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  “It’s sad about your parents, I’m sorry to hear that. Amazing that you had so many wonderful people around you, like the next best thing. It’s bittersweet, really.”

  I nod in agreement. Isn’t life bittersweet, period?

  “Do you see Elizabeth and Ray often?”

  “It’s just Beth now. I visit all the time and call her on the days I don’t. She’s in her early seventies, so I like to keep a close eye on her. There are a lot of people around her, and she’s very capable, but I like to make certain myself. She’s in Italy right now, on a two month trip with friends.”

  “Two whole months?”

  “She’s got a villa out there and likes to make the most of it.”

  “A villa in Italy. Nice. So you and your friends all moved here together? Why?”

  “Adam and Joe moved here so they could work in their uncle’s tattoo shop, which they own now. Saffron wanted to come with Adam – I assume you know they’re married. I came because my sister did, and Gerard just decided to also. From the moment we all met we were tight, even Saffron. She did have girlfriends, but she hung with us a lot. I think either way we’d have all wound up here eventually. Even though Hillsborough’s a beautiful place, the vibe here in the city is better suited to us.”

  “You didn’t mind your little sister and your mate getting together?”

  I shake my head. “Sounds strange when a lot of guys don’t like that, but I trust Adam with her. I knew he’d take care of her. They’ve been together over fourteen years, and I don’t see them ever choosing to be apart.”

  “Wow, fourteen years. That’s impressive.”

  As we continue to talk, Brooklyn relaxes a little more with me, but I can see she’s not entirely certain. I’ve never exchanged so much information, in such a short time-frame, with a woman I’m trying to bang.

  There’s no denying Brooklyn Scott is beautiful, but it’s not the sensual elegance of her beauty that grips me, the thing that was easy to appreciate from my front row position in the theater and from across the bar. What gets me the most is the hard gaze that shows challenge and determination, a confident woman who clearly wants to protect herself. The barest hints of uncertainty and vulnerability have slipped in there a few times and with that she becomes a tentative woman that any guy in their right mind would feel a profound desire to protect.

  And hell if I’m not desperate to see her face and those eyes express sexual satisfaction, especially since I’ve seen how unrestrained and compelling both are when she’s dancing.

  I’m damn sure gonna figure out how to get those ‘Do Not Touch’ signs taken down.

  Seven: Brooklyn

  I look at Dane partially relieved it’s time to go, because I so badly want to stay. I wanted his personality to be shit. I wanted to leave here with no desire to see him again. Instead, I’ve enjoyed being in his company, even with the tense moment that seemed to come from nowhere. In fairness to him, I’m the one that got arsey.

  Dane’s approach and attitude has been perfect, and his honesty is exactly what I need right now. That’s played a major factor in my decision to see him again. I’d like to. I hope he feels the same way.

  Maybe the fact that it’s now ten a.m. and he told me he needed to be at work for nine means he does.

  Dane holds the door open, I exit the cafe and turn to face him, unsure how to express my interest in seeing him again. If this was any other man, and not one I shouldn’t want to see, I wouldn’t have a problem making it clear.

  “Same time same place tomorrow? Just for coffee?” he says.

  My smile is slight, but in my mind I’m jumping with joy and doing summersaults and the splits and all kinds of other excited expressions.

  “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, calmly.

  When I get home, I go straight to Leona’s room. She’s still in bed, but awake, so I lie next to her, on my tummy and propped up by my forearms, and give her the info on Dane.

  I question whether I’m a fool and if I’m asking for trouble, but on a deeper level that I can’t seem to grasp an understanding of, I want to keep going with this. I really, really hope I’m doing the right thing.

  “Tell me honestly, Lee, do you think I’m mad seeing him again? Do you think I’m playing with fire?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far, babe. The problem with him is he sleeps around and doesn’t get involved. He isn’t dodgy. It’s obviously wise not to go into this with expectations, but if you just want to have a good time with him, I don’t see the problem. You deserve to have fun, and what better payback is there to that wanker of an ex than you going out and enjoying yourself – with another man. Dane might be the perfect person for it, because he won’t expect too much from you.”

  “I didn’t think of it like that. I don’t really want to put myself out there as another random shag of his, though.”

  “You don’t have to. The choice is yours, and that’s my point. The ball’s in your court.”

  She’s right. It’s up to me whether or not anything happens with Dane.

  After class and a lengthy stretch session, the three of us go to get some lunch. Kayla’s face is practically stuck to the glass as she looks at the variety of choices for her sub on the other side. Leona’s doing the same thing. I know what I want.

  Whilst I stand waiting for them, a musky, slightly citrus aroma captivates my senses. It’s potent, but not unpleasant. I glance at the man to my right – the one responsible for the lovely cologne – and he’s watching Kayla. I’ve never seen him before, but my friend seems to have caught his attention. Is this another Cupid moment? I’ve decided his name is Shaun and he’s a stockbroker.

  ‘Shaun’ is tall, I’d say around six-foot, with short, strawberry-blond hair. When my brother’s hair is wet in the morning, he runs his fingers through it and voilà, done. It’s left slightly disordered and looks so good. This guy probably does that, too. His skin looks like it’s been kissed by the sun, a nice golden shimmer remaining. Given that it’s not consistently sunny here in San Francisco, that’s likely his natural tone or he’s recently been somewhere hot. He’s not my type, but I can still appreciate the handsomeness of a man that doesn’t fit my ideal. He must be on his lunch break, because he’s dressed in a white shirt with a claret colored tie knotted neatly at the collar and black pinstripe trousers. The sleeves being rolled up to his elbows doesn’t lessen how well presented he is.

  I wonder if he’ll speak to Kayla. She’s single at the moment. He isn’t her type, either. She likes the rough, edgy look, but personally I think they’d suit, if going by appearances alone.

  She’s gorgeous with golden curls cascading down to the middle of her back and amazing, big eyes the color of a turquoise sea. And she’s got a body to die for, tight and petite with curves in all the right places.

  He definitely works out; his broad shoulders carry great muscle definition and I’m not imagining the way his sleeves hug his biceps. What he’s wearing emphasizes a narrow waist and legs that don’t avoid squats. If only Kayla would un-stick her bloody face from the glass and look his way.

  ‘Shaun’s’ gaze slides to me, he catches me inspecting him. Sooo embarrassing.

  My lips awkwardly turn up at the corners and I home in on the menu displayed on the wall behind the counter. I hope he doesn’t think I was checking him out.

  “Hello, Kayla,” he suddenly says, soft, but sure. He knows her?

  Her head swiftly turns in his direction, as though she recognized his voice. “You are totally not talking to me, dude,” she says, with a frosty bite to her tone.

  “Actually, I am,” he says, his voice and expression unchanged. Someone’s clearly cocksure.

  Kayla looks at me. It’s as though the sea in her eyes has iced over. “Brooklyn, this is Gerard, Dane’s douche bag of a friend.”

  What the fuck? My jaw drops and I quickly close my mouth to hide my reaction. I look at him with no idea what to say. This is Gerard.

  “You know Dan
e?” he asks me, curious blue eyes staring into mine.

  I slip my hands into the pockets of my tracksuit jacket. “Kind of. Only just.” What more can I say?

  He simply responds with a small incline of his head.

  I’d love to know what he’s thinking. I hate that he probably thinks I’m some random conquest of his mate’s. I focus on the man serving, he’s waiting. “You can go first, we’re still deciding,” I say to Gerard. The sooner he goes the better.

  He smiles in thanks and turns to the counter.

  I really need to find out what happened between him and Kayla. It’s been clear that he hurt her, and because of that I haven’t asked how, but now I’ve seen the real life Gerard I have to know.

  Especially since I’m supposed to be meeting Dane again tomorrow.

  We take our lunch home and sit at our yellow, square kitchen table.

  Sipping my sparkling water, I choose my words. “What happened with Gerard? You don’t have to talk about it, not if you don’t want to.” Tossing a strand of lettuce in my mouth, I wait for her response. I can’t believe I was pairing the two of them up like that. Suddenly San Francisco feels too small.

  Kayla sighs, thoughtfully. Her eyes are softer now. “I met him in a bar one night, he came and spoke to me. We talked, I let him buy me a drink, and then I left with my friends. End of that, I thought. A week later I was in the same bar, and he was there again. He bought me another drink, and that time I spent longer talking to him. I was attracted to him. He made me laugh and he was super sweet. So when he asked for my number, I gave it to him. I didn’t want to get with a guy, I’d just broke up with Brad and I was still hurting. I told Gerard that and he seemed to understand, but he didn’t hold back. He wasn’t afraid to show his interest in me.” She bites into her ham sub and chews.

  I pick at the chicken that’s fallen from mine. Leona’s silently chewing as she listens.

  Kayla sips some diet coke. “Weeks later, we spent the night together, fucked like animals. The next night he was fucking my best friend. He knew it was a big deal for me going with him and the cold bastard still went with her. He obviously likes the thrill of the chase, because he wouldn’t have had to try at all with her. The skanky bitch, she’d have banged him the first night. Obviously he was wise enough to know he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with me if they’d been together first. Asshole, he was the biggest mistake of my life. I had true feelings for him. He doesn’t know that, but my slut of an ex-best friend did.”

  She bites hard into her sub. No doubt she’d like that to be Gerard’s cock with the amount of force that went into it. I don’t blame her. I chomp into my lunch, without really tasting it.

  “I can’t believe he would even try to talk to you after what he did,” Leona says. “How arrogant is that?”

  “He’s a cunt! Thankfully, I rarely encounter him and it’s the first time I’ve been that near to him since it happened.”

  “I’m not going tomorrow,” I announce. “I feel proper sick with myself for even giving someone like Dane a chance. No way am I gonna let that man mug me off.” I stand up. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

  Leaving the apartment block, I dash across the street and make the short walk along Franklin. Working out in my mind exactly what I’m going to say, I turn onto Bush Street. I’m going to tell Dane I’m not going tomorrow and that– shit. I freeze in place as Dane walks out of his shop with another man. Hoping he doesn’t look this way and see me, I pivot around and speed walk back in the direction I just came from.

  How am I actually supposed to stand in front of the guy and say I don’t want to see him again? I took one look at him and knew I still want to. At some point today I need to question my sanity, because this whole thing is fucking insane.

  He shags around and doesn’t do girlfriends.

  I love shagging – when it’s part of a relationship.

  I don’t just fuck!

  Dane does!

  This is ridiculous.

  When I enter the kitchen, Kayla and Leona are still at the table, doing their nationality switch – Kayla becomes British, Leona becomes American. I usually find it highly entertaining. Frustrated with myself, I sit on the chair I left vacant literally about five minutes ago.

  “Where did you go?” Kayla asks.

  “I was going to tell Dane to forget it. He only went and walked out onto the street. I lost my nerve and turned back.”

  Leona chuckles with her mouth full of food. She forces it down with a large swallow. “I can imagine it; you walking out there with all that attitude you left here with, one look at him and you leg it back.” She laughs again, and I sort of do, too. “As I said, Brooklyn, the choice is yours.”

  Get to know me. Form your opinion of me. See where things go from there.

  Straight from the horse’s mouth, and I couldn’t have put it better myself.

  I’ll do that, and I’ll do it armed with the knowledge I have of him.

  Eight: Brooklyn

  The jingle of the alarm on my phone, a stupid upbeat chime that’s supposed to wake me without annoying me, yanks me from my sleep. It’s sooo flipping annoying.

  After I stop the noise, I lay motionless. I realize I’m at that point where, if I don’t open my eyes now, I’ll fall back to sleep and wake up in two hours. Throwing the duvet off of me, I drag myself out of bed and head for the bathroom.

  Last night I spent quite some time thinking about what to wear. Yesterday was a little over the top, wrapped up in those baggy clothes, but I’m still not going to flash my flesh or body shape with Dane. I did notice him still checking me out, so I’m not completely safe from his roaming eyes. Mine appreciatively roamed as well, so I can’t exactly complain.

  When required, I have used my body to the max. What female doesn’t when they want to bag a man they have their eye on? But with Dane that’s not what I’m going to do, not at this stage. Today I’m wearing a pink jumper and faded, loose-fitting jeans. The finishing touches are a ponytail, some strokes of black mascara, and a thin layer of lip gloss. Warm jacket on, and I’m out the door.

  The cold, foggy air ensures that I’m definitely wide awake. By the time I get to the Purple Cafe I feel human, hopefully that means I look human. I arrive a few minutes early and linger outside, strolling back and forth by the side of the building.

  Oh, the nerves are kicking in. They started with a slight acceleration of my heartbeat, now I’m fidgeting and I’m slightly hot, even though it’s a chilly morning. I’m not sure I like the effect Dane has on me. I don’t even usually blush; I stopped doing that after I got with my first boyfriend when I was fifteen. Blushing at twenty-eight, for a guy who’s probably around the same age as me, is silly. Annoying as well – you can hardly play it cool when you’re blushing.

  On my second turn to walk back in the direction of the door, I see Dane crossing the street. His hands are tucked into his jacket pockets. With the zip open, I can see the fitted black sweater underneath and dark gray jeans with the same fit as the ones he wore yesterday – narrow but loose enough to allow the waistband to sit low on his hips and that sexy sag at the crotch. He wears those denims so well.

  I’m curious about his tattoos, what they look like and how many he has. The piercing in his nose and the natural edge to his appearance seem fitting for a man who’s indulged in body art to a high degree. There’s more to him than meets the eye. There is for everybody, but he’s the only person I want to discover more about at the moment. Just because he doesn’t go for commitment, it doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t a decent person.

  Based on my opinion of him, he seems like a nice guy, but we’ve only spent three hours together. Time will tell.

  One thing I’m glad for is that he comes across upfront. I feel like I’d always know where I stand with him, regardless of where that is.

  My defenses will remain up, they need to, but I won’t be quite so defensive with him today. I’ll treat him the way I would have if I’d never been t
old a single thing about him. That goes against what I decided yesterday afternoon, but a change of mind is allowed.

  Dane approaches and we greet each other. I smile easier at him. He holds the door open, and I enter the Purple Cafe.

  Sitting at the same table as yesterday, I shrug out of my jacket and so does Dane.

  I love his physique, the way he appears so masculine and present, but without being overbearing or intimidating. He smells lovely and fresh. Unfortunately, that makes me aware that he’s recently showered. Knowing that puts an image of him in my head; his tattooed naked body soaking wet as the hot spray cascades down over him, streaks of soapy water caressing hard ripples of muscle. Oh, it’s such a clear vision. I bet he’s got a fabulous cock.

  Squeezing my thighs together, I seek some sort of relief from the mounting wanton tension between them. Lust is bad, bad, bad. I’ve never found myself fancying a man too much.

  I absolutely do fancy Dane too much.

  Taking a deep breath, I’m hit with another dose of Dane; freshness, soap, and spicy-sweet cologne. I can pick up his combination of scents even with the surrounding aroma of eggs and bacon. His bed sheets will smell of him, won’t they?

  Brain out of your knickers, Brooklyn.

  We’re served by Lexi again. I choose to ignore the fact that this is starting to feel like our table and seats, our Lexi, and our Purple Cafe. It’s only day two, for heaven’s sake. We’re hardly heading for years and years of together where one day we’ll look back on this time fondly, so feelings like that have no place. Granted, I like routine and familiarity, but what is wrong with me?

  I order a hot chocolate with no frills; I need something warm and sweet. Dane’s choice is a coffee.

  As the waitress turns and walks away, Dane leans forward with his forearms resting on the table. “I wanna ask you something.”