Page 34 of Catch You

His eyes are wide with suspicion, but they’re also full of heat. My cheeks flush, my temperature soaring, but that’s not the most noticeable thing. That’s the desire that races through me, begging me to give him another shot.

My hands continue to tremble as my head and body war over what I should do. My head says leave, but my legs refuse, and I stay exactly where I am.

“W-why would I know you were here?” I ask, confused. Clearly, last night’s whisky is still having an effect, because it should be obvious.

“My job isn’t a secret, Harlow. Most people here know what I do.”

The image of Brooke so helpfully giving me this address pops into my mind.

She fucking knew.

“I’ve been set up, haven’t I?”

“I don’t know. But I’m glad to see you.” His expression softens, giving me little choice but to believe him.

“Really? Why?”

He takes a step toward me and doesn’t stop until I bump up against the wall and he’s right in my personal space. His woodsy scent fills my nose, and the heat from his wide chest burns into me.

“Because we have unfinished business.”

“D-do we?” I thought my actions this morning would have drawn a line under anything between us. Maybe I was wrong.

“I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind. But when I opened my eyes, you weren’t there.”

His eyes search mine. I have no idea what he’s trying to find, or if he manages it or not. To be honest, I think I’d rather not know.

“Our time was done.”

“Huh,” he says, taking a step back and turning away from me. “I thought maybe I’d left a little more of an impression on you than that.”

I miss his closeness the second the cool air surrounds my body.

“It was what it was,” I admit, regret flooding me.

“An hour or so ago, I was on my way to believing that. But now here you are. Do you believe in fate, Harlow?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, we clearly aren’t done, are we? Now, you came here for a reason, and I’m more than happy to give you what you need. Hop up on the chair.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I … um … I’m not sure about …”

“Do you know what you want?”

“Y-yes but?—”

“Do you have a reason for it?”

“Yes.”

“A reason good enough that you’d never regret it being permanently on your skin?”

“Yes.”

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