Page 43 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘Do you mind me switching places with Duncan?’ Aidan asks.

‘Why would I mind?’

‘You seem to be avoiding me.’

I glance at him, heat curling at the base of my neck. I press my lips together, watching out of the window as we hurtle through the streets back to the hotel. It seems I have fallen into a routine of fantasising about Aidan McArthur, bringing myself to a nightly climax as I do so. As a result, I can’t seem to look real-life Aidan in the face, and since declaring our truce in Seoul, he and I have barely exchanged a word.

‘I think we both know that you still don’t want me here,’ I say after a long silence.

‘I’m coming round to the idea. I like Meredith and Duncan seems like a cool guy.’

I don’t reply.

‘You and Duncan seem close,’ he says.

I stiffen. ‘We’re colleagues.’

‘The way he looks at you though. I thought—’

He pauses. I swallow a lump in my throat. ‘You thought what?’

Aidan shakes his head. ‘Maybe I imagined it. He seems to look up to you. Admire you. Possibly because you won the Oscar or something.’

In theory, I should confess that Duncan and I were in a relationship once upon a time, but just being this close to him sends my mind into a flat spin. All my nerve endings are tingling, a ripple travelling deliciously through my core at his proximity to me.

‘Anyway, you’re a bit of an enigma,’ he continues. ‘Maybe because you’ve stopped talking to me.’

I know he’s right. I glance across at him. He’s wearing faded, loose-fitting vintage jeans. He rests his hands on his knees and I know that I’ve pictured them on me. The only time we’ve made physical contact is when we shook hands to seal our truce last week in Seoul, yet I can’t seem to stop thinking about his touch. It’s keeping me up at night. I keep putting it down to the fact that he’s famous. Yet Aidan doesn’t have the air of a celebrity. He seems… down to earth. Normal, almost. And sexy as hell.

‘The support act, for the Sydney shows,’ he says, changing the subject. ‘It’s a girl band. Haven is their name. They’re coming to a party at the hotel later. I thought you could come along too. Provided you’re not busy.’

‘Can I film anything?’

‘It’s a party for some music types out here, you’d have to ask Ziggy.’

We’re already pulling up to the hotel entrance. More crowds of girls are waiting. There is more screaming.

‘Did Ziggy tell you to invite me?’

‘No, I thought I’d invite you. In case you thought I was still trying to cause you problems. Guess I have to accept that I can’t stop the Silverpix juggernaut. I’m sorry I said that… about them paying for your career.’

I can’t handle being this close to him, breathing the same air. ‘That’s alright. You’re forgiven.’ To fill another silence, I add, ‘I need another person to interview.’

A muscle pulses in his jaw. ‘Maybe you could ask J.B. I’m sure he’d do it.’

The car comes to a halt. Aidan gets out before I even have time to argue.

Meredith is waiting for me in the grand lobby of the Langham Hotel, with its marble floor and grand chandelier overhead. Duncan goes straight upstairs with the cases of our equipment. The boys are still outside, signing autographs and posing for selfies with the crowd.

‘Social media isblowing up,’ Meredith says, holding her phone. ‘People are already dissecting the song lyrics. All the news reports are referencing Bianca Lawson. She literally just deleted her entire Twitter feed and switched off the comments on her Instagram.’

‘She did?’ I ask. ‘Make a note of the more detailed reports. Which networks they’re on. We’ll need permission to use anything later. Do people like the song?’

‘People are reacting all the way across Europe and the States. We won’t know yet how it’s doing on streaming, but my guess would be it’ll be number one everywhere.’ She grimaces. ‘Not great for Bianca Lawson.’

‘No, I don’t imagine so.’

At that moment, Bodhi is ushering the boys back into the lobby, together with his security detail. It doesn’t escape my attention that Meredith’s eyes are automatically drawn to Miller. Aidan pays me no attention.

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