Page 47 of Fake Rocks
Classy, Saff, really classy.
Tris didn’t let his gaze move from me as he tidied himself up. “You look totally gorgeous right now,” he said.
I ran a hand through my hair, knowing it was far from the truth. “And you realise it’s all your fault, don’t you?”
“If I don’t get you out of this bathroom right now, I’m going to want a repeat performance.”
My clit throbbed painfully as his gaze slid to my nakedness. He had to be joking, no guy could ever go that quickly again. Me on the other hand…
Someone hammered on the door. “Are you okay in there?”
Rosie. Shit.
“Yeah, Rosie, it’s me, Saff. I’ll, um, be out in a minute. Just freshening up.”
“Good, there’s a bottle of tequila with your name on it.”
Tequila wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to get back home and get naked with Tris. Again. But first, we had to get out of this bathroom. I stood up on my wobbly legs and pulled my knickers up, before smoothing down my dress. The reflection that stared back at me from the mirror was of someone fully sated and glowing. Hastily, I reapplied some lip gloss and turned to Tris.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Only if we can head home soon.”
“You got it.”
Rosie was waiting outside. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw me appear, hand in hand, with Tris. Eyes narrowed, she examined my face. “You look like you’ve just been thoroughly fucked.”
Damn, she knew me too well.
26
Tris
When I’d suggested the idea of Sunday lunch to Saff, I hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. Or that Jonas would join us. I frantically messaged Aunt Annie as we left the Barnes’ house, telling her there would be one more for lunch. Not that it would make much difference, she always cooked enough for a small army anyway.
Jonas drove and Saff insisted I sit in the front. I realised why, because as soon as she got into the car, her eyes closed and she was asleep.
“Thanks for letting me tag along,” said Jonas, without taking his eyes off the road.
“No problem. You already know Uncle Col, so it’s nice for you to meet Aunt Annie, given as he talks about her so much.” I grinned and glanced at the backseat. “She’s looking forward to meeting Saff too.” It was a small white lie. When we’d had our last conversation about it, Aunt Annie’s response hadn’t exactly been the most enthusiastic. I was fairly sure she was more excited to meet Jonas. I think he vaguely knew one of her favourite artists too, so she’d no doubt bombard him with questions about them.
“What did you do before you started working with your uncle?” Jonas asked.
Unsure of how to answer, I froze. Jonas had no idea what had happened prior to me moving down south. I couldn’t risk him—or Saff—finding out the truth because it would ruin everything.
“Oh, this and that, you know. Didn’t really have a career in mind, not like you. When did you decide to work in the record industry? Saff said it was something you’d always done.” I tried turning the tables on him, hoping he’d take the bait and talk about himself.
“You sound exactly like her,” he said, with a sigh. “She didn’t know what she wanted to do either. I was already in the business when she discovered her voice, so it was an easy choice really. I enjoyed hanging around musicians and bars. Doing what I do was a way to combine the two things I loved.”
“What’s the best part of it?”
“Easy. Discovering new talent. Even now, although I’m not meant to go out and scout formally, I can’t beat the feeling of excitement when I see someone I think will go far. Then something clicks and I know immediately the whole package will work.”
It was almost as if he’d described how I felt about Saff. Even from the first time I saw her, all tattoos and attitude, I knew she was the whole package. And despite how we’d come to be together, fate, destiny,contracted, she was the one for me. After the other night, when she’d admitted she felt the same, I couldn’t help but feel positive about the future. More positive than I had a long time.
The positive feeling evaporated almost as soon as we arrived at my uncle and aunt’s place.
Aunt Annie’s gaze swept up and down Saff as we stood in the doorway. Without me asking her to, she’d toned down her appearance and was dressed in a simple black dress and Converse, her hair pulled back into a half-ponytail. Even her usual dark make-up was lighter, more natural, and secretly, I think I preferred that look. I wouldn’t dare tell her though, I didn’t want to risk her wrath.
