Page 52 of Lust

She throws back mouthwash after brushing her teeth. And then takes two pills with water.

I know there is no reason for me to be standing here. Yet here I am. Standing, looking at the woman I managed to damage.

I can’t stop myself, seeing her in that small dress was doing wild things to me and I need to touch her again, so my hands goes to her hips, and her eyes flash up to the mirror, looking into mine, as her back is against my chest.

So many times I would run through what I would say if she was back in my arms. “Ivory…”

“Don’t.” She cuts me off. “Don’t say something you don’t mean.” She turns in my arms and her hand goes to my chest. “Respect me enough to not lie to me.” And she goes to push me away but she still isn’t steady on her feet, so I don’t back away. She inhales sharply and pinches her eyes shut. “Please just leave me alone.”

It wasn’t her words that makes me take my hands off her. It is her tone. The heart ache in those words, like it was painful for her being near me. So I take a step away from her.

She goes to walk past me and I notice she is slow. So I don’t have to stop her from falling again.

I go to leave, as I watch her go to her bed.

I pause in her doorway. “For the record. I’m sorry Ivory.” And I knew that would never cover it. For leaving her when she was hurt. But it was all I could say. So I said it just before I left the room completely.

34

Kace

Iwoke up to chaos. Walking down the stairs of Elle’s house, my eyes run over what can only be described as chaos. There were clothes every, lighting poles, people. So many people.

“What the fuck is going on?” Gabe said just walking down the staircase a minute after me. “It’s like we’ve been invaded.” And he wasn’t joking, it seriously looked like that. “Where are the girls?”

Just as he says that Elle comes buzzing down the stairs, holding a makeup brush. “Move boys!” She snapped. “The two of you together are blocking the whole stair way!”

“What’s going on?” Gabe asked a really good question.

“Our studio was pulled last minute and we had to move the shoot here.” She snaps her fingers and Gabe and I step to the side, letting her past.

Gabe sighed. “This must be one of Ivory’s photo shoots for Elle’s label.” He then walked down the rest of the stairs, and walked into the lounge room. By the looks of it they had just finished Ivory’s hair and makeup was being finished when Elle hands the artists a makeup brush.

“Oh my god, who is this?” A photography is looking directly at me. “He’s bad in all the good ways.” She blurts out, stunning me and approaches me. “Do you model?”

Gabe bursts out laughing, and whacks me on the back. “You have fun mate.” And heads for the kitchen. Which was exactly where I had been planning on going when I got out of bed.

The photographer was still looking for an answer.

“No.” I finally response.

“Ivory!” She sings out, “Ivory who is this beast tattooed god?”

I arched my eyebrows at that, which Ivory looked up, having her attention called. Her eyes ran over my shirtless body, I can’t help but notice and then she looks at the photographer.

“His name is Kace,” and that is all she says.

“Well Kace, what do you say to posing with Ivory for some shots on the pool table.” The woman said to me.

“He wouldn’t be interested.” Ivory spoke for me. Then she stands up and I see what she is wearing, or lack thereof.

“What would I have to do?”

“Just upper body shots, really show off those guns of yours.” The photographer grinned. “This,” and she gestures a way between Ivory and I. “is hot and will make news feeds everywhere.”

Ivory’s eyes locked with mine for a moment, and she looked at me like I was hurting her.

* * *

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