Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 39

(No Control - 39. Act My Age)

We fly out to Johannesburg the following day, and when I've unpacked my stuff in the latest hotel room I pick up my phone and call Karen. I've been putting this off and I know I need to get it over with.

"I hope this isn't going to give me any more grey hairs, Harry," she says, by way of a greeting, and I laugh nervously. "Oh God," she says flatly. "Did you use a condom?"

"Why do you always assume I've had sex?" I groan.

"Because lately it's all you seem to do!" she responds.

What she means is, I keep getting caught. Niall gets way more sex than me, he just manages to keep things quiet. He's like a sniper, going in for the kill and then slipping away into the night.

"I've invited Jess to come and stay with me in LA," I say.

Nice and quick, like ripping off a plaster.

"Please tell me this is a joke," Karen sighs, and I picture her sitting in her little office with her elbows on her desk, rubbing her temples.

"Nope. Not a joke. Listen, I know you don't trust her -"

"Can you blame me?"

"Well, actually, yes," I challenge. "You don't know her. She's never given you any reason to doubt her. She's kept my confidences -"

"What confidences?"

"Private stuff!" I say, with a touch of exasperation. Remember that word? Private? I almost add, but stop myself.

"I hope you haven't been spilling your guts to someone out of contract," she says immediately.

"What, I'm not allowed friends now?" I'm trying and failing to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

"I didn't say that. I just need to know what I'm dealing with. You haven't exactly had a great track record with keeping your private life private lately."

"I really like Jess," I say, trying to steer the conversation back to where I want it to go.

"If she's going to stay with you she needs to sign an agreement."

"No way," I veto.

"Harry, if this ends up going sour we need something in place early on to prevent her from talking."

"Why would it end up going sour?" I say defensively.

"I'm just saying we need to protect you. If she's a decent girl, it won't bother her."

I close my eyes in frustration. "Of course it will bother her. She'll think I don't trust her when I absolutely do."

"You haven't known her long enough to know whether or not she's trustworthy. This is moving too fast, Harry. I'm not happy about this at all."

"Do you trust my judgment?" I ask.

"It's not a question of that, and you know it. It's just not that simple. You're a genuine person and you see the good in everyone, and that makes you incredibly naive sometimes."

"I'm not stupid," I say, as calmly as I can, because she is really pissing me off now.

"I didn't say you were. But letting someone you've only met a couple of times into your home - into your bed - without some sort of legal process in place preventing them from disclosing any information is a very risky move for someone like you. And you of all people know that."

"Well I'm not asking her. I don't even know if it's going anywhere yet. I want to get to know her away from prying eyes, and I'm not scaring her off by shoving a contract in her face the minute she gets off the plane."