Page 22 of Always Beth
‘Beth, the rain. Beth. Beth.’
I start to pull away, but the car stalls as he swiftly pulls on the handbrake. My anger is about to boil over and I know I’m about to lose it with him, again. As I turn to face him, his blue eyes glisten and it catches me off guard. The last thing I was expecting to see in them was any kind of emotion.
‘I’m sorry. It’s been a really bad day.’ Reaching forward, he tucks my hair behind my ear, allowing his fingers to dust lightly across my cheek. ‘I didn’t mean to be so rude.’
The sensation of his touch travels through my body and it’s not how I’d imagined. It’s better. It soothes me. So much so, I’m mesmerised, unable to tear my eyes from his.
‘You don’t like me, do you?’ He runs his thumb back and forth gently across my cheek, waiting for my answer.
‘I-I-I don’t know you well enough.’ My breath falters as I force the words out. His eyes drop to my lips then back again, and whilst the jury is still out on whether I actually like him, he has me exactly where he wants me. This is it; this is the moment. He slowly moves towards me and my heartbeat hammers throughout my body.
‘Maybe we should get to know each other better then?’
Go with it, Beth. You’d be crazy not to.I close my eyes and wait, and I wait, and nothing.
‘Shit,’ he mutters, dropping his hand from my face.That doesn’t sound good.
How could I have read that wrong? I can’t open my eyes now. I’ll look like an idiot. I’m going to have to sit here indefinitely.
‘Beth, open your eyes.’
Bright blue light floods the car and I turn to find a policeman standing at my window. Wiping the steam from the inside, I suddenly realise how bad this looks.
‘Let me do the talking,’ he says as I wind down the window.
‘Why are you parked here?’
‘I was waiting for the weather to improve. I’m sorry.’
‘Beth, I said let me do the talking.’
I whip my head back in James’ direction, throwing him a death stare. Now isn’t the time to start an argument.
‘Can you step outside the vehicle please?’ The policeman taps lightly on the door and steps away.
Just as I release my seatbelt, James’ arm stretches across, pinning me back into my seat. ‘On what grounds are you asking her to exit the vehicle?’
‘James, it’s fine—’
‘Sir, please, if you can just let the lady exit the vehicle.’
‘No, you’re turning this from a stop and question to a stop and search. I’d like to know what your reasonable grounds are?’
I look nervously back and forth between them as they hold each other’s stare. The strength of his arm pinning me protectively into my seat only heightens the earlier sensation of his touch, and I squirm as I try to rid myself of the inappropriate images racing through my mind.
‘Well? I’m waiting,’ James shouts.
The policeman takes another step back and waves his hand. ‘Don’t park here again. Move along. Now.’
I grip the steering wheel as James repositions himself in his seat.
‘You should always know your rights, Beth,’ he says finally.
Seductive James is gone and serious James is back. As I pull out on to the carriageway, the rain miraculously eases up and I can finally see the road ahead.
‘It sounds like you’ve had your fair few brushes with the law.’ I laugh uncomfortably, hoping his answer isn’t as bad as I’m imagining.
‘You could say that. I’m a barrister.’
