Chapter 146
Nora's POV
The walk from the outer gate to the inner residential zone should have taken five minutes. It took us ten.
I kept veering off the path, my feet drawn to the neatly trimmed hedges like magnets. Lily corrected me every time, nudging me back on course with her body.
"You're bossy," I informed her, wagging a finger. "But I love you anyway."
Lily tugged me forward before I could say more.
Finally, Unit 17 loomed ahead, its porch light casting a welcoming pool of gold. I stopped at the bottom of the steps, swaying slightly.
"Lily." I turned to her, suddenly serious. "Thank God I was here to guide you. You would've gotten so lost without me."
She sat down, tail sweeping the pavement, and cocked her head.
"Don't give me that look." I pointed at her. "I'm a great navigator. The best navigator."
She sneezed.
"Rude."
I reached for the railing, but my fingers slipped. The keys tumbled from my hand, clattering onto the stone step. I bent to retrieve them—too fast again—and the world tilted sideways. Lily surged forward, pressing her shoulder against my hip to steady me.
"Thanks," I mumbled, scooping up the keys on the third try. "You're... you're a lifesaver."
I aimed the key at the lock. Missed. Tried again. The metal scraped against the doorframe, and I bit back a curse.
Then the door swung open from the inside.
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Julian's POV
Hot water cascaded over my shoulders, washing away the day's fatigue.
I shut off the water, grabbed a towel, and dried myself off. Water still dripped from my hair as I loosely wrapped the towel around my waist and pushed open the bathroom door.
The living room was quiet. Pepper was curled up on the rug, tail covering her nose, but Lily—
I looked around. Lily was gone.
"Lily?" I called, walking toward the sofa. No response.
I picked up the tablet from the coffee table and opened the GPS tracking system on her collar. The screen loaded for a few seconds, then showed her location: approaching.
I froze.
Then that scent hit me—faint, but unmistakable. And alcohol.
Nora.
My heart jumped. She was here.
I practically ran to the bedroom, throwing on gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt. My hair was still dripping, but I didn't care. Barefoot, I rushed downstairs and headed straight for the front door.
I opened it.
Nora stood outside, cheeks flushed, eyes hazy. Her hair was disheveled, plastered to her forehead. When she saw me, her face lit up like a child seeing candy.
"Julian!" She beamed, spreading her arms wide. "Surprise!"
She was obviously very drunk.
"Surprise," I repeated slowly, my mouth curving despite myself. I stepped forward, opening my arms just in time to catch her.
She launched herself at me, crashing into my chest. I staggered back half a step, my hands instinctively gripping her waist to steady her. She tilted her head back, eyes bright as she grinned up at me like she'd accomplished something extraordinary.
"Surprise," she repeated, drawing out the word. "Or... or shock. Did I shock you?"
"You did," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Completely shocked."
"Good." She nodded sagely, then frowned. "Wait. You don't look shocked enough. You should look more... more shocked."
I raised an eyebrow. "How shocked do you want me to look?"
She squinted, considering seriously. "Like... 'Oh my God, Nora, what are you doing here?' shocked."
I suppressed a laugh. "All right." I cleared my throat, my tone shifting to exaggerated surprise. "Oh my God, Nora. What are you doing here?"
She giggled delightedly. "That's way better. But I think we can do even better. Let's try it again."
"Again?"
"Yep." She pushed away from me, wobbling as she backed toward the door, nearly tripping over the step. "I'll come in again, and this time, you really sell it. Okay?"
My mouth twitched, but I nodded. "Okay."
She stumbled back outside, nearly stepping on Lily, who was watching the spectacle. Then she turned around, took a deep breath, and spread her arms wide again.
"Julian! I'm home!"
She rushed toward me—faster than the first time—and I barely had time to brace myself before she collided with me again. This time, I wrapped my arms fully around her, lifting her slightly off the ground to absorb the impact.
"Oh my God, Nora!" I said, my voice dripping with exaggerated shock. "What are you doing here? This is such a surprise!"
"Much better," she said approvingly, her face pressed against my chest. "You're getting good at this."
I chuckled, feeling her warm breath against my T-shirt. "I aim to please."
She didn't let go. Instead, she tightened her arms around my neck, staying there, breathing in my scent. I could feel her heartbeat—fast and strong—pressed against my chest.
"Did you miss me?" she asked, her voice muffled against my shirt.
"I did." My voice came out lower than intended.
"You don't sound like you missed me."
I sighed, my breath falling on the top of her head. "I missed you, Nora."
"Still not convinced." She pulled back just enough to look at me, narrowing her eyes. Even this drunk, there was something clear in her gaze.
I met her eyes, letting her see the sincerity in mine. "I missed you every single second you were gone."
Her breathing paused. Then she smiled—soft, genuine—and leaned back into me.
"Okay," she whispered. "I believe you now."
I guided her inside, one arm steady around her waist. Her legs weren't cooperating; I was practically half-carrying her. Lily trotted in behind us. Pepper opened one eye, assessed the situation, and went back to sleep.
I tried to lower her onto the couch, but she refused to let go. When I bent down to set her down, her arms locked tighter, pulling me down with her. I had to brace one hand on the armrest to support myself, the other still on her waist.
"Nora," I said carefully. "You need to let go so I can—"
"No." She tightened her grip, burying her face in my neck. My pulse immediately quickened. "You're warm. And you smell good."
I closed my eyes, forcing myself to stay calm. She had no idea what she was doing—no idea how hard it was for me to maintain control, to not do something. I took a deep breath, then moved my hand from her waist to her back, patting gently.
"How much did you drink?" My voice was tighter than I'd hoped.
She held up her fingers, trying to count. "Um... a little bit?"
"That's not a number."
"It's a concept." She pulled back slightly to look at me, her nose nearly touching mine. Her gray-blue eyes were hazy but warm, lips slightly parted. "A very important concept."
My mouth twitched involuntarily. "I see."