Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 30
“Let me wrap that and you can get dressed.”
“Thank you.”
“Your artwork is stunning,” she muses as I work. “I’m assuming you’ve drawn all this.”
“Yep, all mine.”
“Have you always been an artist?”
“No, actually. I was in the army. I only got into this because of a friend. He used to spend all his time drawing when we were on tour together. I loved art in school but never really thought about it as a career. He gave me one of his sketchbooks and I’ve never looked back.”
I focus on wrapping her up and not thinking back to those times. They only make my chest ache with loss.
“Okay, you’re good. Let me tidy up and we can head out.”
“You’ve got no more clients today?”
“Nope, just one earlier before you showed up.”
“Bailey gave me this address,” she admits. “I’m assuming she knew you’d be here and set us up again.”
“For someone who apparently wanted me, she’s doing a good job of pushing us together.”
“She’s a good friend.”
“So you’re admitting that she’s doing the right thing?”
She blows out a breath. “I’ve no idea. She wants me to…”
She trails off like she’s not going to explain, and I can’t help prompting her. “To…”
“Live, be happy, take some risks.”
“And I do all of those things?”
“You can certainly help. I’m the only one holding me back.”
“Why?”
She pauses as I put my last few bits away. When I look up, I find her hovering by the door, chewing on her bottom lip, deep in thought.
“I—” she starts, but I cut her off.
“You don’t have to tell me. I was just being nosey. Shall we…” I gesture to the door at her back and follow her out.
Sledge is back at the reception desk faffing around with something when we emerge.
“Was he gentle with you, sweetheart?”
“The perfect gentleman.” I think about how I almost had my fingers between her legs and smile to myself.
“I’m glad. You happy with the result?”
“It’s perfect. Thank you for your help earlier.”
Sledge nods at Harlow before turning and winking at me.
“I’m done for the day. See you in a few?”
“Sure thing, man. Enjoy.”
I wait until the door shuts behind us before wrapping my arm around Harlow’s waist and pulling her into my side. I drop my lips to her ear and she shudders at my closeness.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever been described as a perfect gentleman before.”
“I was just being polite.”
I bark out a laugh. “I was going to say, if what happened in there was me being a gentleman then I’d hate to know how other men treat you.” She tenses in my arm and I panic. “I… uh… didn’t mean…” I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to say, but thankfully she cuts me off.
“It’s okay. And you were a gentleman, mostly. Where are we going exactly?”
“Do you have a car?”
“Yes.”
“Fancy a drive?”
“Sure.”
She leads me to a silver Audi, but instead of going for the driver’s side, she opts for the passenger door.
“You can drive, right?” she asks when I hesitate.
“Yeah, of course. I just wasn’t expecting to.”
“Well you know where we’re going.” She shrugs and drops down into the seat.
“What if I’m a terrible driver?”
“Only time will tell.”
I rev the engine and back out of the space.
I navigate us out of town before pulling onto the freeway and gunning it.
“Holy shit,” she squeals, her fingers wrapping around the edge of the seat, her nails digging into the leather.
I put the windows down and breathe in the fresh ocean air as we head towards the shore and bark out a laugh. I’ve been dying to do this since I arrived, but it’s kinda hard without a vehicle.
I feel her stare. It burns into the side of my face, but I keep my eyes on the road, not wanting to kill us both before we’ve managed this date.
“What?” I ask when her attention stays on me.
“Nothing, just watching you enjoying yourself.”
I fill my lungs with air once more and appreciate everything I’ve got here. So what I can’t afford this month’s—or last month’s—rent? I’ve got a perfectly good studio to sleep in. It’ll get better once Mum and my sisters are sorted. I was meant to be here. It’s felt more like home than London, or England, for that matter, has done in a very long time.
“You like seafood?”
“Love it.”
“Good. I know the most incredible place.”
I turn her radio up, not because I don’t want to talk but because I want to relax and enjoy the moment. I’m not sure I’m going to feel this free again for some time, so I need to make the most of it.
Chapter Eleven
Harlow
I might only be able to see him in profile, but it’s enough to know that the smile on his face would knock the wind out of me if I were to see it face-on.
We might only be in the car for a short time, but it’s enough to know that he really needed it. By the time he pulls off the Pacific Coast Highway and into the parking lot of a small surf shack, the muscles in his shoulders have relaxed and he has a totally different aura about him. Yeah, he’s still the cocky Brit I first met, but it’s like the ocean breeze coming from the windows blew down a couple of his walls—or at least I hope that’s the case, because I’m dying to find out more about this man.
The temptation to allow him to continue what he so obviously was about to do in his studio was strong, but I know how it would have gone, and once again I’d have regretted it. This, however, is perfect.
“They do the best seafood in all of LA.”
“Is that right?” I ask, climbing from the car and looking out over the bright blue ocean beyond. It’s a sight I don’t