Ignite Me: Shards of Glass, Part One (16 page)

He blushed ever so slightly. “Thanks! My hair likes yours too! I'm sure they'll get on just fine!” He let go of my hand as the lift indicator said level 1.

“Jones is waiting around the corner! He'll drive us there and then I have a surprise for how we're getting back to mine!” He smirked at me and then placed his hand on my lower back and guided me out of the lift as the doors rolled open.

“Okay, that sounds intriguing!” I had several ideas about how we'd get back to his though only two were actually likely.

We headed outside and around the corner to the waiting black SUV.

“How do you get away with that level of tinting all over?!” I asked out of interest as we climbed in.

“I know people that know people, but mostly Jones got a special license!” He grinned.

I pulled my seat belt around me and remembered my manners. “Good afternoon... Uh Jones.” I felt it a little odd to just call him Jones, it was a little impersonal.

He smiled into the rear view mirror. “Good afternoon, Miss Watson.” His eyes flicked back to the road.

I'd have to ask Cameron what Jones’s real name was.

I glanced sideways at Cameron, who was glancing at me already. I grinned to myself.

“I meant to say before, but you distracted me, I took your advice about blocking a certain number!” I wanted him to know I'd done it though I wasn't sure why.

He placed his hand over mine on the leather seat. “Good I'm glad! Sometimes it hurts but you have to cut poison out of your life to move forward!” He was back to using his slightly cold tone now he was back in the presence of Jones.

“That is true! It's gonna sound silly, but I feel better for it already!” If was true, I did. Although I still felt something for Sean it wasn't like it had been. I missed Jess more than I did him.

“I'm glad!” His thumb stroked over my knuckles softly as if he was saying it was okay.

“So I was going to give you the low down on the Victoria and Albert while we drove there! Do you still want to hear it?!” He smiled.

“Yes, please! I've been to both Tate’s but didn't get around to the others yet so any info would be cool!” I smiled at him.

He licked his lips clearly pleased I still wanted to hear him. “Well, it's the world’s largest museum of decorative arts, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects!” He rattled the facts off like he knew them off by heart.

“It covers 12.5 acres and has 145 galleries! Its collections spans 5,000 years of art right from ancient times to present day! Founded in 1852! It's also in the same area as The National History Museum and the Science Museum!”

I made did a low whistle. “Wow, you really did your research! Maybe one day we can go to the science museum?!” I was a total geek, I loved all of that.

His eyes lit up. “I am sure that can be arranged! We have a lot more in common than you thought!”

I grinned with a slight roll of my eyes. “Yes, it would appear we do!” I watched as the city whipped past the window.

“Mr. Ballard, there is a set down bay just around the corner, I'll drop you and Miss Watson there! I'll see you later, but ring if there is a change of plans!” He always had a quite a level voice, like you'd heard solders talking to their officers with. I wondered if he was ex-military?!

I blushed as he caught me staring at him in the rear view mirror.

“That's fine, I'm sure all will go to plan!” He let go of my hand and undid his seatbelt as the SUV slowed as Jones pulled it into the set down bay.

“I'll come open your door! Stay there you’re on the main road!” He gave me a look as he got out and shut his door.

I sighed. “Anyone would think I wasn't able to open a door!”

Jones chuckled. “It's just his way Miss Watson! Trust me, he doesn't do that for just anybody!” He raised a brow.

I frowned. “Oh, I see.” I wasn't sure what to make of that and I didn't have time to guess either as my door opened.

“It's clear now!” He said as he glanced up the road.

I slipped out and let him lead me around to the safety of the pavement.

“Thank you.” I grinned at him.

He gave me a perplexed look. “What are you thanking me for Evan?!”

I smiled hearing him call him by my preferred name. He'd taken to calling me that since everything this morning.

“Because you opened my door! I'm not used to guys with such good manners!” I grinned

chapter 12

He smiled as he placed his hand on my lower back and started to guide me towards the large building with a large beautiful stone carved archway. “This is the main entrance! Quite something, isn't it?!” He gazed up the ornate stone carvings.

I arched my head back to look. “It sure is!” I studied his profile. He really did have the most fascinating facial structure. His cheek bones perfectly aligned with the shadows from his eyelashes.

He glanced at me with a bemused look on his face and smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “The arts inside Evan!” He raised a brow.

I mock pouted. “But you are an art work Cameron that I wish to look at in detail!” I raised a brow.

He blinked at me rapidly, his cheeks turning a subtle pink. “Oh, do you now!”

He recovered his embarrassment as he climbed the few steps up to the large wooden doors. They were open with various signs detailing what was on display. We passed the usual tourists with their big cameras all taking photos of everything and anything.

“I always used to moan about tourists in Hollywood! Taking photos of everything but when I moved back here I realised why they did it! I mean when you grow up around a place the sights and sounds are normal to you, but when you've not and you see all these things you want to take photos of it or buy the tacky tourist stuff because it's not tacky it cool and it's something to remember it by!” I shrugged as we walked in. I was immediately in awe. We were standing in a cavernous room with white marble floors and pillars with ornate carvings set into them. Right in the center of the room hanging above the modern information desk was a huge blue and yellow chandler.

I felt Cameron's hand slip around my waist.

“Is that made of glass?!” I pulled my phone from my pocket and turned the camera app on snapping a couple of photos.

I heard a camera, snap right by me and turned frowning only to find Cameron smirking at being caught.

“Yes I did and yes it is and because your face in profile when your all awestruck is angelic!” He smiled.

I shook my head at him. “I find having your sound off stops the camera click from giving you away!” I winked at him playfully.

“I will be sure to take that advice! I believe the chandelier is 11 meters high and is made from blown glass!”

“That is immense!” I loved this place already! “I'm gonna get a map!” I grinned excitedly as I marched towards the desk. I scanned the label on the front.

“Please leave a donation for the map.” I dug around in my jeans pocket until my fingers found coins and pulled out one that felt like a pound. I checked it and then slipped into the slotted box gaining a polite smile from the older lady behind the desk. The other younger woman had been too busy starring outright at Cameron to even notice what I had been doing. In part I was used to other women looking at the people I went out with but it had never annoyed me like it did with him. It wasn't his fault, he was oblivious to it. I stared at the younger one until she looked over. I gave her a dirty look and then turned around and walked back to Cameron. “I got us a map, baby!” I said it loud enough for it to echo over to the desk.

“Where shall we start?!” He slipped his arm around my waist and took the map. “How about sculptures?! They have the biggest collection outside of Italy!”

I smiled, pleased he'd choose to ignore the fact I'd been loud on purpose. “Sounds good to me, says the gift shop is there too!” I pointed at the map.

He smiled. “More gifts for your little friend?!” He said with a slight sarcastic hint to it.

I rolled my eyes at his reference to the fact I'd given Damon the fox. I didn't intend to get him anything. I'd have to bail on pizza so I guessed he'd give me the cold shoulder for a while. I didn't want to tell Cameron about the whole pizza deal because he'd never understand it so I choose to not tell him! “Nope, just more stuff for my wall in my bedroom and a few things for Jess!”

He smiled. “Not that I mind who you buy stuffed animals for of course!” His tone said he did mind, very much.

I laughed. “Well, that's a lie! You slammed the SUV door so loud I'm sure poor Jones would have gotten a headache!”

He was silent for a moment. “Is it so wrong I was jealous of him?!” He gripped my side a little tighter.

“No, it's not wrong! It's just unfounded! I don't like him in the same way I like you and besides, women look at you all the time! Miss Information desk couldn't stop herself! If you'd have stood there a moment longer she'd have needed to clean the steam from her glasses!”

I huffed.

“I don't know what you mean! I'm hardly what you'd call traditionally good looking! Women don't look at me like that!” He shook his head.

He genuinely had no idea. “I love how clueless you are about normal everyday things! It's endearing! Don't worry, I'll protect you from all their lusty stares!” I grinned.

“Why thank you for the offer! The only woman I ever want to have look at me like anything is you!” He gave me a gentle squeeze.

“Oh trust me, I look at you in many ways.” I smirked.

We made our way down a long corridor all white marble and high ceilings. It was beautiful by its self as it was. As we got half way down the statues turned more Renaissance in style.

“Do you mind if we sit for a while?! I'd love to do a couple small sketches! This is the best era for proper proportion! They really caught all the lines and tones just right!” I found an empty bench seat and made myself busy getting my sketch pad out and pencil out.

Cameron sat himself down next to me.

I became engrossed sketching one of the female statues, until I heard another camera click.

“Really should put that on silent Cameron!” I smirked as I swept my pencil down the line of the hip.

“Noted and done! You stick your tongue out when you concentrate and that's very good! How can you say you’re not good?!” His head, threw shadows over my page as he moved forward a fraction.

I chewed my lip. “Because I can't draw detail! Like her face! It’ll be blank because otherwise I will drive myself mental!” I looked up at the statues surrounding us.

“These are my favourite because they've shown a soft female side! Some and rightly so show the harsher lines and features of both male and female, but these are from an age when they only had Greek statues to go on! I mean they had an advantage over painters from that point! See the perfect lines of muscle on her thigh?! How it perfectly sweeps down from the top of the thigh to the knee?! It could quite happily come to life and be able to walk normally! Also, how the breasts follow the same rules! Perfect round peaks with that little nipple in the center! You know just enough to cup in your hand! Not too big, that would have been too much, but let's face it breasts were a big thing then! Even some of the men in sculptures had breasts! In reality, of course they aren't perfect unless you've had work done!” I paused, wondering if I was boring him because he'd fallen silent. I looked around to find him lent over with his elbows on his knees.

I frowned and went back to my explanation, I'd started so he could damn well hear it to the end!

“Uh yeah, so talking about men! Like that one over there! It wasn't just the female sculptures that got detail! Just look at the tone and the lines of the pecks on his chest! And how his hip muscles budge slightly, giving that feel that he is strong! Even down to the arms, literally no detail went unmissed, these have it all right down to his manhood. You’ll notice the female ones have a very slight hint at arm muscles but the male one isn't hiding the fact he has a set of guns!’’

I admired the statues. “Do you know what I find fascinating is that they are carved from huge slabs of marble! I mean to start with a block and work it into that just blows my mind!” I took some photos with my phone and then turned back around to look at Cameron but he was silent.

“Cameron?!” I asked his name softly as I placed a hand on his shoulder suddenly worried he wasn't feeling well. He had his eyes closed and was pressing his temple.

“Are you okay?!” The panic started to rise in my chest. What if he was sick?! What if I needed to call an ambulance I knew nothing about him other than his name. “Please talk to me, I'm starting to freak out here... Did I bore you with my art chat...? I'm sorry.” I chewed my lip wondering what was wrong with him.

He turned his head to look at me. His eyes darker than normal. “I'm not sick, don't worry! You didn't bore me at all, I enjoyed your little, talk a little more than what you expected!” He raised a brow as he glanced down at his shoes again.

I was confused for a moment, then it struck me. Had he been turned on by me talking about breasts and lines and tone?!

“Oh.” I didn't know what else to say.

He turned his head towards me again. “I just need a moment to think about things that aren't remotely sexy and I'll be fine.” He took a breath in, his eyes burning into mine.

That was the one good thing about being female you could think of the sexiest thing ever and no one would outwardly know you were turned on but men, they didn't have it as easy. I glanced at him while he was looking at his shoes and noticed the hitch in his trousers. It didn't bother me, but it can't have been pleasant sitting there like that.

“Cats licking their butts!” I blurted it out without thinking. It struck me as funny as I said and started to giggle.

“What the actual fuck!” He looked confused.

I tried to hold my laughter, but couldn't. Tears rolled down my face as my shoulders shook with laughter.

“Well, you said...” I started to giggle again. “That you wanted to think about something less sexy... Cats licking their butts is the unsexiest thing I could think of!” I sniffed in.