Free The Desire to Touch by N Taylor Page A

dodgy night club. Intriguing, well let’s go get this over and done with because I’m starving.”
    “Watch it Doll, it’s not a dodgy club! Well not since the police made him clean it up.”
    I look over the road and see a diner, a bright red canopy hangs above the door saying ‘Bagels to go’ and window boxes full of flowers make it look so inviting.
    “I am so hungry Lucas.”
    “Don’t worry, as soon as I’m fitted, we’ll go and eat,” Lucas takes my hand and leads me through the door. We walk up the narrow, dingily lit staircase and come to a metal door at the top. I look at the walls which look like they have suffered some kind of water damage or mould and, in parts, the paper is hanging off.
    “Thought you said it was better inside?”
    “I said once you’re through the door. This door.” Lucas presses a buzzer and we wait for the door to open. There’s no handle on the door this side, it’s a solid heavy steel door and all it has is a keyhole and a spy hole which makes me wonder who are they trying to keep out, or in?
    Seconds later the door opens. I t’s that heavy I can hear the squeak from the hinges and the crunching from the drag on the floor, there are wear marks from where the door drags along it.
    We step in to a massive room which spans this shop and the two either side, I swear we have stepped into the Tardis. It’s massive in here. The floor is marble white all the way as far as the eye can see and there are black shelves that reach from floor to ceiling running the length of the right and left walls. They seem to house all manor of shirts, trousers and materials. We walk a few steps in and in front of me is a massive glass coffee table that has material strewn across it and uplighters set under the glass making the material look opaque.
    “Please , excuse the mess,” a little Italian looking man walks up to greet Lucas.
    I was kind of expecting a full on Italian accent but I am sadly disappointed . I would guess he probably moved to New York a very long time ago or he was raised here. Lorenzo hangs his tape measure around his neck so it blends in with his grey chunky knit cardigan, which hangs just below his waist but goes well with his brown cords.
    “Lucas, on time as usual.”
    “Hey Lorenzo,” they shake hands, “This is my friend, she’s come to see a master at work. Just so you’re aware, I have to leave here by six - I have a set at nine.
    “Please , come in Ellie,” He holds out his hand to shake.
    I look at Lucas puzzled, how the hell does he know my name?
    “Come, come.” Lorenzo keeps hold of me and leads me through the shop.
    “What’s up?” Lucas whispers in my ear as we walk.
    We head towards the far end where there are three cream leather sofas and a huge fur rug in air force blue. The wall at the end is the only one with colour and that matches the rug. I sit on the sofa and Lorenzo lets go of my hand and starts to sort out material that is piled high on the sofa next to me.
    “Please help yourself to magazines and there is a coffee machine in the kitchen should you want a drink.”
    “How does he know my name?” I mouth at Lucas

Chapter Six
    “I introduced you didn’t I?”
    I shake my head at him
    “I must’ve mentioned you the last time I came.”
    I nod. Lucas must have said something…. I still feel uneasy though.
    Lorenzo smiles pleasantly at me and leads Lucas to the left of the blue wall where there is a changing room.
    This place is amazing. Why is it so hidden? Actually come to think of it, I look around, there are no windows at all in here, not even a sky light. The ceiling is covered in thousands of spotlights that give a daylight effect and it still has that warm feeling whilst being ultra modern.
    “We won’t be long Ellie, go grab a drink,” Lucas shouts from behind the curtain of the changing room.
    I stand but feel really naughty for having my shoes on this amazingly clean rug. So I tiptoe off the rug and head towards the