I want that, too. Why the fuck are Noah and I destined to fail?
I didn’t hear what he said in reply to her question because an excited Sharmin came bustling over to Roy and me, chatting away happily in rapid Bangla.
He insisted that Roy and me visiting his restaurant together brought him luck. He left for the kitchen and returned laden with little plates full of treats we could munch on while we waited for our drinks.
“How are things at the distillery, Lew?” Roy asked me over his White Tiger IPA. I appreciated Sharmin even more for stocking the beer I brewed.
“Perla and Maddie are busy with the brewing courses, and I’m planning the strategy for the next year with Fitz,” I explained. “We want to get into specialty beers. Microlots, you know? Fitz said he’ll give me free rein. ‘I’m not a brewer, I have no idea what I’m talking about. And I want to leave the details up to someone who actually knows their shit,’” I used air quotes and sarcasm in my voice as I mimicked my boss.
“Oh my God, Lew, that is amazing.” Noah’s warm hand landed on mine and squeezed my fingers. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Because we spent the night together, and then I forgot all about it.
I noticed my brother’s eyes lingering on our hands for a moment, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
“Noah is right. That’s so cool, Lewis.” Kat raised her own beer bottle at me in a toast.
“Yep, I agree,” Roy said. “You should be proud of yourself, bhai.”
“It’s no big deal,” I mutter, rubbing my hand over my nape.
“Yes, it is!” Noah gave me an indignant look.
Kat told us about her latest projects, and we heard from Roy about plans that they had for an actual flagship store in the city while we ate an obscene amount of food. Noah occasionally held my hand under the table or leaned into my body.
It was one of the best evenings I’d had in years.
This is where he belongs.
When I went to the bathroom, Noah followed me and held me back in the little hallway outside the door. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
“What did you say?” I leaned down to steal a kiss.
“Stop that, Lew.” He huffed. “I can’t think straight when you kiss me.”
“I’ll shamelessly exploit that knowledge, Bright.” I winked.
Noah snorted. “Just don’t distract me for a moment. I know you were just being kind when you said I was good at my job. I know that, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Puppy.” I hugged him, and that same sense of security I’d had in bed earlier washed over me. My heartbeat slowed down when he laid his head on my chest.
It feels so right.
“You didn’t offend me. You always had the hardest time taking compliments. But that never stopped me. And I wasn’t just being nice. I meant it.”
Noah exhaled a long breath. “I know,” he whispered.
By the time we got back to the hotel, we were both too full to frolic more and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows.
I snuck in a good-morning blowjob before we got ready to hit the city.
Noah seemed strangely absent as he pulled on his coat, then his demeanor changed. He gasped for breath and swallowed as if bile rose in his throat.
“Puppy?” I asked in alarm. “Are you okay?” In two steps I was by his side and hugged him tightly. “Is something wrong?”
Noah closed his eyes and stuck his nose into my jumper. I recognised a pattern in his deep breaths after a minute. In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four, five, six. His heart no longer hammered against my stomach, and he relaxed in my hold.
I held him through it.
