Page 47 of Dirty Rock

“Same to you, too, C,” I told him, not wanting to leave on bad terms. “Ollie and I got carried away. It won’t happen again.”

“Are you coming back?” he asked roughly.

“Sure.” I had no clue if I was or not. The short time I had been back felt like someone had thrown a plastic bag over my head, tied it around the neck, and was trying to force the life out of me.

“Stay out of trouble.”

“Right.”

Don’t have too much fun. We’re not used to that around here.That’s what he really meant.

I nodded once and made my way out of the country home I’d grown up in, closing the old red door behind me before I stepped out onto the narrow garden pathway.

Julia was leaning against the bonnet of a sleek little black Audi, her eyes drifting over the village as though she appreciated everything she saw.

With my bag slung over my shoulder, I came to a stop in front of her.

“You’re clean,” she said, taking me in.

“For now.”

Her lips grew into a mischievous smile. “For nowwill do. I’m taking you out.”

She pulled some sunglasses out from her jacket pocket and pushed them onto her face. I hated that she covered up her eyes. They were the windows to the soul, and I suddenly wanted to see every little inch of hers.

She made her way into the driver’s seat, leaving me frowning after her. A minute passed before she slid her window down, rested her elbow on the edge of it, and peeked out.

“Getting in or what?”

With a sigh, I dumped my bag into the boot of her car, and I made my way to the passenger seat, trying to shake off the heavy hangover that was floating above my eyelids. I pulled my own sunglasses out and pushed them in place. It was a surprisingly bright day, considering we were in the middle of a British winter. The warmth and delights of LA now long behind us.

“Seatbelt.” She chucked her chin.

I did as I was told, silently asking her with a raise of my brows if we were good to go, before she put the car into gear and began driving away. The seat beneath me became warm after a few minutes, and it made me relax and tip my head back against the headrest… a small groan falling free.

“Feeling rough?” she asked quietly.

“Permanently.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to lay off it for a few days.”

“I’d die of boredom around here. I’m already exhausted from this mundane way of life.”

“It’s hard to slide back into normality, isn’t it?”

“Terrifyingly so.”

Julia huffed out a soft laugh and changed gear as we hit a country lane.

She made driving look sexy.

Unless I got to screw her out of my system, I was up shit creek without a paddle.

“You know you’re driving me crazy, don’t you?” I said, watching her face react to my bluntness. Her cheeks pinked slowly.

She cast me a glance. “Should I feel bad about that?”

“I can tell that you don’t.”

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