Page 78 of Catch You

“Please don’t say it like that.”

“Can’t make any promises.” She makes her way to the door as I groan. “Have a good night. Remember, if you can still walk in the morning, he didn’t do it properly.”

“Have a good night,” I call back, ignoring her comment but blushing at the thought of dragging myself into work in the morning.

With thirty minutes until Corey is due to finish, I leave the house and head for his studio. I told him I’d meet him at his place, but my impatience has gotten the better of me.

19

COREY

Knowing I’m seeing Harlow again after work means my day drags. I used to crave my hours sitting on my stool and working on intricate designs for hours. But as I sit here now, all I want is her.

It’s really fucking weird.

I’ve never wanted anything serious with a woman. I joined the army when I was sixteen and knew that would be my life for the following God knew how many years, so I just enjoyed myself. I had a couple of regular girls I’d spend time with but never one I made any promises to.

I grimace as I think about Carla and what became of her. She was one of my childhood best friends, and guilt eats me that I was a huge part of her downfall. If we hadn’t had that drunken night together at fifteen, things could have turned out very differently.

I sigh, trying not to be engulfed by my memories and mistakes, when a knock sounds out on my studio door.

“Hey, man,” Oz says with a beaming smile on his face. I’m just cleaning up for the day and am more than ready to get the hell out of here to meet Harlow.

“Hey, what’s the grin about? Shit your pants or something?”

“Nah, man. I’m just happy for you.”

“For me?” I ask, not having the fucking foggiest as to what’s going on.

“Yeah. It looks like you’ve got a sweet night ahead of you.”

“What are you—” It’s in that moment he moves aside and allows me to see through to reception.

“Holy shit.”

My eyes run over her light makeup and curled hair, and then the fabric of her dress that covers most of her body but reveals one hell of a cleavage and a hint at her curvaceous leg hiding behind the slit.

She throws her head back and laughs at something JJ says before glancing over to us.

Our eyes lock and electricity crackles between us. All the air rushes from my lungs.

Her lips curl into a wide smile and her hand lifts to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“Fuck, man. You need to get the hell out of here before I leave you with JJ,” Oz jokes.

“Keep your fucking hands to yourself, man.” He holds them up in surrender.

“Oh, you are so fucking whipped. Are your balls even still attached to your body?”

“Fuck off. Like you can talk. JJ has been wearing yours as earrings for fucking months.”

He winces as the visual hits him, but he soon shrugs. “It has its benefits.”

Suddenly, all the things I never wanted, the same woman every night, the thoughts of futures and all the serious stuff that comes with it, doesn’t feel quite so intimidating.

“Right, I’m out of here.”

“At fucking last.”

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