Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 9

(No Control - 9. Heart Attack)

Once Jess is safely in the car, I scoot round to the other side and jump in the back next to her. I'm feeling a bit giddy - I can't believe she's agreed to come out with me. I honestly thought she was going to blow me out. Must have been the kiss that sealed the deal.

I introduce Jess to Paul, and reach into the front to grab the black shirt that is hanging in a clothes bag. "Lagoon?" Paul asks, and I confirm.

I begin unbuttoning my shirt, feeling a bit self-conscious. It's hard to look sexy while you're trying to manoeuvre yourself out of a shirt while strapped into a moving vehicle, no matter how hard you try. Believe me.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see her looking at me and I'm sure there's a smile on her face. I look up and our eyes meet, and she's grinning, which makes me grin too.

"Like what you see?" I tease her, and to my delight she blushes bright red and bites her lip, before turning her face away to look out of the window. "Oh come on, don't go all shy on me now," I persist.

"Stop trying to make me blush then!" she retorts, but she's still grinning madly and it makes me laugh. I finally get the clean shirt on as gracefully as I can, and once I'm sitting comfortably I turn to look at her.

"Better?" I ask.

"Hmm." I gives me a so-so gesture with her hand.

Seriously? She's just mentally fucked me with her eyes and now she's being non-committal?

"So where are we going?" She interrupts my dirty thoughts.

"A club called Lagoon. It's nice - intimate - so you don't have to worry about being seen with me."

She laughs at this. "I was more worried about you being seen with me. You're the one who'll be splashed all over Twitter, Facebook, the Daily Mail showbiz, etc etc. I'm sure you don't need that."

Interesting comment.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, you seem like a private person," she says, shifting uncomfortably. "You don't give much away in interviews and you seem to keep your private life just that, private. Which is completely understandable."

Hmm. She's hit the nail on the head. Someone's done their homework.

"You're right," I nod.

"So I just thought, you must get crazy girls trying to use you to get themselves noticed all the time," she continues. "And as soon as you're photographed within 50 feet of a female, it becomes the world's business to find out who she is. That must get annoying."

I nod again, and I'm aware that I need to be careful how I word what I'm about to say. "Yeah, sometimes. Don't get me wrong though, I don't like complaining about it. Most of our fans are brilliant."

"Course we are," she fires at me, grinning cheekily. "I'm a prime example."

She makes me hot when she bats things at me like this. "You are indeed," I agree. "And I'd really like to kiss you again, if that's ok?"

Take that, Jess.

"Hmmm," she says, tilting her head to one side and giving nothing away. "I suppose that would be fine."

I see. I need to turn up the charm level to throw her off guard. I'm high off these games we're playing.

I lean towards her and attempt a sultry look. "Only fine?" I murmur, hoping she won't laugh in my face.

"For now," she says casually, and as I lean in closer she closes her eyes. I take this as a green light and lightly brush my lips against hers. I try to keep it soft and gentle, tracing my fingers across her cheek, but damn it I'm losing control as I feel her lips moving against mine. She runs her hands over my chest as I kiss her harder and I can't help but smile at the effect she has on me, and the apparent effect I'm having on her.

She pulls away slightly and I open my eyes to look at her. Damn she's making me so hot. I want her. She kisses me this time, and brings her hands up to the back of my neck and tugs at my hair. An involuntary moan escapes my lips, and I'm mentally weighing up the odds of getting her back to my place tonight. I've never been so turned on by someone I only just met. She gently pulls away from me again and runs her fingers down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps.

"That was more than fine," I say, my heart thumping.

"Yeah OK, I'll give you that one," she accepts.

Haha, she just said she'll give me one.

"You'll give me... which one?" I grin.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not like that," she huffs, touching my chest again.

Is she just being a tease?

"Yeah, you keep saying that, but then you kiss me like you just did and I'm struggling to believe you," I tell her.

"Kiss you like what?" she asks.

Oh my God is she for real? Is this normal behaviour for her? Something tells me I want to find out.

"Like you just did!" I laugh, staring into her eyes and trying to break her cool composure.

"I don't remember," she says, staring back at me confidently. "Maybe you could remind me?"

Ah. I see what she's doing. She wants me to kiss her again. Fine by me.

"That's unfortunate," I say, creasing my eyebrows at her. "Why are you suffering short term memory loss?"

"It's the effect you have on me," she murmurs and I go in for another kiss. I'm starting to feel more confident now. Just as we're getting into it, Paul clears his throat in the front seat and I pull away from Jess.

"We're here, Harry. Would you like me to drop you outside? There might be paps there."

"Yeah outside is fine," I tell him, trying to tame my hair after her fingers have messed it up. I turn to Jess. "You ready for this? The paps can be a bit overwhelming sometimes."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," she says, breezily.

I'm glad one of us is. My knees are feeling a bit weak to be honest. And it's nothing to do with the alcohol.

As Paul brings the car to a stop I'm relieved to see there are no paps waiting. He opens the door for Jess, who slides elegantly out of the car and I follow, getting my foot stuck behind the seat. Thankfully she doesn't notice. She flicks her hair over her shoulder and it brushes my cheek as I lean forward to put my hand on her back to guide her to the door. It leaves my cheek tingling...

The bouncers give me a nod and step aside to let us through, and we walk up the steps into the club.