“I need to be home by midnight,” I explain while glancing at her lips.
Those soft lips that were wrapped around my cock earlier. The same lips that kissed me wildly as she chased her release.
“I understand,” she whispers.
“Tonight was…” I start to say the same thing I say to the women I’ve found comfort with these past few years.
I can’t get the rest of the words out because they can’t do this moment justice.
“Tonight was incredible,” she steps in and takes over. “I had a lot of fun, Berk.”
I had a life-changing experience.
Astrid tugs her hand free to run it over my cheek. “I’m really glad you lost that key.”
A smile ghosts my mouth. “I am too.”
Her gaze drops to the short silk robe she’s wearing. “Give me a minute to get dressed, and I’ll walk you down.”
“No,” I insist with a shake of my head. “I’ll go. You stay here. Get back into bed.”
She inches up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. “So I can dream about you?”
If that happens, I’ll be honored.
I cup my palm around the back of her head and steal another kiss. It lingers until I know I have to break it.
“Wow,” she whispers, her fingers dancing over her bottom lip. “You may be the best kisser I’ve ever known.”
I want to be the best everything she’s ever known.
“I’ll call you,” I say in a low tone, trying to hide the tremor in my voice.
Her eyes lock on mine. “I know you will.”
I walk into my home to find Sully sitting in wait.
She makes a beeline straight for me. I don’t have the energy to try and tempt her away from my pants with one of her toys.
“Look what the cat is dragging her body across?” Keats laughs as he approaches me. “You look flushed. What’s up?”
I reach down to run a hand over Sully’s back before she slinks off, leaving a trail of white fur in her wake.
I try to brush it off with my fingers, but it’s a fool’s pursuit.
“What’s up is I need to go to bed,” I answer without looking at my brother.
“Someone got a whole lot of lucky tonight.” He laughs.
I face him. “How old are we now, Keats?”
He twirls a finger in the air near my face. “Old enough to know that you either ran a half marathon to get home, or you finally had some fun.”
“I walked ten blocks,” I say as a diversion tactic, although it’s the truth.
I jumped on the subway near Astrid’s apartment but jumped off ten blocks from here.
I thought the cool night air would help clear my mind, but it didn’t work.
Keats pats my shoulder. “I’m tired, so this inquisition is on hold for now.”
“Forever,” I suggest. “How was Stevie tonight?”
“You know her.” He chuckles. “She gave me shit for wearing mismatched socks, and her bedtime story lasted over an hour.”
I look at his socks. “They aren’t mismatched.”
He shakes his left foot in the air. “Now. I had to trade in mine for a pair of yours. You can thank your daughter for that. I’ll give them a good wash and bring them back.”
“Keep them.”
“I will.” He glances down. “You have excellent taste in socks, Berk.”
Shaking my head, I brush past him. “Lock up, Keats. I’m heading upstairs.”
“Hey, wait,” he calls to me softly.
I turn back around. “What?”
“You should walk ten blocks more often.” He shoots me a smile. “You deserve it. One of us is always around to watch Stevie.”
My family. Damn. I’m a lucky man to have so many people in my corner.
“Thanks, Keats.”
“I should be the one thanking Astrid.” He winks. “You like this woman. She’s making you feel alive again. You can’t deny it.”
I don’t deny it. I can’t.
I toss him a smile and take the stairs up to my bedroom two at a time.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Astrid
“I’d bring Heath to watch you perform tonight, but…” Eloise draws the last word out until I turn to look at her.
“But what?” I question from where I’m standing near a record stand.
I’m pulling records for an online order that came in overnight. I’m determined to get this done before we walk out of here to head to a bar on the Upper West Side.
This morning, I saw a call out on social media from a bar owner looking for someone to fill a suddenly vacant slot tonight. Since it’s Friday, she doesn’t want to leave her patrons hanging.
I’ve played the bar before, so I responded right away. She was thrilled that I had the time to do an hour-long set.
“But we’d have to ask his girlfriend to tag along.”
I place the record that’s in my hand down. “What?”
Rounding the checkout counter, she shakes her head. “Remember that bar we were at? The one where we met Heath and I met Hot Dad?”