Adrian
The shrill ringingof my phone startles me awake. I almost knock Sophia off the bed in my rush to answer it. There’s only one person who actually takes the time to call someone. “What is that noise?” Sophia groans into the pillow. “Make it stop.”
I kiss her forehead and whisper, “It’s my phone. Give me just a second.”
The ringing stops and starts again before I’m to the dresser. My fingers are around it and pressing the answer icon before the ringing ends again. “Hello,” I’m breathless after rushing across the room.
“Finally,” Corey’s voice booms through the speaker. “Did you not get my texts last night?”
Damn it, Sophia told me she heard my phone go off, but I was too wrapped up in her to check it. I don’t regret it one bit. Telling her about my shortcomings with Miranda felt good. We both know exactly where we stand with each other. There are no secrets, no ulterior motives, and that is exactly how things are supposed to be when you start a relationship with someone.
Corey is calling my name through the phone and I remember I never answered him, too busy replaying everything that happened last night. The feel of her skin as I dragged my fingers down her body. The sounds she made when I took her over the edge again and again. I could spend hours exploring every inch of her beautiful body. I shake my head. Now is not the time with my boss on the phone. “Sorry, I was preoccupied last night.”
“I’m sure you were,” he chuckles softly. “Anyway, I need you at the shop early. Marshall called me last night, and Bianca is sick. She’s running a fever and throwing up. The whole nine yards.”
“That’s something I could have gone without knowing, Corey.” Nobody wants to hear about someone else puking their guts up. We’re like family at the shop, but even that is a little too much information.
“Sorry,” he says, though he doesn’t sound sorry at all. I swear his life goal is to make me uncomfortable. “Anyway, like I said, I need you at the shop as soon as you can get here. I’m heading in right now to help where I can, and take on some of her clients for the day.”
“I’ll get ready now, and head that way.” Ugh, I’m not supposed to go in for another two hours. I planned on using that time to wake Sophia up in the best way possible, or at least help keep her from being so grumpy this morning.
“If you could, bring Soph with you. We’ll need her help calling Bianca’s appointments for the next few days. I’m not sure how long she’ll be out, but it’s better to reschedule what we can now, just in case.”
“You got it. I’ll see you in a bit.” Groaning, I end the call and set the phone back on the dresser.
“I have to get up, don’t I?” Sophia’s voice from under the blanket scares me and I hit my toe on the bottom of the dresser.
Attempting to keep the pain out of my voice because holy shit does this hurt, I stumble back to the bed. “Unfortunately.” I pull the blanket back, revealing Sophia’s face and bed hair one slow inch at a time. My breath stops as I take her in. She’s beautiful when she first wakes up, when she’s dressed up and ready for a party, or when she has her hair pulled back with a headband while at work. I want nothing more than to stay cuddled up with her in bed all day. Naked or clothed, I don’t care. I only want her. But we have a job that needs us as soon as possible, and I hit pause on my daydreaming. One day we will be able to have that, but for now… duty calls. “Corey needs us to come in, Bianca is sick.”
“So much for getting my beauty sleep,” she sits up, almost hitting me in the head. “Can we run by my place? I don’t want to wear the same clothes as last night.”
“Sure thing.” I stand up, pulling her out of the bed and onto her feet. I open the drawer where I keep my sweats and pull a pair out. Handing them to her, I say, “Put these on. I’ll get a bag together and I’ll just shower at your house so we don’t take too much time. Corey sounded like he was in a panic.”
She rolls her eyes as she slips my pants on. “Corey always panics when things don’t go according to plan. I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.” Seeing her in my clothes turns me on. She looks hot as hell with my rumpled shirt covering her body, and my pants almost too big to stay up on their own. Despite her eye makeup being a little smeared, which I’m not going to mention because she’ll freak out, she is stunning.
“Probably not,” I sigh. “But he’s getting older, as much as he doesn’t like to admit it, and I don’t want him worrying himself to the point of sickness.”
“You have a point,” she grabs her clothes off the floor and folds them in a neat pile. “Are you ready?”
“Yep,” I grab her and we walk out of my apartment. Sharing my space with her was a good decision even if the person my apartment used to represent is no longer here.
* * *
Thirty minutes later we are in Sophia’s apartment, and it feels great to be back here after staying at my place last night. Not that it was bad or anything when we were there. The only thing that made it feel more alive is Sophia. She made me want to be home for once. I guess if I get right down to it, I want to be where she is.
My lovely girlfriend is running around the apartment like a lunatic turning baskets over, trying to find clean towels and clothes. “You know we can make this process easier by taking a shower together,” I wink at her.
“Nope,” she shakes her head, throwing two towels into the air in victory. “That would definitely take longer, and you said we have to be there as soon as we can.” She shoves one of the towels into my chest. “We wouldn’t want to disappoint the boss, now would we?” With a quick peck on the cheek, she turns toward her room. “You can use the guest bath. I’m sure Jay’s crap is still in there.”
Would she be mad if I waited a few moments and jumped in the shower anyway? My steps are silent as I make my way to her room, and bathroom. Seconds away from reaching the door, I hear the lock click. Damn it, she must have figured out my plan. Guess I’m taking a shower in here, then. Most likely a cold one.
* * *
“Corey is going to be pissed we’re here later than anticipated,” Sophia groans as we get out of the car. I can make it to the shop within fifteen minutes from my place. But she lives further out than I do, and traffic is a bitch.
“He’ll be fine,” I take her hand in mine. “He’s lucky I even answered the phone. I had other plans for us this morning.”
“Oh, you did?” One of her eyebrows rises. “And what exactly were they?”