Page 75 of So Steady

“I just realised I didn’t bring anything to take my stuff in. God, I’m stupid.”

Thank fuck,a chance to redeem himself. “I’ve got boxes.”

“You,what?”

“I brought boxes. I had a few lying around the house because of—”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Nicole ran at him and threw herself into his arms. It was quite a jump; for a second she clung to him like a koala. He dropped his cigarettes to stop her from slipping. “Nikki.”

“Sorry,” she said, still hugging him hard. “You’re just so, so nice.”

Christ, she even smelled like rose gold, like fresh bread and sunshine. His heart started going like a bass guitar. “They’re fucking boxes.”

“No, it’s more than that.”

Then she kissed him like it was nothing. Bliss numbed his brain. He cupped the back of her head and tasted rose gold, felt it welling up in his own chest, like maybe he had it in him, too.

“I’m so attracted to you,” she mumbled, but he didn’t reply. He didn’t need to talk when he could show, and he could show her right now. He was just starting to get some tongue happening when he heard a car pulling up nearby.

Nicole tore her mouth from his. “Oh no.”

They both looked at the driver, but it wasn’t her ex. A middle-aged woman pulled up next door and was staring at them through her windscreen.

“Who’s that?”

A blush spread across Nicole’s cheeks. “Mrs Harris.”

“She looks pissed.”

“We are making out in public.”

“Private property.”

“I don’t think she appreciates the distinction.”

Nicole shifted and, reluctantly, Noah let go of her ass, letting her slip back onto her feet. “Want me to get the boxes out?”

“Yes, please.”

They headed back into the house. He trailed Nicole through her kitchen, holding a box, breathing through his mouth to escape the smell. Nicole avoided the mess as best she could as she collected a crystal clock, a ballerina figurine and a space age potato peeler.

“It’s the best one I’ve ever found,” she explained when she caught him looking at her funny. “No way can Aaron keep it.”

“No objection here.”

He waited for her to collect more things, but Nicole clapped her hands. “Okay, that’s all for this floor, should we head upstairs?”

“You sure you don’t want the plates or glasses or anything?”

“No, he can keep it all. They’re disgusting.”

He frowned. Despite the grot, they looked expensive and he’d bet his left nut Aaron hadn’t picked out or paid for them. “I can wash them while you do upstairs?”

She stared at him, her eyes so wide, there was more white than blue. “You’d do that?”

“I don’twantto do it.”

“But you would. You’d wash all this gross stuff for me?”

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