Page 24 of The Photograph

No reaction, no emotion crosses his expression, and my chest, already tight, hurts a little more.

“Bye then.”And you’re welcome, jerk.

Once home, I get ready for work and settle at the kitchen table.

I shiver at the memory of his kiss while my teaspoon clinks against the walls of my mug as I try to cool my tea. He was so hard and big.

The push and pull he does is so … confusing.He wanted me last night, so what changed?

Just my luck that the man that gives me butterflies is… I blow out a breath, tip my mug in the sink, and sigh. I need to talk to Emma. The few experiences I’ve had didn’t prepare me for a man like Gabe. And Holloway has to come first.

Time to go. I get in my car and hurry to Holloway where my team’s waiting for me.

****

It’s early in the evening and John and I are the only ones still working. Holloway has a special kind of quiet I love. Seated at the large rectangle table of the wide patio leading to the English style garden located on the south side of house, I’m working on my laptop while the sleepy sun beats on the back of my neck. The loud crunch of the fine gravel tugs me out, and I smile as John’s long legs eat the pathway.

“Ael, come see.”

My smile widens at his grin. I close my laptop, jump on my feet, and follow him to the front steps where he’s standing with his chest puffed out, hands on his hips with his eyes up.

Using my hand as a vizor, I track his gaze and frown. “What am I looking at?”

He jerks his chin up. “The main’s balcony.”

I turn to John and grin. “You did it.”

When he crosses his arms over his chest, his long sleeve t-shirt molds his muscular arms, and his untied hair sweeps the top of his shoulders. He looks every bit like the Viking the team nicknamed him—that he hates.

“I sure did.”

“You’re the best.” I race up the grand stairs. Once on the bedroom’s terrace, I crouch before the carved pillars while John chuckles behind me.

The cool surface is sleek under my fingertips. “John, my friend, you’re a true genius.”

John takes a knee beside me, grinning as he explains how he customed his carving machine to reproduce the design I wanted.

“…which will work for…”

His lips are moving, but I can’t hear a word as my heart speeds up. Gabe’s car is parking in the driveway.

As we stand up, John growls while his eyes narrow. “The creepy millionaire’s checking up on you again.”

I step to John. “You mean, my biggest client who gave me not only an unlimited budget to do all this but also his trust?”

His jaw clenches so tight that for a second, I worry he’s going to crack it.

“Johnnie, you know what this hou—project means to me, and you have the nerve to say something like that to me?” I lean in. “He’s not checking up on me, he’s checking up on his house.” God, he’s infuriating. “And all of this because you think I’m some kind of damsel in distress?” I poke his chest. “I’m not, so stop it. You’re better than this.Ideserve better than this.”

John’s expression darkens as he wraps his hands around my shoulders and pulls me to him.

“Aelin, I’m looking out for you because I love you.”

When he cups my face, his eyes bore into mine with a puzzling intensity. “Angel, you’re precious to me and I never stopped loving you.”

His thumbs press under my chin while he leans in, and my heartbeat speeds up.God, John what are you…?

I grab his wrists to pull his hands down and take a step back.

---