Page 46 of East

We take the elevator back down to the ground floor and cross to Aus’s car on a nearby side street. Within twenty minutes we’re back at my place.

And a thought crosses me.

I invited him back to my place.

He’s going to think⁠—

I don’t care what he’s going to think. If he thinks I want to hook up with him here and now, I’m okay with that.

I’m not irrationally horny like I was last night. I haven’t had anything to drink today.

Though I’m definitely getting a buzz off this man.

We walk up the stoop and I fumble with my keys for a moment before I can get us inside my townhome. Dodo immediately approaches, rubbing her body up against my leg before stopping and staring at Aus.

He kneels and gives her a scratch on the back of her neck. “Hey there, kitty.”

“This is Dodo,” I say. “Her given name is Rosanna Donatella Storm, but I started calling her Dodo when she was a kitten because…well…she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. But she’s a sweetie pie.”

“I can tell.” He looks up at me with a grin. “Just like her mom.”

My heart gushes. When did my life become a romantic drama?

It’s been nearly twenty-four hours since I was in this house. Since then I took a stranger’s car to a Technicolor wonderland, got stood up on an online date, went home with the bartender of said Technicolor wonderland, passed out in his bed and overslept, nearly missing my news broadcast. Then I choked through forced pleasantries with my coworker, and then ran into the man who owns the Technicolor wonderland, spending the rest of the day with him despite having gotten very little sleep, kissing him a thousand feet from the ground, and now getting ready to bring him as my date to my work event.

All within one measly turn of the planet.

Crazy shit.

Aus gets back to his feet after giving Dodo a few more scratches. He traces a finger down my cheek. “So… I guess you have to get ready now.”

I suck in a breath. All I want to do is strip naked and let this man take me the way a woman dreams to be taken.

But the clock is ticking.

“Yeah, I really should.” I lean in, press a hand against his chest. “But know that I’d rather be cuddled up with you.”

“That can certainly be arranged when we have time.” He pulls out his phone. “Do you have a rec for where I can get a tuxedo reserved?”

“Yes. There’s a place in Midtown you can go. Hathaway Haberdashery. They should be able to help you out.”

He pockets his phone. “Oh, yeah. I’m familiar. I sort of know the owner.”

I lift an eyebrow. “You know Maddox Hathaway? The Maddox Hathaway?”

“He’s more of a friend of a friend. But yeah, I didn’t know they did rentals.”

“It’s a new program. One of my anchors rents from them all the time. They’re good quality, and they have every size. If you have an in with the owner, that’s all the better.”

“Then I won’t even bother calling them. Maddox will see me, no question.” He pockets his phone and plunks himself down on the couch. Dodo immediately hops up next to him and rubs her head against his thigh. He runs his hand over the length of her back, and she arches against him.

“Dodo likes you. That isn’t always the case, especially with guys.”

“I’m honored.” He flashes me another smile that could melt me into a puddle.

I suppress a quiver. “I’ll… I’ll leave you to it. If you’d like, feel free to watch something on the TV. I’ve got all the regular streaming channels.”

“Perfect.” He glances back at me, his eyes searing into me. “Don’t take too long.”