Read Online Rock Dirty (Rock Candy #2) by Virna Depaul - Free Book Online
Authors: Virna Depaul
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he didn’t argue with me, I winced, then bit my lip. “Look, meet me out at the Pont Neuf. Have you heard of it?”
“No, but…”
I held my breath. Please. Please don’t let him blow me off. Please let him give me another chance.
“But I can Google or, when in doubt, ask Siri,” he finally said. “I’ll figure it out.”
I let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll see you there. And thank you, Tucker.”
* * *
“It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” I asked, looking out over the expanse of the Pont Neuf.
It was the oldest bridge still up in Paris and looked like something out of a castle. It had rounded pillars and was made of cobblestone, resembling something out of a fairy tale. I’d been to Paris more times than I could count. When I’d been younger, Mom had dragged me here almost as often as her Louis Vuitton luggage. Part of me had grown inured to the beauty of the City of Lights. It was where I worked, where I needed to make the right impression. Still, watching the water slip under the bridge and seeing the sights behind me, even the famous tower not too far behind us, I was taken aback again by the beauty of the city. I had a feeling based on his wide eyes and the look of awe on his face that Tucker was taking it all in as well.
“It’s really something. I bet it’d be even better if we’d come out here at night, seen the city all lit up.”
I took his hand in mine, grateful when he let me. “I think we can put that on our itinerary. I have to prepare for my show but I’ll try and be accessible. I just have so many last minute decisions to make and I’m terrified. There’s even more pressure than before because my store opening didn’t exactly go off without a hitch.”
“You could say that again,” he added, pulling his hand away and hunching his shoulders. Staring out to the water, Tucker focused his attention there as if he were searching for a lifeline.
It felt harder to breathe, as if something were squeezing my chest hard. Sitting down on the railing, I was seized again by that crazy urge, just like on my balcony yesterday. If I cheated death again, then anything that came after, even explaining myself to Tucker, couldn’t be any harder. Failing that, I’d fall into the Seine, and even if I didn’t make it out alive would that really be that bad…?
But that was crazy talk.
I couldn’t very well climb onto the railing in front of Tucker. I couldn’t become addicted to what was clearly a dangerous habit. And I couldn’t allow thoughts of death and dying to become an iota more alluring.
I just needed to channel my energy in a healthy way. I had a show coming up. I had to focus. I’d accomplished so much with my designs. The ticker tape and the finish line were looming, and I wasn’t going to just throw myself into the Seine out of desperation.
Maybe if my show bombed, I could revisit that idea.
“Sometimes, when I’m scared, I act a little crazy. And I’m scared, Tucker,” I admitted, my voice as small and quiet as it had been as a teenager. It was the meek tone I used under my mother’s interrogations, the voice that was mostly about surrendering. It was all about the weak side of myself that I despised.
His eyes met mine and his expression softened significantly. “Of failing?”
“Of you. Of how good, how grounded, you make me feel. How much you make me want to believe the wonderful compliments you give me. I know I shouldn’t. You’re a guy who wants in my pants. And you’re so young…”
“I’m not a child.”
“No, but you’re still a few years younger than I am. I usually date men fifteen or more years older, established guys…men you can settle down with.”
Tucker snorted and I wasn’t sure if I’d cleared things up or wounded him more. Knowing my foot-in-mouth disease, I’d probably done the latter. I never had luck with anyone, but especially men.
“We just met, Nikki. We’re about having fun, not settling down.”
“No, but…”
I held my breath. Please. Please don’t let him blow me off. Please let him give me another chance.
“But I can Google or, when in doubt, ask Siri,” he finally said. “I’ll figure it out.”
I let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll see you there. And thank you, Tucker.”
* * *
“It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” I asked, looking out over the expanse of the Pont Neuf.
It was the oldest bridge still up in Paris and looked like something out of a castle. It had rounded pillars and was made of cobblestone, resembling something out of a fairy tale. I’d been to Paris more times than I could count. When I’d been younger, Mom had dragged me here almost as often as her Louis Vuitton luggage. Part of me had grown inured to the beauty of the City of Lights. It was where I worked, where I needed to make the right impression. Still, watching the water slip under the bridge and seeing the sights behind me, even the famous tower not too far behind us, I was taken aback again by the beauty of the city. I had a feeling based on his wide eyes and the look of awe on his face that Tucker was taking it all in as well.
“It’s really something. I bet it’d be even better if we’d come out here at night, seen the city all lit up.”
I took his hand in mine, grateful when he let me. “I think we can put that on our itinerary. I have to prepare for my show but I’ll try and be accessible. I just have so many last minute decisions to make and I’m terrified. There’s even more pressure than before because my store opening didn’t exactly go off without a hitch.”
“You could say that again,” he added, pulling his hand away and hunching his shoulders. Staring out to the water, Tucker focused his attention there as if he were searching for a lifeline.
It felt harder to breathe, as if something were squeezing my chest hard. Sitting down on the railing, I was seized again by that crazy urge, just like on my balcony yesterday. If I cheated death again, then anything that came after, even explaining myself to Tucker, couldn’t be any harder. Failing that, I’d fall into the Seine, and even if I didn’t make it out alive would that really be that bad…?
But that was crazy talk.
I couldn’t very well climb onto the railing in front of Tucker. I couldn’t become addicted to what was clearly a dangerous habit. And I couldn’t allow thoughts of death and dying to become an iota more alluring.
I just needed to channel my energy in a healthy way. I had a show coming up. I had to focus. I’d accomplished so much with my designs. The ticker tape and the finish line were looming, and I wasn’t going to just throw myself into the Seine out of desperation.
Maybe if my show bombed, I could revisit that idea.
“Sometimes, when I’m scared, I act a little crazy. And I’m scared, Tucker,” I admitted, my voice as small and quiet as it had been as a teenager. It was the meek tone I used under my mother’s interrogations, the voice that was mostly about surrendering. It was all about the weak side of myself that I despised.
His eyes met mine and his expression softened significantly. “Of failing?”
“Of you. Of how good, how grounded, you make me feel. How much you make me want to believe the wonderful compliments you give me. I know I shouldn’t. You’re a guy who wants in my pants. And you’re so young…”
“I’m not a child.”
“No, but you’re still a few years younger than I am. I usually date men fifteen or more years older, established guys…men you can settle down with.”
Tucker snorted and I wasn’t sure if I’d cleared things up or wounded him more. Knowing my foot-in-mouth disease, I’d probably done the latter. I never had luck with anyone, but especially men.
“We just met, Nikki. We’re about having fun, not settling down.”
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