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against my lips. “I should get you home.”
    I sigh, dropping my head. My forehead rests on his shoulder, and the cold temperature is suddenly apparent to me. I take a deep breath in, ignoring the sting of his blatant rejection.
    “Okay.”

Chapter Five

JEN

    I jab my pen at the essay in front of me. I’m taking an art degree, for the love of whoever the fuck is in the sky right now, why do I need to write essays?
    I just wanna paint.
    I slam the pen down on the half-finished paper and get up, making my way to my room. I pull open my box at the end of the bed and grab a canvas, paints, and my favourite brushes. I dump them on the sofa and set my easel up by the window looking out over the park.
    With my palate resting on my knee and my brush in hand, I touch the bristles to the plain white canvas.
    Painting is real. It’s where emotion lies, where crazy thoughts merge with the sane reality of life around us. It’s the only place I can truly be me. Even with Carl, a part of me was always kept inside, tucked away slightly.
    Until Bing. Until he walked into my life, painting was my only outlet.
    I saw his soft brown eyes. I saw his cocky smile and his challenging stance. He brings out the fire in me, the playful flirt, the serious dreamer. I don’t have to hold back.
    Stroke. Swirl. Blend.
    He’s a pain in the ass, though. I want to kiss him as much as I want to kill him, and I know he wants in my pants. But that kiss...
    That kiss that almost happened, then was fought against for over a year, then finally happened. That one that shouldn ’t have happened? Yep. That painful little bugger.
    Water. Paint. Dab. Dab. Swish.
    My eyes focus on what I’m painting, and I rest my brush against my palate. I’ve painted the scene outside in the park, or started to, but there’s a difference.
    There ’s a figure leaning against the tree, brown hair flicking in his face, and brown eyes looking right at me.
    Sleeping, eating, thinking, painting.
    That stupid lobster-headed gimp face has taken over all of my damn bodily functions.

BING

    I hand Dad the file he wanted and turn back outside. Covering for Alec is dull, and I have no idea how he puts up with this.
    “ Everything alright, Sam?” Dad asks.
    “ Fine,” I reply.
    “ Doesn’t seem it.”
    “ What would you do if Mum had been with someone when you knew you wanted her?”
    “ What do you mean?”
    I turn and lean against the door. “There’s the girl, but she’s with some guy, and has been for a while. Thing is, you have this insane need to be near her all the time, despite your reputation for something you couldn’t give two craps about anymore. What would you do? Would you sit by and wait, or would you convince her she’s with the wrong guy?”
    “ This isn’t a hypothetical question, is it, son?”
    “ I’m not sure.”
    Dad scratches his chin. “I’d let her know you’re interested. That way, she has to make the move.”
    “ What if you already have?” I stopped Jen from kissing me. I stopped her . “Shit.”
    Dad looks at me questioningly.
    “I may have kissed her, or rather, she kissed me, and I stopped it. Oh, man. She probably thinks I don’t give a shit!”
    He looks back down and flicks through the file. Of course. I ’m finally coming to him for female advice, and he’s set on work. Typical.
    “ Take the evening off, you’ve done well today, Sam. Arthur and I can sort the last properties. Go and sort what you need to.”
    “ For real?”
    “ For real,” Dad smiles. “Just for God sake, don’t bring your sorry butt back in here until you’ve got Jen on your arm.”
    I double-take. “How did you… Y’know what? Never mind.”
    Dad laughs loudly. I wink, salute him, and tear out of that office like my ass is on fire.

JEN

    He thinks I ’m still with Carl.
    No-one has told him otherwise, and I don ’t think he cares enough except to get into my little lacy panties. The ones with the bows.
    I don ’t know what to think of it.