Page 16 of House of Bass

“And I stand corrected,” he says with a scrunch of his nose.

“ I live in Notting Hill.”

“My point is being proven.”

He is looking at me strangely, his eyes were pinched and soft, which isn’t usually an expression he directs my way. This is about the phone call last night where I said too much and I curse my lips for doing so. My plan is to have gained sudden amnesia if he brings it up. “Open the door.”

Harley slowly stands from her chair then sprints down the stairs, I only realise what she is doing half a second too late.

No. No, no, no.

I yell, running after her, “Do not open that door.” But it is too late as she has already launched the front door wide open to reveal Arden.

He comes closer and his scent immediately hits my nostril and I barely resist the urge to breathe him in deeper. He ignores Harley on my right and says, “The next thing to do here would be to let me in.”

“Don’t you have better things to do with your time? Other people to talk to?”

“Probably, but I choose you.” My breath catches from those words, and I know he doesn’t mean it in that way but it doesn’t stop my brain from latching onto it. His hair falls down his eyes and a part of me wants to brush it away to properly reveal those beautiful eyes.

“When you’re both done staring at one another, close the door,” Harley says, making me jump and shaking us both out of our stupor.

Arden turns his head towards her, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as though he was only just seeing her for the first time. “Is this her?” I nod in response.

Harley says, “You told him?” At the same time Arden says, “Not what I expected.” as he scans her up and down.

“What were you expecting?” she sharply asks, her disdain radiating off her, “Let me guess, white?”

“No. Clean,” he says, not at all perturbed by the accusation.

She looks down at her shirt, which is stained with the chocolate from the syrup she had on her pancakes, “I just ate dickhead.”

“On your shirt?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Harley this is Richard Arden Thorne,” I say, hoping to cut through their bickering. “My…friend.”

“Just Arden will do. I’d extend my hand but I’m not sure you have washed it.” I whack him on the chest to shut him up.

She glares and turns to me, “I’ll be in my room, tell me when he leaves.” She gives him a middle finger as she leaves.

“You’re an arse,” I say and he grins, proud that he managed to piss someone off for the day.

“She brings up a good point, did he do a DNA test?”

“Have you ever known my father to do anything halfway?” and the silence tells me he agrees.

“Where’s MJ?” I question .

“Her parents,” he sighs, “Turns out those brothers of hers will be in the city more often than anticipated.”

“Oh my god, even Gabe?” I ask with glee.

“Your persistent crush on that boy is ridiculous,” he sharply says with a glare.

“He’s four years your senior, he’s not a boy.”

“He acts like one.”

“No, he’s carefree and the concept blows your mind.” I smile, but it falls when I realise how close we have inched towards each other without realising.