Her smile grows even more prominent. “Let’s get you to him, then.”
“You can’t leave your party.”
“I could use some fresh air. I’ll come back after.”
“Hana,Ican’t leave your party.”
“Are you kidding? Who am I to get in the way of young love?”
“It’s not love,” I say with a frown, drinking more of my water. “I just really like him.”
“Well, that sounds like—”
“His dick. I really,reallylike his dick.” And the rest of him too, but Hana doesn’t need to know that. She’s already getting all the wrong ideas. “Having drunk sex is on the list, right?”
“Yeah, I think it is.”
“I need to go see him.”
“You do. Let’s go.”
I’m not entirely sure how she manages that, but we’re in a cab heading to Brooklyn before I know it. The cool air feels amazing, so we have the windows down the entire ride. Because it’s the middle of the night, there isn’t any traffic, so we’re there in record time.
“Is that his tattoo parlor?” Hana asks, pointing at a storefront a little further ahead.
“Uh, I think the ground floor is the art gallery. Upstairs is the parlor, and then the rest are his apartment units.”
I do one final check, ensuring I have my phone, home keys, ID, and credit card still in my tiny clutch. Good, I didn’t lose anything. Then I turn to my best friend, who looks entertained by all this. “Hana, I can’t leave you on your birthday,” I whine, overwhelmed by remorse.
“It’s past midnight, so it’s not my birthday anymore. Now get out, go see him, and check another item off your list.”
“You promise you don’t mind?”
“I promise, babe. Shoo!”
So very grateful for her understanding, I twist to hug her hard. She pats my back gently and then urges me again to go. As I make my way to the door, I adjust my dress, lowering it down my thighs. There’s a row of buttons to the right of the door, and I look for his name. It’s nearly impossible, given that the letters are moving around. How uncooperative of them.
I still haven’t found it when the door opens on its own, and someone comes out. Upon seeing me, the guy holds the door open, and I use the opportunity to slip inside. Before it closes again, I give Hana—who’s watching over me from the cab—a wave.
Thankfully, I’m familiar enough with the industrial elevator to work it, even in my state. My feet hurt too much to walk up five flights of stairs. Once I’m at his door, I push the doorbell, hearing it chime from out here. His dog barks twice, and I wait. When he doesn’t come to open it, I ring again, which prompts more barking.
Shit, I don’t even know what time it is. Is he not here? Is he at his bar? Or is he with another woman? Before the hurtful thought can do any damage, I hear the door unlocking.
When it swings open, I’m welcomed by a powerful torso covered in tattoos. I diligently traced those with my tongue yesterday. All Jake is wearing are gray sweatpants, and his hair is a joyful mess like it gets when we fuck.
“Gen?” he asks, still half asleep. His eyes rake up and down my body, which seems to energize him a little.
“Did I wake you up?”
The dog chooses this moment to come and greet me, so I graze her big head. “Hey, Mullsi—Mugru—” I give up with a sigh, “hey, doggo.”
“Mulli, bed,” Jake orders her. She instantly obeys, and I somehow find his authority really hot. “Gen, it’s two and a half in the morning. What are you—”
His question is cut short when I drunkenly clasp his nape and pull him down to press my lips on his. In my eagerness, I compromise our balance, but he secures it by grabbing the door frame while his free arm slides around me. I can feel that the kiss I give him is clumsy, with too much tongue and teeth. And since everything I experience is delayed, I’m not as good at following his movements. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s still the best feeling in the world.
“I missed you,” I moan into his mouth, pushing so we enter his apartment.
He closes the door behind us, holding me close. “You saw me yesterday.”
