For the next few days, between playing gigs at night and working with Neil during the day, I didn’t get much alone time with Trev. It was a relief in a small way, because it allowed me time to think everything through. Pulling the brakes on the intensity was what both of us needed. We were establishing a newfound friendship and trust, but it was tentative. If we rushed things, we’d crash into the same old wall again—something we were both aware of.

Since Trev couldn’t do much with his injured wrist, he immersed himself in training our young South African friend instead. Every evening they went running together and it warmed my heart to see their budding friendship develop.

On the afternoon of our train to Madrid, I was feeling a little unstable. Not because of Trev, but because of the trip down memory lane I was about to embark on. I was going to visit a city fraught with childhood memories and I wasn’t sure I was ready.

“Sit next to me,” said Trev as I lugged my suitcase on board the train. His hand came to the small of my back as he led me down the first-class carriage.

“It’s an eleven-hour journey. Are you sure you want me next to you all that time? I snore pretty loudly when I fall asleep on public transport,” I joked and saw his expression warm.

“I don’t care if you drool on my shoulder, just sit with me. We’ve hardly talked in days.”

Before I could respond he ushered me to a window seat. Trev lifted my suitcase with one arm, which was pretty impressive, and deposited it in the overhead bin. Then he slid into the seat beside me and grinned.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

I arched a brow. “Did I have a choice?”

His grin widened. “Nope.”

Callum and Paul took the two seats opposite ours, while James, Leanne and Isaac sat just across the aisle. I stuck my headphones in and listened to music as the train left the station. A few minutes into the journey, Trev nudged me with his shoulder and held out his injured wrist.

“I’m making everyone write something on here. Want to go first?”

I smiled wide as I glanced at his cast and placed a hand to my heart. “Why, Trevor, I’d be honoured to break you in.”

His expression turned playful as he handed me a blue Sharpie. I uncapped it and took a moment to think about what to write, then a funny thought struck me. I held his hand at an angle so he couldn’t see, scribbled something down, then handed the Sharpie back to him. His eyes gleamed with pleasure when he saw what I wrote, his mouth curving in a slow smile as he read aloud.

“This happened to your right hand because God’s been watching you in the shower. Let it be a lesson.”

Everyone laughed while I shot Trev a challenging smirk. “It was a toss-up between that and ‘Too glam to give a damn’.”

He narrowed his gaze, his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile. “Of course, it was.” A pause as he looked at his cast again, then effected an offended expression. “God’s a pervert.”

“Oh yeah, total voyeur,” said Paul. “The religion part’s just a front.”

“This is the reason why I’m glad to be sharing a bathroom with only Reya for the rest of the trip,” Leanne put in. “I know exactly what you lot get up to in the shower.”

“I thought we agreed never to speak of that,” Paul added humorously.

Leanne chuckled. “Right, my bad.”

“The shower is the most hygienic place to do it though,” James reasoned with a demure smirk.

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.

He smirked and continued talking. “You find a sticker, you know what sort of alarm you’re dealing with. Messy fuckers break the window, but jimmying the lock was my specialty. I swear I had techniques for every make and model. Once you’re inside, you might need to cut a lock on the steering wheel.” He reached out and gestured a cutting motion across my chest. I swallowed down a lump of desire when his fingers brushed my bare skin. He was just an inch shy of my boob and the cheeky fucker knew it.

“If an alarm goes off, you deactivate it by cutting the wiring. Like I said, it all depends on the manufacturer.” He made another snipping motion across my chest and I shot him a small glare. He was pushing it now but I couldn’t help the shiver that trickled down my spine. Who knew car theft could be so arousing?

Oh wait. That was Trev who was arousing.

“Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the owner might’ve hidden a spare key somewhere, so you do a little search.” Starting at my shoulders, he ran his hands down my sides as though searching for the elusive hidden key. This was such an excuse to feel me up, but I couldn’t decide if I was annoyed or impressed with his creativity. When his fingers skimmed my hips then started moving down toward my backside I brushed them away. “Okay,” I croaked. “I think they get the point.”

“Is anyone else turned on?” Leanne asked with a touch of humour.

I shot her a playful scowl then looked back to Trev. He was staring down at me in amusement, clearly loving every second of this little demonstration. A woman sitting a few rows down was shooting us disapproving looks, but I was too focused on Trev to be bothered by her.

Trev cleared his throat, and I wondered if he was just as affected right then as I was. Sure, I hadn’t had sex in nearly a year, but it had been a long time for him, too, especially by his standards. “If you can’t find the spare key, then you’ll need to open her up and hotwire the engine.”

“Don’t even go there,” I warned and he laughed, the warm sound heating my insides.

He leaned close to whisper, “I won’t. I think we’ve both had enough fun . . . for now.”

Goosebumps dotted my skin as he looked to Paul. “Like the alarm system, depending on the make and model, hotwiring can be a tricky business.”

“Bet you had your techniques,” I muttered under my breath, moving by him to sit back down in my seat. I needed a glass of iced water, or maybe some chilled red wine would be better. My nerves were frazzled, while my vagina was screaming out for him to do another demo.

She was such an attention whore.

“Did you ever get caught?” Paul asked, intrigued.

“I had a few run-ins, spent a couple nights in the nick, but never prison.”

“Didn’t Karla arrest you once?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. “Nah, that was Liam, remember? Although she did almost catch me one time. I had my eye on a nice little matte-black Honda and she spotted me from down the street. She gave a good chase, but I’m pretty much impossible to catch. At least I was back then.”

“Your life is so bizarre,” said Leanne, shaking her head in disbelief.

“How do you think I learned to free run?” Trev replied. “It was out of necessity. Coppers like Karla are fast, but they aren’t going to risk breaking their necks to jump off a fifteen-foot wall, or worse, a roof.”

“Your story is so much more impressive than mine. I started freerunning to impress girls,” said Paul.

“We all did it to impress girls,” Callum put in. “Only in Trev’s case it was an added bonus.”

“Not me,” said Isaac. “Back in Joburg, I had to walk through some dangerous areas to get to school. A friend of mine showed me that if I learned to jump across roofs, I could avoid those areas.”

“You see?” said Leanne, eyeing Callum. “Not all men think with their penis. I saw some kids doing it at my local park and knew instantly it was my sport. I could give a shit about impressing anyone, male or female.”

“Some of us can’t be that awesome,” Callum threw back. It wasn’t a compliment, as there was too much bite in his words. They appeared embroiled in a staring match when a woman came down the aisle holding her daughter’s hand. The little girl was probably about three or four years old and wore a big friendly smile when her attention fell on Callum.

“¡Mami mira, tiene dibujos en sus brazos! ¿Por qué tiene dibujos en sus brazos?” she asked, her face alight with curiosity.

“Porque hay gente a la que le gusta dibujarse,” the mother explained with a smile.

The little girl’s big brown eyes widened in fascination, her gaze never leaving Callum. He grew uncomfortable with her attention and his entire body stiffened. He seemed conflicted. Hostile. It was just a little Spanish kid. I guessed some people were weird around children.

“Ven y deja al hombre en paz,” said the mother as she led her daughter further down the aisle.

Callum glanced at me. Someone must’ve told him I spoke Spanish because he asked, “What did she say?”

I was surprised he cared enough to ask, and also by how important it seemed to him to know the answer. I smiled and nodded to his exposed arms. “She asked her mum why you have pictures on your arms.”

“Oh,” he said, looking unsettled. For some reason, Leanne reached across to his seat and gave his elbow a soft squeeze. I knew I had to be missing something, because her face was almost as sombre as Callum’s right then. Their previous battle of wills was completely forgotten. Then, abruptly, he tugged his arm away and stood from his seat, striding down the aisle without a word. Once again, I was completely lost, but I sensed the tension among the group and knew it wouldn’t be wise to ask questions.

“Trev, go talk to him. Please,” Leanne begged, her eyes beseeching.

Trev ran a hand over his jaw and nodded, pushing up out of his seat. I watched him make his way down the aisle after Callum then focused my attention out the window. The atmosphere was stifling and I couldn’t help my curiosity. I wanted to know what was up with them.

About twenty minutes later, Trev and Callum returned to their seats, like nothing had even happened. I kept my attention on the old episode of Black Books I was watching on my phone when Trev pulled out one of my ear buds to stick it in his own ear. I cast him a curious glance

“I love this show. It’s a classic,” was all he said as he shifted closer to watch it with me.

We were several episodes in when the sky started to darken. I glanced out at the passing scenery to distract myself. Through every episode, he found subtle ways to touch me, whether it was resting his hand on my thigh or moving it down to gently cup my knee.

All of my senses were on high alert.

The others were entirely unaware of how he delicately seduced me, how I felt ready to burst with the need to touch him back. I could’ve told him to stop. I could’ve gone and sat in the empty seat next to Isaac, but I didn’t. Much as I hated to admit it, I liked what he was doing. I had missed touch. I relished the quiet dance we engaged in, even though I wasn’t sure where it would lead.

I was relieved when the time came to visit the dining cart. I practically inhaled my soup and sandwich, then went to stretch my legs by walking up and down the carriages.

I reached the end of the very last carriage and found a small, empty storage space where I could take a breath. It was quiet here, and I savoured the moment alone as I leaned back against the wall.

Being on this train was like being trapped in a temptation bubble full of sexual tension.

I closed my eyes, but all I saw was Trev. I was so sensitised to his touch I could still feel the phantom impression of his hand on my knee.

Needing a distraction, I pulled out my phone and found a new text from Karla. She asked how everything was going and I started to type a reply when the sliding door clicked open. Thinking it was someone looking for the bathroom, I shifted out of the way, my attention fixed to my phone when familiar fingers pulled it from my grasp.

“Who are you texting?” Trev asked. His voice held a guttural quality. Was he as worked up as I was? We inhabited such rocky territory; one wrong move and the thin grasp we both had on control would snap.

I glanced up and grabbed my phone back. “Just Karla.” He stood way too close, the heady scent of his cologne putting me on a knife’s edge.

“Ah,” he said, his bright eyes twinkling as he stared me down.

“W-what’s up?” I asked clumsily, feeling out of sorts. It was too quiet back here, too private, and Trev’s proximity seemed to soak up all the oxygen.

He tilted his head in a way that made my heart flutter. “I was just wondering where you’d disappeared to.”

I made a gesture with my hands. “Well, here I am.”

Anticipation filled the air until I felt too hot, stifled almost. A whimper nearly escaped me, but I managed to hold it in. There was barely an inch of space between us. If I moved the tiniest bit, my breasts would brush against him. My body was screaming out for the friction.

Trev’s expression turned soft, his attention focused on my mouth when he murmured, “Here you are.”

“What did you—”

My words were cut short when he gripped my neck, pulled me to him, and crushed his lips to mine. I gasped, my mouth opening in surprise, and he took advantage of the moment to plunge his tongue inside. Every pore in my body tightened, every tiny hair stood on end, as a kaleidoscope of colours flashed behind my eyes.

His kiss spanned ultraviolet to infrared.

It was need and unleashed repression.

It sated the want I’d felt in the past month, and so much more.

Trev pushed me back against the wall until his sculpted body fit into all my soft curves. It was violent, almost angry, but heady in a way I’d never known. Pent-up desire released like butterflies fleeing a net.

He let out a sound of pure, unadulterated male desire, half grunt, half groan. If I could capture it on a recording, I was sure Nicki Minaj would want to sample it on one of her tracks.

His hand moved from my neck and down my chest to press over my heart. I swore it stopped beating for a second. In my head, I heard an entire symphony: there were strings and brass, percussion and woodwinds, and then, at the centre of it all, a single grand piano playing a tune that captured every feeling I had for this crazy, beautiful, messed-up wonder of a man.

His tongue was relentless, his lips devouring me like he was starved. My body tingled with heat, and when he dragged his mouth from mine to gasp in my ear, “I’ve wanted to do that for weeks,” I melted into a pile of boneless goo.

I brought both my hands to his neck and pulled him to me. This time I was the one who kissed him. Now that I’d gotten a taste, there was no going back. I was one hundred per cent doing this and a thousand-man standing army couldn’t stop me.

I whimpered when his hand dipped low to squeeze my arse. His other hand tried to join in, but the cast meant he couldn’t do much. Trev groaned his frustration but didn’t break the kiss. Instead he manoeuvred us to a private corner where we wouldn’t be seen.

His free hand slid up my spine. His fingers brushed the back of my neck then wandered down. I trembled and gripped his strong, muscular shoulders, my hands slowly moving along his back, my fingertips exploring every hard dip and indent of his athletic form.

Again, his injured hand pressed clumsily against my side. He broke away long enough to swear under his breath before he was on me again. His other hand explored my front, moving up my stomach to massage my breast. Never more had I wished to be anywhere but on a public bloody train somewhere between France and Spain.

His need set me on fire, his hunger so great I practically shivered with desperate trepidation. When his fingers dipped inside the waistband of my jeans and pressed against my wet heat, I let out a loud, erotic moan. Trev grunted and his hand slipped past the elastic of my underwear. When his fingers found my wetness, my eyes drifted shut. My mouth left his as my head fell back against the wall of the carriage.

“Oh God,” I gasped and opened my eyes. I was met with a look so fierce that I had to close them again. Trev watched me, absorbing my every reaction. His fingers moved in a tantalising rhythm against my sex. My entire body shuddered when he swiped a thumb over my clit.

My thighs clenched and I arched my spine, pushing into him, feeling like I couldn’t get close enough. He started kissing me again, but this time it was less frantic, slower—sensual. His circles on my clit matched the tempo of his kiss, building up the pleasure until I couldn’t hold back for a second longer.

I came with a sharp, breathless cry and buried my face in his neck. Trev didn’t move his hand, instead making a deep, satisfied hum in the back of his throat as his fingers dipped inside me. I moaned at the exquisite invasion, arching my back again to grant him better access.

“You feel incredible,” he breathed as I nuzzled the hollow of his neck.

An announcement came over the speakers, signalling the next stop.

“I hate that we’re stuck on this train,” Trev ground out. “Want to get off here and find a hotel?”

I let out a soft, surprisingly breathy laugh. “I think that would be pretty obvious. Everybody’s probably already wondering where we’ve disappeared to.”

“Fuck them. Let them think what they want. I need you now.”

His gruff, manly tone turned me on. I wanted the same thing, but it was too much. How quickly he could make me come seemed to match how fast I lost my head with him. I’d do anything just to sate the hunger I felt, but for now, I had to be restrained.

My tone was flirtatious when I replied, “Trev, I’m not getting off this train just to go have sex with you in some random hotel in”—I paused to look out the window at the station we were stopped in—“Burgos. Besides, we have to get off to change trains in a little bit anyway.”

“You’re a cruel mistress.”

My lips curved. “The cruellest.”

He dipped down for another kiss. “But I love you anyway.”