Consumed by a Stranger (Craved Series #4) Read Online Free

did, I'm sure you'd be a perfectly good one."
     
    I
raised my eyebrows. "A perfectly good one?! That's not very inspiring."
     
    Audrey
rolled her eyes. "I'm a graphic designer, Jack, not Van Gogh."
     
    "Yet,"
I said. "You might be someday. Van Gogh never painted shit until he was
thirty-five."
     
    "He
also cut his ear off for love."
     
    "You
don't have to have everything in common."
     
    "Are
you saying you wouldn't be moved if my ear showed up in a box on your doorstep?"
     
    I
reached forward and examined her ear. 
     
    She
turned her head so I could admire it better. 
     
    "It
is lovely," I said. "But I think it’s fine where it is. Besides, I'm
not sure where I would put it."
     
    "I
would frame it first, silly." She shook her head. "If I was going to
go to all that trouble, I'd obviously make sure it was nicely presented."
     
    "I
think that's my cue to leave."
     
    "I
was just joking." 
     
    "I
know. You seem pretty attached to your ear as it is."
     
    “I
suppose I am.” 
     
    "But
I do genuinely have some things I need to do before tonight so-"
     
    She
raised her eyebrows. "Like take a nap?"
     
    "Pretty
much," I said. "Though if you would rather we just lounge around your
apartment naked today, it would be like Christmas come early."
     
     
     

Chapter
5: Audrey
     
     
     
    His
face looked hopeful and I had half a mind to agree. 
     
    But
it was better that he leave so I could process what the hell just happened.
Plus, I was starting to talk rubbish now that I was giddy from having sex with
the one that got away. 
     
    But
where would he go? Was this my cue to offer my place to him as a crash pad?
     
    "Do
you want to nap here?" I asked, fumbling my offer of accommodation. 
     
    "No,"
he said. "That's okay."
     
    I
nodded. 
     
    He
smiled. "But ask me again after dinner, and I might just take you up on
that."
     
    I
felt my stomach twist. "Okay." The prospect of going on a date with
him in my real life as opposed to my fake vacation life was exhilarating.
"So you have somewhere to stay?"
     
    "Yeah,"
he said. "I'm at The Drake."
     
    I
raised my eyebrows. "Wow." I was desperately curious about what it cost
to stay there but too polite and embarrassed to ask. "Is it nice?"
     
    Jack
shrugged. "Seems okay so far."
     
    "Good,"
I said, suddenly conscious of the size of my apartment… and the number of
pillows going around without mints on them. "Is that where I should meet
you later or-?"
     
    "No,"
he said. "I'll pick you up." 
     
    "Okay."
     
    "But
I should warn you I rented a bike so-"
     
    "Seems
like a bold choice considering the unpredictability of the weather here."
     
    He
shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a bold guy."
     
    "So
I'm beginning to realize." I swung my feet off Jack's lap. 
     
    "Do
you want me to help clear up?" he asked, nodding towards our cups. "I
don't mind."
     
    "That's
okay," I said. "I’ll do it when you leave." After I'm done doing
cartwheels. 
     
    "Okay."
He bent over and grabbed his clothes.
     
    I
held the blanket to my chest and watched the muscles in his back flex and relax
as he got dressed. I couldn’t believe a guy as gorgeous as him was straight and
spoke English.
     
    And
the fact that he spoke my language both in and out of the bedroom was enough to
make my head spin. 
     
    After
he pulled his shirt over his head, I stood up and wrapped the blanket around me
like a towel, tucking the end in so it would stay up long enough for me to say
goodbye. 
     
    "Did
you want to take your coffee to go?" I asked, noticing his nearly full mug
on the table.
     
    "As
delicious as it was-"
     
    "That's
okay," I said. "You don't have to bullshit me."
     
    "It
probably just wasn't sweet enough for me because I'm used to Thai coffees
now."
     
    "Sorry,"
I said. "I'm afraid I'm all out of condensed milk."
     
    "You
and every coffee shop in Seattle no doubt."
     
    "Probably."
     
    He
made his way around the corner to the front door. "I'll pick you up at
seven thirty," he