One (Love by Numbers Book 5)

by E. S. Carter

“I have to give you credit, you certainly play the part well.”

  She places her free hand in the back pocket of her jeans and shrugs, “We’re all selling something in this business, are we not?”

  “I guess.” It’s my turn to shrug. “Sometimes the price seems kind of steep, though, don’t you think? I mean, how much easier would life be if we could just be free to be who we are without restraints or expectations?”

  Her smiling eyes meet mine, and at this moment she’s far more attractive to me than she’s been all day.

  “How about we continue this deep conversation over beer and a burger. I’ve starved all week for this shoot, and now I just want to sink my teeth into something juicy.”

  I raise my brows at the tease in her voice, and she quickly backhands me across the chest.

  “Get your mind out of the gutter. As hot as you are, I need to refuel. So, are you up for it?”

  When I flick my glance from her to the bar across the road, then to the building we’ve just exited, she nudges me playfully.

  “You and the elusive Mr Fox, hey?”

  Her comment makes my eyes bug out from my face, and I splutter through my answer. “I’m not sure what you’re on about, but I don’t bat for Isaac’s team.”

  “And what team is that?” Her voice is light. She’s still teasing, but she’s aware that she’s getting close to the bone.

  I force out a laugh to appear unaffected, “The team I’m not on. Isaac’s a cool guy and a great photographer, but he’s not the flavour I typically go for in the ice-cream parlour, so to speak. I’m a vanilla guy, through and through.”

  “Huh. I guess I was wrong. Maybe all that sexual tension and testosterone thickening the air in the studio today was a figment of my overactive imagination.”

  “I guess it was.”

  “So there’s no harm in you joining us then.”

  It’s a statement, not a question and she links her arm through mine without waiting for my response and guides me across the road and into the bar.

  It’s quiet; the lunch crowd long gone and the evening crowd not due for another hour or so. I head towards the bar to grab a menu and some drinks while Céline snags us a booth in the far corner. Due to the lack of other customers, I get served quickly, and moments later I have beers in hand and I’m heading over to join her.

  “Sorry, I didn’t ask what you wanted, but you mentioned a beer earlier so I got two pints, I hope that’s okay? If not, I can go back and…”

  She grabs the first glass I put down and takes a hefty gulp before wiping the froth from her top lip with the back of her hand when she’s done.

  “I’m guessing I bought the correct drink?” I smile before sipping the froth from my pint and setting it down onto a cardboard beer mat.

  She sighs happily into her beer as if I’ve just made her day. “I’m an easy girl to please. British beer and a juicy burger and I’m a happy bunny. I guess I’m what I’ve heard guys call a ‘cheap date.’”

  When I only offer her my raised eyebrows in response, she laughs before snatching the menu from my hands.

  “Don’t act so surprised. Just a girl, remember?”

  While she reads the menu, I take another sip of my pint and glance out the large windows that run the full wall of the bar, catching the exact moment that Isaac steps out of the doors to his building, phone still in hand. He’s distracted by his call and navigating his way across the street, so he’s oblivious to his surroundings. It’s the first chance I have to really take him in. From the beat-up leather boots on his feet to his jeans that look aged and well-worn, up over his frame to the dark blazer over a plain white t-shirt and a black scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. His face is relaxed and happy as he chats to whoever is on the phone and his dark hair that’s almost to his shoulders, whips across his face in the breeze. I’ve never taken much notice of other men. Sure, I could tell you if someone was classically handsome or not, or if they worked hard on their body, but beyond that, I’d never actually paid any attention. Why would I? I love women. Men are colleagues, workmates or friends, and never has it entered my head to check any of them out. I blink away the thought, unwilling to allow confusion to spoil my perusal of the man who confuses me just by breathing the same air.

  He’s handsome, even I can see that, with a strong, masculine jawline clad in a couple of day’s stubble, and deep-set, dark hazel eyes that are a little bit on the large side for his perfectly proportioned face. Despite his longer hair, he’s all man, nothing at all feminine in his looks or his mannerism. I’m thinking all this as if I’m trying to convince myself it’s okay to feel this weird vibe between us, but my stomach churns as the word ‘attraction’ flits through my mind.

  I am not attracted to men.

  I am not attracted to this man.

  It’s simply not possible. Besides, I don’t even know him.

  “A quoi penses-tu? A penny for your thoughts?”

  Céline’s voice breaks my stare at the exact moment Isaac finishes his call and slides his phone into his back pocket before pulling open the door to the bar. He takes a few steps inside, scanning the room for any sign of Céline and his eyes clash with mine as I reply to her question, “I was just thinking that I should maybe go.”

  Isaac’s steps falter and I can see the indecision on his face. He wasn’t expecting me to be here and he’s wondering if he should turn around and walk out.

  “Don’t be silly, you haven’t eaten yet and,” she looks up to see what has gotten my attention, “besides, Isaac has just arrived. Although I can see you already know that.”

  I notice the moment he steels himself, knowing that we’ve both seen his arrival, and walks slowly towards our booth.

  My mind is telling me to get up and make my excuses, my body, on the other hand, isn’t listening so I drag my eyes away from his approaching form and look down into my pint.

  “Looks like I’m interrupting. Three’s a crowd and all that, I’ll see you guys another time.” Isaac’s voice cuts through the silence, and it feels as though he’s speaking to me, but I can’t be sure as I’m still looking at the residual froth on the top of my pint.

  “Don’t be silly. It’s not a private party for two. Come on, I’ll scoot over, we haven’t even ordered our food yet so you’re just in time. What are you having, Flynn?”

  I should go. I should really get up and leave.

  “Uh, I’ll get the steak. This body can never get enough protein.”

  Why the fuck didn’t I just say I was leaving?

  “And what an impressive body it is. Hey, maybe you could give me some training tips? I mean, a girl can never have too many tricks up her sleeve.” I smile gratefully at Céline for keeping the tone light.

  Isaac slides across the seat and sits next to her, his eyes on anything but me. Silence descends across our table once more, making an already awkward situation even more unbearable.

  “I’ll, uh… go and place our order at the bar if you can let me know what you want?” I risk looking across the wooden surface separating me from Isaac and wish I hadn’t when his angry eyes meet mine.

  “No. I’ll go. I know what you both want, and I’ll shout for dinner seeing as you both killed today’s shoot. It’s the least I can do.”

  He doesn’t bother to wait for a reply from either of us; he’s out of the booth and halfway to the bar before I can blink.

  “It’s funny,” Céline whispers, leaning over the table in a conspiratorial way, “I’ve heard how intense Isaac is to work with, but I was also told that he’s a fun, laid-back guy. He’s kept that part of himself well hidden today, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I don’t know, I’ve only worked with him once before. He’s a cool guy. Maybe he’s just having an off day.” I mumble into my pint, my eyes wanting to track the other man to his spot at the bar but my head keeping my focus on the beautiful model in front of me.

  Céline looks at me thoughtfully before turning her head to look towards where
I know Isaac must be standing.

  “Huh. I guess.” She looks back at me, a little mischief glinting in her lovely dark brown eyes. “Maybe we should get him drunk, loosen him up a little. God knows, I could do with a fun time.”

  I stare at her a beat, about to open my mouth in reply when another pint is placed before us both, and I turn to watch as Isaac strides back towards the bar to collect his own.

  “I guess he won’t be too hard to convince.” She chuckles as we both watch him walk back towards us with a pint in each hand for himself, and a barman is walking behind him with a tray full of shots.

  “It’s been a long day. I figured we could all do with a few drinks.”

  He turns to Céline as he gets into the booth and it’s like a switch has flipped in him. Sitting in front of me now, wearing a smile filled with wicked thoughts is the man I met over a year ago.

  The man whose very presence promises things I’ve never yearned for or wanted.

  This is not the uptight man we’ve been working with all afternoon. This is Isaac Fox.

  Charming, engaging and practically dripping with an aura that makes you want to know him.

  Makes you want to know all about him.

  His thoughts, his dreams, his wants, and his desires.

  This man is dangerous to me.

  He’s everything I’ve never wanted.

  He makes me need to hate him.

  He makes me hate to need him.

  I got off the phone with the Wicked Water rep and quickly shut down the studio. Zoey, the makeup artist who freelances for me on occasion, and Matt the lighting tech, had left as soon as the models were out of the building and they knew I had no more use for them.

  I refuse to let myself think about the day because every time I do, all I think about is him. Flynn Phillips.

  I’m pissed off with myself for being unable to keep a hold on my weird emotions around him, and I’m thankful it didn’t ruin the entire gig, which was a real possibility.

  As I begin to turn off the main lights and lock up the studio’s front door, the low notes of a familiar ringtone makes me smile.

  I’ve assigned everyone in my family their own personal tune, all very obvious and very cheesy. Nate, my eldest brother, got ‘In Da Club’ by 50 Cent because he owned so many nightclubs. Jake, who indulged in casual sex even more than I, got ‘Womanizer’ by Britney Spears, although to be fair, I should change that now seeing as he’s happily married to Emma. But the ringtone blaring from my phone right now is ‘Loser’ by Beck. It might seem a little mean to assign this to Josh, who is two years older than me, but there is a reason, well there are a few reasons.

  One, he played this song over and over when we were teens and two, we teased him relentlessly about being a geek who fell in love with the first girl to smile at him and then marry her right out of university.

  Therefore, ‘Loser’ stuck. Although, he’s far from one. He’s blissfully content, teaches in the same school as his wife and has an adorable little girl called Ivy with another baby on the way. He’s more put together than the rest of us combined, well, he was the only one of us with his shit together for a long time, but it seems all the Fox brothers are settling down now, except me.

  “Hey, Josh. How’s it hanging? To the left or to the right?”

  This is the greeting I always give him. Again, something that started when we were kids and he would roll his eyes at me, so it stuck. He still rolls his eyes, so it’s worth sounding like a moron.

  True to form he replies, “One day, you’re going to surprise me and answer the phone like a grown man.”

  “And why would I do that when you always react. It’s too much fun.”

  He huffs, then laughs, “I’m an adult, Iz. I find it hard not to react. It’s a hazard of being around kids all day, and I expect other grown-ups to act like adults too, although, I should know better when it comes to you.”

  “Okay, Daddy Josh, I’ll try and behave long enough for you to tell me why I’m being honoured with a call from you. Have I missed some family thing? I know I’ve not been around a lot lately. Work is manic…”

  He cuts me off, “No, you haven’t missed anything. Just calling to invite you over this Sunday. Everyone is coming. We figured, what with the nice weather that’s forecast, it’d be good to catch up and put on a barbeque. Plus, Laura is on maternity leave from Friday, so it’s kind of a pre-baby party.”

  “Mum and Dad coming?”

  “No. They are on their cruise. Three weeks around the Caribbean?” he words it like a question. “We all chipped in for their anniversary, you must remember.”

  I lock up and step out onto the street before replying, “Oh, yeah. I can vaguely remember sending money to Liam for something. I didn’t realise that was now. I guess I should call in more often, seeing as I’m supposed to still live at home.”

  “Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt, but Mum knows what you’re like and how much you travel. It just means that you have the house to yourself for the next three weeks. Which, thinking about it, should I be warning you about parties and stuff?”

  I can’t help the laugh that bursts from my mouth, “No, Daddy Josh. I’m a little on the old side to be inviting the neighbourhood around for parties and turning the house into a den of iniquity, don’t you think?”

  At that, he chuckles, “Yeah, well, I can never be too sure with you.”

  I’m just about to step into the bar that Céline said to meet her at when Josh wraps up the call with a, “I’ve gotta go, the buzzer just rang for next lessons. See you on Sunday, come over anytime, and you’re in charge of dessert.”

  “Dessert?” I ask in confusion because he never normally makes me bring anything, but I don’t get a reply because he’s already hung up.

  “Great.” I smile to myself as I swing open the door, “Guess I’m bringing dessert.” I slip my phone into my pocket and scan the interior for Céline. The place is reasonably quiet, a handful of patrons at the bar and a few couples sat at the low tables. I continue my search to the booths that line the perimeter and my next breath stutters in my chest when my eyes lock with Flynn’s deep brown ones.

  What the fuck is he doing here?

  My legs lock in place, and I can feel the relaxed smile I wore when chatting to Josh, slip from my face. Céline turns to see what has got his attention and when she sees me I know I have no choice but to walk towards them.

  My brain tumbles and churns as I take measured steps in their direction, all the while trying to think of a good enough excuse that will allow me to spin around and walk straight back out of here. When I step up to their table, all rational thoughts leave my head as soon as his eyes drop from mine and I spit out some sarcastic remark about three being a crowd. Against my better judgment, I allow Céline to talk me into staying and as soon as I possibly can I’m high-tailing it to the bar to order drinks and food. The last thing my stomach wants is to eat but I place our orders and down a double shot of tequila in the time it takes the barman to pour another couple of pints.

  “Hey, can I get a couple more shots to go with these?”

  “Sure you can”, the young man in front of me smiles, his gaze attentive, open and inviting. He’s handsome and has a young, college student vibe, but he does nothing for me or my tumultuous emotions. As cute as he is, if he got down on his knees and offered to drain away all my stress with his pretty mouth, I’d turn him down. Even with my back to Flynn, I can feel him, feel his eyes on me, and I know I’ll need quite a few of the shots the guy in front of me is pouring, to cope with even breathing the same air as him.

  “Cheers, man. Can you bring them over to my table? I kinda got my hands full.” I motion to the beers in my hand and give him a flirty smile, it’s not intentional, it’s just my fall-back persona for dealing with anyone.

  He blatantly scans me from head to toe before he replies, “Happy to help you in any way I can.”

  This would usually be my cue to offer up ways in which I’d enjoy his hel
p, but I’ve already turned my back on him to make my way towards our table. I briskly deposit the first two pints in front of Céline and Flynn, before rushing back for my drinks.

  The shots are lined up on the barman’s tray as he steps around the bar and follows me on my return trip. I swear I hear him mumble ‘Nice arse’ from behind me and it’s just the ego boost I need to shake off some of the nerves that Flynn evokes in me. I cast off the unsure, hesitant demeanour that’s blanketed me all day and bring my usual, ‘Take me or leave me, but you’ll want to take me’ persona to the forefront.

  As I slide into the booth alongside Céline, Flynn’s eyes feel like laser beams across my skin and just knowing that I have his attention invigorates my resolve. Turning to thank the barman for his eager help, I smile up at the young man as he places the tray on our table and with a wink say, “I’ll come back and see you if I need any more help.”

  He leans back and stuffs both hands into the back pockets of his jeans, his stance purposely attempting to draw my attention to his physique.

  “You do that.” He smiles at me, never once bothering to look at anyone else before turning and with a lazy, confident gait, he walks back towards the bar.

  All I want to do is look at Flynn. I want to see his reaction to the young barman’s obvious interest in me, but I don’t. I fake my mutual fascination and watch the young man make his way back to his other customers, offering him an enticing smile when he looks back at me to check he still has my attention.

  He doesn’t. The man sitting directly opposite me has it all, but it would be dangerous and foolish of me to make that apparent.

  “I think you have a new fan.” Céline points out breaking the silence surrounding the three of us.

  I don’t give her a verbal response. Instead, I pick up a shot and bring it to my mouth. In one smooth movement, I knock it back and savour the heat sliding down my throat and warming my belly.

  “Drink up.” I motion to the tray of shots. “It’s no fun drinking on your own. Playmates are always required for all the exciting things in life.”

  “Santé!” Céline gestures with her shot glass before swallowing down the amber liquid in one large gulp and then wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.