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“Rain check,” Lucas says to his brothers. “And next time, give me a heads-up, yeah?”

Nico lifts an eyebrow. “First of all, you never used to give me a heads-up. Second of all, we did give you a heads-up. I texted you hours ago.”

Lucas’s eyes widen. When he digs his phone out of his pocket and sees text notifications flash on the screen, he makes a small sound of surprise.

Delight balloons in my chest at that. Because a big part of me is relieved—and proud—that Lucas didn’t prioritize the electronics that represent work.

“Damn,” Lucas breathes. “Sorry about that. We’ve been out all day. I had no idea.”

For the first time, Nico softens. He waves his brother off and says, “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to see you ignore your phone. We’ll just”—he glances at Alexander—“take a rain check and go back to my place?”

Alexander nods. Definitely a man of few words.

“Great!” Lucas exclaims. “In that case, Charli and I have a prior engagement we need to get to.” And then he bends down and throws me over his shoulder. I shriek as my world goes upside down.

“Wait! What about my⁠—”

Lucas grabs the keys from my bike, then turns and strides into his apartment building, dropping the keys and his helmet in the doorman Sam’s hands. “Fun fact: Sam also works as a valet and can drive anything you give him. He’ll park Daisy for you.”

“Will do, sir,” Sam says with a nod.

Bracing my hands on Lucas’s back, I push myself up so I can see—and argue—better. Before the building doors close behind us, I catch a glimpse of Lucas’s brothers standing on the sidewalk, looking after us with amusement.

I open my mouth to demand he let me down, but a stinging slap on my ass makes me yelp instead.

“Do you have any idea how long it’s going to take me to live that down?” Lucas growls. “I’m going to have to blackmail them with something to keep it from getting to my mother.”

I finally collapse against his back with another giggle. “Nobody forced you to do anything.” Then I slap his ass in return.

I don’t realize we’ve reached the elevator until I hear the doors shut behind us and Lucas lowers me so I slide down the front of his body. But all amusement melts away when he presses me against the wall, trapping me between the wall and his body.

“Does this feel familiar?” The words rumble through his chest.

I swallow roughly, my eyes never leaving his. “A little.”

His hands tighten on my waist, his hips rolling forward with a groan. “I thought about that kiss way too often,” he says, his voice raspy. “Did you? Or should I still carry some guilt about that day?”

A breath whooshes out of me as I quickly shake my head. “No guilt. That was the hottest kiss of my life.”

“Fuck, mine too,” he groans.

And then he falls on me with a kiss that leaves me just as breathless.

THIRTY

LUCAS

The second the elevator doors open, I’m scooping her into my arms and rushing down the hallway. With her lips fastened to my neck and her hips wriggling against my stomach, it takes me three tries to get my front door open.

“Goddamnit,” I growl to myself, kicking the door open with too much force. I debate for a moment if I want to take her to the couch that’s close by, or if I need her spread out on my bed.

Bed. Definitely bed.

I stride down the hallway, only slowing when my shins hit my bedframe. Cupping Charli’s face in my hand, I take her mouth with a kiss that starts slow but quickly becomes desperate. By the time I suck on her tongue, she’s whimpering and hurriedly tugging at my shirt.

Dropping her on the bed, I intend to take a second to slow down and just look at her.

But then she asks in a breathless voice, “How do you want me?”