But I need to see Kit again to try and untangle my thoughts.
I head to his apartment.
7
KIT
I’ve just finished my dinner, which I ate without really tasting it, and am seriously considering heading back to the bar to see what’s going on now and who’s about, when there’s a knock at the door to the apartment.
Hmm. Who’s that going to be? I let my butler go for the night and I didn’t tell the Americans where in the hotel I was staying, so, apart from an unexpected staff member, that only leaves one person it could be.
I try not to get too excited as I walk to the door to open it. Just in case. I’d rather not have to deal with any more disappointment right now. I’m already feeling agitated after seeing an online ad featuring Katya in her new modelling campaign for the fashion brand she’d been obsessed with for ages. Her ultimate fantasy. Her dream come true.
How do you compete with that?
I know, I know, I should be avoiding looking at the internet while I’m here, especially social media, but I was bored, okay, and needed a distraction.
Taking a breath and fixing a casual smile onto my face, I open the door.
It’s not a staff member.
My spirits rise and my pulse picks up.
‘Dash?’
‘Don’t say anything. Okay? Just… please, don’t ask me to explain why I’m here right now. Not yet anyway,’ she says, a tight frown creasing the soft skin of her brow.
I blink in confusion, then pull myself together and nod, looking at her expectantly. I don’t want to get my hopes up only to find she’s here for another round of blowing me off. Rather than blowing me.
Shit, don’t go there right now, dude.
‘Can I come in?’ she asks. There’s a weird vibration in her voice that I’ve not heard before.
I nod again and stand back so she can walk in through the door and past me to the sitting room of the apartment.
She doesn’t sit down though, just stands there looking at me, her eyes narrowed and her brow still pinched as if she’s angry with me about something.
I’m not sure what I’m meant to have done though. All I did was invite her for a drink with my new friends earlier.
Although, I guess I was a bit lecture-y about the issue she’s having with getting freaky with me last night.
But I was only trying to put her mind at rest.
And yeah, okay, maybe trying to change it.
Sue me.
She’s clearly nervous and is scratching gently at the sides of her legs in a way that makes me think she doesn’t realise she’s doing it.
Interesting.
I wait for her to speak, hyper aware she asked me not to question her about why she’s here.
I’ll happily wait, just appreciating the cool beauty of her until she’s ready to talk.
She opens her mouth, then snaps it shut again. Then lets out a frustrated-sounding snort, her lips pressed into a grimace. Her fingers continue to tap at her sides.
Breaking eye contact with me, she turns away and wanders further into the room, reaching out to run her fingertips over the back of the modular sofa. Even when she’s edgy about being here with me, her movements are as graceful as ever.
