Page 17 of Unapologetic Love Story

Seb snorted as Tom’s face clouded with anger. ‘Welp. Want to get going, Tommy? I’ve got a case of Grey Goose back at the loft.’

Tom answered by heading for the exit. He jogged out onto the street, taking the stone steps of the old museum three at a time. He saw a car pulling away, the artificial lights of Kensington acting as urban stars in the dark spring night.

The sunroof of the car opened and Raina emerged, eyes closed in bliss as she spread her arms out and let the breeze blow her long hair back while the car moved away from him. She opened her eyes and caught his gaze.

Tom called out to her. ‘This unapologetic idiot apologizes to you!’

She laughed coldly, the sound catching on the wind. ‘Goodbye, Your Majesty!’

‘Tell me where to find you!’

She rolled her eyes and gave him a sarcastically queenly wave before sinking beneath the roof of the vehicle, disappearing from view.

Tom swore. And it was so strange. His intellect was wide awake because it had found a playmate. It was never as easy to arouse the mind, but his was completely stirred up.

The whole world had gone away.

CHAPTER FOUR

‘You’ve been holding out on me!’

Raina laughed at the outraged tone in her friend’s voice. They both turned in their seats to look back at the museum, which was far behind them now.

‘What the hell was all of that?’

‘I actually don’t even know,’ Raina said, sliding down in the leather seat of the car. ‘That guy! I think he’s casing me for a story. Arrogant, cold-blooded shark. He’s not getting shit from me.’

‘Nuh uh,’ Pepper scolded in disbelief. ‘Every time I’ve seen that man, he’s been working on some story, and he always looks as serious as a heart attack. I’ve never seen him look like that.’

‘What, a guy can’t be horny on top of a grift? Never mind about him,’ Raina said wearily. ‘I won’t see him again. You might, but I won’t.’

‘Why won’t you?’

‘Didn’t give him my number.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘As a heart attack,’ Raina said, turning her head to smile at her best friend as she echoed her previous words. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt a pang of regret.

‘Rai,’ Pepper said gently. ‘What’s wrong with him? I mean, I’ve heard he’s a bit of a dick . . .’

‘He’s not, actually,’ Raina said thoughtfully, more to herself than to Pepper. ‘He says what he thinks, and sometimes doesn’t tidy it up first.’

She laughed at the memory of his fumbling attempts to apologize. It was weirdly refreshing. She knew better than anyone what it felt like to say the socially unacceptable thing. She might have learned to mask very well, but she was no stranger to fucking up in a social situation.

She suddenly felt the ghost of his gentle fingers on the base of her spine, and it caused her to jerk in her seat. Nice hands didn’t erase sneaky agendas.

‘Let’s get burgers,’ she suddenly said to Pepper. ‘The food they served wouldn’t have fed a rabbit.’

‘All right,’ Pepper said loftily. ‘But I want it noted that I’m allowing you to drop the subject.’

Raina let her head fall against the window of the car. She closed her eyes, the lights of the bright city still flickering behind her lids. London could be so brash, so loud, so overpowering. Her heightened senses welcomed every breath of it whether she wanted to or not.

Yet now, all she could smell was the lingering scent of him.

‘Welcome back to another episode of The Disability Track. I’m your host Raina Lewis and if you’ve met one of us, you’ve only met one of us. I hope you’re all having a good morning.’

Raina sipped a quick mouthful of warm water with lemon and then returned her attention to the expensive microphone. She’d turned the small office room of her house in Barnes into a recording room. The late April sunshine gently spilled into the room, and with the warm carpet beneath her bare feet, Raina felt content.