Blasphemous (Torn #3)(61)

Five minutes in the shoot, I sure was ready to pounce on delectable treat that was enticing me to take a sample.

“Hold on, guys,” the photographer directed us before he turned his attention to someone from the back. “Get me more lighting here!” I could hear him bark out orders while the two of us quietly kept still.

The urge to taste her was making it difficult for me. I was contemplating whether I should or shouldn’t when she released a soft sigh. My thoughts drained and the tip of my tongue snuck out and sampled her earlobe. It was swift and quick, but that definitely earned her immediate attention.

“Stop that!” she hissed.

The playful, evil side of me wanted to tease her into oblivion, but I knew better. Emma wasn’t to be trifled with because, when it came to her, I was at the losing end.

How I wished then that I was in love with another woman. I loved being in love and I wanted to experience it with someone who felt as much as I did. My fate it seemed, though, was already set-up for me to endure loving someone who had an indecisive heart.

When it was time to shoot with Dimitris, Emma never once glanced my way.

Her hatred was felt.

It should’ve mattered, but I was relieved that she was at least feeling something.

Indifference was much worse than hate.

B

Three days later…

I was the last one to arrive at the private airport in Van Nuys. Both Emma and Dimitris were already seated and buckled and both had sunglasses on, not talking to each other.

“Good morning, grumpy folks!” I greeted and they both ignored me.

Great, now I was stuck with them until we landed in Athens. It was going to be a long flight.

The European tour was scheduled to kick off in Athens first, then Barcelona, Rome, Munich, Paris and London.

I decided to situate myself on the other side of the cabin, but still had a clear view of Emma. For hours, I just stared at her, barely doing anything else.

With only five hours to go until we landed, I decided to wash up and brush my teeth in the bathroom. I decided that I needed a shave when I saw the stubble that had grown overnight.

With only my jeans on, I strode out of the bathroom towards the cabin to look for my shaving kit. Emma gasped loudly, eyes glued on my chest.

Huh. I still affected her somehow. Knowing that made me happy, despite thoughts of her with Carter never ceasing to go away.

“Something wrong with my chest? You can’t seem to stop checking it out.”

She looked away, cheeks blushing as she bit her lip.

I was just about to blurt out how beautiful she looked before I caught myself.

Nodding, I did what I had to before leaving back to the bathroom. Emma wanted to be impersonal and indifferent. Why was it so hard for me to do the same? Why did I have this need to reach out and talk to her?

She moved on, as I requested. However, it didn’t change the fact that I was hurting, still. Loving Emma from afar was difficult enough, but loving her this close—seeing her on a daily basis—was raw and twisting. How long would it take for me to fold and beg her to take me back?





Chapter 26


Munich


“We were not making love, we did not even kiss, but the inexplicable intimacy we shared left us wordlessly and hopelessly locked into each other's gaze.”



- Jasmine Dubroff



Emma



I strode, zigzagging across the hall, counting down the gold-plated numbers on the cream doors as I went along. “Finally!” I exclaimed as I slid my purse off my shoulder. Opening it, I rummaged through all the paraphernalia for my keycard. After a minute of drunken frustration, my keycard was not in there. “For the love of God, can this night get any better?” Sighing, I closed my eyes and started to thump my forehead against my door.

I stopped after a few successions when I heard a high-pitched laugh down the carpeted hall. Someone was coming and I took a peek at the incoming intruders. My mouth parted slightly, but no sound came. It was Bass with two women and three men. His room was just across mine, too. Hell truly was laughing at my expense this evening. I was sure of it.

“Emma?” The man of the century finally spotted me.

“Heeey… forgot my keycard. I’m going to the lobby to get one.” I started to make a move, but Bass stopped me.

“I’ll go with you downstairs. Give me a minute,” Bass spoke in one of the women’s ear as she nodded in understanding. I saw him from the corner of my eye as he pulled out his keycard and let them inside his room. “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right back,” he added.

“Bass, you don’t have to. I’m fine. I can go downstairs on my own, thank you.” He wasn’t paying attention, though. Thoughts of him with that brunette were killing me inside. I didn’t know how that was possible since I was almost sure there was nothing left to be killed in me, but hey, there it was, killing me softly.

“Ready, Emma?”

“Uhmm,” I nonchalantly responded. I might be dying from humiliation and heartbreak, but I was going to pretend I was strong—at least if I could muster up the courage to do so.

We strode with awkward silence, cautious not to touch each other. When we got to the elevator, I almost sighed my relief out loud when it dinged almost immediately after Bass pressed the call button. The ride to the lobby was still uncomfortable and I dared not chance a glance at him.