“You dissing me, woman?” I was in dire need of a drink. The bloody woman made me thirsty. I wasn’t used to all this fucking talking and laughing, plus I needed to do something with my hands before I had them on her. I breathed in a long sigh and let it out as I started walking.
“Hey,” She called out. I was already out of the gates before she’d even caught up, “wait for me.” She jogged up and fell into step with me. Her brows were high as she looked up. I could see the amusement in her gaze as it flickered brightly. “I’m sorry.”
My lips twitched as I twisted them up at her. When we reached my car, I stopped again. “Is my car going to be safe if I leave it here?”
Her shoulder lifted in a shrug, “Who knows. Most criminals in Beverly Hills are career criminals, the time to worry is when you see some teens looking around and admiring it.” She smirked at what must have been horror written all over my face. “Most things here are stolen to order, or for initiation into gangs. It’s a sad fact of life, but even the places with the most money can’t get away from that, and your Mustang would be prime meat for them.”
I guessed she was right. America was on a different scale to Britain. “Where’s your car?” I asked, my brows pinched as I looked around.
“I walked.” She answered, “I live about four blocks away.”
“Get in.” I pressed the fob and waited for the beeps to tell me it was open.
“Why? I thought we were walking?” A slight whine raised her tone.
With my hands on my car, I leaned against it and peered over the roof at her. “And I don’t fancy coming back here and finding my little baby, here,” I tapped the roof, “being thrashed around the streets of Hollywood, or maybe even an empty shell.” We got in the car at the same time, clipped our seatbelts in and I turned the car around. “You can direct me.”
“Okay,” she answered on an over exaggerated exhale. “Turn right.”
I followed her direction and stopped at a red light. It had taken me a few days to get used to the roads here, but I could drive with my eyes shut now. My gaze rolled to the side as I watched her closely as she admired my car. “Like it?” I smiled proudly, like a father showing off his child.
“It’s alright.” She shrugged like she was bored.
“Alright? I think you’re taking the piss. This car is a beast!”
She chewed on the corner of her lip, “It’s a car.” She was bored.Pfft, a car.I had no answer to that. “It is nice, though.” I smiled as the lights changed to green and I eased my foot off the brake, I pulled away softly and followed the flow of traffic.
“Down through the next two sets of lights and turn left.” I put my foot down a little more, the engine growled as I revved it. Once I’d gone through the green lights, I turned left as she’d directed and soon came to a bar. I looked up and saw an old shack type pub. A four-leaf clover was situated at the end of the name - Emerald.
“Irish bar?” I asked, leaning forward as I looked up through the windscreen.
“Yep. What gave it away?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the clover and the name… and it looks like something that should be in the woods.” I answered still looking, “Are you sure this place is open?” It was then I saw the darkness of the road I was on. “In fact, how the fuck is my car going to be safe here?”
As the engine still rumbled, I thought about making a quick getaway and saying fuck it! “Pull around onto the parking lot and park right on the edge of it.” I stared at her. The dim light in the car had me looking a little closer at her, the small smirk on her face, and the sparkle I hadn’t noticed earlier was shining in her eyes. I breathed slowly and deeply and cocked my head at her, “Ugh, there’re cameras.” She said, it made a feel a little easier at least.
“Fine.” I did what she told me and parked right on the edge. I locked it as I got out, my steps slow as I left it. I looked back at it like it was going to disappear. I stopped between the front door and the car park, as I looked up and down the darkened street.
“Gav,” I sighed and turned my head, she walked back to me, grabbed my forearm and tugged firmly. “Come on!” I let her pull me through the door, “My friend, Holly works here, your car will be safe, I promise you.”
I nodded, “Okay,” I relented, “on your head be it.” We made it through the door and she told me to find a table, but as I sat down, she walked up to the bar. There was a tall guy behind the bar, he smiled at her like he was really pleased to see her. She turned and pointed, I assumed she’d pointed at the table but on seeing me sitting there, he lifted his chin at me, his smile evaporated.Someone had a little crush. I thought.
I watched her from the back, every now and then she pushed onto her tiptoes as she leaned on the bar. It was weird, I couldn’tremember the last time I spent this much time in a woman’s company, other than fucking them senseless, I definitely hadn’t spent this much time talking. But she made it so easy.
As I tried to get out of my head, she turned around with two beers in her hands, and came back towards me. I pulled her chair out for her as she passed my beer over. I can be chivalrous. I shock myself some days. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
She grinned and lifted the rim of the bottle to her lips. As she took a drink of her beer, those dirty thoughts started to chip away in my mind. Her lips wrapped neatly around the top, and God, if my dick didn’t get hard really fucking quick. I fidgeted on my chair; I’d hoped I could hide my awkwardness. This was not like me at all! Usually, I’d be grabbing the bird’s hand and covering my hard-on with it. Picking up my bottle instead, I took a long pull from it, and rested my elbows on the table. She took the same stance but cupped her face in her hands as she grinned. “I’ve really enjoyed today, thank you.” she said softly.
I smiled back, because strangely, so had I. “So have I,” A slow nod shifted my head in answer.
She leaned across with a soft sigh and her lips brushed my cheek. As she pulled away, I lifted my hand to her face and softly cupped her jaw, stroking my thumb along it. Her skin was soft, I thought as our heated gazes met. As my gaze strayed, it shifted to her pink, soft lips, as my breathing became heavier, her warm breath skittered over my face. With a slight shift forward, our lips touched. For the first time ever, I doubted myself. But as mine pressed firmer, so did hers. I pulled back slightly, licked my lips and kissed her again. She smiled when I pulled away again, and adorable blush crept into cheeks.
Her head dipped, but as she lifted it again, she licked her lips, “So,” she smirked, “what did you do in the hours between leaving Roman’s and meeting me?”
How the hell could she change the subject so quickly?
