off.

Things were falling into place, but I could also feel the tension filling her body. It was fear talking, but she was also a realist.

Logistics were just a part of Naomi, like her golden red hair and summer blue eyes.

I eased away from her and stood, then I held my hand out to her. "Come home with me. I think we both deserve a good, long rest."

She took my hand and let me drag her to her feet. "I'm suddenly very wiped out. I can't imagine why."

I laughed. "No reason at all. Besides, I don't sleep right without you with me."

Her fingers tightened in my hand. "Colder…I?—"

I kissed her quiet. I wasn't exactly sure where that sentence was going, and I didn't want to break the spell tonight. Naomi liked to think things through, and I'd tossed a bunch of shit at her tonight.

The booze might have made my lips a little loose, but I meant what I'd said to her. In my mind, she was my forever.

I was stupid in love with her.

I was the one who didn't want to think about logistics tonight.

"Come home with me."

She nodded. "Okay."

We didn't speak on the way down the hallway, nor when I drew her into the darkness of my place. I left us in shadows.

It didn't seem the time for a bright light anymore. The moonlight beaming through my skylight was enough.

It was slower this time. Her soft sighs evened me out and the earlier urgency melted away as we simply felt our way through a languid loving.

I reached for her another time before dawn, and we were just as quiet.

Things left unsaid were just as heavy as the words at this point.

I woke a few hours after sunrise and kissed her shoulder before I left her for a run. Instead of my usual loop toward Garden and Hyde, I took a left and headed for the speakeasy.

It was a little longer than my usual run, but the burn of my muscles cleared my head. The building was starker in the morning. Work was being done on one of the storefronts by a few guys from Gideon Gets It Done's crew.

They were a staple around Kensington Square and Crescent Cove.

I didn't want to get in the way, but seeing the goal in the daylight made it a bit more real. The building already stood out from the more modern and sturdy brick buildings. Like a tiny piece of history carved out of the block.

Part of me wondered if I'd imagined the meeting with Callahan.

I'd been more than ready to take over part of Lonegan's, but my managing this place felt like a new beginning. Something I could build on and put my energy into it.

I'd never wanted my own place. Mostly because nothing had ever truly felt important enough for me to build on.

But this place…

Something about it felt right. The neighborhood and the slick city melded into one. I wished Cal hadn't asked me to keep it under wraps. The first thing I'd wanted to do was show it to Naomi.

To show her that I had as many aspirations as she did.

Maybe if I talked to Cal, he'd give me the go ahead for her party. The Heights was the perfect blend of future clientele and money for a place like Velvet Noir.

I needed more details on the timeline. I pulled out my phone and texted Cal to see if we could talk later today.

I had a lot of damn questions.

The three miles back to The Heights was a slog, but I stopped in at a bakery and picked up breakfast sandwiches to bring back with me.

Murray, our doorman, was chatting with Amberly as I slowed to a walk near my building. I snuck by since he was deep into the discussion about some sort of renovation. I wasn't sure what that was, but I didn't want to get into it with them.

I just waved as I slipped inside and headed for the elevators. When I got into my apartment, Naomi was still in my bed.

I sat next to her and waved the bag near her. Those big summer blue eyes fluttered open.

She gave me a sleepy smile and sat up with the sheet tucked around her breasts. "You're up early."

"Yeah, I went for a run. Got breakfast though." I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

"I do love breakfast." She unrolled the white deli paper. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just needed to get the last of the whiskey out of my system."

She wrinkled her nose. "You sure did."

I laughed. "Yeah, I definitely need a shower. I figured you might need some help getting party fixings. I'm at your disposal until later today."

"Yeah?"

I nodded. "Whatever you need."

The sheet dipped and so did my gaze.

"Shower first, buddy."

I laughed. "Right. Stay right there."

She finished her breakfast sandwich and crinkled the wrapper. "Nope. Now that you offered to help me with shopping, I'm going to go get ready."

"Wait. I didn't say shopping."

"You said whatever." She grabbed her shorts. "Where is my shirt?"

"I'm not saying."

She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Fine. Behind you on the headboard."

She snatched it of the corner of the gray leather. "How did it get there?"

"You tried to put it back on last night and I tossed it out of the way. I like you naked better."

She rolled her eyes. "You try having boobs. Sleeping naked isn't always comfortable."

"I'll just have to hold onto them for you."

"Go!" She pushed me off the bed, but she was laughing.

Right now, everything was right in my world.