Chapter 17
Lewis
“I’ll be okay, boss.” Perla pushed me out of the brewery. “I’ve got this.”
“I know. I just wanted to check on you.”
My colleague gave me an exasperated smile.
“Go and enjoy your vacation with your old friend.” Perla put great emphasis on the last words. She’d seen straight through me and I grinned back at her. “And I won’t forget about Noah’s cat either, I promise. Now go, you lovebirds.”
She nudged me in the ribs. I’d introduced them the other day and Perla had clocked our mutual attraction immediately.
It was impossible to hide on the other side of giving Noah multiple hot-as-fuck handjobs.
I’d held back the other day, but he had made it clear that he wanted me to get out of my head. I had a mental list of things I wanted to do. Shower together. Eat him until he begged for my cock. Fuck him and make him come again and again.
“Oh, I will,” I said and Perla’s chuckle echoed in my ears as I left the brewery.
Noah already waited for me. He said goodbye to Mr Pickles while I put his bag in my car.
We stopped in Kincardie to grab coffees and snacks for the road at Breeze & Beans, then I steered the truck onto the motorway.
It was a comfortable ride to Kirkmuir. The motorway was blissfully empty, the car was warm, and Noah had prepared a playlist for us.
After a while, I reached over the dash and took his hand in mine. He smiled ahead as he laced our fingers together.
Kirkmuir appeared in the distance like a soft exhale. The land dipped down and we got a fantastic view of the Arnadh River delta that cut deep into the city.
Noah and I shared a glance and an unspoken understanding passed between us. This short trip was possibilities—it was the first taste of a future I wanted so badly it hurt.
We parked in the hotel car park, and I carried our luggage upstairs to leave it at reception. My tiger purred when they treated Noah like a celebrity.
That’s the only way to treat my puppy.
“The tram station is across the street,” the nice Minotaur behind the counter informed us. He circled the station on a map he’d unfolded in front of us. “And it will take you straight to Gillam Park.”
“Thank you.” Noah beamed at the man. I hated it.
Stop being a jealous prick, Sinclair.
I still flung my arm around his shoulders when we strolled out of the hotel and across the busy street.
Public transport in Kirkmuir was free, so we got onto the next tram.
I leaned my ass against the side of the car and pulled him close.
This was my chance to hold and touch him without worrying who might see us.
He took a few photos of the city and of us snuggled up in each other’s arms.
“I’m nervous,” Noah admitted as we passed the bridge and approached Kirkmuir’s trade quarter.
I tightened my hold on him.
“Why?”
“I haven’t seen Roy in ages. What if he doesn’t want me to be there?”
Oh, Puppy.
“Believe me, he does. He was so excited when I told him you were back.”
Noah looked up and I seized the moment to press a kiss on his soft lips.
“Come on, the next stop is ours. I promise it’s going to be alright,” I muttered as the tram stopped next to the small artificial lake that separated us from the APEX warehouse.
We set off around the edge still hand in hand.
“Aarush!” my baby brother called from the door and dashed over to meet us.
“Raja, it’s good to see you.” Ever since Kat had come into his life, we’d become closer again. I briefly let go of Noah to hug my brother.
“I missed you, bubba. Hey, Noah.” Roy turned to my puppy and hugged him, too. “Man, it’s been ages. How have you been? I heard you are a big thing online these days?”
“Small fish in a big pond.” Noah shrugged.
“Better than the other way around, though.” Roy kept his face impassive for a moment before they both snorted. “Come in, I’ll introduce you to the team. Kat should be here soon, she’s picking up lunch for us.”
“She’s a godsend, your future wife.” I clapped one hand to his shoulder, the other one moved to Noah’s back as it always did. Roy’s eyebrow cocked for a fleeting moment. He noticed everything.
“That’s why I’m marrying her.”
Noah bounced on his feet like an eager puppy. “Aw, congratulations, Roy! When is the wedding?”
On the way inside the APEX warehouse, Roy filled him in on all the details about their upcoming June wedding.
By which time he’ll be gone. For a moment, I saw us dancing in our suits. My hand slipped around his waist, and I squeezed his hip. Noah threw me a glance, the most adorable smile on his lips.
“Noah, meet the team,” Roy interrupted our moment and I barely suppressed an eyeroll.
Stop cock blocking me, bhai.
“Hugh is our head designer,” he introduced the tall human man. “This is Neda, our sales manager, and Mercury and Declan, our office team.”
We all shook hands and my stupid brain went into analysing mode. Does he find anyone more interesting than me? Maybe Hugh with his silky black hair and cornflower blue eyes? Or curly-haired Declan, a walking, talking cuteness overload?
Okay, you need to stop this bullshit, Sinclair. Act your fuckin’ age.
“Babe?” Noah nudged me with his elbow. “Do you want a coffee?”
Looking around, I found Roy grinning at me. ‘Babe?’ he mouthed, biting his lip with a sharp fang.
“Americano,” I told him, dropping my eyes back to Noah’s. “Sorry, I spaced out for a moment.”
He took my hand and rubbed his thumb across my knuckles. “Happens to me all the time.”
Kat joined us twenty minutes later, laden with bags from Bright Panda, my brother’s favourite sushi place.
“Lew! Oh my God, it’s so good to see you.” Before she even took off her olive green winter coat, she flung her arms around me. I loved my future sister-in-law. “You must be Noah. I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
“Me too!” He beamed at her and I got lost in his smile for a minute.
My gorgeous puppy.
Declan and Hugh joined us as we crowded around the enormous table.
It reminded me of lunch at Lone Fox. The APEX crowd, too, felt like a family. They teased and joked, and I loved sharing it with Noah. He probably had very little of that in Bali.
“So, Noah,” Raja said, lounging back in his chair, one arm over the back of Kat’s, the other hand resting on his ribbed stomach. “Lew showed me your socials, and I am seriously impressed with what you’ve built.”
“Uh, thanks, Roy.” My sweet puppy blushed.
I had shown him and told him about our fake relationship.
Just so he’s prepared.
“We’d like to offer you a brand deal with APC.”
“You what?” Noah gaped at my brother, then looked around at me.
“We introduced a human line this autumn, because the fantastic humans on our team”—Roy pointed at Hugh and Declan—“were drowning in our clothes. And we would love to work with you.”
“Okay,” Noah hedged. “That, uh, that sounds amazing, Roy.” A cautious smile pulled on his full lips.
“We had a look at your media kit,” Neda added, “it’s not a handout because you’re Lewis’ boyfriend.”
I’d just taken a sip of water and spluttered.
“What?” She raised an elegant eyebrow at me. “I would be wondering if that was the case.” Neda shrugged. “Our brains are like that. I have ADHD, too. And I’m just saying: We were super impressed and think you’d be a great fit for our brand.” The female Orc returned Noah’s smile.
“Thanks, Neda. Yeah, I don’t want any handouts, but I’d love to work with you. I borrowed one of Lew’s hoodies and it was so comfy. Huge, though.”
Kat giggled. “They’re more like dresses on us, right? I mean it’s handy.”
“Right?” Declan chimed in. “It’s super cute, too.” He snapped his mouth shut with a squeak as all his colleagues turned their heads in unison to look at him.
“Hypothetically speaking,” he squeaked and a crimson blush crept up his neck. Roy had told me about the intense personal training Declan seemed to enjoy from Emilio, the Jaguar hybrid who worked for him. I suppressed a smile.
“So, we made a human line so you wouldn’t have to steal your hypothetical big boy’s clothes anymore.” Raja was plainly trying not to laugh. “And we would be honoured to give you free rein of this rack over there. Mercury prepared that for you. Plus a fee for your service, of course.”
Neda pulled a plastic sleeve from a folder in front of her and handed it to Noah who skimmed the contract and suddenly gaped. “You made a mistake. There is a zero too many on here.”
“Not a mistake. That’s our offer. Do you take it?”
“You should,” Hugh advised, giving my puppy a little wink.
You are unfairly handsome, Noah Bright.
“Yeah, of course. I’m honoured. Thanks.”
“Awesome. Welcome to the family.” Roy handed him a pen, and watched him sign, then added his own signature. “The money will be in your account in a day. Just email me your details, okay?”
“Sure, I …. Thank you, Roy.”
“Don’t mention it. Or, well, yes, mention it.” My baby brother grinned. “I’m sorry I need to excuse myself for now. I have appointments all afternoon, but we’ll see you tomorrow? For dinner?”
“I hope we’re going to eat at Bāgha.”
“Of course, Lew.” Kat, who had gotten up, too, nudged my shoulder. “Sharmin keeps asking when we’re bringing ‘the bright one’ with us again.”
“The bright one?” Noah said, tilting his head to the side.
“My middle name, ‘Aarush.’ It means ‘first ray of the sun.’”
“It fits.” He gave me a slow smile, then inched his chin over at the rack. “Can you help me pick?”
“Don’t forget to take the new winter coat, Lew. We need a few more,” Roy stopped in search of the right word.
“Beta testers,” Kat finished his sentence with a wide grin on her face.
“Yup.” Roy chuckled. “My little nerd,” he crooned as he leaned down to kiss her. “We’ll see you two tomorrow.”
They were off, and Noah and I made our way over to where Mercury had curated a rack of clothes for him.
“Oh wow,” he breathed as he rifled through the hangers. “This stuff is all so gorgeous. How am I supposed to pick and choose?”
I took a step nearer and leaned down so my mouth was close to his ear. “If anyone can, it’s you. You will look so pretty in these, Puppy.”
Noah briefly rested his head against my chest.
In the end, he didn’t have any problems selecting the clothes he loved best. Like he had done at the supermarket on his first night back, he selected a capsule wardrobe for himself that I knew would fit him perfectly. He even picked the same winter coat as the one Roy wanted me to try.
We’d look like an old, married couple and I was so here for it.
“That’s it. I’m good,” Noah told me after about half an hour, folding the last of his jeans into a paper bag. “How about we look for something for you now?”
They had restructured their warehouse recently and added a pop-up shop near the entrance. It was closed for the afternoon and we could browse in peace.
Again, Noah picked pieces with a surety that impressed me.
“Try these on for me, okay? I want to see how you look in those slacks.” He licked his lips, and gave me a once-over.
“If you want me to fit into them, stop looking at me like that, Noah.” Grinning, I pecked him on the nose and took the stack of clothes to the changing room.
He followed me and was so good at pretending not to peep through the curtain I had closed sloppily. When I turned around to take off my jeans, Noah took a step closer and then another, as if my ass was magnetic.
Then his head stuck through the gap in the curtain.
“Damn, Lew.” Noah let out a tiny moan.
I pushed my ass out as far as I could and bent forward to slide the jeans down my legs.
“Lewis Sinclair, if you don’t want me to touch you inappropriately at your brother’s company, you need to close that curtain,” he hissed. Then his hand was on my ass and he rubbed my glute.
I turned back around, cupped his nape and pulled him inside. Noah gasped when I slammed my lips on his before he could get out another word.
“Maybe I want you to touch me, Noah,” I whispered in his ear when I had broken the kiss. “Maybe I can never get enough of you touching me.” He moaned into my shirt when I brought my hips to his stomach and he felt my hard cock.
“Me neither, Lew.” He kissed my chest, then stepped back out of the changing room. “Try these things on and then let’s go check out the hotel.”