Chapter 6
Chapter Six
FINN
T he girl I’ve just spent ten grand on for one kiss clings to the railing as she wobbles down the steps. Blood rushes to my head. My conscience screaming at me about what I’ve done or what I’m about to do.
She bites her bottom lip, her chest heaving beneath her blue slogan tee. Blood rushes to my other head, thinking of having my lips on this girl, and not just her mouth.
I clutch the sketchbook under my arm and shove my other hand in my pocket, tenting my shorts before anything else does. “Hey.” For once, I’m speechless.
Before she has time to respond, a reporter shoves a mic in my face. A barrage of questions about Shelly and our relationship all blur into one. Any tent in my shorts collapses at the onslaught of media and I hold my hand up. “This is a good cause, and Miss Myrtle will ensure the money is well-spent. That’s all I have to say on the matter.”
The media circus makes way for Shelly, cameras at the ready. She’s still unsteady on her feet, biting her bottom lip. The urge I have to bite it for her overwhelms me. I could take my ten grand kiss right now for the world to see.
That was the plan: make her eat her words, win the bet, restore my ego and my pride. As well as get one up on the lads and Shelly. But face to face with her now, that’s not what I want at all. I want more.
After her speech this morning, I can truly comprehend the incredible woman she is. Proving my worthiness to this woman is all that matters now. Everything else seems irrelevant.
A teammate of hers, with the same branded t-shirt, squeezes through the circle of press surrounding us. “Can I get a name, please, sir?” She taps her pen against her clipboard.
“Finn—” I stop myself, not wanting to give my full name in front of the press. “Just Finn.” I’m sure they’ll know who I am soon enough, but no point handing it to them on a plate. “Can we go somewhere more private?”
“I’ll deal with this, Lou,” Shelly says. “You stay here and deal with the rest of the bidders.”
“Thanks, Shell. So far, everyone has paid cash, so we need the funds transferred, unless moneybags here has the cash.” She smiles at me. I don’t miss the wink she gives Shelly as she walks away.
“Come with me.” I grab hold of Shelly’s hand as I weave us through the crowd. A few of the press follow, snapping pictures. It’s then I realise our fingers are entwined. She’s clinging to me as if I’m a life raft in a sea of vultures.
Moving behind the stage, I quicken my pace, striding across the boardwalk towards town.
Shelly’s practically running to keep up. “Where are you taking me? ”
I glance behind us, hoping to shake off the reporters. “Away from prying eyes.” Pushing open the door of the Mad Vine restaurant, we rush in through the side entrance. Most of the customers are outside enjoying the sun as I pull Shelly through the space inside, weaving through the wooden tables and green vine pillars.
“Hey, Andreas.” I wave to the owner, who looks a little puzzled. “Trying to shake off the reporters.”
“Fire exit. I’ll hold them at bay.” He points to the back exit.
Back outside, I close the door behind us and lean against the building.
Shelly lets go of my hand and sits on an old wooden barrel, catching her breath. We’re hidden behind huge bins and a screening wall. It would be ideal to steal a kiss in private if it weren’t for the garbage bins and stale ale in the air.
“That wasn’t necessary, by the way. I appreciate the sympathy gesture, but we can forget the whole thing. I’ll tell the team you made a mistake.”
“Sympathy gesture?” I stand up straight, looking down at her as she takes in long breaths to regulate her breathing. “You think I bid ten grand because I felt sorry for you?” I can’t stop the laugh that bursts from my chest.
“Then why? Why would you do that?” She stands so we’re face to face. “You could have chosen any girl for a lower price.”
“But none of the other girls would taste as sweet as you, especially as you vowed you’d never kiss me.”
She huffs, digging her fists in her hips. “I see. You’re trying to get one over on me. You shouldn’t have bothered. I release you from your obligation.” She sighs and squeezes between the empty kegs to escape the small confinement, but I pull her back to me .
“I don’t go back on my word. I owe you some money.”
“I don’t want your money,” she bites back with venom in her tone.
“It wasn’t for you. It was for the turtles. What can I say? You bowled me over with that speech you made.” I stuff my hand in my pocket. “I can either write a cheque or do a bank transfer. What would you prefer?”
“Bank transfer would be fine.” She slips her hand into her short’s pocket with a pink and blue tie-dye effect, then pulls out her phone. “What’s your number?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
She rolls her eyes. “For the bank details.”
I give her my number and am greeted with a text message with the charity bank details. I smile inwardly at having her number while I set up the transfer from my savings account.
She bites her unpolished nail while waiting and nods when I show her my screen with the money pending. “All right, let’s get this over with.” She closes her eyes, inhaling and holding her breath.
“What are you doing?”
Her eyes pop open. “Waiting for you to take what you’ve paid for.” She squints before closing her eyes.
I inch closer, my fingers swipe the tousled loose strands of hair from her face. She sucks in a breath at my touch. My palms cup her face, my fingers tangling in her strawberry blonde beach hair while I caress her flushed cheeks.
My head dips close to hers, but I pause, hovering above her lips, taking in this moment. The scent of her overpowers the trash and I’m washed away with the aroma of a fresh ocean breeze, a comforting smell like freshly laundered bedding or cut grass, and then the scent of peaches and strawberry from her breath .
My tongue darts out to wet my lips. My mouth waters at the thought of kissing her, but I don’t want our first kiss to be like this.
“Look, if you don’t want to kiss me, that’s fine. We can just say you did if you want to save face.” She steps back, looking almost disappointed.
“I want to kiss you.” I close the distance between us. “But I’m not going to kiss you until you beg me to.”
She pinches her eyebrows together, a wrinkle worrying her brow. “That will never happen.”
“We’ll see. You’ll be begging me to kiss you before long.”
“I knew you were unhinged.” She folds her arms across her chest. “How do you plan to make this happen?”
“By taking you on a date.” I crowd her frame, backing her up against the wall. Every bone in my body fighting the urge to just kiss her now and take what’s mine. I dip my head to whisper into her ear. “I think ten grand buys me a date, right?”
With a throbbing dick and my heart in my throat, I don’t wait for an answer. Instead, I collect my sketchbook and stride out from behind the restaurant alone, shouting, “I’ll text you,” over my shoulder.