Hearts on Air
Page 74
Leanne held out a hand. “Spare me the details.”
“You’re the one who brought it up.”
“Actually, I was,” I admitted. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s not like it’s only a guy thing,” said Cal, peering at Leanne in challenge. “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t ‘enjoy’ the massage feature on your shower head back home.”
Her shoulders straightened as she levelled him with a provocative look. “Why would I bother when I have plenty of vibrators to do the job?”
James barked a laugh. “She got you good with that one, Cal.”
Callum’s green eyes glinted as he looked to Leanne again. “You do realise you just confessed to everyone you’ve got a dildo collection, right?”
Leanne’s smile was cutting. “Only because I stole it from you. I never thought you’d be into the whole ‘bend-over-boyfriend’ thing. I guess people are full of surprises.”
Callum laughed loudly and threw his hands up. “Okay, you win. I have nothing.”
“Hold up a second, people steal dildo collections?” Paul asked with a theatrical shudder. “Now that’s unhygienic.”
“Give him a slap for me, will you, Reya?” Leanne asked. “I can’t reach from here.”
Paul chuckled. “You’re the one who said you stole Callum’s dildos. I’m only commenting on your own admission.”
“Can we please change the subject from sex-toy theft?” James begged, glancing over his shoulder to make sure our neighbours weren’t listening.
“Why?” Paul asked. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“Uh, yes,” James answered immediately and I huffed a laugh. Watching this lot interact was hilarious. Isaac’s amused features said the same. When I glanced at Trev I found him staring at me, his expression fond.
“He doesn’t like talking about stealing,” Callum put in, joining forces with Paul. “Because it reminds him of the time he nicked a quid from his granny’s purse to buy a bag of apple bonbons. He still has some residual guilt.”
James rolled his eyes. “You’re hilarious, Cal.”
“And you’re a saint. We need to dirty you up. I bet you’ve never even made a prank phone call.”
“Hey, that’s a serious crime,” Trev put in jokingly.
“You’re one to talk,” said Callum. “We’d be able to fill an encyclopaedia with all the laws you’ve broken.”
Trev flipped him off.
“You’re just jealous because Trev’s the real deal, and you’re a fake-arse bad boy. The tattoos fool no one,” said James, arching a brow.
Callum shot him a narrow-eyed look and pulled a packet of chewing gum from his pocket.
“Just out of curiosity,” said Leanne, her attention on Trev, “exactly what laws have you broken? James and Cal know all about your past, but you lot keep Paul and me in the dark.”
“Aw, don’t have hurt feelings. I have to maintain my air of mystery somehow,” said Trev.
I studied him, surprised Leanne and Paul didn’t know. He’d never been the secretive type, far from it. Trev was more inclined to tell you every shameful thought in his head for the simple pleasure of seeing the shock on your face.
“Bullshit. Come on, tell us. We’re on TV together. If that doesn’t qualify us for entry into your circle of trust then I don’t know what does,” said Paul.
Trev shot him an exasperated look and glanced out the window a second. When he looked at Paul again his expression was serious. “I mostly stole cars.”
“Mostly?” Leanne asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Oh, he also used to jump the barriers at tube stations to avoid paying the ticket fare,” I said in an effort to lighten the mood. “I’d be swiping my Oyster card and he’d already be halfway to the platform.”
“That’s kids’ stuff,” said Paul with a wave of his hand. “I want to hear how you steal a car.”
“Why? It’s not like you need to steal anything,” Trev countered, a touch of hostility in his tone. I knew this was a somewhat touchy subject for him. Without thinking I touched my fingers to his thigh in comfort. His blinked in surprise.
Paul shrugged. “Morbid curiosity, I guess.”
Trev exhaled a deep breath. I sensed he decided to indulge him when he cast his gaze back to me. There was a hint of wickedness behind his eyes, like an idea was forming. “Fine, but I’ll need some help. Reya?”
“Sure,” I said easily, though I wasn’t sure why he needed my assistance. Before I could question him, he took my hand and pulled me up from my seat. He led me into the aisle and positioned me so I faced him. “Okay, so let’s pretend our lovely Reya here is a car.”
I scoffed a laugh. “Wow, I’m flattered.”
Trev’s lips twitched. “Humour me.”
“What kind?” Callum asked.
Trev pondered it a moment, rubbing his chin. “Something expensive and exotic. A Lexus?”
I rolled my eyes. Everyone was watching us now, including a few other people on board the carriage who were casting us curious glances.
“So,” said Trev. “First you want to give her a little bump, see if she’s got an alarm installed.” He moved his body into mine, his shoulder making contact with my collarbone. He jolted me but it wasn’t rough. “Most newer cars do. I used to steal a lot of Mercs and BMWs because they got a high price. Trouble is, the alarm systems on those models are top-notch, which made my job more difficult.”
“It’s so weird hearing you say stuff like that,” Leanne commented.
Trev casually lifted a shoulder, his voice matter of fact when he replied, “This used to be my life.” He returned his attention to me, and there was something about the calculating, focused look in his eyes that warmed my cheeks. He studied me like I was a high-class motor vehicle, and there was something weirdly arousing about it.
Yep, I had issues.
“If an alarm goes off, you can take the chance or you move on. Usually, I’d take the chance. Plus, most people are dumb enough to leave stickers on the windows with the name of their alarm manufacturer. So, you take a look around,” he said, his eyes wandering up and down my body again. The group laughed when he peeked over my shoulder at my arse and I swatted him on the chest.
“You’re the one who brought it up.”
“Actually, I was,” I admitted. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s not like it’s only a guy thing,” said Cal, peering at Leanne in challenge. “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t ‘enjoy’ the massage feature on your shower head back home.”
Her shoulders straightened as she levelled him with a provocative look. “Why would I bother when I have plenty of vibrators to do the job?”
James barked a laugh. “She got you good with that one, Cal.”
Callum’s green eyes glinted as he looked to Leanne again. “You do realise you just confessed to everyone you’ve got a dildo collection, right?”
Leanne’s smile was cutting. “Only because I stole it from you. I never thought you’d be into the whole ‘bend-over-boyfriend’ thing. I guess people are full of surprises.”
Callum laughed loudly and threw his hands up. “Okay, you win. I have nothing.”
“Hold up a second, people steal dildo collections?” Paul asked with a theatrical shudder. “Now that’s unhygienic.”
“Give him a slap for me, will you, Reya?” Leanne asked. “I can’t reach from here.”
Paul chuckled. “You’re the one who said you stole Callum’s dildos. I’m only commenting on your own admission.”
“Can we please change the subject from sex-toy theft?” James begged, glancing over his shoulder to make sure our neighbours weren’t listening.
“Why?” Paul asked. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“Uh, yes,” James answered immediately and I huffed a laugh. Watching this lot interact was hilarious. Isaac’s amused features said the same. When I glanced at Trev I found him staring at me, his expression fond.
“He doesn’t like talking about stealing,” Callum put in, joining forces with Paul. “Because it reminds him of the time he nicked a quid from his granny’s purse to buy a bag of apple bonbons. He still has some residual guilt.”
James rolled his eyes. “You’re hilarious, Cal.”
“And you’re a saint. We need to dirty you up. I bet you’ve never even made a prank phone call.”
“Hey, that’s a serious crime,” Trev put in jokingly.
“You’re one to talk,” said Callum. “We’d be able to fill an encyclopaedia with all the laws you’ve broken.”
Trev flipped him off.
“You’re just jealous because Trev’s the real deal, and you’re a fake-arse bad boy. The tattoos fool no one,” said James, arching a brow.
Callum shot him a narrow-eyed look and pulled a packet of chewing gum from his pocket.
“Just out of curiosity,” said Leanne, her attention on Trev, “exactly what laws have you broken? James and Cal know all about your past, but you lot keep Paul and me in the dark.”
“Aw, don’t have hurt feelings. I have to maintain my air of mystery somehow,” said Trev.
I studied him, surprised Leanne and Paul didn’t know. He’d never been the secretive type, far from it. Trev was more inclined to tell you every shameful thought in his head for the simple pleasure of seeing the shock on your face.
“Bullshit. Come on, tell us. We’re on TV together. If that doesn’t qualify us for entry into your circle of trust then I don’t know what does,” said Paul.
Trev shot him an exasperated look and glanced out the window a second. When he looked at Paul again his expression was serious. “I mostly stole cars.”
“Mostly?” Leanne asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Oh, he also used to jump the barriers at tube stations to avoid paying the ticket fare,” I said in an effort to lighten the mood. “I’d be swiping my Oyster card and he’d already be halfway to the platform.”
“That’s kids’ stuff,” said Paul with a wave of his hand. “I want to hear how you steal a car.”
“Why? It’s not like you need to steal anything,” Trev countered, a touch of hostility in his tone. I knew this was a somewhat touchy subject for him. Without thinking I touched my fingers to his thigh in comfort. His blinked in surprise.
Paul shrugged. “Morbid curiosity, I guess.”
Trev exhaled a deep breath. I sensed he decided to indulge him when he cast his gaze back to me. There was a hint of wickedness behind his eyes, like an idea was forming. “Fine, but I’ll need some help. Reya?”
“Sure,” I said easily, though I wasn’t sure why he needed my assistance. Before I could question him, he took my hand and pulled me up from my seat. He led me into the aisle and positioned me so I faced him. “Okay, so let’s pretend our lovely Reya here is a car.”
I scoffed a laugh. “Wow, I’m flattered.”
Trev’s lips twitched. “Humour me.”
“What kind?” Callum asked.
Trev pondered it a moment, rubbing his chin. “Something expensive and exotic. A Lexus?”
I rolled my eyes. Everyone was watching us now, including a few other people on board the carriage who were casting us curious glances.
“So,” said Trev. “First you want to give her a little bump, see if she’s got an alarm installed.” He moved his body into mine, his shoulder making contact with my collarbone. He jolted me but it wasn’t rough. “Most newer cars do. I used to steal a lot of Mercs and BMWs because they got a high price. Trouble is, the alarm systems on those models are top-notch, which made my job more difficult.”
“It’s so weird hearing you say stuff like that,” Leanne commented.
Trev casually lifted a shoulder, his voice matter of fact when he replied, “This used to be my life.” He returned his attention to me, and there was something about the calculating, focused look in his eyes that warmed my cheeks. He studied me like I was a high-class motor vehicle, and there was something weirdly arousing about it.
Yep, I had issues.
“If an alarm goes off, you can take the chance or you move on. Usually, I’d take the chance. Plus, most people are dumb enough to leave stickers on the windows with the name of their alarm manufacturer. So, you take a look around,” he said, his eyes wandering up and down my body again. The group laughed when he peeked over my shoulder at my arse and I swatted him on the chest.
