He holds his hands up in surrender. “Never planned on saying a word, Tori, but they’re bound to find out.”
“There is nothing to find out, Stitch. They know I did this before.”
“But you’veneverlooked like this before. I can only imagine what all of those clothes are hiding. It’s a million degrees out there and you’re wearing fucking jeans and a sweatshirt.”
“Drop it Stitch,” I practically growl.
“I would if this didn’t seem off.” His black brows draw down into a deep V as he rakes his hands through his bleached hair. I watch as he twists the ring in his lower lip in frustration.
I know the suddenness of this is suspicious. I really can’t help that. I have no idea what I am going to be facing in two weeks. I have to prepare the best I can.
“Drop it,” I tell him again.
With a huff, he walks off.
I work on several clients until it’s nearly two. Mostly small things and a couple of scripts. Nothing to straining or taxing but the way I feel, it doesn't take much to be taxing.
I'm working on my last canvas for a couple of hours until Zane walks into the shop looking as hot as ever making me groan with lust. “Everything okay?” the girl I'm working on asks nervously. She follows my gaze to where Zane is standing talking to Stitch. “Oh my God, he’s even hotter in person.”
“Yeah, he is,” I mumble.
He must feel us staring at him because he looks over at us. He zeroes in on me with that damn sideways smirk.
“Do you know him?” the girl asks with a pant. She is practically drooling on the bench I have her laying on.
Shaking my head a little, I remember I need to get this girl done so I can go to lunch with the six-two sexy blond man. “Need you to be still,” I tell her as I move back to the day lilies she has me putting on her ribs.
With a giggle she turns back so I can work. Fifteen minutes later, I have her wrapped and ready to go. She walks to the front to pay while taking the opportunity to flirt with Zane.
He, of course, flirts back and I can’t help but grin at all of his southern charm and ‘darlins’. The girl tosses her long hair around trying to be cute.
I have never understood girls that think it makes them look sexy to continuously swing their hair around like that. They look spastic and stupid more often than not. But guys seem to fall for it so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about.
I walk up, my movements still stiff and slow as all of my muscles groan in pain. When I reach them, his eyes move from the girl to me. She turns to see what suddenly has taken his attention away, looking slightly frustrated. He pulls me gently to his side with a kiss to my temple. “Ready to go, Baby?”
The girl looks at me with wide shocked eyes. “You said you didn’t know him,” she accuses.
I feel Zane’s eyes fall on me, questioning. “Actually, I said for you to be still so we could finish.”
“Not admitting you know him is the same as denying it completely,” she huffs with a hand on her hip.
I sigh. I am too tired and sore to stand here and argue with this little diva. But it’s just not in my nature to let former homecoming queens talk to me like this. “Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I didn’t admit to anything because I wanted you to turn over so I could get finished with your tattoo and go get lunch. I am not now, nor later, going to discuss my boyfriend with you or anyone else.” I realize what I called him after the fact. Not that it isn’t true, but I’ve tried to avoid labels. Now, I’ve said it, I kind of like it.
Except now is not the time to be labeling anything. Not when I have shit hanging over my head and secrets from Zane. “Boyfriend!” the girl squeaks. “But you were just hitting on me?” she accuses Zane.
“Hey, I was just being nice.” His hands come up defensively.
I roll my eyes. I really am over this whole conversation. “Let’s just go,” I tell him. “My next appointment is at 3:30. We’re wasting time.”
He looks at me knowingly. He sees more than I wish he did. He always does. It’s unnerving and worrisome. Staying away from Zane isn’t going to be easy. Lately, just a few days has been too much. But he can see through my lies. He can see right through to the core of me no matter how hard I’ve fucking tried to hide it all from him. I don’t understand how he does it.
I can’t have him figuring this out. I don’t want anything to happen to Cara and I don’t want anything happening to him. I have no doubt in my mind that he would try to do something.
I lean into his side as we walk down the sidewalk. I love being like this with him. I love the way his arm fits over my shoulder. I love the way he smells.
I am in so damn deep that I’m drowning, and I still don’t know how or when it happened.
“What’s going on in that head of yours, Darlin'?” he asks as we walk into the small bistro down the street from the shop.
