“Get some rest and we’ll talk about me staying the night tomorrow after work.”
Nova lifted her head to look up at him. “Promise?”
“I promise. Now, walk me to the door.”
“Fine,” she sighed and released him.
When they reached the door, he cupped her face and gave her one more kiss, this one sweet.
“Thanks for today,” he said.
“I think that’s my line.”
“Then, we’re both welcome.”
Nova smiled against his lips. “Are you leaving or not?”
“I’m going,” he said, releasing her. “Lock the door behind me.”
“I will.”
After one more kiss, he was gone.
ChapterSeventeen
Torin was sleeping as he usually did. Deep and dreamless.
At first, he didn’t hear the pounding on his door. When he did, he chalked it up to his brain making shit up.
Then, the last shreds of sleep slithered away, and he realized that not only was someone pounding on his door, but it was also Nova. He knew that because he could hear her yelling, “Torin, wake up! Wake up right now! It’s an emergency!”
He was out of the bed and flying down his stairs as soon as he realized what she was saying. He threw the door open and froze.
Nova stood in front of him wearing nothing but a brief pair of hot pink panties and a black tank top that clung to every curve on her body. A sliver of lightly tanned skin showed between the hem of the top and her panties. While it didn’t show any more of her body than the bikini she’d worn earlier that day, somehow it seemed more intimate.
“Torin! Where’s the water shut off?” she asked.
“What?”
She reached out and grabbed his shoulders, giving him a quick shake. “Wake up and tell me where the water shut off is! A pipe burst in the apartment and it’s flooding. I’m worried it’ll leak down into the restaurant.”
That got his attention. Torin sprang into action and ran across the hall. Water sloshed beneath his feet as he dashed through the living space. He threw open the door to the utility-slash-laundry room beneath the stairs and ran over to a pipe that ran across the ceiling. The valve didn’t want to turn at first, but eventually he was able to muscle it into the off position and the sound of rushing water stopped.
“Where’s the leak?” he asked.
Nova shrugged. “I have no idea. I just woke up and heard the water running. When I realized the floor was beginning to flood, I ran across the hall to wake you up. I didn’t want to waste time looking for the valve when I figured you’d know.”
“I have a shop vac downstairs. I’ll run and grab it so we can clean this up.”
“Oh, God,” she said. “I hope it hasn’t leaked through the ceiling.”
So did Torin.
“It doesn’t look like too much water, so maybe we’ll be lucky.”
“Okay. I’ll get dressed and help you clean up.”
He didn’t argue, mostly because it wouldn’t be worth the time it would take. He needed to get this water cleaned up right now.
