Rap, rap, rap.
I blinked.
What was that?
The knocking sounded again.
She jolted out of bed, scrambling to her bureau, grabbing a T-shirt. “My door. Someone is here.”
“Just ignore it.” But as soon as I said that, the knocker called out.
“Mr. Larkin, it’s David from City Painters. Just need a tiny minute of your time.”
I groaned, my head falling back on the pillow for a long few seconds of frustration. I swung my feet over the bed, left the bedroom, and found my briefs, jeans, and T-shirt. In seconds, I was dressed, my phone in my pocket, and I answered the door.
David smiled proudly at me, his craggy face pleased. “We finished. Come see it. It looks fantastic.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Appreciate that. I can see it tomorrow.”
“No. You have to see it tonight. My men can’t clock out till the client gives approval.”
I gritted my teeth, sighed heavily. “I’ve no doubt I’ll approve it.”
His grin widened. “We finished early. Bet you didn’t think we’d finish it on Friday night.”
“No. I sure didn’t.” And I wished he hadn’t.
He tipped his forehead to my place. “Come. You’ll want to see it before you sign off. You can pay tonight, yes?”
“Of course. Of course I can. Just give me a second,” I said, and returned to the bedroom to find Nina in yoga pants. She’d brushed her hair and knotted it into a bun. Her laptop lay on the bed.
It was as if we were erasing the evidence, rewinding to casual buddies who helped each other out with guest rooms for crashing in and food for noshing. “I need to go see what’s going on next door.”
“Yes, go. I hope it looks fabulous. I need to”—she paused, like she was thinking—“I need to prep for tomorrow. I had a last-minute booking with a client who’s in town with her lover this weekend. She’s doing some casino-themed shots, so I need to go over my plans to shoot her in a bed of coins.”
I ached a brow, laughing. “That’s interesting.”
She shrugged with a smile. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. You know how it goes.”
Then she winked at me, as if the city’s slogan was ours. As if it was a reminder that we were a secret.
Was that all we could be? Nighttime rendezvous and dirty deeds, midnight trysts and secret fantasies?
I wanted to know what number eleven was. Wanted to ask if we could write in numbers twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and more.
It had felt like she’d wanted that too.
But hell, maybe I was wrong. Maybe she responded the way she did because it felt good. Because she had a little kinky sub in her, and I gave her my kinky dom.
Maybe that was it.
My mind raced, hunting for answers in her eyes. I didn’t find any, so I crossed the distance, curled a hand around her head, and kissed her lips.
When I broke the kiss, I told her I’d be back later. Because that was how it worked. I should return.
I would return.
“See you then.”
But David wouldn’t shut up. “Let me show you the finish close up,” he said, guiding me from room to room. “We are masters at detail. Take a look at this.” He pointed to the doorway of the guest room, where my parents would stay next week.
“Terrific.”
“You won’t get that from anyone else. You chose well. That is why we had to spend the extra time. You won’t regret it.”
But I was already regretting having answered the door.
“No regrets for the paint,” I said, flashing a thanks and we’re done grin.
He chuckled and clapped me on the back. “That should be my new corporate mantra.” He sighed deeply, pleased, then snapped his fingers. “Let me just have you sign off on the invoice.”
“Great.” That was what I wanted, so I could return to Nina.
He reached into his bag for a clipboard then flipped through some pages, whistling under his breath. He found mine and took his time tugging it gently from the holder.
Kill me now.
I snagged a pen from the counter, and the second the paper was free, I scrawled my name.
“Now, just a little green and we’ll be good.”
I located my platinum card, and he slid it through a card reader. But the credit card company decided to be a douchebag and spent its sweet time verifying that this wasn’t fraud.
I mean, that was all well and good, but was tonight the time for Chase to call and verify I was me?
Evidently.
Thirty minutes later, David left, my condo still smelling of fresh paint.
Nina would be hungry, and I needed to feed her, not to mention find a way to figure out what the hell to say.
But when I returned to her apartment, the place was quiet. A stillness floated through the air. An empty protein bar wrapper was on the kitchen counter.
I padded to her bedroom.
My heart raced to my throat. There she was. My sweet Nina, curled up on top of the bed, her laptop open, her yoga pants and T-shirt on, sound asleep. Good sex had a way of doing that to you. It was the best medicine for an excellent night of rest.
I lifted the corner of her covers, tucked them diagonally over her, and dusted a kiss to her forehead.
Her breath came steadily. In, out, whoosh.
I tried on her name in the faintest of whispers, too soft to wake her, but needing to test it.
“Nina, I fell in love with you.”
Her breath stayed at the same pace, and I turned out the lights, left the room, and shut the door.
Tomorrow I’d have to find a way to say it for real.
I did not want to be startled awake by the Rolling Stones. Not now. Not at this godforsaken hour. Because it could only be a disgustingly early time of day.
I squinted, reaching for my phone next to me on the guest bed.
Morning light shone through the blinds, the sun blaring its arrival. Grabbing the phone, I silenced Brandon’s ringtone then answered.
“Hello,” I grumbled.
“Bonjour! Also, where is my parade? My motorcade? My marching band?”
I groaned. “My bad. Forgot to order one.”
“I forgive you, I suppose. Well, as long as you pick me up at the airport.”
I scoffed. “There is this thing called Uber. You download it, use it, and it takes you everywhere.”
“I know. Just messing with you. I’m in my Uber now, on my way to your place. The only room I found was a master suite at the Bellagio for two grand a night, so I’m all yours today. See you in ten.”
I sat bolt upright. “See you.”
Scrubbing a hand across my jaw, I tried to make sense of my day, and how my plans had been upended. Well, technically I didn’t have any plans till tonight when the crew would hit our favorite spot at The Luxe, but I needed to work, go to the gym, see my sister, and, oh yeah, one more thing. Find a way to tell Nina I had fallen for her without, y’know, screwing our friendship.
That was all.
I dragged myself out of bed, peered down the hall, and saw her door was still closed. I wandered over and pressed an ear to it. I didn’t hear any stirring. My sexy angel was still asleep.
And that sucked.
In the guest bathroom, I took a piss, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and then pulled on my clothes from last night.